English
Combined 7 Days Sahara Desert Trek & 4×4 Tour
Overview
Our combined Sahara desert trek and tour
Discover the Sahara Desert in Morocco on foot and by 4WD with this 7-day circle trek and tour. Tichka and Test passes, both above 2,000 meters in altitude, are two of the most well-known in the Atlas Mountains. Experience the southern Moroccan hospitality in charming kasbah guest homes. An ideal introduction to Morocco’s natural beauty for those seeking a mix of desert trekking, off-the-beaten-path camping, and quaint rural lodging.
The Sahara desert trek and tour includes:
- 4×4 vehicle with driver-guide for 7 days;
- guesthouse accommodation on 4 nights;
- desert guide and cook for 2 days;
- camel caravan for 2 days (transport of equipment, luggage, and with option to ride by camel);
- 1 night wild camping, camping equipment provided (dome tents, sleeping mats, blankets) OR, upgrade to trekking with comfort see below;
- 1 night fixed desert camp tented accommodation at Erg Chigaga great dunes – either Deluxe tents or Berber tents;
- all breakfasts;
- all evening meals;
- 3 lunches in the desert;
- drinking water and hot drinks during the desert trek and at fixed desert camp (at the Deluxe camp, also included unlimited alcohol and soft drinks, with sunset aperitifs on the dunes);
- special dietary requests catered for.
Included/Exclude
Tour Plan
Take a car trip from Marrakech to the World Heritage Site of Ait Ben Haddou. Exciting mountainous driving through verdant valleys and quaint pise villages awaits when you leave the plain of Marrakech and make your way up to the Tichka Pass (2260m). Take the road down to Telouet (where you can see the Kasbah Glaoua) after you've crossed the mountain, and then follow the path of the stunning Ounila Valley* in the foothills until you reach Ait Ben Haddou. Ait Ben Haddou is a living museum that has a plethora of ksar (a kind of earthen building) and has served as the setting for a wide variety of films from across the world. Stay at a restored kasbah guesthouse in a Berber community near to Ait Ben Haddou. Kasbah Ellouze is what we recommend. The Ksar Ighnda is a more opulent choice (at a higher price). Both homes are tucked inside the protective walls of little towns.
When the High Atlas Mountains were traversed via the Telouet Pass, the Ounila Valley route became an integral element of the principal caravan trade route from sub-Saharan Africa to Marrakech (centuries before the French constructed the road used today, across the Tichka Pass).
Possible early rise to join some Berber neighbors in their kitchen for a morning of bread baking. Have some fresh bread right out of the oven with your morning. If you stay in the Ksar Ighnda inn, you won't have that option, but you can take a guided walk in the morning. The next day, leave towards Zagora, avoiding Ouarzazate on the way, and then travel via the Anti-Atlas Mountains, joining the Draa Valley around Agdz. The Draa, the longest river in Morocco, forms the southern boundary of the route. It is surrounded by beautiful palm oasis and ancient kasbahs. The Zagora palm grove is a good place to stay the night to cut down on travel time. Villa Zagora is a proposed resort in the Zagora area. Taking a stroll around the palm grove at night is an option.
Start your day off well by heading south to the quaint town of Mhamid El Ghezlane, where the paved road ends. In order to reach the end of the Mhamid palm groves, you'll need to drive a little way beyond Mhamid and then off-road. You'll be meeting up with your desert guide and camel caravan in a rest area with some cover. The lunch you ordered should be ready and waiting. After lunch, the camels will be loaded, and you'll begin walking across the desert toward the Erg Chigaga enormous dunes in the early afternoon and the next morning. The next day, after lunch, your driver and car will be waiting for you. Today's trek is expected to last about three hours. In the late afternoon, you and your Berber hosts will set up camp in the privacy of some tiny dunes, build a fire, cook supper, and sing around the campfire.
From Foum Zguid, go west via the Jebel Bani, a range of the Anti-Atlas, with its stunning and dry landscape, punctuated by palm oasis and tiny communities. Travel through the cities of Tazenakht and Taliouine, Morocco's saffron capital. These settlements serve as the entryway to the Jebel Sirwa mountain range. Keep on through Taliouine and you'll eventually reach the Souss River plain and the historic walled town of Taroudant, where you'll spend the night on the outskirts of town. The Dar Zitoune Guest House is our recommendation. We recommend, if you have time, walking the remparts in the early evening.
Map
Related Tours
