4 Days Desert Tour to Erg Chebbi Dunes in Merzouga

You will be picked up from your accommodation, start your Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour and eave the busy city behind and head south to Ouarzazate. Pass through the  Atlas Mountains via the stunning Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass, which offers spectacular views from its 2,260 metres. Enjoy the mountainous road and the spectacular Berber villages. Several stops for coffee, toilets and to appreciate the panoramic views and to take pictures. 4 hours’ drive we will arrive to Ouarzazate, where we will visit Film Studios & Taourirt Kasbahs. Discover how the area has been featured in movies, including Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, and Black Hawk Down. After the visits of the studio & Taourirt Kasbah, you will have an hour for lunch at one of the local restaurants in Ouarzazate. Follow the route of the Thousand Kasbahs to Skoura. Here, we'll stop to visit Amridil, the kasbah has been beautifully restored and is well worth visiting; constructed entirely of adobe, an excellent building material – keeps room temperature, due to the thickness of the walls. We will then continue to Kelaat M'Gouna " Valley Des Roses". Imgoun river, tucked into the heart of berber culture, between the Atlas mountain range and the Sahara desert. The region is the biggest producer of rose oil and water in the whole country, thus receiving the name rose valley. Both rose oil and water are fundamental to local culture and economy. Follow Dades Valley to our today's final destination. Spectacular rocks await us with their shapes that remind us of the monkeys’ fingers. The reddish landscape of this valley is wild, with. Its curious geological forms make up one of the most beautiful spectacles to behold.

Departure will be after breakfast to visit Dades gorges before taking the road back to Boumalne Dades, drive around the colourful Berber villages of the Dades valley. Continue to Tineghir with it's beautiful palm grove. We will continue to the Gorge of Todgha , where we go on a trek along the canyons of about 300 m high, a preferred place of mountain climbers. Afterwards we will drive further east to the Sahara Desert and we will stop for lunch in Tinjdad or Touroug, depending on your hunger-meter. On the route to Erfoud, you will notice strange piles of sand following the road. These are the heads of the “khettarat”, the ingenious underground water channels designed to minimize evaporation in the desert heat. It is fascinating to climb down to experience the coolness below ground and to wonder at the ancient engineering involved. Arrive in Erfoud known for its figs and fossils, visit a craft workshop and discover how the fossil-rich rocks are skilfully transformed into practical and decorative objects. The  Sahara Desert of Erg Chebbi dunes is our  final destination for today. A small off-road takes you to the edge of the golden dunes where camels are waiting for you, the luggage will be loaded in an 4x4 car and transported to the camp, and you can enjoy a beautiful camel ride over the sand dunes and watch a majestic desert sunset on your way to the camp.

An early wake up to enjoy the sunrise over the highest dune of Erg Chebbi in Merzouga one of the best moments of the desert, afterwards you will have breakfast in the camp, pack and go back either on camels or by 4x4 leaving the dunes behind. Continue to pass through a dramatic gate into Rissani. A market town, Rissani holds a livestock auction and is home to a "donkey parking lot", a site worth experiencing, visit the mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif a cultural spot, encompassing a deep-rooted Moroccan architecture... The itinerary continues along a more southerly road following the anti atlas mountains towards the Dra’a Valley passing the villages of Alnif, Tazzarine (featured in the film ‘Babel’) and Nkob, passing more oases and traditional villages of Draa Valley. Stop for lunch in Agdez where you will be amazed at the view of the vast Oasis of the Draa Valley with its thousands of date palms, producing an amazing 44 varieties. After lunch we cross the Anti Atlas, Tizi-n-Tinfifite pass 1600m, this is part of the ancient road of the caravans which used to suply goods up from Mali and Niger having crossed the Sahara. Continue to the popular desert hub and filming location, Ouarzazate. Spend the night in a beautiful Kasbah where you can enjoy the local specialties.

After breakfast we will drive to the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah one of Morocco's most spectacular ksours (fortified villages) and one of Morocco’s seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  Better known as the backdrop to many Hollywood blockbusters. From here we will drive along the beautiful and awe-inspiring Ounila Valley, full of bends in the roads, surprises at the hues of the rock and soil, Berber villages and gardens, as well as smaller Kasbahs until you reach the village Telouet. Arrive to Telouet Kasbah the main seat of the Glaoui family. Meet your guide and learn the fascinating history of this crumbling yet stunning village and its role in the struggle for Moroccan independence. Drive across the high atlas mountains the largest mountains in North Africa. Along the way, soak in uninterrupted views of the High Atlas Mountains and its beautiful berber villages. Near the top, stretch your legs for a great panoramic view of the mountains. We arrive in Marrakech. Your 4 day Sahara desert tour comes to an end. Around 16h00 you will be dropped off in your Riad/Hotel or at the nearest parking lot to it.