Itinerary 4 days from Fès -Merzouga desert-Dades Gorges-Marakech
Our 4-day trip from Fes to Merzouga Desert and return home from Marrakech. Our journey go through the Middle Atlas Mountains by passing Ifran and Azrou. On the way we will stop at the cedar forests is the home of Barbarian Apes in their natural habitat. Then we drive through the Tizi Ntalghamt pass to Midelt. Wich is in the Middle Atlas and is called “the apple capital”. We drive along the magnificent Ziz Gorges carved through volcanic rock. The Middle- Atlas offers some beautiful views. When we approach Errachida you’ll see the scenery is changing to a dessert environment. Whene you arrived to Merzouga you are going to spend night in a Berber Camp and next day we will discover the region of Sahara Desert visit the Gnaoua people, originally slaves from Mali localed in a small town Khamlia, and visit local Nomad famillie to live the nomad's lifestyle, then our journey continue to the old village of M´IFIS build by the french colonies as before they work in mines and minerals fosils, but now just Moroccan military they live there because its the closest point to the Algerian border. The next day we will drive to Errisani. This silent town was the ancient capital of Tafilalet and its location as a crossroads between north and south brought the city to an important estatus of a former major caravan center, the continue o the great canyons of Morocco Todgha Gorges situated beyond the center Hight Atlas Mountains, afterwards we head to the Valley of Dades. Next day we start our journey to the roed of 1001 Kasbahs and Valley of Roses the Romantic city as is perfectly covrrd with fragrant pink roses and visit the Hollywod of Morocco in Ouarzazate and visit the Ksar Ait ben Haddou a true hertitage wich is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. Then we drive through the Atlas Mountains will show you fantastic views and lead you through Berber villages. Then we’ll drive back over the winding Tizi-n-Tichka, and finally in afternoon we will arrive at Marrakech.
Day 1: Fès - Ifrane - Midelt – Ziz Gorges - Erfoud - Rissani –Merzouga
Pick you up from your riad / hotel, then we drive south to Ifrane and Azrou through the Middle Atlas Mountains. On the way we will stop at the cedar forests, to see the Barbarian Apes in their natural habitat. Then we drive through the Tizi Ntalghamt pass to Midelt. Wich is in the Middle Atlas and is called “the apple capital”. We drive along the magnificent Ziz Gorges carved through volcanic rock. The Middle- Atlas offers some beautiful views. When we approach Errachidia you’ll see the scenery is changing to a dessert environment. We will have lunch here and after that we’ll continue our journey to Erfoud, until we arrived to Merzouga, when we ride a camel to a Berber camp. You'll soon feel like a real nomade when you enter the amazing Merzouga Dunes. These are the highest sand dunes in North Africa. Here, in the middle of the desert, we spent the night in a Berber tent. You will see one of the most beautiful sunsets in your lifetime and after that you'll see thousands of stars in the sky. You will spend the night in a camp.
Day 2 : Merzouga - Khamlia - Nomade Families - Merzouga
We wake up early for to see the Sunrise over the dunes. Then we have a lovely breakfast and take a shower. After this we get on the road to discover the region of Merzouga. We start in Khamlia, here we visit the Gnaoua people, originally slaves brought from subsaharien. You'll get the opportunity to listen to their Gnawa music and learn about their culture and lifestyle, and then we will have opportunity to discover the nomad's lifestyle, when we will visit a local nomad families who live in tents around the Erg Chebbi dunes. You can see them life is very simple and they are verry happy and open poeples, as its hard way of living being away from facilities. We would love to show you this way of life, even experience it by drink some tea. Our journey continue to the old village of M´IFIS build by the french colonies as before they work in mines and minerals fosils, but now just Moroccan military they live there because its the closest point to the Algerian border.
After this we bring you to your accommodation where you can spent the free afternoon on your own. You can explore the town or the dunes next to the hotel to see the sunset. Dinner and the night are in the hotel.
Day 3: Merzouga – Rissani – Todra Gorges – Dades Gorges
After breakfast we will drive to Errisani, the silent town was the ancient capital of Tafilalet, and its location as a cross roads between north and south brought the city to an important status of a former major caravan center. Up to now Erissani remains a major commercial center in the region with a large souk, particulary lively today on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. After this we drive to Erfoud, where we stop to see how the local found fossils are worked into furniture and artfacts. After that we drive to the great canynons and the Valley of Todgha, the narrpw valley is lines with palmery , and old Kasbahs. In this great canynons you can have some time to walk and interacy with the local peoples. After that we take the road to Valley of Dades here the contrasting landscapes remind visitors of the Colorado, with its high plateau, until we arrived to the view panoramic of the Valley of Dades.
Day 4: Dades Valley - Skoura - Ouarzazate- Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah - High Atlas Mountain - Marrakech
In the morning, after a stroll through the impressive Dades Gorge, we drive to Ouarzazate passing by the valley of the Roses, where an annual festival is held in the month of May to celebrate the pink roses. There is the possibility to see local products made from the roses. We continue along the road of thousand Kasbah to the oasis of Skoura. Before we arrive in Ouarzazate the ¨Hollywood of Africa¨, when we stop to visit the Atlas Studio. After that we drive to the famous Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, this is a beautiful example of southern Moroccan architecture, now is a part of UNESCO, and has been filmed many movies in this area. Then we drive through the dramatic Tizi N Tichka of the Hight Atlas Mountains, this roads will show you fantastic view and lead you through Berber village, and the landscaps change and get us some amazing view until we arrived to Marrakech.