Great South & Kasbahs Tour
Great South & Kasbahs Tour 7 Days
The Southern and Northern regions of Morocco differ completely from one another geographically, contrasting both in climate and landscapes. The South seems to embody a step backward in time, to an era of biblical aura and a surviving Mesopotamia as life of evryday records in the valley of Todra, Dades and Draa valley. The vast Sahara seems surreal, with its plateaus bordered by desert mirages, waddies punctuated by sandcastle-like Kasbahs, and romantic oases where tall date palms grow surrounded by silver-green reed, all found on a horizon of sand dunes constantly reshaped by gentle winds, sheltered by azure-blue African skies over these outstanding landscapes from the dunes of Merzouga to Tinfou oasis. Filmmakers Cecil de Mill and Martin Scorsese were unable to capture on film the majesty and unsurpassed beauty of Morocco’s Southern lands, a literal heaven on earth, which has a depth that can only be truly embraced and appreciated by the naked eye. Welcome to Morocco!
Day 2: Marrakech – Tinghir
Following breakfast, you will start your journey southward to Tinghir via Taddert and the Tizin Tichka Pass, located in the heart of the Atlas mountain chain. Additionally, you will visit the Berber village of Ait Ben Haddou and stop in Ouarzazate for lunch. Afterward, you will follow the route of a thousand Kasbahs through the Dades Valley to the village of Tinghir, where you will visit Kalaa des Mogouna, the Persian roses haven. You will end your day with dinner and other accommodations at your hotel.
Day 3: Tinghir – Erfoud
Your morning will consist of a visit to the Todra gorges, after which you will continueto Erfoud, where you will explore the Ziz valley. One of the most aesthetically pleasing of all southern routes, Tuaregs, camels and palm trees will be your exotic landscape. Erfoud is a dry, red belt of desert with a sudden drop into a valley filled with date palm groves; it is a land lost in antiquity. Dinner and accommodations will be provided at your hotel.
Day 4: Merzouga Dunes – Rissani – Zagora
Land Rovers will take you across the desert to the magnificent dunes of Erg Chebbi. To watch the sun rise over the spectacular Merzouga dunes in the Sahara is a breathtaking encounter worth experiencing. Afterward, you will eat breakfast with the Tuaregs, and saddled camels will be offered as an option for those who would like to explore the area. You will then continue your travels, exploring the ancient holy city of Rissani and the desert until you reach Zagora, where dinner and accommodations will be available at your hotel.
Day 5: Zagora – M’Hamid – Tinfou – Tamegroute
You will spend your day on an excursion that will take you to the real gateway of the Moroccan Saharan Desert. You will drive through the lowlands and along the mountain passes to Tamegroute, a humble village where deep knowledge is transmitted in the most simplistic way. There you will visit the famous Moorish Koranic Library. Full of rare books and documents, the library includes 13th century writings made on gazelle hide. Afterward, you will return to Zagora for the night.
Day 6: Zagora – Ouarzazate – Marrakech
Following breakfast, you will leave for your return trip to Marrakech, stopping in Ouarzazate, where women still weave the Ouazguita carpets famous for their natural colors and geometric and symbolic designs. Here, life is concentrated in the oases and Kasbahs, contrasting with the vast and stark desert plateaux that surround the city. Finally, you will return to Marrakech for a farewell dinner, where you will experience a typical Moroccan meal under a caidal Berber tent along with a spectacle of the Fantasia.
Day 7: Marrakech – home
You will depart from the Marrakech airport for your connecting flight back home
What is included in this Morocco tour:
6 Nights accommodation in 4-star hotels
Full board (breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily)
Land transportation in A/C vehicle + Camel trek over the dunes of Merzouga
Diaffa lunch in an oasis, a unique experience in Morocco
Services of English-speaking guides and multilingual Moroccan Tour leader
Entrance fees to monuments and museums in Marrakech, Erfoud, Zagora and Ouarzazate
Price is based on a minimum of 2 people travelling.
Price : €895 pp