Day 1: Ouarzazate – Merzouga (Erg Chebbi)
Departure is at 8:30 a.m. toward the Dades Gorges, traveling through the lush Skoura Oasis, where numerous kasbahs—many now abandoned—rise among the palm groves. A highlight here is Kasbah Amredhil, beautifully restored and set among gardens and fields. Built entirely of adobe, it perfectly demonstrates traditional southern Moroccan architecture, naturally warm in winter and cool in summer thanks to its thick earthen walls.
The journey continues to Kelâat M’Gouna in the Valley of Roses, where a stop allows you to explore locally made cosmetic products crafted from the valley’s fragrant roses—famous and highly prized throughout Morocco.
Lunch is enjoyed in the stunning and ever-green Dades Gorges. Millions of years ago, this region lay beneath the sea. Layers of sediment formed around ancient coral reefs and gradually compressed into sedimentary rocks such as limestone and sandstone. Over time, tectonic uplift raised the seabed, creating the Atlas Mountains and the dramatic landscapes you see today.
The trip then proceeds through the Ziz Valley, renowned for its annual Date Festival in November, and onward to Erfoud, known for its rich fossil deposits. You’ll also pass through Rissani, near where the Ziz River disappears into the desert. Between the 14th and 18th centuries, this area was home to Sijilmassa, a legendary desert trading center where fortunes were made through trans-Saharan caravans dealing in gold and other goods.
In the afternoon, you’ll head into the Sahara for a camel trek across the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Watching the sunset from the top of the towering dunes (up to 250 meters high) is an unforgettable experience.
Dinner and overnight stay take place in a luxury desert camp, where you’ll enjoy a private tent complete with a bathroom and elegant Moroccan décor—an unexpected comfort amid the peaceful silence of the dunes.
Day 2: Merzouga – Ouarzazate
An early wake-up call rewards you with a breathtaking desert sunrise, as shifting colors and shadows paint a magical scene across the dunes. You’ll have time to stroll through the الرمال and absorb the serenity of the Sahara.
After breakfast at the camp, the journey continues toward the Draa Valley, passing through Tazzarine, a village famously featured in the film Babel. A little further along, you’ll stop in N’Qob for a pleasant lunch.
The route then leads to Tansikht, where you cross the Draa River and head north along an ancient caravan trail. Following a short tea or coffee break, you’ll venture briefly off-road to gain insight into daily life in the oasis communities, surrounded by palm groves and historic mud-brick villages. Nearby, you can ask your driver to stop and see dinosaur footprints preserved in the rock beside the road.
In Agdez, at the gateway to the Draa Valley, you may visit Kasbah Tamnougalte, the oldest kasbah in the valley, still inhabited by 13 families. The return journey to Ouarzazate crosses the Tizi-n-Tinfifte mountain pass at 1,660 meters, offering spectacular views of striking rock formations.
The tour concludes in Ouarzazate at approximately 6:00 p.m.
