After your breakfast , we will depart for
Ouarzazat through the famous Tizi
Ntichka pass (2260m), over the High Atlas
Mountains, snow on its peaks most of the
year, appreciate the beauty of the
landscape on the twisted road through the
Berber villages.
After breakfast in the hotel, we will leave
to explore the fascinating Dades and
Rose
Valleys. Our first stop will be at Skoura to
walk within the Birds Valley and visit the
beautiful and well preserved Kasbah of
Ameridil.
Then we’ll continue to the famous village
of Kalaa M’gouna, famous for its roses
and rose products. A rose festival is held
here every May, when the roses are
harvested.
After breakfast in the hotel, drive back in the valley to see
the amazing rock formation referred to as “the monkey
toes”, and the standing 19th century Kasbah of Ait yul.
Leave the Dades valley towards Tinrghir and the Todra
valley. Watch the panoramic views of the old mud berber
villages overlooking the valley. Lunch in a restaurant
under 200m high red cliff of the gorge. Hundreds of rock
climbers come to enjoy their preferred sport here.
Continue your trip to Erfoud and Rissani then through the
open black desert to the village Merzouga – the home of
your guide Lahcen and where your camel will be awaiting
you. You’ll be welcomed with a mint tea before you
mount your camel and, guided by an experienced camelman, start your safari to explore within the
mysterious sand-sea of the Erg-Chebbi. Here you will spend your first night under the stars in a
traditional Berber nomad tent.
Your camel man will wake you up early in the morning to watch what well may be the best sunrise
of your life. After breakfast in the nomad tent, you’ll mount your camel again for another three hours
trek until you get to a black stony desert.
Then, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, you’ll be welcomed by your next night’s hosts: a Bedouin
family with whom you will share – even if just for a while – a bit of their simple lifestyle. Communicate
with their kids and learn one or two words from their language, whilst their mother prepares a
couscous dinner for you to enjoy with them. Time spent with the nomads will last in your memory.
Overnight you’ll sleep in a traditional Bedouin tent.
After breakfast with the Bedouin family
you’ll peacefully camel-trek back to the
village of Merzouga. Enroute you couldn’t
fail to appreciate the unique beauty of the
spectacular Erg Chebbi dunes – changing
with the light as the day progresses.
Arriving late morning back in Merzouga,
freshen-up and start an explorative journey
of the area. You’ll visit the Gnawa people,
originally slaves brought from Sudan, to
experience their music and lifestyle.
After breakfast in the guest house, leave
for Rissani. If it is a Sunday, Tuesday or
Thursday this is an opportunity to explore
the souk , once a meeting place for many
caravans coming from Timbuctou in Mali.
Rissani – once Sijilmassa – is the
foundation of the Alaouite Aynasty, the
current ruling family. With most of the
woman veiled, and men hooded, this is a
very traditional Moroccan town.
After breakfast at the riad we’ll head southwards to
the well-known Tamegrout. Visit the Islamic-book
shop, the oldest in the area, which served as a
school and the source of Islamic education. Our visit
continues to the hand-made pottery works where you
will see men baking the clay to make different pots
and kitchen dishes, and making fire to heat them in
high temperature.
Drive back to the Riad, in the afternoon you have the
choice to have a walk in the valley or relax and enjoy
the beauty of the building. Overnight Riad
After a luxurious breakfast at the riad , head to Ouarzazat again through the Draa Valley. Just
before Agdez stop to stretch your legs and see the panoramic view of the palm grove and the
scenic moon-like landscape with the beautiful contrast of the Berber villages and the Saghro
mountains. Continue towards our hotel near the Kasbah Tifoultout; an area that has been a
popular location for Hollywood films, including The Last Temptation of Christ, Jewel of the Nile,
and the Mummy.
After breakfast and visiting Tifoultout Kasbah, we’ll head to Taroudant via Taznakht, stopping at
Taliouine to visit the Safran co-operative.
If your visit coincides with the Safran harvest, you will have the opportunity to meet the Berber
women with their families picking the safran leaves in their fields. We should arrive at Taroudant
in the afternoon, where you’ll be accommodated overnight in a guesthouse.
After breakfast we’ll explore Taroudant “ little
Marrakech” and its monuments starting with a
visit to the Kasbah and the ramparts; the alleys
of the medina; the Berber Souk and the Arab
Souk and then to the tanneries. After lunch near
the main square, go for a horse-drawn carriage
ride around the walls, which were built by the
Saadian dynasty in the 16th century before they
moved to Marrakech. Taroudant is referred to
as the “little Marrakech” for its red walls and
narrow alleys built by the same dynasty who
built Marrakech. Dinner can be at a restaurant
outside the walls, and overnight
accommodation again at the guest house.
After breakfast, we’ll head for Tafraout, a Berber village in the heart of the Anti-Atlas Mountains.
Unlike most old Berber villages in the area, Tafraout remains a small village with a strong Berber
culture. You will see the “Painted Rocks”, a 1980s project by the Belgian artist Jean Verame, who
applied tonnes of paint onto them. You can meet locals in the fertile valley of Ameln, with the
opportunity to taste Argan oil and again experience Berber hospitality. In the afternoon enjoy an
extraordinary sunset over the Atlas hills and relax in the tranquility of Tafraout where you’ll stay
overnight in a hotel.
Breakfast in the hotel, then head for
Essaouira, travelling via Agadir, where we’ll
stop for lunch. The coastal route to Essaouira
offers beautiful scenery and from time to
time herds of goats climbing the Argan trees
looking for better food they can’t find on the
ground. There’s an abundant harbour here
too, so you can enjoy a delicious sea-food
dinner before staying overnight in a local
hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel in Essaouira, then start
our explorative journey of the city. You’ll visit
the Skala Fortress; see Thuya wood carved
by artisans; walk through the alleys of the
medina and view hundreds of handicrafts.
The “City of the wind” attracts surfers from all
over the world.
Essaouira knew many civilisations – including
the Portuguese occupation, which affects
much of its architecture – however, it remains
a small village with much history. Because of
its size and its characteristic blue doors and
washed walls, it is also regarded as
Morocco’s “Jewel of the Atlantic”.
Our visit includes the Mellah – the Jewish
headquarter, and the beach
Breakfast in the hotel, then depart for
Marrakech. On our way – since this is the
land of Argan culture – this is an opportunity
to visit the women’s co-operative of Argan oil
where they extract the oil that is famous for
its culinary, cosmetic and medical properties.
You’ll arrive in Marrakech in the late morning
to check-in to your riad before lunch at a
restaurant by the main square. In the
afternoon we will visit the fascinating Bahia
palace, the historical Saadian Tombs and the
famous Coranic Ben Youssef School.
