Fes Desert Tour From Marrakech 4Days

Marrakech – High Atlas Mountains – Ait Ben Haddou – Ouarzazate

Thank you. Leaving the “pink city” behind, the road soon leads up the dramatic High Atlas Mountains with steep climbs, dizzying hair-pin bends and awe-inspiring views. The drive is over the highest vehicle pass in Morocco, the Tizi-n’Tichka Pass – stop for photos! Once over the high Pass, descend through the Ounila Valley; see the partly restored Kasbah Telouet, once seat of the powerful Glaoui dynasty, with stunning tile, wood & stucco restorations. Continuing to the UNESCO protected World Heritage site of Ait Ben Haddou, this iconic red mud-brick ksar is used in many international films such as “Lawrence of Arabia”, “Gladiator” and “Game of Thrones”. Take a walk to the top of the hill and sense the history as it guards the river and surrounding plain, hinting of its once important place on old caravan routes. Lunch here or at Ouarzazate.  At Ouarzazate visit the ancient Kasbah Taourirt and/or international film studios (both optional) before arriving at your accommodation for the night.

Ouarzazate Rose Valley – Dades Gorge – Todra Gorge/Tinghir

Depart 8.30am. After breakfast, drive to the Dades Valley – a historically rich region known as “The Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs” for its traditional buildings and villages almost unchanged for generations. Stop near Skoura, where vast palmeries support local families, to visit the 17th Century Kasbah Amridil as featured in many Moroccan brochures. Drive through the Rose Valley where fields of pink rose petals are processed into valuable oils, soaps and perfumes etc. in the spring. Continue to the Dades Gorge with its strange rock formations in the Tamnalt Hills – the Monkey Fingers – and famous zig-zag road in the gorge’s narrow section; time for a short walk and photos.  After the Dades Gorge your journey continues, winding between the High Atlas Mountains and the equally daunting Jebel Sarhro, to the Todra Gorge. Lunch along the road. Overnight near the Todra Gorge at Tinghir.

Todra Gorge/Tinghir – Erfoud – Merzouga/Erg Chebbi

Depart After breakfast have time to explore the deep cut of the Todra Gorge if not done the day before – walk along the river bank beneath the towering cliff faces which regularly offer challenges for rock climbers and trekkers. Leaving the mountains and gorges, we now head towards the historic outer desert area of the flat stony Tafilalt and the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Heading to the town of Erfoud, stop at an ancient underground irrigation system in use for generations to water life-giving desert palm oases; the desert town of Erfoud is renown of its black marble from nearby quarries embedded with marine fossils and now made into a variety of household furniture and other items. Lunch along the road. On the way to Merzouga, visit the small village of Khamlia where the famous local Gnaoua musicians play their distinctive music from the sub-Sahara for you.  A memorable stop. Lunch along the road.  On reaching the dunes of Erg Chebbi at the town of Merzouga, leave your vehicle and ride your camels into the dunes for overnight in a luxury desert camp. Be welcomed with the traditional hot sweet Berber tea, a symbol of Moroccan hospitality and relax; enjoy a tagine dinner freshly prepared by your hosts. This is a night of dining and desert entertainment under the stars with after-dinner singing and drumming round the camp fire, always haunting in the desert night.

Tinjdad – Er Rachidia – Ziz Valley – High & Middle Atlas Mountains – Midelt – Fez

Rise early to see the desert dawn, the desert bathed in the soft morning light. Breakfast will be at your luxury camp before riding your camels back to the hotel and re-join your driver/guide and vehicle. Depart approx. 9.30am. Drive north, leaving this fascinating but harsh outer desert for the verdant Ziz Valley. Renowned for its dates and vast palmeries, the Ziz Valley is a ribbon of green in the barren mountains. Climbing ever higher, pass through the spectacular valleys and high grazing plateaus of the High Atlas to reach the fertile valleys of the Middle Atlas around Midelt and Azrou. Lunch possible at Midelt. The scenery changes as you descend from the high mountains with hills clad in thick pine and stately cedar trees – home to Barbary Apes.  Reach Fez on the fertile northern plains of Morocco late afternoon where this tour will end at your accommodation.