Merzouga Sahara Excursion Morocco Cultural Tour

4 days / 3 nights
year-round
4 per car



Merzouga Sahara Excursion Morocco Cultural Tour

You do not have time but you want to get out of the busy life and enjoy the desert? This excursion is made for you to enjoy deeply and closely the Moroccan culture. While you are riding for this excursion you will pass through some most fabulous places and sites of the southern east of Morocco. You will be driven via the spectacular piece of engineering Tizi n’Tichka and its pulse-racing series of switchbacks providing over more jaw-dropping views. Passing through the 1956 abandoned Glaoui Kasbah, Talouat the most magnificent sights of the Atlas, and the UNESCO-protected red mud-brick Ait Benhadou. After this stopover point for lunch we will continue via a Thousands Kasbahs route to the gorgeous gorges of Dades and Todgha. Arriving to the gateway into the golden dunes to discover the Berbers lifestyle in the Sahara desert where you’ll surely choose to drift off to sleep while watching the twinkling stars in mid of an awesome stretch of golden sand sea after dinner. Wake by dawn to watch the sun starting its daily arc with a cool blue morning sky as it replaces the Sahara shadows just before becoming a glowing ball of fire. Leaving the desert to the struggling village of Taliouine and the African center of l’orrouge (red gold) or saffron, the most expensive spice via Alnif and the rambling Ksar of N’kob. Heading north to Marrakech via the High Atlas Mountains.


Itinerary day by day


Marrakech - Ait Benhaddou - Ouarzazate - valley of roses - Dades gorges
Around 8:00am your driver/tour guide will pick you up from the nearest point of your hotel/Riad. Through Tizi- N’Tichka pass (2260m) in the High Atlas Mountains, you will enjoy a snaky windy road (if you get car sick have your medication), beautiful landscapes with different colors and Berber villages along the way. The first pause will be in Ait Barka village. It will be around 10:00am to take beautiful pictures and have a cup of mint tea. It’s a point to start the highest Atlas Mountains of Morocco. The second pause will take place in the top of Tizi n’Tichka arriving to Ait Benhaddou, the 11th century UNESCO-protected red mud-brick ksar that has formed the backdrop for many Hollywood movies production such as Lawrence of Arabia, Jesus of Nazareth, Gladiator, Game of Thrones and many others. Here you will also have time to explore the history of this amazing heritage. Then you will have lunch before continuing via Ouarzazate, « Ouallywood » studio and Taourirte Kasbah. Traversing the valley of roses and daggers straight to Dades gorges a rust-red and mauve mountains. A series of crumbling Kasbahs and Ksours line the valley in the Berber villages to the monkey Fingers Mountains.

Dades Gorges - Todgha Gorges - Tinejdad - Erfoud - Risani - Merzouga Desert
This morning, you head southeast towards Merzouga and the gateway into the golden dunes of the Sahara desert. Before getting there you’ll be stuck between gigantic rock walls and a hard place is a sublime experience in the Todgha gorges. Then it’s onward to Tinjdad where a local Berber culture museum is worth a lunch stop, later on after lunch we head to Arfoud where you can marvel at the million-year-old fossils that the area is famous for.  Then it’s off to Merzouga that has the highest dunes in Morocco, you can store any luggage while packing an overnight bag to bring along. You’ll have the chance to ride your camel « ship of the desert » into the sandy seas. After hour-long camel ride you will be among the luckiest to watch the sun set over the Sahara dunes. Your stay for the night will be a Bedouin style tent.

Merzouga Desert - Alnif - n’Kob - Agdez - Taznakht - Taliouine
This Morning, you’ll rise with the sun to witness what we hope is a spectacular sunrise among the dunes, this is truly worthwhile and is what our Sahara tours are all about. After breakfast we head to Taliouine via Alnif and the rambling Ksar of N’kob with its prehistoric rock-carving sites and 45 mud-brick ksour make you stop by and stare. The name N’kob comes from a cave that once served as a lodging for nomads. Arriving to Agdez that means « place of rest » and it’s certainly worth taking a break here  before continue our road to the struggling village of Taliouine and the African center of l’orrouge (red gold) or saffron, the most expensive spice via southern Morocco’s capital of carpet and rugs.

Taliouine - Taroudant - Tizi n’Test - Marrakech
From Taliouine to Marrakech via Taroudant that is considered to be one of the most elegant purely Berber towns of Morocco with its majestic, tawny-brown and honey-gold circuit of 7km walls. While you stroll and linger around, note the distinctive, highly beautiful blue veils that many of older local ladies put on. Later on you will be driven via the road that blasted through the high Atlas Mountain by the French in the late 1920s and famed by Tizi n’Test that offer one of the best panoramic drives in morocco. Heading north to Marrakech we will stop over for Tinmal village to visit the 1156-year mosque.

Unless a specific accommodation is requested, we reserve or recommend the best different authentic stays from the most quintessentially Moroccan accommodation available, reasonably priced, charming hotels/Riads in the Medina to the Kasbahs and Bedouin style tents in the Sahara desert with private bath, hot water, good service, value and sustainable management practices. Prices are based on two persons sharing a twin-bedded room. Desert Camp feature full size walk-in tents for two or more persons with Bedouin-style bedding or sleeping pads. On trekking and camping trips tents, sleeping pads or mattresses, wash basins, toilet facilities, cooking equipment, lanterns, pack animals and portering gear are provided. Participants must furnish their own clothing, soft-luggage and day pack. Sleeping bags are necessary for some trips, but are usually available for rent. MSITravels reserves the right to substitute equivalent or superior hotels/Riads.

Morocco Social Impact Travel exists to authentically connect you, not only to Morocco’s incredible destinations. We want you to touch and feel the good quality of our local families home-cooked meals and to taste the ras el hanout and the saffron and more other commonly used spices in our Delicious local & seasonal cuisine, such as seven vegetable Couscous, flavorful Tagines & creative soups & vegetables, plus Tanjia and Rfisa, mint tea and pistachios. Plus, enjoy a hands-on cooking class so you can impress friends & family back home.

Note: Jain, Vegetarian, Vegan, Halal and Kosher food options on request. Simply let our Customer Support team know the food option that you prefer. 

While in Morocco we are pleased to support the wonderful work of Ennajah Association and Chabab Time, two nonprofit organizations. the first one based in Zagora and aims to create sustainable development in community through The Fight Against School Dropouts of girls by providing transportation and providing water for the population ...

The second one is based in Rabat but works all over Morocco and aims to motivate young people to actively participate in Public life. We may also pick a local Berber school to donate supplies & small toys, spreading joy in simple ways, and giving a bit back to the local people of the area.

Last but not least, we want you to have the opportunity to give back, to support vulnerable families in meaningful ways. To build authentic connections and know that your visit matters. That when you leave, you’ll take carpets and Argan oil and lanterns and photographs and memories, but you’ll also leave a mark that made a difference.

We, in Morocco Social Impact Travel « MSITravels », care about our customers and their comfort. Thus, we offer different kind of transportation depending on the number of travelers and the chosen tour. E.g. if the tour is off-road we will offer a 4 wheels drive car for each 4 customers maximum. Otherwise we have 7 seats Minivan, Minibus for 17 travelers and Coach for more than 17 travelers.

Included:

        Eng, Fr or Spanish-speaking professional driver/tour guide

        Accommodation: 3 nights

        Meals: 3 Breakfast, 3 Dinner

        Private Transportation: minivan or 4WD, camel

        Air-conditioned vehicle

        Visit to women's cooperatives

        Toll road fees, fuel charges and all taxes

        Transport Insurance

        2 home cooked-meals with local families

         Wifi on board

         Camel ride at the desert

         An opportunity to meet up with locals



Excluded:

×        Flights

×        Travel Insurance

×        Gratuities

×        Entrance fees to historical monuments

×        Additional services

×        Drinks

×        Anything not mentioned in ‘included’


- Booking -


Starting from

894.00€

Price varies by group size




Adults

Child (-10)


894.00€


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