10 Days Marrakech Desert & Sea Tour

You’ll want to start the 10 days private tour from Marrakech if at all possible for this Morocco vacation idea; A driver will be waiting for you at Menara airport to take you to your riad in Marrakesh. An early flight arrival you will give you so much time to make the most of it. Our driver will be available for an orientation drive of Marrakech.
Overnight in your riad.

After breakfast, you’ll start your 10 days trip with a 5hours drive over the High Atlas Mountains to the city of Ouarzazate. We will travel through the dramatic landscape of the High Atlas Mountains passing through the Berber town of Taddert and over the 2260 meters high Tizi-in-Tichka pass. We will stop at the famous Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, 30 kilometers from Ouarzazate.
The kasbah is one of the most intriguing red earth castles lining the ancient road of the Kasbahs and is a UNESCO world heritage site. We continue on our way to Ouarzazate.
We will stop to visit the Taourirt kasbah former home of the famous Pasha Glaoui. The painted ceilings, arches, beautiful small windows with wrought iron works and woodwork have helped make it another UNESCO site.
In the afternoon, enjoy a private visit of the Atlas Corporation Studio, a well known cinematographic center renowned for blockbuster productions including Asterix and Cleopatre directed by Alain Chabat; and the Oscar-wining Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott.
Overnight accommodation will be at the hotel or riad in Ouarzazate.

There is so much more to do in the Sahara than you might think! Today you’ll make the final push to the Sahara desert. After breakfast, we will start our third journey through the road of the thousand Kasbahs- the fascinating sandcastles. We will stop at Kalaat Mgouna, the rose’s city known for roses and its annual festival during the roses harvest in May, continue to Dades valley where you can enjoy the region’s impressive rock formations before continuing onward through Tinrghir and the Todra valley. Watch the panoramic views of the old mud Berber villages overlooking the valley. Get to the Gorge and walk under the 300m high red cliff, where many Rock-climbers come to enjoy their preferred sport. Continue our trip to Erfoud and Rissani, then the village of Merzouga where you will spend the night in Riad.

Today will probably be your most vivid memory of the 10 days trip; After visiting the village and oasis of Merzouga, You’ll visit the Gnawa people, originally brought from Sudan, were forcibly moved from their homelands across the Sahara to Morocco as part of the worldwide slave trade; they sang to soothe and found mindfulness in the rhythmic chanting and clanking of the chains, to experience their music and lifestyle. Then we continue to see the panoramic view behind the Erg Chebbi of sand dunes so as to take plenty of pictures and to see how the color of the dunes change by the light of the sun after to the village of Mirdani an old village in ruins also stopping at Mifis, the place where coal was extracted and the large majority of the population of Merzouga worked to earn a living. A very interesting day which is spent in or very near the dunes the highest dunes in Morocco. After the village of Mirdani, we continue to the Bedouin families in their Bedouin-style tent.

After having tea there we continue to finish the tour by visiting where you can see the fossils and the oasis of Tissardmine in the afternoon, we will come back to Merzouga, then jump on your camels for a ride to camp. You don’t always have to take a camel to reach the camp, some are more remote and require a 4×4 but there are always camel rides as an activity, you’ll be guided all the way out to explore within the mysterious sand-sea of the Erg-Chebbi. The night is spent dining alfresco under the stars followed by sweet dreams in a Bedouin-style tent or night under the stars (preferably in summer)
Overnight at a desert camp

This morning we’re halfway the 10 days trip, you’ll be able to rise with the sun as it begins its glorious route for another day. If you wake up at first light, take a seat on the sand dunes and watch the sunrise slowly and hang in the dusty summer skies for a moment or two. Make sure you grab some photos before climbing back onto your newfound camel friend for the short ride back to the hotel. You’ll have the breakfast and shower in your hotel in Merzouga so as to travel to Fes via Errachidia along the magnificent Ziz Gorges carved through volcanic rock, and through the Tizi Ntalghamt Pass to Midelt, then continue our journey to Azrou, a Berber village in the Middle Atlas Mountains, before which we stop to see the Barbarian apes in the famous Cedar forest. On to Ifran “the French village”, stop for a picture or a drink then drive to Fes.
Overnight accommodation will be at a riad in Fes.

Today is your opportunity to see the UNESCO protected Fez Medina through the eyes of a local, with your own private guide who will accompany you throughout the entire tour as he will make sure to unfold all the hidden stories and show you the mysteries and secrets of the nine thousand streets and alleyways that make up this amazing historic city.
Sightseeing of Fes includes the medieval Medina with its Attarine and Bou Anania Medersas, the Nejjarine fountain, the Moulay Idriss mausoleum, and the Karaouine mosque.

Today might be a bit overwhelming; on this long drive back to Marrakech, you’ll have the chance to let it all sink in. the morning, departure towards Beni Mellal, the crossing of the plains of Tadla and Haouz an agriculture area, arriving in the evening in your accommodation in Marrakesh.
Overnight accommodation will be at a riad in Marrakech.

This is your discovery day in the Red City, aided by your private guide who will meet with you in the morning at your riad to discuss the day’s possibilities. Leave the everyday behind as you dive into the souks, the markets that have provided Marrakschis with all their needs for over one thousand years. Vibrant colors, rich aromas, cat-calls and music, merchants in djellabas, street chefs in white hats, whatever your image of the exotic is you will find it in Marrakech. Our city guide will unravel the assembled streets and show you the more interesting places to visit.

As we are nearing the finish of our 10 days trip from Marrakech, you’ll have the day free to explore Essaouira. It’s like a little sister to Marrakech, with plenty of things happening, a laid back vibe, and lots of art and culture. True, there’s not a lot to check off and see but it is a great place to explore if you’re more interested in getting to know a place. The beach is a nice place for a stroll or run. It’s also a great spot to enjoy a horseback ride at sunset. Some locals do offer camel rides on the beach as well. For the sports-oriented traveler, Essaouira is home to some fine wind and kitesurfing schools. Beyond the beach, you can spend hours in the medina – craftsmen, little shops, hidden vistas, and other gems are worth exploring.
Overnight accommodation will be at a riad in Marrakech.

After an early breakfast, we drive back to Marrakech airport for your return flight and as our 10 days, a private trip from Marrakech will be coming to an end. We do truly hope you enjoyed the trip with our team!