Legendary Morocco Desert Adventure

Arrival Note: Our 3 days Morocco desert safari will start early this morning, so it is recommended that you arrive in Marrakech the day before.

► Pick-up Service: Our guide and the driver will pick you up around 8:00 from your own-booked hotel or riad or anywhere you’re in Marrakech. Let’s get started in our comfortable private car!
► Today’s Driving: 340 km (211 mi); 6 hours
► Road Trip to High Atlas: We’ll drive up the mountain road, passing some traditional Berber villages on the way, with proper stops for photos and rest.

After more than 3 hours' drive, we will arrive at Ait Benhaddou for lunch, and then our guide will show you the Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, the location where many famous movies were shot, including the Cleopatra, Mummy, Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and Game of Thrones. The red earth fortified city of Ait Benhaddou is so photogenic that many of the Egyptian scenes in European and American blockbusters were shot here.

Next, drive half an hour to Ouarzazate, known as a gateway to the Sahara Desert. The earthen clay walls and cascading houses built against the hills give the village its grandeur and have made it another famous film location. Home to Morocco’s indigenous people, Ouarzazate boasts plenty of light and an unpolluted environment. We will visit the Taourirt Kasbah and Atlas Corporation Studio (Atlas Flim Studio). Our guide, who is very proficient in lighting and framing, could help you shoot pictures of scenes similar to the famous movies, so that you can experience the joy of being the protagonist.

Late in the afternoon, we will drive past the Roses Valley (Kelaat M’Gouna) and finally arrive at the hotel in Boumalne Dades in 2 hours.

Accommodation: Riad Rihana Dades

Located at the outlet of the Dades Valley, Boulmane Dades boasts some of Morocco's most scenic landscapes. After breakfast, we will hike the Monkey Fingers to see the wondrous rock formations, and then set off to continue our road trip.

Car ride deep into the desert: 300 km (186 mi); 5 hours
Leaving Boumalne Dades, we will head east along the Road of 1,000 Kasbahs, with oases of palm trees created by the Dades River in sight and many traditional Kasbah fortresses of different ages and types across the valley. Pass Tinghir and reach the rocky Todra Gorges for a hike. Next, we’ll continue our drive to Merzouga, with stops on the way for lunch and rest.

★ Wild Encampment in Sahara:
After arriving in Merzouga in the afternoon, take 4x4 vehicle to our Sahara Desert Camp and have fun at the Erg Chebbi Dunes, where you can hike, enjoy the scenery, take photos and try sand boarding. We will specially arrange a camel ride (1 hour) for you to enjoy the splendid sunset. Next, have dinner including salads, authentic Moroccan tagines, and some desserts and fruits, with bonfire and Berber music performance. You can play drums with the performers, mingle with other campers, share stories, admire the starry sky, and spend the night in a nomad tent.

★ Complimentary Desert Dinner for You:
Try authentic Moroccan food: tagines, couscous, salads, desserts, fruits.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Golden Camp & Oasis

Wake up early in the morning to watch sunrise in the Sahara Desert, and then have breakfast in the camp and take a refreshing shower.

Depart for Fez: 480 km (298 mi); 7 to 8 hours
Take our chauffeur-driven, air-conditioned private car through Erfoud and Ziz Gorges. Have lunch in a Berber village in Midelt or other appropriate places along the way. In the afternoon, continue our road trip through the Middle Atlas Mountains, stopping at the Azrou Cedar Forest for half an hour to see the Barbary apes. When we reach the small town of Ifrane, we’ll have a coffee stop, and then keep driving north to Fez.

End of Service: We will reach Fez before dark. Our driver can take you to your designated place in Fez or your own-booked riad or hotel. This is the end of our 3 days tour from Marrakech to Fez. Wish you a pleasant trip!

Meals: Breakfast

► Tip: If you have extra time, it is highly recommended that you spend a few days in Fez, a charming historical and cultural city. As an Arab populated area, the Medina of Fez is one of the largest existing typical medieval cities in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with profound religious and cultural sites. Its 17km-long city wall is largely intact, with a maze of alleys inside, housing many ancient palaces, mosques, Quranic schools and craft workshops. If you need a guided tour in Fez, or would like to extend your stay in Morocco, please feel free to contact our travel consultants.