CASABLANCA TO OUARZAZATE VIA THE HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS AND AIT BENHADDOU KASBAH.

Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou - The private driver for the Casablanca desert tour will pick up guests from their hotel to transport them to Ouarzazate. The journey begins on the motorway to Marrakech, then continues on a national road through the High Atlas Mountains. Travelers will pass through various villages typical of the northern slopes of the High Atlas, where corn can be seen drying in the sun on the packed earth roofs of stone houses. There will be stops for photos and breaks along the way. The village of Tdarat, nestled among walnut trees and once the first staging post on the caravan route between Marrakech and Ouarzazate, will also be seen. The drive continues through Tizi-N-Tichka, at an altitude of 7,415 feet, the highest pass in Morocco. Lunch will be enjoyed at a local restaurant in the High Atlas Mountains. In the afternoon, the UNESCO site of Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, famous for movies like ‘The Sheltering Sky’ and ‘Gladiator,’ will be visited. Guests will take a walk inside the Kasbah and visit a Berber family who has lived there for centuries. After the visit, the journey continues to Ouarzazate, which is 28 km away, for an overnight stay in a hotel.

OUARZAZATE TO THE SAHARA DESERT VIA THE ROSE VALLEY AND TODRA GORGES.

Merzouga Desert - The morning begins at 8:00 AM with a visit to one of the cinema studios in Ouarzazate and the Taourirt Kasbah. The journey then heads to the desert through the Rose Valley, stopping at El Kelaa Mgouna, which consists of a large group of ruined Kasbahs with lavish decoration still visible. This town is renowned for its roses and is the starting point for various trips into the Mgoun Mountains. A demonstration of rose distillation will be observed. The drive continues to Tinghir, 70 km away from the Dades Valley. From the town of Todra, a 14 km dirt road leads to the beautiful Todra Gorges, with the road following the right bank of the river, lined with palm trees. On the way to the Sahara Desert, there will be a stop in the town of Tinjdad or Touroug for lunch, then a drive through Erfoud, where some of the Tafilalet oasis can be seen. Erfoud is one of the largest oases in Morocco, fed by the Oued Ziz and the Oued Rheris. The journey continues through Rissani, where the surviving ruins of Sijilmassa, the first Muslim city in North Africa and the prestigious capital of the Tafilalet region, can be seen, before reaching the desert. Upon arrival, guests will enjoy a cup of tea and prepare for a camel ride to spend the night in the middle of the dunes, with an overnight stay in a Berber tent.

SAHARA DESERT TO FES VIA ZIZ VALLEY, ERRACHIDIA, MIDELT, CEDAR FOREST, AND IFRANE

Fez Mellah - In the morning, 30 minutes before sunrise, guests will wake up and walk to the dunes to watch the sunrise and take pictures, then return to the hotel by camel for breakfast and a shower before driving to Fes. The drive passes through the Ziz Valley and the city of Errachidia, where the Ziz Gorges, carved through imposing rock faces that herald the rise of the High Atlas in the west, can be seen. After crossing the Tizi N Talremt, the road leads into Midelt, built at the foot of Jebel Ayachi, whose summit (12,260 feet) is snow-covered for much of the year. Lunch will be at a local restaurant. After lunch, the drive continues through the Middle Atlas Mountains and the barren plateau of Timhadite, reminiscent of lunar landscapes, with a stop at the Cedar Forests of the Middle Atlas, home to trees several hundred years old and Barbary apes. The journey continues to Ifrane, built as a mountain health resort in 1929, with its chalet-style tiled roofs giving it a distinctly European appearance. Ifrane is also an aspiring winter sports resort for the country’s elite. The drive then continues straight to Fes, 60 km away, for an overnight stay in a riad in the old medina.

EXPLORE FES THEN DRIVE BACK TO CASABLANCA

New Medina of Casablanca - Before returning to Casablanca, there will be time to explore Fes, the oldest imperial city in Morocco and the religious, intellectual, and cultural center. Fes is renowned for its traditional crafts. Visitors will see the royal palace with its ‘tightly closed doors, eggshell façade, and pine-green Saracen tiles,’ then visit Mellah, the Jewish quarter of a Moroccan town. The tour continues to see Fes pottery, tin-glazed earthenware decorated with predominantly cobalt-blue designs, and the colorful tanners’ quarter. The view from the rooftops is memorable, with clusters of stone vats filled with red, yellow, and brown dyes, and skins hanging everywhere, drying in the sun. After visiting some of the sites in Fes, the drive back to Casablanca via the motorway will take approximately three and a half hours.

• Transport by air-conditioned vehicle with a private driver
• Complimentary hotel pick up and drop off service
• Includes fuel and gas costs
• Camel ride adventure - one camel per person
• Dinner and breakfast provided

• Lunches and Drinks and none mentioned dinners
• Entrance to monuments fees
• Gratuities

For those with limited time who still wish to experience the enchanting Sahara Desert of Morocco, this 4-day tour from Casablanca is the perfect getaway. Enjoy the highlights in just a few days.

◉ Explore Ouarzazate, the Atlas Mountains, valleys, and the golden dunes of the Desert over 4 days.
◉ Discover the Sahara Desert’s sights, including Dades Valley, Todgha Gorge, and Erg Chebbi.
◉ Visit the Ait Ben Haddou World Heritage site.
◉ Experience a camel ride and stay in a luxury desert camp.
◉ Tour the Imperial City of Fez.
◉ Enjoy private service throughout the tour.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.