Desert trips from Tangier
12
DAYS
DAY 1 : Arrival in Tangier
We will pick you up from the airport or port of Tangier and drive you to the hotel or riad.
Depending on your arrival time, you will be able to explore the medina before retiring to the hotel for the night.
DAY 2 : Tangier – Chefchaouen
After breakfast we will begin our journey with a drive to Chefchaouen, uniquely located in a natural reserve high in the Rif Mountains. This blue and white painted village is inhabited by very kind, respectful and noble people and offers visitors beautiful urban landscapes, and an ever elusive haven of peace and serenity. You will also see a wonderful selection of the local crafts. Accommodation at a hotel.
DAY 3 : Chefchaouen
We will spend another day exploring this mountain village in the heart of the Rif, known for its Moorish architecture and blue and white painted homes.
We will visit the medina to enjoy its cultural and historical heritage significance, wander the streets, see the picturesque Uta el Hammam square, the Rass el Maa Waterfall and, of course, the colourful shops filled with local crafts. We can also walk to the Spanish Mosque that offers a very good view of the town, perhaps drink traditional mint tea at a cafe terrace while relaxing and watching people come and go. There are many options for you to choose! Accommodation at a hotel.
DAY 4 : Chefchaouen – Volubilis – Fez
We will leave the culturally rich world of Chefchaouen and drive to Fes, one of Morocco's imperial cities which proudly is home to one the world's oldest universities. Along the way we will visit the well preserved Roman ruins of Volubilis. We will also see a panoramic view of the holy city of Moulay Idriss. In the afternoon we will arrive in Fes with time to see the walls and gates of the medina and watch the sunset. Accommodation in a riad.
DAY 5 : Fez
There will be a guided tour of Fes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its labyrinth of streets is filled with potters guilds, dyers and a bustle of people that will carry you back through the centuries. It is a medieval city that still, 1200 years after being built, stands the test of time. Accommodation in a riad.
DAY 6 : Fes – Errachidia – Erg Chebbi Dunes
Today we will leave Fes for Errachidia. We will cross the Middle Atlas and High Atlas via the extensive palm groves of the Ziz Valley.
During this trip you will be able to see the typical geography of southern Morocco, cross through the gates of the desert, finally arriving at the village of Hassi Labied and the desert dunes. It's magical!
Accommodation is in one of the most beautiful Kasbahs in the region and right at the foot of the dunes.
DAY 7 : Erg Chebbi
We recommend waking up early to watch the spectacular sunrise over the dunes.
After breakfast, we will enjoy another day of beautiful landscapes: the Merzouga Oasis, a village inhabited by people of the Sudan, ruins of the French Fort of Mifis, tent homes of the nomads and the Tissardmin Oasis.
We then return in the 4x4 to the hotel to change to 8x8 camels! We will ride the camels across the dunes to a Haimas camp hidden in heart of the desert.
We will enjoy a magical dinner accompanied by the traditional Berber music of drums and songs.
We will sleep in the silence of the desert under a canopy of stars.
DAY 8 : Erg Chebbi – Rissani – Todra Gorge
It is worth waking up early again to catch the sunrise over the dunes.
After we return from the camp we will have time for a shower and breakfast. We will then drive to the local market, which is a traditional souk, of Rissani.
Leaving the desert behind, our journey will continue across southern Morocco, past palm groves, oases, ancient adobe cities and Kasbahs, until we reach the spectacular Todra Gorge with its vertical walls reaching over 200 meters/656 feet.
Here we will stay at a hotel.
DAY 9 : Todra Gorge – Dades Valley – Valley of the Roses – Ouarzazate
During the day we will visit the Dades Valley, taking a little side trip to visit some nomads who live in caves in the Atlas Mountains. We will then continue on through the Valley of the Roses, the palm groves of Skoura to Ouarzazate, a city where movies are filmed, and where we will spend the night at a hotel.
DAY 10 : Ouarzazate – Ait Benhaddou – Marrakech
Today will visit the ancient Ait Benhaddou Ksar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is also a famous location where several movies such as Gladiator, Obelix, Jewel of the Nile, and Sahara with Penelope Cruz, have been filmed.
We will then continue on to Marrakech through the High Atlas via Tizi-n-Tichka, the highest mountain pass at 2,260 meters/7,415 feet, stopping along the way to enjoy the panoramic views. We will stay the night in a riad.
DAY 11 : Marrakech
We will spend the day visiting this red coloured city with its ancient medina, colourful souks, famous Jemaa El Fna plaza which is lively both day and night, and other landmarks: the Menara Gardens, the Bahia and Badia Palaces, Saadian tombs...
We will enjoy a dinner at a traditional Moroccan restaurant and stay the night in a riad.
DAY 12 : Marrakech – Airport
Today we will drive you to the airport and that we end our amazing journey together..
