Desert Nomad Special

10 Day Itinerary

This tour allows you to experience the magical Moroccan desert from different perspectives. Visit the desert UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Ben Haddou, spend an extended period of time exploring the vastness of the Sahara Desert and the beauty of the stars at night, then return to Marrakech to see some of the sights and experience more of Moroccan culture in this vibrant city.

Overview

Day 1: Arrive/Explore Marrakech

Day 2: Marrakech to Ait Ben Haddou

Day 3: Ait-Ben-Haddou to Desert (M’Hamid)

Day 4 to 6: Desert Trek

Day 7: M'Hamid to Ouarzazate

Day 8: Ourarzazate to Marrakech

Day 9: Marrakech

Day 10: Breakfast, Relax, Until We Meet Again

Day 1

Arrive/Explore Marrakech

We will pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel. After you have time to relax and freshen up, we will take you on a tour of the Red City with a professional guide who will tell you about the sites and their historical context.

Known as the Red City because of the colour of the walls that surround the old Kasbah, Marrakech has been a popular tourist destination since the 1960s. Its famous Djemaa el-Fnaa square is the busiest square in Africa with a colourful market and an unparalleled assortment of vendors and entertainers including fire-eaters, snake charmers, belly dancers, acrobats, and astrologers.

After the tour of Marrakech, we will take you for a nice “Welcome to Morocco” dinner.

Day 2

Marrakech to

Ait Ben Haddou

We will pick you up from your hotel and drive you through the beautiful countryside of the High Atlas Mountains through the Tizi-n-Tichka pass (2260m in altitude). Along the way, we will stop for lunch at a Berber village.

Then we will continue to the village of Ait Ben Haddou, one of the best-preserved ksars in Morocco and location for a number of movies including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. The ancient kasbah Ait Ben Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After we check into our riad for the night, we will guide you through the kasbah. We will have dinner and stay overnight in Ait Ben Haddou.

Day 3

Ait Ben Haddou to Desert (M'Hamid)

After breakfast, we will drive south to M’Hamid, a small oasis town nuzzled against the dunes of the Sahara Desert. On the way there, near Agdz, we will take an off road detour through the lush Palmerie, with a very nice viewpoint. Back on the main road, we will drive through Zagora and Tamgrout on the way to M’Hamid. After lunch, you have the option to ride on camel (dromedary) for approximately 2 hours accompanied by a guide to our desert camp in Erg L’Houdi or take the 4x4.

At Erg L’Houdi, we will welcome you with “Berber Whisky” (traditional Moroccan mint tea), and snacks. Here you can explore the enchanting landscape of dunes, enjoy the beautiful sunset, and you can also have fun sandboarding. We will stay overnight at the tent camp at Erg L’Houdi.

Day 4 to 6

Desert Trek

Leaving from Erg L’Houdi, spend 3 days travelling across the vast stretches of the Sahara Desert by camel like the nomadic peoples. Marvel at the sea of sand dunes interrupted by stony desert landscapes. Our team will bring provisions for our desert adventure and you can choose to walk or ride on the camel throughout the day. We will travel across the desert by day, set up a tent each night, and enjoy campfires each night under the brilliant starry sky. Our final destination is Erg Chegaga, the largest sand dunes in the region. These majestic dunes reach a height of 300 m and a width of 40 km. We will spend our third night at a tent camp at Erg Chegaga.

Day 7

M'Hamid to Ourarzazate

Wake early to savour your last desert sunrise for this visit, eat breakfast, and then depart by 4x4 vehicle to Ouarzazate. Enjoy a nice hot shower and relax in your hotel before we take you for a nice dinner in the area.

Day 8

Ourarzazate to Marrakech

Enjoy a relaxing drive back to Marrakech. Back in Marrakech, we will enjoy a nice dinner.

Day 9

Marrakech

After breakfast, we will take you for a Moroccan cooking class where you will shop for the food in the market and then learn how to cook local favourites. This is a true cultural experience. In the afternoon, explore the market or enjoy a hamman (traditional Moroccan spa). This is a unique experience for all of your senses. Then we will take you for a dinner and cultural entertainment for your final night in Morocco.

Day 10

Until We Meet Again

Relax and enjoy your breakfast before we will take you to the airport in plenty of time for your flight.

If your flight is later in the day, you can spend some time at a café or the market or we can arrange for another tour/experience for you before your flight.

We believe that your vacation should be a magical experience, based on your desires. This itinerary is provided as a general guide and we are happy to customize it to ensure that you have a wonderful time in Morocco.

Other experiences that can be added to your trip include:

express trips from Zagora to the desert using helicopters
ATV/quad biking in the desert
surfing or kitesurfing on the coast
hiking in the mountains
motorcycle trip along the windy mountain roads
cycling in the mountains or any area of interest
an exploration of cooking and the spices of Morocco
a day trip to Tangier to see Spain (Gibraltar) from Morocco

We look forward to welcoming you to Morocco!