Ouarzazate is a city known as “the door to the desert”. And that is precisely the advantage exploited by this 3-day tour from Ouarzazate to the desert: with this travel package, you can delve into the most interesting parts of the Sahara, which are not only its wonderful landscapes but also the humanity of the people who inhabit these inhospitable corners of the planet. Without a doubt, the best way to appreciate the magic of a unique destination that leaves its mark on everyone who dares to discover it.
The Sahara Desert is one of those goals that many travelers set out to achieve, especially the most adventurous and those thirsty for different experiences. But what they don’t know is that, in addition, it will become an existential goal: all the moments experienced here are remembered for a lifetime, as they are burned into the mind and heart.
How can you forget the sunrises and sunsets in the middle of fine sand dunes? How can you not remember the gentleness and kindness of the dromedaries that walk here? How can you ignore the teachings of the nomadic communities that will open the doors of their homes to us? How can you not be moved by the tribal rhythms of the Gnawa musicians? All of this and other many experiences make up this 3-day tour from Ouarzazate to the desert.
But the good thing about this trip is not only the destination, but also the round trip that you will have to make to reach it. If you choose this 3-day tour from Ouarzazate to the Merzouga desert (which is also the name given to this portion of the Sahara in Morocco), the road will take you through different valleys, such as the Dades, the Draa, or the Todra.
These valleys are part of the Route of the Thousand Kasbahs, named for the countless Berber fortresses that line the road. But in addition to adobe castles, the route will surprise you with rocky canyons such as the Todra Gorges or the oases that arise almost miraculously, such as the Draa, considered one of the longest in the world.
This 3-day tour from Ouarzazate to the Merzouga desert has a circular route. That is, it leaves from the aforementioned city and reaches the dunes of Erg Chebbi, in the surroundings of Merzouga. And to return, it takes another route until finishing again in Ouarzazate. You will spend two nights in charming accommodations, and our private vehicle will complete the following itinerary:
This tour starts at the agreed place for it: it can be a hotel in the city, the airport on its outskirts, or any other place. And the first kilometers run through one of the two valleys that start from here: the Draa Valley. It is considered one of the largest oases in the world, as its ‘green tongue’ of palm trees extends for more than 100 km.
In this first section of the valley, you will encounter charming villages and many adobe kasbahs. Nkob, Tazzarine, or Alnif are some examples, and all of them deserve a souvenir photo.
However, the town that will demand the most attention will be Rissani, which houses one of the most traditional and picturesque medinas in southern Morocco. Its market and its famous donkey parking lot rival its walls, mosques, and historical monuments.
But the turning point of this day will be Merzouga: in this town, we will change the car for dromedaries to be able to enter the dunes of Erg Chebbi, which arise behind it. And it will not be a mere whim, but the most appropriate option to travel the stretch that separates us from the haima camp, just with the last and beautiful lights of the sunset.
Among these traditional stores, you will have the customary welcome tea and the typical Berber dinner, while the brightest stars you can imagine watch you from above. Without a doubt, a favorable environment for sleeping and dreaming at night.
On this second day of the tour, it is worth getting up earlier than the sun: the spectacle of the sunrise in the desert dunes is well worth the effort. Only in this way, without buildings or natural accidents that block our vision, can we admire the magical lights that light up the dawn.
Afterwards, breakfast will be offered in the haima camp and, immediately afterwards, we will return to Merzouga to undertake another very different route through the desert: in this case, in a 4×4 through tracks of the old Paris-Dakar, with stops at strategic points.
A first point will be Khamlia, known affectionately as ‘the town of the blacks’: its inhabitants, descendants of slaves, carry music in their genes and are the main proponents of the Gnawa genre, rich in percussion rhythms accompanied by a dance. There’s nothing better to admire it than with a live performance.
More austere is the life of the semi-nomadic families that still populate the desert. And we will spend a pleasant time with one of them, while they tell us about their daily tasks in such a difficult environment. Their capacity for resistance, adaptation, and use of resources will make us reflect on the meaning of modern life.
All of this will populate our minds, as well as the panoramic views of Erg Chebbi will do in the retina, while we arrive at the hotel-kasbah that will welcome you on this second and last night. Tranquility, Berber atmosphere, and typical dinner are some of the attractions of this charming accommodation.
With breakfast at the hotel-kasbah, the third and last day opens, which will take us back to Ouarzazate. But to return to this city, the route will now take us through another valley, the Dades, no less interesting than the Draa of the first day.
This alternative will take us through the picturesque town of Tinerhir, from where the detour to the Todra Gorges leaves: this narrow gorge, carved for millennia by the stream that gives it its name, is a feat of the erosive capacity of water. Today it has become a challenge for climbers, but also a natural corner that is most inspiring.
The Dades Valley continues after these iconic places, becoming the Valley of Roses for its countless rose bushes that fill with color in spring. And always under the eternal gaze of the Berber kasbahs, some standing and others in ruins, but always very evocative.
Upon arriving in Ouarzazate, we will leave you at the agreed place to conclude the tour, such as a hotel or the airport. And so our services will also end, with gratitude and wishes for a future reunion.
If you want your package to have everything you need for the trip to be a success, this tour is a good option, as it includes all the services listed here:
On the other hand, these other services are not included and each traveler has full decision-making capacity over them:
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