Atlas & Erg Chegaga

Arrive in Marrakech, the vibrant “Red City” of Morocco. Explore the lively Djemaa el-Fna square and the historic medina. Overnight in Marrakech.

Following breakfast, depart Marrakech for Imlil, a small village in the High Atlas Mountains. You will enjoy a spectacular drive through terraced fields and traditional Berber villages. After arriving at Imlil, embark on a guided hike through picturesque valleys and enjoy a traditional Berber lunch in a local house. Spend the night in a charming guesthouse in Imlil.

After leaving Imlil behind, we will drive to Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage town known for its impressive kasbahs! As we make our way to Ait Benhaddou, we will pass over the Tizi n’Tichka pass, which is the highest mountainous pass in North Africa. The views from the pass are second to none! After arriving at Ait Benhaddou in the afternoon, we can explore the ancient fortified village which has served as backdrop for many films. With some luck, we will have time to enjoy a night in a traditional riad.

Today we will finish the journey to Zagora passing the Draa Valley’s fertile palm groves and kasbahs. We will stop at Agdz to visit Kasbah Tamnougalt before Zagora, the Gateway to the Sahara. In Zagora you will see the local markets and enjoy dinner under the stars at your desert camp. Overnight in a desert camp.

Traveling from Erg Chegaga to Ouarzazate takes you deep into the Moroccan desert and offers a combination of open beauty and rough scenery. After travelling over the beautiful sand dunes of Erg Chegaga you continue towards the vicinities of Ouarzazate through some lonely desert villages, over the spectacular Anti-Atlas Mountains and vast dry plains. The route, approximately 4-6 hours in a car, showcases traditional Berber culture and the gradual change in colours of the desert. Ouarzazate is known as the “Gateway to the Sahara”, and is where this journey ends; Ouarzazate, with its renowned kasbahs and wealth of film studios that have brought the desert’s magic to life all around the globe.

Depart for Marrakech after breakfast. Before arriving back in Marrakech, visit the Telouet Kasbah, which was once home to the powerful rulers of the Glaoui family. Arrive in Marrakech in the late–afternoon with sufficient time for some last-minute shopping or sightseeing before your departing flight or extended stay.

Leave for Marrakech after breakfast. On your way back to Marrakech, stop at the Telouet Kasbah, ancestral home of the Glaoui family’s once powerful rulers. Arrive back in Marrakech late afternoon with time to shop or sightsee before your flight or extended stay.