Résidence Ahlam C, Apt 10, rue du Pacha, Guéliz, Marrakech, Morocco

+212 524 446 913

info@unitourismorocco.com

Unitours Maroc, DMC and incoming travel agency in Marrakech since 1981.

Southern Morocco and The Sahara

Across the Atlas Mountains, down south, lies another Morocco. Lush oases and dry river beds, ochre Kasbahs and green orchards, topped by blue skies sometimes turning to indigo at sunset, soft waves of dunes and dark rocky ergs, here is the country of Silence. Dare to take a few days for a different experience and go and listen to your heartbeats.
day by day itinerary

Upon your arrival at Marrakech Ménara airport, you will be welcomed by your Unitours Maroc Representative and by your driver, then transferred to your hotel.

Time at leisure till dinner and overnight.

Once the capital of southern Morocco, the imperial city of Marrakech is an alluring oasis with a temperate climate, distinct charm, and fascinating sights.

Our day-long tour includes the beautifully proportioned Koutoubia Mosque with its distinctive 282-foot minaret visible from miles away; the beautiful Andalusian-style El Bahia Palace (part of which is still used by the royal family); and the Palace of Dar Si Said, a museum housing Moroccan art and artefacts.

Mid-afternoon, we embark on a medina walking tour, ending at Djemaa el Fna Square, a UNESCO site and the heart of Marrakech, crowded with snake charmers, entertainers, storytellers, musicians, barbers, and sellers of fruit, water, and spices.

Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

After breakfast, departure to Ouarzazate, crossing many Berber villages through the beautiful landscapes of the Atlas mountains range.

Cross the Tizi N’Tichka pass over 2000 m high (lots of snow there in winter !), and start the descent towards the very different pre-Sahara scenery of the Southern slopes.

20 km before Ouarzazate, turn left and stop for the visit of the Ksar Ait Ben Haddou, a Unesco preserved site. This vast fortified village served as natural « décor » for the shooting of numerous Hollywood productions, like « Lawrence of Arabia », « Romancing the Stone with Mike Douglas or, more recently, « the Mummy ».

Time at leisure for lunch on site, then drive to Ouarzazate, check in at your hotel and rest the afternoon at leisure.

Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Morning departure for Zagora, following – just after the rocky area leading to Agdz – the banks of the Draa River, where six palm forests form a long ribbon of greenery.

Thanks to the river’s proximity, cereals, henna, vegetables, fruit and date palms are cultivated on the floor of the valley or on stepped terraces. Then the scenery becomes drier, and sand gets more and more appearing and here is Zagora, only 80 days – by camel – from Timbuktu!

Check in at your hotel and have lunch at leisure. In the afternoon, visit the potter’s village of Tamegrout and the old library & Koranic school.

Dinner and overnight in your hotel.

Early morning departure for the first day of authentic Morocco desert safari. You will head for Erfoud by crossing the « regs » landscapes, typical of pre-Sahara landscapes, alternating dunes and rocky tables, and crossing small Berber villages (stop for light lunch).

Upon arrival in Rissani, the cradle of the present reigning dynasty in Morocco, the Alaouits see the outside of the Mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif and, time allowing, go inside the Abu Aam Ksar (fortified village).

Then on to Merzouga, in the dunes of Erg Chebi, for your first experience of a Bedouin bivouac overnight under the traditional tents, including dinner.

After breakfast, back to Rissani to complete the visit if necessary (Market on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday), then to Erfoud, a beautiful oasis, the centre of the dates trading. Market on Sunday.

Lunch at leisure is on the way. Check in at your hotel and afternoon at leisure to enjoy your hotel’s amenities or pursue your visit to Erfoud.

Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

MAP OF ITINERARY
Please note that all timings and mileage are given for a return trip based on Google Maps data and itinerary availabilities. Trek itineraries are also not displayed as precisely as planned because Google Maps does not yet provide this type of information; you should then refer to the “day by day” program for accurate details.