Overview :
- Duration : 4 Days / 3 Nights
- Starting Location : Ouarzazate
- Ending Location : Essaouira
- Departure : Everyday
Tour Highlights :
- Kasbah Tamnougalte and the ancient traditional architecture
- The pottery and the old Qoranic library with wonderful manuscripts in Tamegroute
- Driving through Taznakht (rugs), Talouine (saffron) and Taroudant (ramparts), and northwards along the Atlantic coast
- Experience a memorable camel ride amidst the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset.
- Spend the night under the starlit sky in a Merzouga Sahara desert camp.
4 Days Desert Tour From Ouarzazate Itinerary :
Day 1 :
Ouarzazate – M’hamid
Begin your 4 Days Desert Tour From Ouarzazate at 8.30 a.m. in Ouarzazate, where we travel across the Tizi-n-Tinfifte Pass to Agdez. Descending from the pass, you will be astounded by the vast oasis and the amount of palm trees, all signifying the beginning of the Dra’a Valley, which is home to thousands of date palms that produce an incredible 44 types of dates. The date harvest begins in September and lasts a few months, so now is the perfect time to visit Agdez for the freshest dates.
Shortly after this little settlement, you pause to visit Kasbah Tamnougalte, the oldest Kasbah in the Dra’a Valley, before continuing on the historic caravan path between the river and the mountains for a short while . On the way, we pass many villages and gardens so that you can gain a better idea of the way of life in the life-giving oases.
Just before the Tansikht police checkpoint, the driver can pull over and show you the dinosaur footprints on the side of the road. We arrive at Tinsouline, from where you may drive about a kilometer off road to the interesting rock engravings of animals gone extinct in Morocco at Foum Chenna, which are around 4000 years old. Zagora is the largest town in the area, and we’ll stop there for lunch.
Later, we continue via Tamgroute, where we stop at a pottery noted for its green glaze, which you may have seen in Marrakech, as well as its ancient Quranic library, which has fine hand-written Arabic books. In the afternoon, we travel even further south, to M’hamid, the desert’s gate and the end of the paved road. Here is where the Sahara begins. A camel ride leads to the tallest dune, where you may enjoy a spectacular sunset.
Day 2 :
M’hamid – Chegaga
After breakfast, you will explore the historic settlement across the now-frequently dry Dra’a River. The historic settlement is typical of desert housing, with adobe structures and covered roadways to protect against the scorching heat of summer.
In the afternoon, we travel for the Erg Chegaga dunes (300m) and 60km of off-road. This road travels through several desert landforms, including “erg” (dunes), “hammada” (stony desert), and oases. These dunes are far from civilization, in the desert itself, where nomadic life is difficult, vulnerable to the whims of the wind, sandstorms, and little rainfall. But the solitude and vastness of the sand are overpowering. If you like, you may ride a camel again here.
Dinner and the night will be in a luxury camp, with all the amenities of the first desert night in Mhamid.
Day 3 :
Chegaga Dunes – Taroudant
After breakfast, we travel another 90 kilometers into the Sahara, passing through the rocky deserts of “reg” and “hammada” and the now-dry Lake Iriqui. You are likely to see a mirage in the center of this lake, and unless it has been raining heavily, which is unusual, and we are unable to cross owing to the muck, we can promise you that “water” is not real. You can look for fossils here; some are loosely scattered, but the majority are solidly embedded in the rock.
We travel north from Foum Zguid, on the edge of the desert, to Taznakht, which is famed for its Berber gelims and carpets, and stop for lunch. After traversing the Tizi-n-Ikhsane and Tizi-n-Tighatine passes, we arrive at Taliouine, the hub of the saffron farming zone. The little government-run museum on saffron agriculture is fascinating, and the fragrance of saffron as you enter is delightful. The trip brings us to Taroudant, where we stay for the night in a riad.
Day 4 :
Taroudant – Essaouira
In the morning, there is a tour to the village known as “the little Marrakech”. It is remarkable for its huge ramparts and stunning medina. From here, you may continue on to Agadir along the Souss river valley, which is dotted with argane trees, banana and orange plantations.
The route then heads north up the coast, passing through Taghazout, a surfer’s paradise, and around the Anti-Atlas Mountains, offering various vistas of the sea and tempting bays. When you arrive in Essaouira, we will drive you to your riad, marking the conclusion of your 4 Days Desert Tour From Ouarzazate.
What is Included and Excluded in 4 Days Desert Tour From Ouarzazate :
Included :
- modern 4×4 or van driven by an English speaking driver/guide.
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- 1-night in a private room at the hotel/riad
- Dinner & Breakfast.
- Overnight in desert camp
- Camel Trekking in the Sahara Merzouga.
Excluded :
- Personal expenses
- Drinks
- Lunches
- Beverages
Important :
Bear in mind that this is just a tour itinerary suggestion, if it does not match what you are looking for, please do not hesitate to contact us We will organize a different itinerary based on your preferences and your stay duration. We offer customized and tailor-made tours and trips all around Morocco
Cancellation policy for the 4 Days Desert Tour From Ouarzazate :
For a full refund, kindly cancel your 4 Days Desert Tour From Ouarzazate at least 7 days before the scheduled date. If the cancellation occurs within 7 days of your trip, the deposit becomes nonrefundable. Nevertheless, it remains valid for future use if you choose to reschedule. To initiate the cancellation process, please send us an email.
