This seven day tour winds through the Atlas Mountains visiting some of the most beautiful cities before arriving in Merzouga to explore the Sahara.

Duration: 7 Days, 6 nights

Distance: 1,247 km / 775 miles

Start: Marrakech

End: Marrakech

Type: Private or Group Tour

• Visit Ouzoud Falls, then Imilchil whose two lakes Tislit and Isli are commemorated in an ancient Berber legend

• Ride a camel to a luxury camping experience

• Explore the culture of the desert region including live Gnawa music

• Visit Kasbah Amridil, Ait Ben Haddou, and Telouet Kasbah

• Tour the Museum of Cinema, optional

• Full day tour of Marrakech

• Experience Jemaa el Fna

The Fee Includes:

*Comfortable, air conditioned vehicle

*English or Spanish speaking guide

*Overnight accommodation at luxury campsite

*Camel ride

*Breakfast and dinner each day

The Fee Does NOT Include:

*Admission to attractions

*Lunch

*Drinks outside of meals

*Tip for your guide (optional)

Day 1: Marrakech -> Ouzoud Falls -> Afourer -> Imilchil

We will meet you in Marrakech then drive to picturesque Ouzoud Falls for lunch. We will continue driving through the mountains to the town of Afourer where we will take a break before driving on to Imilchil. The two lakes in Imilchil, Tislit (bride in the Berber language) and Isli (groom), are key parts of an ancient Berber legend and are said to have formed when true love was denied. Why tell you this? Well, there is a local marriage festival each year commemorating that story which you may or may not be here in time to witness, but your guide can tell you the story.

Day 2: Imilchil -> Ziz Valley -> Errachidia -> Erfoud -> Merzouga

After breakfast we will travel south through the gorgeous Ziz Valley. From the road it looks like an endless river of date palm trees. Errachidia is a major city on our route and the home to Meske Blue Source, a combination public park and desert oasis with gorgeous scenery for pictures. After pictures we will continue to Erfoud, a major center of fossils in Morocco. If you would like to tour a museum, please let us know. From Erfoud we will drive to Merzouga where a camel will be waiting to take you over the dunes to a luxury campsite for the night.

Day 3: Merzouga Area

Today we will explore the wider desert area, starting with a performance of Gnawa music in Khamlia Village. We can visit a seasonal lake bed which, if it is full, will host many species of birds. We will drive to the nearby city of Rissani to experience an authentic Moroccan souk. We will return to the campsite for the night.

Day 4: Merzouga -> Todra Gorge -> Tinghir

After breakfast we will begin the journey toward Marrakech, past palm groves and Berber villages, to Todra Gorge. This is often called the “Grand Canyon” of Morocco, and when you walk along the stream at the base of the canyon you will undertand why. We will stay in a hotel near Tinghir for the night.

Day 5: Tinghir -> Boumalne Dades -> Kalaat M’Gouna-> Skoura -> Ouarzazate

Today’s trip will follow “the route of a thousand kasbahs,” named for all the Berber villages you will see tucked between the palm trees. (By the way, there are actually more than a thousand kasbahs.) We will visit the town of Kalaat M’Gouna, or Rose Valley, where you can see how the roses that aren’t sold to the perfume industry are transformed into numerous products. Next we will drive through the palm groves of Skoura to see Kasbah Amridil, built in the seventeenth century and featured on the 50 dirham bank-note. We will end our day in Ouarzazate, the “Hollywood of Morocco,” with a trip to the Museum of Cinema if time and interest allow.

Day 6: Ouarzazate -> Ait Ben Haddou -> Telouet Kasbah -> High Atlas Mountains -> Marrakech

After breakfast we will drive to the kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou. The historic, fortified village is such an amazing example of ancient Berber architecture, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. We will also see Telouet Kasbah which was built by the Glaoui family, an important and powerful family in the early 19th century. From there we will follow the Tizi n’Tichka pass over the High Atlas Mountains, stopping to enjoy panoramic views as much as you want. We will end the day in Marrakech with enough time to enjoy Jamaa el Fna before going to the hotel.

Day 7: Explore Marrakech

Our final day is devoted to seeing the many historic and cultural sites in Marrakech itself. We will visit Koutoubia Mosque, the Saadian tombs, the Menara, and Majorelle Gardens, among other places. There will be free time in the afternoon to explore the souks and the medina which will have us in the square once again as the sun sets and Jemaa el Fna begins.