On this tour, Ouarzazate lives up to its name as the “gateway to the desert.” But in addition, the tour includes the most interesting things on the way to and from that fascinating destination, which are the dunes of Erg Chebbi. We will make the trip through the Draa Valley and the return through the Dades Valley, with surprises that Tenere Tours invites you to discover on this tour from Ouarzazate to the desert, with the Route of the Thousand Kasbahs, in 5 days and privately, with no one but you and yours.
When you think of the Sahara desert, what image comes to mind? If the answer is “a sea of sand”, then this tour has what you are looking for: a tour and a night in the dunes of Erg Chebbi, located in the so-called Merzouga Desert. To move around here, we will use the most traditional means of transport: dromedaries. And to sleep, the most characteristic accommodation of the Berber nomads: the canvas tent Around us, the company of a sky free of pollution and artificial lighting, so it will be shown in all its purity and splendor.
On this tour from Ouarzazate to the desert, the Route of the Thousand Kasbahs is part of the route. This is the name given to the itinerary that connects the many Berber fortresses, built centuries ago in adobe to defend the settlements that served the desert caravans. Although they have lost their military function, they retain a special charm, even in those cases where only ruins remain. Tazzarine, Nkob or Tinghir are some examples of towns that preserve their kasbah and have seen a small population flourish around them.
Starting in Ouarzazate and ending in Marrakech (Menara Airport), this 5-day, 4-night tour is done entirely in a private vehicle with a driver, following the following stages of the trip:
Landing at Ouarzazate Airport is an option chosen by many to travel to the desert. With this tour, this will be the case, so our staff will be waiting at the terminal to greet you and make the private transfer to the hotel, located in the city.
After check-in, there may be free time to acclimatize to this latitude and climate, and take a tour to explore the city. Among the most interesting proposals not included in the package are the Atlas Studios, the country’s main film studios, where feature films such as Lawrence of Arabia were filmed. At the end of the day, you will have dinner included at the hotel.
The time has come to head to the desert, and on this second day we will do so along the route of the Draa Valley. To do this, we will have to cross the humble and bare mountains of the Anti Atlas, which the most moviegoers will recognize for having set the film Babel, with Brad Pitt.
Later on, leaving behind the immense oasis of the Draa River and when the road becomes flatter, we will pass through picturesque villages, sheltered by their corresponding kasbah and by the prominent minaret of their main mosque, such as Nkob and Tazzarine.
We will also find kasbah and mosque in Rissani. And if it is market day, there will be more atmosphere: removable stalls where ras el hanout is sold and Berber pizzas are served, a donkey parking lot, the classic hustle and bustle in the shops… A very characteristic town, whose medina is also worth visiting on quieter days.
A few kilometers later we will arrive at Merzouga, whose name is used to designate this beautiful corner of the Sahara desert. In fact, we will only explore a part of it, but perhaps the most fascinating part: the dunes of Erg Chebbi. To do this, it is necessary to continue by dromedary, as it is the best way to advance through the sand dunes.
Although it seems that we are heading to nowhere, in reality we will be heading to the camp of jaimas where we will have dinner and spend the night. Its Berber tents have a surprising comfort, and the pleasant thing about resting here is not only the equipment of the jaima, but also the silence and stillness that surrounds it.
At the beginning of the third day, your gaze will turn towards the east: the king star will appear there, illuminating the firmament and the sand dunes with lights full of intensity, which change color every minute. Therefore, the sooner you get up, the more time you will enjoy the spectacle of dawn.
With the sun already at a certain height, we will resume the program of the day: breakfast, camel ride back and shower in a partner hotel in Merzouga (some travel packages include it in the jaima camp). Replenished energies and freshness, we return to the road, this time in the direction of the Dades Valley.
Although here the oasis is not continuous (as in the section of the Draa Valley), some characteristics are repeated: many kasbahs and populations that seem to carry a different, more leisurely rhythm. In Tinghir, we will deviate for a moment, through a road that is becoming increasingly irregular and steeply descending: this is how you reach the Todra Gorges. We will walk and take photos through the deepest part of this canyon, with its walls of more than 100 meters high as a backdrop.
During the afternoon, the route will stop in another town in the Dades Valley, where we will have arranged dinner and a night of rest: it will be a riad with the same charm and tranquility that is breathed in the region.
On the fourth day of the tour, we will leave the Dades Valley, but not without first visiting another interesting nearby valley: the Valley of the Roses. In spring, its color is special, and the rest of the year the green of this plant predominates, which has been cultivated here since the times of the French Protectorate to take advantage of its cosmetic, chemical and industrial uses in general.
Shortly after, we will arrive at Ouarzazate, the city that welcomed you on the first day. But in this case, we will stop here for a different reason: to see the kasbah of Taourirt, located on the outskirts of the city. It was the palace and castle of the Glaoui, when the patriarch of the dynasty (Thami) ruled this region with an iron fist, with the acceptance of the French governors in the 20th century. Stylistically, it is one of the best kasbahs in the entire south of the country, both externally and internally.
Back on the road, we will begin to ascend the southern slope of the High Atlas, and the last ramps will take us to the Tizi n’Tichka pass, a natural passage between one side and the other of this mountain range. The peaks that can be seen from here are imposing, the highest in the country, with snow in winter.
The descent, through more fertile valleys, between Berber villages and livestock farms, will take us to the plain where Marrakech is located. We will leave you at the riad where you will spend the night, but before that you will have some free time to use as you please.
On this last day, we will take you in a private transfer to Menara Airport from the riad. The time of this service will depend on the flight. Therefore, after check-in, there could also be free time to spend in the Red City, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. And already in the airport terminal, we will say goodbye until, hopefully, next time, with another tour from our catalog.
To ensure that everything goes as planned, the travel package includes the following services related to transportation, accommodation and diets:
These other services are not included, so they will be at the choice or discard of the clients:
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