Ouarzazate is the gateway to the desert. And as such it will act in this circuit, which begins in this city and ends in Marrakech. Between one city and another, much to discover: the main attractions located south of the Atlas, a mountain range that we will cross on the last day. If you only have 4 days at your disposal and want to make the most of them, take note of this tour from Ouarzazate to the Sahara desert, which you can book with Tenere Tours and enjoy privately.
On this 4-day tour you will be able to see Erg Chebbi, that is, the most famous dunes of fine sand, gently spread over elevations that change shape every day. The tracks formed by the dromedaries will indicate the way forward, creating a suggestive itinerary towards the interior of its immensity. In addition, the lights of dawn and dusk amplify its beauty. And at night, a starry sky will cover our heads. Here, time passes at a different pace and stress is a pipe dream. In short, the Sahara in its purest form.
On the way to and from the Erg Chebbi dunes, there will be an opportunity to visit other places of enormous natural beauty, as well as the most picturesque towns. This is the case of the Dades, Draa and Roses Valleys, which are authentic oases in the midst of so much aridity. Or the Todra Gorges, which leave us speechless due to the perfection and verticality of their rocky walls. Or the towns of Rissani, Nkob or Alnif, made of adobe and home to humble citizens who continue to live as they did decades ago. Therefore, each day is a box of surprises, which we invite you to open and enjoy.
4 days by road, except for the section by dromedary (or 4×4) in the Erg Chebbi dunes. And always on board a comfortable vehicle. These are the main stops of each stage, spread over 4 days and 3 nights, starting in Ouarzazate and ending in Marrakech:
The first day of this tour is designed to get in touch with the destination: after landing at the Ouarzazate airport, we will be waiting for you at the terminal to make the transfer to the hotel and check-in. Depending on the arrival time, there will be more or less free time for a first exploration of the city.
Keep in mind that on the fourth day of the tour we will return here to see the kasbah of Taourirt, in this same city, so a different visit proposal may be the Atlas Studios film studio, which has given fame and wealth to the city, as super productions such as Lawrence of Arabia have been filmed here.
Whatever the time available and the option chosen, dinner will be served at the hotel.
On this second day of the tour, we will travel to the most remote part of the Sahara desert. And for this we will take a very special route: the one that will take us through the Anti Atlas and through the Draa Valley.
The Anti Atlas is a mountain range with peaks that are not very high but with very genuine corners, which is why it was used as a filming location in movies such as Babel. For its part, the Draa Valley is considered the largest oasis in North Africa, with more than 100 km of palm grove. Alnif, Nkob or Tazzarine will be some of the towns along the way.
Upon arriving in Rissani, the desert will already be in the air. It is a picturesque town that, on market days, bustles as in the past, with donkey parking included. And shortly after, in Merzouga, we will park our vehicle to make the leap to Erg Chebbi, the most famous dune field in the country.
That ‘leap’ will actually be done by dromedary, the animal that has served as a means of transport in the desert and which is also the most suitable for this purpose (it can be replaced by 4×4). Our walk between undulating hills of fine sand will end in a camp of haimas: dining and resting here will have a special charm, under a starry sky.
Waking up early in the desert has an unparalleled reward: watching the sunrise in a place where nothing and no one will deprive you of enjoying the spectacle. Without buildings around, or clouds, or artificial lighting that gets in the way, contemplating the play of colors that the sand dunes acquire will give the morning an almost mystical halo.
After watching the sunrise, having breakfast and packing things up, we will return to Merzouga where you can take a refreshing shower. From there, we will resume the road route to reach other places of enormous interest, in this case in the Dades Valley, the other valley that makes up the Route of the Thousand Kasbahs.
The highlight of this day will be the Todra Gorges, a spectacular rocky canyon where the river of the same name has been boxed in for millennia, forming a narrow passage with vertical walls that seems taken from a fairy tale… or from a guide for the perfect climb, as lovers of this sport come here to ascend in this environment so conducive and beautiful.
Later, without leaving the Dades Valley, we will make a stop along the way to settle in a charming riad, have dinner and sleep this third night, which will be the last of the tour.
Although this is the last day of this tour, it is by no means a filler day: we will visit some of the most interesting places south of the Atlas, both from a natural and historical-artistic point of view.
Shortly after resuming the march we will arrive at the Valley of the Roses, which in spring acquires an extraordinary variety of colors thanks to these flowers that are cultivated here for their economic component but also for the cultural and aesthetic, being the protagonist of festivals.
Later we will arrive at Ouarzazate, and we will take advantage of this moment to contemplate places that were not included at the beginning of the tour. Specifically, the kasbah of Taourirt, one of the largest, most beautiful and best preserved in the region. It was the residence and bastion of the powerful Thami El Glaoui, Sultan of the Atlas. Its adobe architecture, with battlemented towers and simple geometric decoration, is a magnificent example of how the Berber culture knew how to build impregnable fortresses with the humble materials of its environment. Its interior, on the other hand, is much more refined, as is usual in Islamic culture.
After visiting this kasbah, we will continue by road towards the High Atlas, ascending to the Tizi n’Tichka pass, located at about 2,260 meters above sea level. On the other side of this natural pass, the landscape changes and becomes more humid, to return to the arid plain at the end of the descent.
Soon after, we will close this tour from Ouarzazate through the desert, with Marrakech as the final destination: we will transfer you to the place you want in this city, whether it is a hotel, a station or the Menara airport, and thus conclude our services, not without first conveying our gratitude for the trust in us.
To ensure that this tour runs smoothly and comfortably, the travel package includes the following services:
This tour does not include the following services and details:
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