Custom Tours of Morocco

Short Trip from Marrakech To Merzouga Desert

Day 1: Marrakech – High Atlas – Ouarzazate – Ait Benhaddou – Dades Valley

At 8:00am we will pick you up at your hotel or riad in Marrakech, drive through the High Altas Mountains, stopping to enjoy the panoramic views from Tizi-n-Tichka. We will then visit an Argan oil cooperative to learn about the interesting production process and the innumerable benefits that this oil has for the body.

Continuing south, we will take a 6 km/4 mile side trip to visit the famous Ait Benhaddou Ksar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At this spectacular location, several movies such as Gladiator, Jewel of the Nile, and Sahara with Penelope Cruz, have been filmed. We will have lunch in the village before continuing our journey to Ouarzazate, known as the great door to the desert and the starting point of many expeditions. The great Taourirt Kasbah is also located here.

After we will drive through the great palm groves of Skoura and Boumalne to the Valley of the Roses before having dinner and staying overnight at the Dades Gorge.

Day 2: Dades Valley - Todra Gorge - Erfoud - Rissani – Merzouga

After breakfast we will drive along a road dotted with many different kinds of beautiful Kasbahs, enjoying several stops along the way before arriving at one of the most impressive locations in the south: the Todra Gorge. The river running through the Todra Gorge has formed enormous vertical walls creating a uniquely beautiful paradise for many people, including climbers, to enjoy..

Lunch will be provided before we continue travelling to the desert and the impressive dunes of Merzouga where we will rest for a while and enjoy some tea and entertainment. As you will not require your luggage, we will store it at the hotel, before leaving on a caravan of camels to ride for about an hour to the Haimas camp.

Along the way we will stop so you can stretch your legs and watch the spectacular sunset over the dunes. There will be entertainment before dinner and you will have the opportunity to climb the smaller or larger dunes and wish upon a falling star. We will stay overnight at the Haimas camp in the heart of the desert.

Day 3: Merzouga - Draa Valley - Anti Atlas - Ouarzazate – Marrakech

We will wake before dawn to watch the sunrise over the immense dunes before riding the camels back to the hotel.
After a shower and breakfast we will journey through the dry and cool, desert-like landscape of the Draa Valley. We will make several stops along the way, taking our time to enjoy the valley and the river running through it. This river, bearing the same name as the valley, is the longest river in Morocco and runs all the way through to Mauritania.

We will cross the Anti Atlas Mountains and have lunch when we reach Ouarzazate.
In the afternoon we will drive through the High Atlas Mountains, arriving in Marrakech about 6:00pm. We will return you to your hotel or riad and that will conclude our services.