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INTRO
Enter a city of souks and colourful spice markets in lively Marrakech and watch a dramatic sunset from the peak of Erg Chigaga`s golden sand dunes in the Sahara. Wander around the abandoned kasbahs of the Draa Valley, marvel at prehistoric rock carvings and sip mint tea with the Berbers in the remote Anti Atlas. Travel to the far reaches of the Atlantic coastline and relax in the serene seaside town of Mirleft and its art deco neighbour, Sidi Ifni. Head north through Sous Massa National Park, a haven for birdlife, to the white-washed medina of picturesque Essaouira. Unwind in elegant riads, a luxury desert camp, finely renovated kasbahs and traditional guesthouses - capturing the essence of the real Morocco.
DATES
This trip can be run on dates to suit you, please contact us for more information and to let us know when you would like to travel.
HIGHLIGHTS
Eat street food in Djemaa el-Fna
Dine in a hidden Marrakshi palace
Barter in Marrakech's colourful souks
Travel the kasbah trail in the Draa Valley
Soak up coastal charm of Essaouira
Spice shopping in Marrakech
PLACES VISITED
Marrakech - High Atlas - Ait Benhaddou - Draa Valley - Erg Chigaga - Anti Atlas Mountains - Les Roches Bleues - Ameln Valley - Mirleft - Sidi Ifni - Essaouira - Souss Massa National Park Marrakech
ITINERARY
Short | Detailed | PDF
Day 1 : Arrival
Pick up from airport and transfer to hotel in medina. Evening free. Overnight in Marrakech.
On arrival you will be met at the airport by your guide and taken to your hotel in the Marrakech medina.
Meal plan : n/a
Day 2 : Marrakech
Half day walking tour in medina. Savour atmosphere of Djemma el Fna. Overnight in Marrakech.
You will be met at your accommodation and accompanied by an English-speaking city guide on a half day walking tour of the Marrakech medina. The focus of the tour is to introduce you to Marrakech with a walk through a traditional neighbourhood, visit to a communal bread oven, tour of artisan workshops in historic 'foundouk' coach-houses, as well as visiting the souks and the famous Djemaa el Fna square. Marrakech has a few interesting monuments such as the Bahia Palace and the Ben Youssef Madrassa which can be visited, time permitting. Overnight in Marrakech.
Meal plan : Breakfast
Day 3 : High Atlas Mountains
Drive through High Atlas Mountains. Visit abandoned kasbah of Telouet. Evening free. Overnight in guesthouse.
Today, start your journey over the High Atlas Mountains and into the Moroccan south. Today's drive time is around five hours. The journey takes you up from the plains that surround Marrakech, through an ever-changing landscape and over the Col de Tichka, one of the highest mountain passes in North Africa. This 7,000ft pass is the gateway to the south and soon after crossing the pass you'll start to see changes in character and vegetation as the desert starts to stamp its imprint on the landscape.
After the Tichka Pass, a winding country lane takes you to Telouet, a crumbling, and now uninhabited, kasbah (a building with fortifications) built over four centuries and once owned by the ex-governor of Marrakech. After visiting the kasbah you can enjoy a typical Moroccan meal sitting at low tables in a Saharan nomad tent. You then retrace your tracks back towards the Tichka Pass to rejoin the road to Ouarzazate. Your guesthouse for the night lies about an hour from the junction. Overnight in guesthouse.
Meal plan : Breakfast
Day 4 : Ait Benhaddou and Draa Valley
Visit 11th century kasbah in Ait Benhaddou. Drive on through the Draa Valley to the village of Agdz. Check into wonderful oasis resort.
After breakfast set off for the UNESCO protected site of Ait Benhaddou (45 minutes from guesthouse). After your guided visit, continue your drive to the dramatic Draa Valley where you will stay in the village of Agdz. Check into the excellent boutique guesthouse (Bab El Oued), surrounded by partially inhabited crumbling kasbahs. Overnight in guesthouse.
Meal plan : Breakfast
Day 5 : Tamnougalt - Erg Chigaga
Morning visit to kasbah village of Tamonougalt. Drive through Draa Valley to M'Hamid and onwards through the desert to luxury camp in Erg Chigaga.
Morning visit to the enchanting Kasbah village of Tamnougalt, which is thought to date back to the 16th century. It has an interesting Jewish quarter and our local guide will show you around the interior of the Kasbah, its gardens and the warren of alleyways which make up the village. The journey continues along the banks of the Draa River, which might have water, as the flow is now regulated by a large reservoir to the east of Ouarzazate. When the river is in full flow it has an almost tropical feel to it as it passes through lush farmland and palm groves.
Stop in Zagora for lunch and then continue on to M'Hamid, where the tarmac road ends. From there you start the bumpy drive through the 'hamada' (stone) desert to the golden sand dunes of Erg Chigaga in the Sahara Desert (2 hours). Depending if there has been any rainfall, you may see the black Saharan camels grazing on rare patches of grass, otherwise the terrain is dry as one would expect.
On arrival at the desert camp, check into your luxury en-suite tent. Help yourself to drinks and later enjoy a sumptuous dinner in the tented dining area. Round off the night with some stargazing accompanied by more drinks and the sound of crackling embers emanating from the bonfire.
Meal plan : Breakfast & dinner
Day 6 : Erg Chigaga
Free day. Morning camel ride in dunes. Early evening hike to peak of dune for sunset.
Today is a free day in the desert. Take a morning camel ride into the dunes led by one of the local Tuareg nomads. Before the temperature picks up too much, return to the camp for lunch and spend the afternoon at leisure. Early evening, we take the jeep to one of the biggest dunes in the area where we hike to the peak of one its ridges and enjoy a sun-downer whilst watching a spectacular sunset over the golden dunes. Return to the camp for another hearty meal, drinks and some more stargazing. Local Tuareg musicians occasionally perform traditional music.
Meal plan : Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 7 : Anti Atlas Mountains (Tata)
Early start from camp for long drive to Tata in the Anti Atlas Mountains.
Today we start early from the camp for the long drive (6 -7 hours), travelling across the Erg Chigaga massif in the shadow of the Jebel Bani mountain range. The landscape in the region is a spectacular mix of sand dunes, rugged mountains, dry salt lakes and rocky adventurous 4x4 roads. The first half of the journey is off-road (prepare for a bumpy drive!) before joining a smoother tarmac road from Foum Zgid to Tata, a small oasis town surrounded by barren mountains at the eastern flank of the Anti Atlas. We will take regular breaks for refreshments and photos. Check into the local guesthouse in Tata where our hosts will serve up traditional Berber fare. Evening free to relax.
Meal plan : Breakfast & dinner
Day 8 : Anti Atlas Mountains (Tafraoute)
Stunning drive into heart of the Anti Atlas. Check into guesthouse in Tafraoute. Rest of day free.
Today's half day journey is divided between tarmac routes and jeep roads, taking in some of the finest scenery in southern Morocco. The region is home to luxuriant palm groves, gorges, barren mountains, and around the village of Tafraoute, an extraordinary boulder-strewn landscape reminiscent of parts of the southern USA. Today you'll visit (and can have lunch in) the magnificent Ait Mansour Gorge - a haven of peace where a ribbon of water cuts through a deep gorge which is home to beautifully scenic gardens. Sadly the gorge has lost many of its inhabitants to Morocco's larger towns, fleeing to seek paid work in light of the region's limited economy of almonds and dates. This is the main reason why you will see mainly women, dressed in black and fiercely traditional, in the villages given the exodus of men to the cities.
Settle into a traditional guesthouse, situated in a small village in the Ameln Valley (Almond Valley), a few kilometres from Tafraoute.
Meal plan : Breakfast & dinner
Day 9 : Les Roches Bleues and Ameln Valley
Free day to visit Les Roches Bleues and villages in the Ameln Valley.
Today is yours to do as you please under the guidance and advice of your guide. The car(s) will be available to those who would like to visit Les Roches Bleues or some of the wonderful villages in the Ameln Valley. Others may prefer to explore the towering granite peaks that surround Tafraoute by foot.
Meal plan : Breakfast & dinner
Day 10 : Mirleft
Drive to coastal village of Mirleft stopping in Tiznit. Evening free.
Waking up early, today you'll take a scenic drive through the mountains to the west of Tafraoute, keeping an eye out for the wild boars that roam the region and can sometimes be sighted in the mornings. The road drops away from the Col de Kerdous, revealing spectacular views towards the Atlantic coast. The drive to Tiznit, a pleasant walled town well known for its excellent silver jewellery, takes around two hours before we wind our way down to the ocean and the quiet coastal village of Mirleft. Spend two nights right on the coast, just south of Mirleft.
Meal plan : Breakfast
Day 11 : Sidi Ifni
Free day to visit Legzira Beach and Sidi Ifni.
Today is an easy-going day on the shores of the Atlantic with a walk along the famous Legzira beach, well known for its ochre coastal arches and eroded sandstone rock formations. The beach is situated a few minutes north of Sidi Ifni, another coastal town full of character and off-beat charm. Life goes at an easy pace here and the town has several appealing places to eat, as well as some art deco architecture - a relic of the Spanish occupancy of the Western Sahara (formerly 'Spanish Sahara') which lies further south. For those who want to really relax, either at the hotel's pool or at the beach below the guest house, then time can easily be built in for this. At the other end of the scale, there are also a number of sporting activities possible in the area such as paragliding, mountain biking, surfing and quad biking.
Meal plan : Breakfast
Day 12 : Souss Massa National Park - Essaouira
Drive to Essaouira stopping in Souss Massa National Park. Overnight in Essaouira.
Today brings with it a wonderful journey up the Atlantic Coast to Morocco's whitewashed and weather-beaten beachside gem, Essaouira. This journey takes the best part of the day, stopping in the stunning Souss Massa National Park, before continuing on the final three hours to Essaouira. On arrival you will be taken to check in at your guest house in the heart of the medina.
Meal plan : Breakfast
Day 13 : Essaouira
Free day to explore Essaouira.
Today is yours to explore the picturesque medina of Essaouira or participate in one of the many optional activities available in and around town. There are possibilities to surf, wind surf, fish, sail, and quad bike or take a Moroccan cookery class at the L'Atelier Madad.
Meal plan : Breakfast
Day 14 : Departure
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight home.
The final day arrives as you are transferred the two and a half hours to Marrakech airport for your onward travel home.
Meal plan : Breakfast
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