Travel Detail

After breakfast, enjoy the city tour of Marrakesh, the “Red City”, a majestic place filled with palaces, gardens, markets, and mosques. Upon arrival, you will first stand by the Koutoubia Mosque with its 282 ft minaret, an architectural landmark dating back to the late 12th century. You will continue to the 19th century stunning Bahia Palace and discover the intricate work done by the local artisans to decorate this splendid home built by a powerful Vizir for his harem. The building includes one hundred and fifty rooms, countless courtyards and interior gardens, a veritable labyrinth of corridors, a Koranic school, hammams, a harem, stables. From there we will start exploring artisan quarters and the colorful souks to interact with the real life of Marrakech people. Continue to Dar El Bacha Museum of Confluences, built in 1910 and was the residence of Thami El Glaoui, named Pasha of Marrakech by Sultan Moulay Youssef in 1912. It is one of the medina's finest examples of Riad architecture, dripping with Moroccan Zellige (colorful geometric tilework), intricate white plasterwork and heavy carved cedar-wood lintels. Before sunset we will be strolling in the square of which the city is so famed, Jemaa El Fna. Located at the entrance of the Medina, this triangular square is surrounded by restaurants, stands and public buildings, and provides everyday commercial activities and various forms of entertainment. It is a magical circus where fortune tellers, henna artists, fire eaters, snake charmers, dancing wild costumed monkeys, story tellers, hypnotic medicine-men, cross dressers, tooth pullers, musicians including real Gnaoua, and acrobats gather in a cacophonic feast. After the tour, head to your hotel to freshen up. When you are ready, transfer to a local restaurant to enjoy your dinner. Back to your hotel for overnight.

Perfectly located just 10 minutes from the airport and 10 minutes to many of the main sights in Marrakech, Longue Vie Hotel is perfect for exploring the city. Experience a mix of contemporary chic meets retro. Relax in one of the hotels 90 rooms, tempt your taste buds at the Campino restaurant or the Roof Top Lounge or enjoy the piano bar - there are plenty of options for all.

As you leave Marrakech, the distant haze begins to resolve itself into a jagged mountain range - the High Atlas Mountains, jutting abruptly from the plain. Our route follows the same one caravans used centuries ago, to bring into Marrakech gold and precious wood from the other side of the ocean of sand, the Sahara. Beautiful scenery and small villages built in tiers succeed among oak trees, walnut groves and snow patches before arriving at the Tizi n Tichka pass, at 2260 meters high. Once over the pass a totally different picture is unveiled: the lunar landscape of the Anti-Atlas. Later, skirt past Ouarzazate and stop for lunch (own expense). Past Ouarzazate, our trip tour reaches yet another lush area, nested between the deserted crest and the desolate plateaus: Skoura palm grove. Then, our trip reaches Kelaa des Mgouna, famous for the nearby Valley of Roses and 'Rose Festival', where at the end of a 3 days celebration usually held in May, a local girl is crowned 'Rose Queen'. The most looked after product is eau-de-rose and two factories in the area distil and export the product. The process uses approximately three thousand kilograms of rose petals to extract a liter of rose oil. Further on, Boulmane Dades follows, the starting point to explore the spectacular Dades Gorge, a lush carpet set against the massive rocks and quite popular among those interested to trek. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Back on the road, our first stop is Tinerhir (Tinghir), with its extensive palm grove, the ksours built into the rocky hills above it and its mysterious decaying Jewish quarter. Tinghir has been for generations a stop for nomadic Berber tribes travelling from the mountains north of it towards the desert during the winter months. A rather inconspicuous hidden gem is the 19th century adobe mosque nested within the old crumbling ksour, a heaven for photography enthusiasts. Todra Gorges, lie only 15 km from Tinghir, presenting an arresting spectacle with its crystal-clear river emerging from it, its huge walls changing colour to magical effect as the day unfolds. Its 300 meters (1000 feet) high walls are home to more than 150 bolted routes and at any time of day you can catch a glimpse of someone rock climbing his way up the gigantic walls. Before reaching Merzouga where the tarmac ends, we pass Erfoud and Rissani. In Erfoud, we may stop for a visit at Musee des Oasis if time allows. Rissani used to serve as last stop on the great caravan routes south and gold and slave auctions were taking place here as late as 1800's. Before it, the caravan trade and the most important city in Morocco was Sijilmassa, the ruins of which lie opposite Rissani. From its gates, Ibn Battuta and Leo Africanus left Morocco to embark on their illustrious journeys across the Sahara into African countries. Soon after we reach Merzouga and in the distance you glimpse the first leviathans of sand forming the Sahara: the dunes of Erg Chebbi. Serf the sandy sea on a powerful 4 WD Land Rover to the desert camp. Dinner and overnight under tent.

The bivouac has 8 typical Berber tents all with en-suite bathroom with hot water, a separate tent which is the restaurant and a lovely corner covered with Moroccan carpets where you can relax and admire the milky way...

Enjoy a sunrise camel ride along the golden sand dunes in Merzouga. Return to your Riad for breakfast before transferring to Zagora via the Amazigh villages of Alnif and Tazarine. The road to Tazzarine sees almost no traffic, providing a scenic link between Tafilalet and Draa Valley. Aside from the landscape, fossils and prehistoric rock carvings are this region's main attraction. The scenery grows wilder as you approach Tazzarine, set in a grassy oasis surrounded by bare mountains. Continue to Zagora. Famous for its largest palm valley in Morocco. Dinner and overnight in your hotel.

Kasbah Hnini is an ancient restored kasbah that has been converted into a hotel and is set deep in the south of Morocco in the beautiful Draa River valley. From its prominent position, you can enjoy the fabulous infinity pool whilst gazing across the picturesque date palm oasis to the majestic mountains beyond. Come and stay in one of our eleven stunning rooms and enjoy the beauty and tranquility of this magical region. Kasbah Hnini is also ideally positioned as a stopover for those making their way to and from the desert; it is a great place to relax and enjoy a spot of lunch en route.

After breakfast, enjoy a tour of Zagora and some of the oldest villages in Morocco. Stop by Tamegroute to visit the village's famous library, which houses ancient Koranic scripts dating back to the 12th century. Visit the pottery section of Tamegroute then transfer to Ouarzazate along the Draa valley. There is an optional lunch stop at Agdez. Your journey continues to Ouarzazate for dinner and overnight.

Dar Chamaa is situated in the Ouarzazate Palm Grove with views of the Atlas Mountains. It has an outdoor swimming pool with a terrace area that is surrounded by sun loungers and palm trees. The hotel is 15 minutes from Ouarzazate Airport and 3 km to the city center. For guests arriving by car, free private parking is available on site.

Begin the day by exploring Ouarzazate, a city originally built as a French garrison in the 1920s. Today, the city is a regional trade center, known for its pottery and carpets. See the Taourirt Kasbah, which now consists of simple clay houses and crenellated towers that are beautifully decorated with geometric motifs. On the way, optional visit to the Film studios. Continue to elaborate Aït Benhaddou, dubbed a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home of the region's most exotic Kasbahs, where structures all but defy the laws of gravity as they perch upon the steep slope. Some of these buildings have been featured in films, including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. You journey over the High Atlas Mountains, observing everyday life in remote rural towns, to the fascinating city of Marrakech. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Perfectly located just 10 minutes from the airport and 10 minutes to many of the main sights in Marrakech, Longue Vie Hotel is perfect for exploring the city. Experience a mix of contemporary chic meets retro. Relax in one of the hotels 90 rooms, tempt your taste buds at the Campino restaurant or the Roof Top Lounge or enjoy the piano bar - there are plenty of options for all.

After breakfast, we will assist you to Marrakech airport for your return flight.