Marrakesh - Merzouga - 3-day trip
Itinerary
DAY 1: MARRAKECH - TIZI-N-TICHKA- TELOUET - KASBAH AIT BEN HADDOU - OUARZAZATE-BOMALEN DADES
Take the road to Ouarzazate. During your journey to Ouarzazate you will also pass the olive groves of the Oued Zat, as you ascend onto the Tizi-N-Tichka Pass Road. Built by the French in the 1920’s, the Tizi-N-Tichka Pass can be described as having mountainous barriers, Mediterranean and oceanic influences and desert borders. long the route you will see panoramic views of the High Atlas Mountains as well as sights of fertile valleys, blue and red colored pise villages and other striking mineral environments.
Visit Kasbah Telout, one of Morocco’s hidden jewels and a famous Kasbahs that is the origin of the Pacha Glaoui Family. Kasbah Telout is hidden among a tiny road in a small village that is 20 minutes outside Tichka. Its history stands alone with its original zellij tile, authentic, preserved silks and grand remnants of the Glaou family. This Kasbahs has yet to be coined a UNESCO World Heritage site and while it appears in parts to be in ruins on the exterior, its interior is one of true splendor.
Visit an Argan Cooperative where Argan Oil, Butter and Cosmetics are made with the Argan nut by hand as Berber women crack the nuts and the grind them one by one. Have a complimentary tasting. This cooperative is run entirely by women.
Visit Ait Benhaddou. Located 32 km from Ouarzazate lies the picturesque village. Aït Benhaddou of Aït Benhaddou is situated in Souss Massa Draa on a hill along the Ouarzazate River. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here and Orson Welles used it as a location for Sodome and Gomorrah; and for Jesus of Nazareth the whole lower part of the village was rebuilt. In recent years more controlled restoration has been carried out under UNESCO auspices. Aït Benhaddou is one of many locations in this region used for shooting Hollywood films. Aït Benhaddou which once served as the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech in present-day Morocco. Your guide will lead you on a private tour through this Berber village of towered and crenulated Kasbahs that once guarded the lucrative caravan route through the Atlas Mountains.
Visit Skoura and its “Valley of One Thousand Kasbahs.”Skoura is a fertile oasis lined with immense palm groves that provide great views of the Atlas Mountains alongside deserted landscapes. It is renowned for the cultivation of roses. The palm groves were laid out in the 12th century by the Almohad sultan Yacoub el-Mansour and named after its original inhabitants, the Berbers of the Haskourene tribe. The most beautiful kasbahs in southern Morocco can be found here.
Continue onward to the perfumed Valley of Roses. Your driver will stop for you to view the Capp et Florale distillation factories laid out in the small Kasbah town that manufacture the entire nations products of eau de rose. The rose water and other products such as hand and body soaps, oil, crème perfume and dried flowers are for sale and also popular among Moroccans. The factories produce 3000-4000 petals a year.
Overnight at Riad or Hotel in Bomalen Dades.
DAY 2: BOMALEN DADES - TODRA GORGE - ERFOUD - MERZOUGA
Take the road to Tinghir.
Visit the Todra Gorge and The Todra Gorge is a spectacle with its gigantic rock walls changing color to create magical effects with the sunlight. In the morning, when the sun permeates through the bottom of the gorge, the rock changes from pink rose to deep ochre gradually throughout the rest of the day.
Continue to Erfoud. Visit the Royal Palace gate. Enjoy the panoramic view from the top of the Borj-Est that rises 935 m (3067 ft) above the city. Tour the fossil sites in Carriere des Fossiles and the Maadid Ksar.
Erfoud is a city located in southeast Morocco. Although many ancient fortified villages have existed in the region for several centuries, Erfoud was built up by the French troops after the victory at Tafilalet that ended years of battle in 1932. Erfoud is an active city full of commerce, restaurants, street cafés, hotels , banks, handicrafts, and souvenir shops. While it is a modern Moroccan desert town, it still preserves the authenticity of a true Arab city with an impressively wild market and gorgeous surrounding landscapes filled with oases, dunes, and Rocky Mountains. Erfoud is a cinematic inspiration for movie directors. Many movies have been filmed in Erfoud, including Prince of Persia, March or Die, and The Mummy. Arrive in Merzouga. Explore the Desert Flora and Fauna. Sunset Camel Trek into the Moroccan Sahara Desert.and 1001 Arabian Nights Dinner. Overnight in a Luxury Desert Camp.
DAY 3: MERZOUGA – RISSANI - ALNIF - NKOB - OUARZAZATE - MARRAKECH
Sunrise camel trek and breakfast in the Great Sahara Desert.
Continue via Rissani and Alnif to the valley of the Draa.
Visit Kasbah Tamnagoult, a village in the Draa River valley in 95 kilometers south of Ouarzazate. The village is close to Agdz. It is the former capital of the Mezguita region and residence of former caïds. Its name means 'meeting point' in Tachelhit (Berber).
En route pass the Sahara Desert town of Agdz and the heart of the Draa Valleyknown for its 45 qualities of dates. Stop for a picturesque view in Agdz and its stunning palmery along with local trade routes famous for bringing dates, spices and other goods from the South to Marrakech.
Visit the market of dates in Agdz. Try various dates of the region and see how the local souk works. Panoramic view of Agdz Palmeraie from a garrison atop Agdz. Continue the road passing Ouarzazate to Ait Benhaddou.
Take the road back to Marrakesh via the Tizi-N-Tichka Pass.
