Journey through the Moroccan Desert (6 Days)

Day 1: Ouarzazate to Dades Valley

We’ll start our journey in the Moroccan desert with a 4×4 ride in the morning, heading to the Todra Gorges via Skoura’s lake, palm grove, and kasbahs. Next, we’ll continue on a road that leads us to El Kelâa des M’Gouna, a big village situated at the junction of the valleys of M’Goun and Dades. From there, we’ll take the track of the Valley of the Roses and pass by Ait Saîd, Tourbist, Tamalout before arriving at Bou-Thahrar in the Valley of the Roses. We’ll take a short walk along the gardens that border the Oued M’Goun before enjoying a tea break. Afterward, we’ll continue our journey in 4×4 to reach the kasbah of the Glaoui Ait-Youl, which is located on the edge of the Dades Valley. Then, we’ll take the road of the Dades Gorges and admire the magnificent colored landscapes and the very beautiful kasbahs. We’ll make a stop at the viewpoint of the « monkey fingers. » We’ll spend the night in a small hotel in the Dades Gorges after having dinner.

Day 2: Dades Gorges to N’Kob

After having breakfast, we’ll continue our journey with a 2-hour hike along the Dades river near the « monkey fingers. » We’ll then return to Boumalne by road and take the mountain track that crosses the Saghro Massif via the Tizi n’Tazazert pass. Finally, we’ll arrive in N’Kob, where we’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the hotel swimming pool (depending on the season). We’ll have dinner and spend the night in a restored kasbah.

Day 3: N’Kob to Zagora

Our journey will continue from N’Kob to Tansikt via a road, and then we’ll take the track that runs along the Draa Valley and its countless date palms, passing by many typical ksours (fortified villages). We’ll continue along the left bank of the Draa until we reach Zagora, where we’ll spend the night in a Riad after having dinner.

Day 4: Zagora to M’Hamid

On this day, we’ll depart by 4×4 for M’Hamid, making a stop at Tamgroute to visit the manufacture of green pottery and the underground streets. We’ll then continue along the track through the palm grove of Ouled Brahim and the Reg d’Elfaija before arriving at M’Hamid, the last palm grove of the Draa and the beginning of the sandy desert. Our campsite is located several kilometers south of M’Hamid, in the middle of the sand dunes and the Great Dunes of Chegaga. At sunset, we’ll join our bivouac on camelback, where we’ll be greeted locally before having dinner under the stars and spending the night in a nomadic tent.

Day 5: M’Hamid to Dunes of Chegaga

After breakfast, we’ll visit the old Ksar of M’Hamid and have tea at an inhabitant’s house. We’ll then continue our journey through the sandy track and desert towards the Great Dunes of Chegaga, stopping for a picnic along the way in a small oasis shaded by tamarisk trees. We’ll arrive at our bivouac at the foot of the Great Dune via a track, where we’ll have dinner and spend the night under a nomadic tent.

DAY 6 : Dunes of Chegaga – Ouarzazate

We’ll wake up early to catch the stunning sunrise over the desert. After enjoying breakfast, we’ll depart from the bivouac and follow a track that takes us between the Erg Chegaga and the dry bed of the Draa, passing by the picturesque Lake Iriqui before reaching the village of Foum Zguid. From there, we’ll head back to Ouarzazate by road, with a stop at Tazenakht to admire the exquisite local carpets. Our journey will come to an end upon our arrival at your hotel in Ouarzazate.