Southern Morocco: Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains & the Sahara

Day 1  Marrakech      
Images of desert palms, camels and exotic food float through your head as you make your way from the airport to the hotel. See the mix of the old and new as you pass modern buildings and ancient structures that begin to tell the story of this bustling city. Get ready to embrace all of the new cultural traditions, landscapes and delicious food that await.      

Day 2  Marrakech to Dades Gorge      
See the landscape change dramatically as you pull away from Marrakech, passing verdant green farmland and rocky desert outcroppings before crossing the Atlas Mountains along a winding road. You arrive to Ouarzazate, considered to be at the crossroads of the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert, where the land becomes starker as you approach the striking valley of the Dades Gorge.      

Day 3  Dades Gorge to Merzouga      
Keep the camera handy as you continue east to the sprawling expanse of the Sahara Desert wilderness. There is something magical about the sea of sand for as far as the eye can see, and particularly stunning at sunset. Reaching your comfortable desert camp by camel will be an unforgettable experience and watching as the sky starts to glimmer with stars as you take it all in from around a campfire.      

Day 4  Merzouga      
The people who live in this area have thrived despite the harsh environment, settling near natural oases where water and date palms provide some essential elements to survive. Set off into the dunes in 4WDs where you'll have the choice to focus more on the cultural traditions of the Sahara meeting with nomads and villagers, or to focus more on the natural history of the desert, exploring an oasis and meeting with a local farmer.      

Day 5  Merzouga to Ait Ben Haddou      
Leaving the desertscape behind, you'll head back through farmland and dusty, rocky terrain on the way to the ancient kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou. Wandering the narrow alleyways next to massive clay buildings, picture yourself in one of the many famous movies or tv shows which have been filmed here, all of which the locals will be thrilled to tell you about.

Day 6  Ait Ben Haddou to Ouirgane    
The views are stunning as you head up into the High Atlas Mountains, passing through Berber villages and along lush valleys on the way to Ouirgane. The town itself sits next to a reservoir of the river amongst olive trees and is the perfect base for exploring the area.  

Day 7  Ouirgane      
The picturesque mountain scenery will be your playground as you set off on a hike through olive and juniper trees and quaint villages. Immerse yourself into the daily life of a Berber family and take part in some of their routines like harvesting crops, mastering the art of tea-making, and creating of butter from freshly obtained milk before sharing a delicious traditional meal with them.

Day 8  Ouirgane to Marrekech      
Today your adventure comes to an end, but the memories made during your time in Morocco will live on.