Take a one night desert tour over the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara with camel trekking, a night in a Berber encampment, sunset over the Erg Chebbi Dunes to Marrakech
Day 1 : Fes - Ifrane / Atlas Mountains - Mezouga / Sahara Desert.
Day 2 : Merzouga / Sahara Desert - Todra Gorges - Ouarzazate - The Red City of Marrakech.
| Transport in a comfortable A/C vehicle (a 4x4 or Mini Van). | |
| Overnight stay in a berber camp and Kasbah hotel. | |
| Dinner and Breakfast. | |
| Pick up and drop off at your accommodation. | |
| Camel trekking in the Sahara Desert. | |
| Sightseeing and photo opportunities at the Sahara Desert | |
| Lunch and drinks. | |
| Small admission charge for some monuments. |
| Pick up | 8 am |
| Drop off | 9pm |
| Duration | 2 Days Desert Trip |
| Start | Fes |
| Finish | Marrakech |
It's an early start after breakfast, as their is so much to pack into three days, memories will be made that will last a lifetime.
7am. in the winter or 8 am. in Morocco's lovely long summer, after your breakfast, your experienced, English speaking Fes Authentic Tours driver will collect you from your accommodation and drive you up into the heights of the Middle Atlas, Fes being at the foothills of the mountains. It's quite a long journey to the famous sand dunes of the Erg Chebbi, but the transport is comfortable and air-conditioned and there is so much to be seen that the time will just fly by. Your first stop, after passing near to the surprise that is Michliffen, a Moroccan winter sports and ski resort, is at Ifrane, a quaint little town known as "Morocco's Switzerland" due to its Alpine architecture. It was constructed in the 1930s during the French occupation of the country and is quite charming.
A little further on is the beautiful town of Azrou, "The Rock" in the Amazigh language of the native Berber people. In this area are mighty, aromatic cedar forests where you will encounter the legendary 'Barbary Apes', in fact a species of macaque monkey. They can be quite curious and friendly, but be careful they don't run off with your bag!
Heading onwards across the high plateau, the peaks of the High Atlas, said to hold up the sky, will slowly become nearer and then you'll cut through the pass to Midelt, where we will stop for luncheon, and further , along the valley of the Ziz river circumnavigating date plantations and numerous walled kasbahs, to the edge of Sahara town of Rissani. From there, it's a short hop south to Merzouga, where the awesome dunes of the Erg Chebbi suddenly appear on the near horizon.
At sunset your camel will be waiting to carry you off on a unforgettable ninety minute excursion into the depths of the desert as you watch the gorgeous sight of the sun setting into the desert sands. Then you will spend the night in an authentic Berber tent in a traditional encampment, where your guide will personally cook you a delicious Moroccan meal and you listen to the local musicians playing sweet melodies as you relax and fall asleep under the multitude of twinkling stars and the huge, bright moon.
The desert sunrise is just as beautiful as the sunset, so it's a dawn start as you ride your camel back to the hotel through the shifting shadows cast by the dunes. Breakfast at the hotel and then back to the vehicle for a drive into the mountains as you cut through the Todra Gorges, very popular with climbers who love the shear, near vertical, 300 metre rock walls. The you will stop near the town of Tinghir for a spot of hiking or a rest and next it's Kelaat Mgouna another Berber town, renowned for its annual Festival of Roses. Ensure you test out the rose water available for purchase or some of the oils that will leave your garments and linen smelling wonderfully aromatic for weeks.
Following this, you will journey on to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Taourirt, one of the most splendid kasbahs (walled towns) in Morocco, Walk through the town at your leisure to examine the wattle and daub style of architecture of this ancient place.
Finally, it's the last leg of your memorable journey as you traverse the ever twisting roadways through the edge of the Atlas Mountains and cut through the Tizi n'Tichka Pass, the highest mountain pass in all of Africa at 2,260 metres elevation, onto the plain that takes you to Marrakech, the jewel in Morocco's crown and your journey's end as your Fes Authentic Tours' driver drops you off at your hotel or guest house.
