4 Days/3 Nights – Departure From Ouarzazate to Desert Mhamid
We departure from Ouarzazate early in the morning, traveling south across the Anti Atlas, down into the picturesque
Draa Valley with its 1001 Kasbahs, and a grove of palm trees stretching over 200 km to the south. From
the town of Agdz we will journey along the old caravan route, taking the backroads through the palm tree
grove all the way to Zagora. Lunch in Zagora and a short drive from there we will reach the end of the road
in M’Hamid. Here we switch from 4x4 jeep to camels for the next two hours, until we arrive at our camp
nestled between the dunes of Erg Lihoudi. Set out for an unforgettable sunset walk through the dunes,
dinner at camp and overnight in traditional Nomad tents.
After breakfast we break down camp, load up the camels and caravan back to M’Hamid. Our driver will be
waiting for us in town, we continue our journey into the desert by 4x4 vehicle. 65km of incredible desert
landscapes and oases lay ahead of us until we reach Erg Chigaga, the biggest of all dunes in Morocco.
Climb the highest dune Erg Laabidlia (300 meters) to get the best view of the sun setting behind the dunes.
Enjoy dinner and musical entertainment by the fire. The night will be spent in traditional Nomad tents.
We continue driving through the Sahara by 4x4 jeep, sit back and take in the 90km of desert,
mountains, fossils and Lake Iriqui between here and Foum Zguid. Lunch will be had in Foum Zguide, a
town along the Paris-Dakar race route. The drive this afternoon will take us through Taznakht, a town
famous for its carpet industry, to Ait Ben Haddou. Wander through the Kasbah Ait-Ben Haddou, a
UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987. Dinner and overnight at a hotel.
Today’s drive will take us to the Gorge of Dades. Visit the oasis town of Skoura along the way, famous
for its vast palm grove and hundreds of old Kasbahs, from here take the backroads through the rose
valley of Kelaa M’Gouna. Arrive at the Dades Gorge right around noon, enjoy a hearty lunch before we
go for a walk through the gorge and valley of Boumalne Dades. From Dades it’s a short drive back to
Ouarzazate, where the tour will end in the late afternoon.
