4 days tour: Merzouga Desert Tour

Our private tour of Morocco leaves Marrakech early morning to reach the High Atlas Mountains. Beautiful landscape and small Berber villages, snow on the peak of the mountains as we face the pass Tizi n Tichka at 2260 meters high, offering some breath-taking driving via lush valleys and traditional Berber villages. Then we took the road to reach the Telouet Kasbah, the former Pasha’s palace, Pacha Glaoui had decided to build a palace in the middle of nowhere, where his family had originated from. Late afternoon we arrive to Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the best-preserved Kasbah’s in the entire Atlas region, the Kasbah has been the backdrop to many historical films, “Lawrence of Arabia”, “Gladiator” and “Game of Thrones”. We pass Ouarzazate, our private tour of Morocco reaches Skoura palm grove. We can offer accommodation here or we can keep forward to Dades gorges.

A few kilometers later, we arrive to Kalaat M´Gouna, famous for the Valley of roses and “Rose Festival”, usually held in May, a local girl crowned “Rose Queen”, most popular by the production of rose water.

Further on, Boulmane de Dades follows the starting point to explore the spectacular Dades gorges, dinner and accommodation in a nice guest house.

Our first stop is Tinghir, with its extensive palm grove, the Kssours built into the rocky hills and its decaying Jewish quarter, and then we reach Todgha gorges only 15km from Tinghir, spectacular with its clear river and its huge walls, its 300 meters high walls home for many rocks climbing.

Before arriving to Merzouga, Our private tour of Morocco passes Erfoud and Rissani. Rissani used to serve as the last stop on the caravan routes south and gold and slave auctions in late 1800’s.

We will reach Merzouga late afternoon, we will stop at a local Kasbah where you can drop your luggage, have a tea and preparing yourself for a memorable night under the stars, ride the camel to reach the camp and enjoying the view of the sunset, eaten by candlelight, accommodation on a private tent, or maybe you choose to sleep while watching the twinkling stars.

After breakfast, we take the road to Tazzarine, Bab Nkob and we will enter the Djebel Saghro, differently than the other mountains that we encountered so far. This is where in 1933 a 2000 Ait Atta Berber army resisted 8000 men of the French army on the edge of the colonization.

On the afternoon, we reach Skoura, enjoying tea around the pool, dinner and accommodation in one of the best guest houses in Skoura Palm grove.

After breakfast, our guided walking tour in the palm grove; date palms, terraces of olive, pomegranate, almond and fruit trees, with grain and vegetable crops planted in between.

Leaving Skoura behind, taking the road back to the mountains, leaving behind the Draa valley and the oases with the green river, palm trees and adobe kasbahs. After visiting the Fint Oasis, our tour crosses Ouarzazate, made famous by its film studios where scenes of “Gladiator” and “Game of thrones” were shot. We will continue our journey back to the High Atlas and arrive to Marrakech late afternoon