Duration: 4 Days
Locations visited: Ifrane (Switzerland of Morocco), Barbary Apes, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Ziz Valley, Toudgha Gorges, Dades Valley, Ouarzazate
What’s included:
- Private Tour: there will be no other people in the group
- Pick up and transfer to the airport or port of Tangier
- Private transportation minivan with air conditioning
- Driver/Accompanying guide who speaks English, Spanish, French and Arabic
- Local guide in Fez for the guided tour
- Accommodation on a half-board basis, in a double room with a bathroom, except in Fez only breakfast
- Fuel, tolls and all expenses associated with transportation
What’s not included:
- Midday meals
- Dinners in Fez
- Drinks
- Tickets to museums
- Flights
Itinerary:
Day 1: Fez to Erg Chebbi Desert along the Middle Atlas Mountains and Ziz valley
Pick up from Fez at 8am and travel south crossing the Middle Atlas Mountains. Stop in Ifrane, the second cleanest city in the world, for a short walk and coffee. The next stop is a cedar forest to see Barbary Apes in their natural environment.
Your journey will take you southeast along Ziz Valley, which is known for its lush palm tree grove. In the late afternoon, you will arrive at Erg Chebbi Dunes. Then you will ride a camel into the desert (1.5 hours) and enjoy the sunset from the sand dunes. You will be served supper, and attend a drum party before sleeping overnight in your desert camp.
Day 2: Desert to Toudgha Gorges and Dades Valley
Watch the sunrise across the desert dunes before taking a camel trek back to the village to shower and have breakfast at the Kasbah Hotel. Next, we will head to Rissani to visit the local market, then drive to Toudgha Gorges for lunch and a walk along the Toudgha Valley. In the afternoon, we will continue to Dades and stay overnight in a beautiful Dades Kasbah hotel.
Day 3: Dades valley to Marrakech via Skoura Oasis and Ouarzazate
After breakfast, we will continue to Ouarzazate, passing through Rose valley and Skoura Oasis. In Skoura we will drive off-road in the Oasis to see the beautiful Kasbah of Amridel. We will continue to Ouarzazate to see the well-preserved Kasbah of Tourirte. Lunch is served near the Kasbah of Ait Ben Hado, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This site is located on a hill along the Oued EL Maleh River, and is a beautiful example of southern Moroccan architecture which has been used as a backdrop for over 20 films, including Lawrence of Arabia, Jewel of the Nile, The Mummy, and Gladiator. Your journey will continue to Marrakech over the Tizi N Tichka pass while enjoying superb views of the High Atlas Mountains and local villages. In Marrakesh we will drop you off at your Riad or hotel.
Day 4: Extra night in Erg Chebbi (Merzouga)
Four day tours will include an extra day on the edge of the Erg Chebbi Desert. After breakfast, we will take a walk to learn about desert irrigation practices and visit family agricultural plots. We will then listen to a performance of Gnawa musicians in Khamlia village, go off-road driving through the desert, and stop to see open pit Barite mines. For lunch, we will stop for Berber pizza before returning to the hotel, where you are free to partake in many activities such as sand-boarding, ATV riding, desert walking, or simply enjoying the sunset from the dunes outside your hotel.