Archive for the ‘Sahara Desert Tours’ Category

Celebrate New Years, Desert Trips in Morocco, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Thursday, October 11th, 2012

Camel Trek New Years Merzouga Sahara Desert

Celebrate New Years in Morocco’s Sahara Desert with the trip of a lifetime. Sahara Desert New Years Tours in Morocco are the perfect way to discover the Deep South’s Berber Villages, the Skoura palmeraie and its Valley of one-thousand kasbahs, UNESCO World Heritage Site Ait Benhaddou, the Dades Valley and Morocco’s Erg Chebbi Dunes. New Years Desert Tours can be tailor made for couples, families and groups to include a 3 Day Desert Trip, 4 Day Desert Trip or a 5 Day Desert Trip or 6 Day Desert Trip.

All Sahara Desert New Years Tours include transport in 4×4 land cruiser, an English speaking multilingual driver/ guide, option of charming 4 or 4/5 Star Riads in the palmerie of Skoura, Riad in Ouarzazate, a Riad Spa in the Dades Gorge and a luxury Sahara Desert bivouac in the Erg Chebbi Dunes. Sunset and sunrise camel treks are accompanied by a three-course New Years Eve feast and festivities in the Moroccan Sahara desert’s Erg Chebbi Dunes with traditional Gnaoua music to compliment. New Years Desert Tours also include the option to go off the beaten track to dine with a Berber family for lunch in the middle of the Atlas mountains or visit ancient rock carvings in Tazarine.

New Years Sahara Desert Feast at Bivouac

Spending New Years Eve in Morocco’s Sahara Desert is a treat for any Moroccan traveler. The highlights of Merzouga’s Erg Chebbi Dunes, their unique flora and fauna and the charm of a desert adventure should not be missed.

Sahara Desert Bivouac Erg Chebb Dunes Merzouga

4 Days New Years Desert Tour From Marrakech

 ▪   December 30th– 8:00am Departure from Marrakech and cross the High Atlas Mountain traveling through the Tizzin’ Tichka Pass. Stop to visit Kasbah Telouet, a local Argan Cooperative run by women. Arrive in Ouarzazate at sunset. Dinner and Overnight at a 4 Star Charming Riad with views of the Atlas Mountains.

▪  December 31st – 9:00am – Departure from your Riad to visit Skoura, the Amerdihl Kasbah. Take the valley of one thousand Kasbahs and the Skoura palmary through the Valley of Roses also known as El Kelaa Des Mgouna. Optino to have lunch in the Valley and then continue the road to Erfoud. Discover Erfoud, famous for fossils, the Sahara Desert town of Rissani. Continue the road to the Erg Chebbi Dunes. Sunset camel trek into the Sahara Desert. New Years Celebration Feast at your bivouac camp deep in the Sahara Dunes under the midnight stars.

▪  January 1st – 9:00am – Sunrise camel trek and breakfast in the Sahara. Discover its windy roads by 4×4. Take the road back to Ouarzazate. En route to Ouarzazate, go by Alnif and have lunch of couscous in a traditional Moroccan village with a Berber family or take the road through Tinerhir past the Todra Gorge and onto Ouarzaz.ate. Dinner and Overnight at a 4 Star Charming Riad in Ouarzazate with views of the Atlas Mountains.

– January 2nd – 9:00am – Breakfast at your Riad. Visit the Oasis of Fint. Tea ceremony and fresh baked bread with Azziz. Continue the road to Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Go for a short hike and have Lunch with views of this ancient Kasbah. Continue the road through the Ounila Valley back to Marrakech.

5 Days New Years Desert Tour From Marrakech

 ▪   December 30th– 8:00am Departure from Marrakech and cross the High Atlas Mountain traveling through the Tizzin’ Tichka Pass. Stop to visit Kasbah Telouet, a local Argan Cooperative run by women. Arrive in Ouarzazate at sunset. Dinner and Overnight at a 4 Star Charming Riad with views of the Atlas Mountains.

▪  December 31st – 9:00am – Departure from your Riad to visit Skoura, the Amerdihl Kasbah. Take the valley of one thousand Kasbahs and the Skoura palmary through the Valley of Roses also known as El Kelaa Des Mgouna. Optino to have lunch in the Valley and then continue the road to Erfoud. Discover Erfoud, famous for fossils, the Sahara Desert town of Rissani. Continue the road to the Erg Chebbi Dunes. Sunset camel trek into the Sahara Desert. New Years Celebration Feast at your bivouac camp deep in the Sahara Dunes under the midnight stars.

▪  January 1st – 9:00am – Sunrise camel trek and breakfast in the Sahara. Discover its windy roads by 4×4. Take the road back to Ouarzazate. En route to Ouarzazate, go by Alnif and have lunch of couscous in a traditional Moroccan village with a Berber family or take the road through Tinerhir past the Todra Gorge and onto Ouarzazate. Dinner and Overnight at a 4 Star Charming Riad in Ouarzazate with views of the Atlas Mountains.

– January 2nd – 9:00am – Breakfast at your Riad. Visit the Valley of Nomads and have Tea with a Nomad family. Continue the road via the Dades Valley. Explore this region’s Dades Gorge and narrow road. Hike or walk the Dades Valley. Nightcap in Ouarzazte at a charming Riad Kasbah restaurant. ODinner and Overnight at a 4 Star Charming Riad in Ouarzazate with views of the Atlas Mountains.

– January 3rd – 9:00am – Breakfast at your Riad. Visit the Oasis of Fint. Tea ceremony and fresh baked bread with Azziz. Continue the road to Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Go for a short hike and have Lunch with views of this ancient Kasbah. Continue the road through the Ounila Valley back to Marrakech.

Sahara Desert New Years Eve Dinner Feast & Festivities

  • Welcome with Moroccan mint tea, dates and almonds
  • Bon fire – Gnaoua Musicians of Khemlia, Drumming and Dancing
  • Dinner in an Arabian nights style Berber tent
  • Moroccan Harira soup
  • Mechoui (roasted lamb)
  • Royal Couscous
  • Fruit or Pastry Dessert

Included in New Years Desert Trip in Morocco

  • 4×4 Land Cruiser, English, Multilingual Speaking Driver/ Guide
  • Accommodations in Ouarzazate with breakfast and dinner
  • Overnight in Luxury Bivouac encampment – Berber tent in the Erg Chebbi Dunes, Merzouga with breakfast and New Year’s Eve Dinner & Music Celebration
  • Overnight option in the in Dades Valley or Todra Gorge
  • Sunset Camel Trek & Camel Trekking Guide
  • Extended Desert Trip: Lunch with a Berber Family

For more information about New Years Tours or Desert Trips 

For More Information About Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate
Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel.We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Exploring Morocco’s Sahara Desert, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

Merzouga Sahara Desert, Erg Chebbi Dunes

The Sahara Desert is a region worth exploring in Morocco. Morocco’s Sahara Desert is vast and  extensive comprising of four peak desert dunes referred to as Merzouga, Zagora, M’hamid and Erg Chegaga.  Each part of Morocco’s Sahara Desert offers travelers a unique experience. Merzouga is known for it’s vast and golden Erg Chebbi Dunes that are hundreds of meters high. The regions of Zagora and M’hamid are known for longer, rolling more rustic and earthy colored dunes. Their sister Sahara Desert, Erg Chegaga has a legend of being primarily for the die-hard Morocco adventure traveler who wants to say they made it to one of the last regions. Regardless of which dunes are visited on a Morocco Sahara Desert trip any traveler is guaranteed to be enchanted with the region they choose to visit.

With a limited amount of time available for a Morocco holiday, the best way to explore Morocco’s Sahara Desert region is to begin by starting in Ouarzazate. Ouarzazate is one of the leading provinces in Southern Morocco and a former French protectorate administrative center. Ouarzazate is also considered the door to the Sahara Desert and used as a starting point for all Sahara Desert trips and excursions.

To maximize a Sahara Desert regional experience a six day Morocco adventure is most advisable. Travelers can start their desert trip in Ouarzazate with a visit it’s famous Kasbahs. Ouarzazate is known for it’s UNESCO World Heritage site Ait Benhaddou Kasbah along with the Glaoui Kasbahs  called Kasbah Taourirt and Kasbah Tamadaght. Kasbah Tifoultilte is another Kasbah that is worth visiting for tea and a sneak inside at it’s magical interior.

Not to be missed when exploring Morocco’s Sahara Desert region of Ouarzazate is the Atlas Film Studios. The Atlas Film Studios is where David Lean filmed Lawrence of Arabia in the early 1960’s. Since then many famous directors have followed in his footsteps to exploit the magnificent scenery. International blockbusters shot here in recent years include: the French version of Cleopatra, Bertolucci’s Sheltering Sky, Scorsese’s Kundun, Gillies MacKannon’s Hideous Kinky, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, Black Hawke Down, Oliver Stone’s Alexander The Great, Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven, and Penelope Cruz’s Sahara.

Camel Trek Sahara Desert

The finale of any Sahara Desert trip is a camel trek on the back of a dromedary into the either the Merzouga Erg Chebbi dunes or those located in Zagora, M’hamid or Erg Chegaga. Each region has several excellent bivouac camps both luxury and budget for an overnight stay. All those who visit the Sahara Desert are guaranteed a Tuareg guide or a Berber guide who will assist a Sahara journey across the silent, mystical dunes.

If time allows then a few other places not to be missed on a Sahara Desert exploration are the Rissani, Erfoud and the Berber Village of Ait Ouzzine. The Souk, the Madid Ksar and fresh bread called  Madfouna are three things not to miss doing in Rissani. For Erfoud, a pitstop to this capital of fossils is a must. For those who truly want to see the “real Morocco” then considering a bread baking lesson, henna time and lunch in the Berber  village of Ait Ouzzine with a Moroccan family is a must.

For more information about Morocco’s Sahara Desert region

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration in the USA at 1 (800) 787-8806 or in Morocco 1 (212)618-88-26-81 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

 

Ouarzazate Then & Now, A Growing Berber City in Southern Morocco, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

Portrait of Writer-Journalist John Gunther

Ouarzazate has one main street, about fifty yards long, and two thousand people, of whom two hundred are French.  The temperature can reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. ”  So says world-renowned journalist John Gunther in 1952, of his visit to Ouarzazate, during the reign of the Pasha Glaoui, whose honored guest he was.

“The sight I enjoyed most,” he says, “next to the kasbahs, was the general store, run by a Greek.  It resembles closely the general store in Twin Corners, Montana, or Greensboro, Vermont.  The frigidaire has cold beer, ham is sliced by a machine made in Toledo, and you can buy anything from a can of sardines to a monkey wrench.”

Ouarzazate Main Square at Dusk

“From Ouarzazate, two roads stretch out which are among the most interesting in all Africa, one going southeast to Zagora, along the celebrated Valley of the Draa, the other projecting eastward through an equally celebrated valley, that of the Dades, which is solid with crumbling kasbahs.  We chose the latter.  Five minutes after we were on the road, it became clear to us–if we needed to know it–that indeed Africa is a continent of contrasts.  We passed first a long line of camions (heavy trucks) carrying manganese, and then a stately camel caravan.”

Ouarzazate today has grown into a city of over 60,000. One of the most popular places to go at dusk is Place Al Mohadine which is home to Ouarzazate’s largest, local outdoor market that sells everything from spices to rose water and a charming cafe named Habous.

Modern Town of Ouarzazate

Inhabited by Berbers, in the past Ouarzazate was a point for African traders passing in and out of Morocco.  During the French era, it was a garrison town.  Ouarzazate today is the center of the Moroccan film industry,  and the starting point for most Sahara Desert tours, as well as being the closest city to the kasbah Ait Benhaddou.

Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, Ouarzazate

Some famous films that were shot at Ait Benhaddou Kasbah include the Kingdom of Heaven, and Penelope Cruz’s Sahara.

Main street in Ouarzazate today

For more information about Ouarzazate Tours or to Contact a Ouarzazate Travel Agency

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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Eating in Djemaa-El-Fna Square, In Marrakesh, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010
Dinner in the Djemaa El Fna Square
Dinner in the Djemaa El Fna Square, in Marrakesh, Photo by Mary Mimouna

Djemaa El Fna Square is in the heart of MarrakeshMorocco is like no where else on earth, and an adventure not to be missed after dusk.  Courageous travelers in Morocco will definitely want to eat in the Djemaa El Fna Square.  Tourists can avoid any chance of illness simply by sticking to foods that are actually cooked in front of them, and passed over to be eaten off of a clean paper.  The Moroccan family in the photo above is waiting for their main course to come out of the cooking pot in front of them.Whether you choose to eat or not, just a stroll through the Djemaa El Fna Square in the evening can provide some very unique photo opportunities.

Freshly Cooked Seafood in the Djemaa El Fna Square in Marrakesh, photo by Mary Mimouna
Freshly Cooked Seafood in the Djemaa El Fna Square in Marrakesh, Photo by Mary Mimouna

One of the best meals to have in Djemaa El Fna Square is a variety of types of freshly-cooked white fish including sole.  These are served with French fries, and a variety of salads eaten with bread out of a dish or off of a clean paper, consisting separately of mashed cooked eggplant with a squeeze of lemon and salt; tomato, onion, and parsley salad; and roasted green pepper salad.  You might also want to try chicken or beef brochettes (shish-ke-babs) roasted over a fire, or roasted whole chicken.  Snails are served from special carts.  If you have never tried snails, Morocco is definitely the place to do so.  Various bottles of soda pop are served as drinks.  For most tourists, this is the best option.  (Water and tea might be available, but you will be unwittingly sharing a cup with many other dinners, so these are best avoided in the Square.)

Cooked Sheepheads in Djemaa El Fna Squrare, in Marrakesh, Photo by Mary Mimouna;
Cooked Sheepheads in Djemaa El Fna Square, in Marrakesh, Photo by Mary Mimouna

Really adventurous diners will want to try sheep heads in Djemaa El Fna Square.  While most people in the West aren’t aware of it, bologna is made out of the tender meat of the face.  You can also try tongue, brains (a Moroccan favorite), heart, liver, or pancreas stuffed with rice and currants.  Some tourists may just want to take pictures of these things to send back home.

Once you have completed your meal, you step behind the serving cart, where a man is ready with soap and ladles of clean water to let you wash your hands.

Either before dinner, at sunset, or after eating, you may wish to sit up in Café Argana, a landmark in Djemaa El Fna Square where you can enjoy a spectacular view of the lively and exotic Square while sipping Moroccan coffee or tea.

Djemaa El Fna Square at Night, Photo by Mary Mimouna
Djemaa El Fna Square at Night, Taken from Café Argana, Photo by Mary Mimouna

The Djemaa El Fna Square is located next to the main entrance to the Marrakesh Souks.  A meal in the Square can also be a great start or finish to your Marrakesh one day tour or even a Sahara Desert Tour .

For more information about Eating in Djemaa El Fna Square or a Marrakesh Tour

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806  or 1 (917)703-2078  and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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Visiting Saltworks in the Moroccan Sahara Desert, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Saturday, May 15th, 2010
Standing in a Pile of Salt

Saltworks in Morocco are interesting places to visit.  They can be found along the Atlantic Coast of Morocco, in the Moroccan Sahara Desert.  This one was south of Merlift, between Sidi Ifni and Tarfaya.  Others can be found south of Tan-Tan Plage and Laayoune, all the way to Dakhla.  To reach these locations, one must drive considerably south of Agadir.

Road off the escarpment to the salt flats
Road off the escarpment to the salt flats

It’s highly advisable to have a four-wheel drive vehicle, although the descent/ascent back up can be managed in some cars with an experienced driver.

Standing in a thin layer of dried salt

A number of shallow pan areas such as the one above are bulldozed out, surrounded by by earthen walls up to a meter high.  The ocean water is let in, such as up to 20 cm (10 inches), then closed off so that the ocean water is trapped.  The water is left to evaporate.  Once fully evaporated, it looks just like this.  This salt was about one centimeter thick (one-half inch), waiting to be bulldozed up into a pile the size of the top photo in this post.

Most Moroccan salt comes in square or rectangular plastic bags, tends to be a bit wet, and contains a bit of fine sand.  Moroccan cooks don’t notice this small amount of sand, but if you take a heaping tablespoon of salt and dissolve it in a glass of water, you can see the small grains of sand drop to the bottom.  Seeing how and where the Moroccan salt is collected explains why it is usually a bit damp in the plastic bag, and why it contains small bits of sand.

Moroccan saltworks can be very interesting places to visit during your Moroccan Sahara Desert Tour.

For more information about traveling to Morocco and visiting saltworks as part of a tour to the Agadir region

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806  or 1 (917)703-2078  and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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Morocco Sahara Desert Dream Tour, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Saturday, December 19th, 2009

Upon first sight of the Moroccan Sahara Desert, one can wonder if it is a grain of utopia or perhaps a miracle created by god. For those who are not believers then let’s just say that one must, in their lifetime have tea in the Sahara. The Sahara desert is itself a character in The Sheltering Sky a novel written by the prolific writer and composer Paul Bowles. For centuries explorers have been seeking to discover the Moroccan Sahara. Almost a century ago, a young administrator in the British Colonial Service decided to take 1,500-mile adventure trek across an ancient, deadly slave route in Africa’s Sahara desert. Hanns Vischer then published a book about this British Colonial’s journey, across the Sahara desert and went on to become one of the most famed explorers of his era.

Sahara Desert Dream

The Sahara desert is in the Zagora region of Morocco and extends far into Algeria and across North Africa. Its border has been controversial for years with the Saharawi’s screaming for their independence. Recently Aminatou Haidar, a Saharwi woman and human rights activiest of El-Aajun, the capital of Morocco’s Western Sahara Desert held a hunger strike.

Morocco’s Sahara desert has been the curiosity of foreigners and a penchant to be traveled in on camel trek, landrover and 4×4. Whether you have only 5 days in Morocco, one week in Morocco or vacation time of two-weeks in Morocco, a trekking adventure to the Sahara desert is a life changing experience.

Bivouac-Sahara-Desert

Beginning a tour from Ouarzazate, the door to the Sahara desert is truly the best use of time and offers an easy trip with less time spend in a 4×4 to the Sahara. When visiting the Sahara desert from Ouarzazate, it is advised to first take time to see the Kasbahs of Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou and Kasbah Taouirt, it’s famous CLA Atlas Film Studios, the Oasis of Fint and then head to discover the Skoura palmary and spend a night at a majestic traditional Moroccan Riad that overlooks the palmary of Skoura with the backdrop of Mount Mgoun. If one continues their journey fully then Zagora would be the next stop and even visiting a Berber family in the High Atlas Mountains that bridge between the Sahara. A Sahara Dream journey should also include a visit to Merzouga’s Erg Chebbi dunes. The Erg Chebbi Dunes rise across the Sahara in heaps and their golden, delicately woven granules that lay their quietly offer peace to those who watch them from sunrise to sunset or trek by camel across them at dawn or dusk.

Mount-Mgoun

MOROCCO SAHARA DESERT DREAM TOUR – TEA IN THE SAHARA

DAY 1: OUARZAZATE

►Reception at the airport and transfer to your hotel. After breakfast and relaxing at your hotel, visit Kasbah Taouirt.

►Kasbah Taouirt was built by the Glaoui. Its location was strategic for trading routes and in the 1930’s when the Glaoui ruled the South it was then one of Morocco’s largest Kasbahs. Explore its nooks and crannies and discover some local female painters who sell their art inside as well as the many quality silver shops just steps outside the Kasbah.

►After visiting Kasbah Taouirt, return to your hotel in Ouarzazate for a relaxing afternoon by the pool or ask your guide about an extending your tour to the souk. At the souk you will have the opportunity to take in the smells of local spices such as Cumin, Saffron and Cinnamon as well as Berber amber and musk while visiting small caftan and Moroccan Baboosh (shoe) shops.

►Dinner at your Moroccan Riad in Ouarzaztae or the option to enjoy couscous or a tajine at a local restaurant in Ouarzazate’s city center.

DAY 2: OUARZAZATE – ATLAS FILM STUDIO – AIT BENHADDOU – OASIS OF FINT

►Fill up on a savory breakfast of baguette, fresh fruit, jams and a café cassis (Moroccan cappuccino) at a local pâtisserie and then begin your one-day excursion to Atlas Film Studios, Aït Benhaddou & the Oasis of Fint.

►Start your morning by touring the Atlas Film Studios. David Lean filmed Lawrence of Arabia at The Atlas Film Studios in the early 1960’s. Since then many famous directors have followed in his footsteps to exploit the magnificent scenery. International blockbusters shot here in recent years include: the French version of Cleopatra, Bertolucci’s Sheltering Sky, Scorsese’s Kundun, Gillies MacKannon’s Hideous Kinky, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, Black Hawke Down, Oliver Stone’s Alexander The Great, Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven, and Penelope Cruz’s Sahara.

►After visiting the Atlas Film Studio, we will take the road by pise to the picturesque village of Aït Benhaddou located 32 km from Ouarzazate. Aït Benhaddou is situated in Souss-Massa-Draâ on a hill along the Ouarzazate River. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here and Orson Welles used it as a location for Sodome and Gomorrah; and for Jesus of Nazareth the whole lower part of the village was rebuilt. In recent years more controlled restoration has been carried out under UNESCO auspices. Aït Benhaddou is one of many locations in this region used for shooting Hollywood films.

►Your guide will lead you on a private tour through this Berber village of towered and crenulated kasbahs that once guarded the lucrative caravan route through the Atlas Mountains. Explore the kasbahs by foot with the option to ride a donkey across a river.

► Your guide will share the fascinating history of Aït Benhaddou which once served as the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh in present-day Morocco. Most of the town’s inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river; ten families however still live within the ksar.

►Aït Benhaddou was once a significant stop for traders carrying gold, salt and slaves along the famous Southern Caravan route moving through the Sahara. Only six miles away, is the village of Tamdaght, dominated by the canyon walls of a Glaoui Kasbah. The Kasbah is famous and you will find its towers inhabited by storks. Walk outside the Kasbah’s lush terraced gardens and witness the same desert scenery that used in Gladiator and Alexander the Great.

►For lunch, relax on a terrace with clear views of Aït Benhaddou and enjoy a traditional Moroccan meal. After lunch, browse the village shops then climb back in the comfortable air-conditioned/heated 4×4 and head to the village of Tamadaght.

►Depart Aït Benhaddou and take the pise (windy road) towards the Oasis of Fint passing the “Plateau de pierres”. On this road you will find a shining Oasis of palms. Visit this Oasis of Fint that hovers under the Atlas Mountains. Journey on a one-hour walk inside the Oasis  where you will have a cup of tea with the headmaster’s family Azziz Ouaziz. Then tour the surrounding area where date palm oases and dramatic desert scenery is king.

►After visiting the Oasis of Fint we will take the road to Kasbah Tifoultoute which stands majestically on the banks of Oued Tifoultoute. From a distance this old Kasbah is impressive with its castle-like architecture. In the 1960’s the Kasbah was converted into a hotel for the cast of Lawrence of Arabia. Tour the Kasbah and have lunch at its restaurant which is known for delicious mint and herb teas. See panoramic views from the rooftop.

DAY 3:  OUARZAZATE – ERFOUND – MERZOUGA

►Rise early, and drive to Merzouga passing the unusual flora and fauna of the Sahara. Cross Erfoud, the capital of fossils.

►You will find the Erg Chebbi Dunes at 22 km long, (North-South) 5 km and 150 meters high. Considered by many to be the largest dunes in the Sahara, the dunes constantly shift due to the considerable desert winds. The locals believe that these dunes were sent as a punishment for turning away a weary traveler from the desert. They say that after they sent away this traveler, the gods made the dunes pile up right outside their town; to teach them a lesson and to never send away weary men and women ever again.

►Have dinner and spend the night in the Sahara in a biouvac tent by the Erg Chebbi dunes.

DAY 4: MERZOUGA – N’KOB

►Rise early. Your camels await you for a trip across the Erg Chebbi Dunes.

►You will be taken on a 2 hour cruise on the back of a dromedary into the dunes to camp overnight at an oasis. Your Tuareg guide will share some of the Sahara Deserts’ secrets. As you glide across humpback on these silent, mystical dunes there will be countless opportunities to photograph the endless rolling sand dunes that appear before you in heaps for thousands of miles. You will witness the sunrise across the east over the dunes.

►You will Upon return from your trek, enjoy a quiet breakfast and then continue your adventure within the Sahara desert.

►Depart Merzouga and ride across the palm groves to visit the ksours along the kasbah studded road to Rissani. The 19th century Abbar Ksar, once a residence to Alounite princes and the Oulad Abdelhamin Ksar, built for the brother of Sultan Moulay Hassan, is popular to visit. Also interesting to see is the Mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif where the father of the founder of the Alouite Dynasty is buried.

►We will arrive to Rissani, an ancient capital for the Alaouite Sultans and the most important market town for Sub-Sahara camel caravans was built on the ruins of Sijilmassa. Stop in Rissani for a lunch and visit its souks where stalls are piled high with pyramids of dates, vegetables, spices, rugs, carpets, pottery, jewelry and metalwork.

►The Rissani souk is one of the most famous in the area and surrounded by donkeys, mules, sheep and goats enclosed in corrals. After a tour of Rissani, we are off to Alnif. Alnif is known for its rocks, fossils and minerals found in shops along the roadside Trilobites are the areas main export.

►Pass by Alnif and head towards to N’kob. Dinner will be served to you in Aït Ouzzine by a traditional Berber family. The menu will include a traditional meal of fresh baked bread with spices and a chicken and vegetable tajine and fresh local fruits for desert.

►After dinner, sip mint tea and rest at the local Riad Ksar Jenna. Ksar Jenna is a beautiful Maison de Charme in a riad style, built with the materials of the Moroccan tradition such as taddelakt and zellig. Ksar Jenna has wide open spaces, 7 rooms with every comfort, with large bathrooms and large common spaces, plunged in an oasis of quiet, in the heart of a luxuriant garden, with lots of palm trees, bougainvilleas, rose bushes, jasmines.

DAY 5:  N’KOB  –  ZAGORA – OUARZAZATE

►Have breakfast and then drive to Zagora for your one-day excursion to this quiet Saharian desert town.

► Zagora is a Saharan desert town in the southern Drâa Valley. Zagora is favored by travelers for its desert dunes, palms, 45 varieties of dates and its Hollywood sunset mountain backdrops. Take the road by pise (windy road) to discover the land where caravans once transported sugar, tea, dates and other dry goods to Ouarzazate.

►Walk the palmery and hamlet set amid lemon, almond and olive trees, and gardens of the village of Amazrou. Visit the former Mellah (Jewish quarter), where a mosque now stands. Amazrou is inhabited by Arabs, Haratines and Berbers who continue the Jewish tradition of silver making.

►Later visit the Dunes of Tinfo, which are famous for their healing qualities for rheumatoid arthritis. Ask your guide to bury you in the sand from head to toe for this a 20 minute spa-like experience. We will also visit the old Kasbah Ait Lkaid in the village of Tamegroute. At the end of the main road you will find the famous road sign to Timbuktu that reads “52 jours” – 52 hours by camel.

►Enjoy lunch at a local kasbah hotel restaurant in the town of Zagora then return to Ouarzazate.

►Upon return to Ouarzazate we will take the road to visit Zagora’s unique, beautifully glazed forest green pottery at the local cooperative in the desert town of Tamagroute and pass by the Koranic library.

►Arrive in Ouarzazate, have tea or a drink at a local hotel with views of Kasbah Tifiltoute, then dine at a local restaurant and spend the night at a Riad in Ouarzazate.

DAY 6:  OUARZAZATE

►Departure from Ouarzazate. This ends your Morocco Travel experience.

For More information about Sahara Desert Short Breaks & Excursions to Morocco on Travel Exploration

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts, Sahara Desert, Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate.

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Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806  or 1 (917)703-2078  and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.


Sahara Desert Tour Circuit 4×4 & Camel Treks from Fes, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Friday, December 4th, 2009

A Sahara Desert Tour & Camel Trek from Fes to the Sahara Desert is a Morocco Travel opportunity to discover the breathtaking and majestic Erg Chebbi Dunes in the Merzouga Sahara Desert. Traveling Morocco’s Sahara Desert from Fes by 4×4 is the perfect Moroccan Sahara Tour as it offers the opportunity to see en route to Merzouga, the Ziz Valley and barbary apes in Ifrane. When considering a Sahara Tour & Camel Trek from Fes a total of 4 days is needed. The Sahara Desert Circuit in 4×4 is a short break from Marrakech and can extend your holiday through this off the beaten path Sahara journey.

Camel-Trekking-in-Sahara-Desert

On your Sahara tour from Fes to Merzouga you will have the option to visit the Ziz Valley and Ifrane. Ifrane is often referred to as little Switzerland and boasts Middle Atlas mountain views hilly roads surrounded by lush green trees. Ifrane is situated at an elevation of about 5,400 feet (1,650 metres) above sea level and caters to modern tourists and Moroccans who ski there in winter and have second homes. Ifrane is also home of the Al Akhawayn University, Morocco’s first privatized college that was modeled from an American system.

Al-Akhawayn-University

After passing through Ifrane, visiting Merzouga’s Erg Chebbi Dunes and spending a majestic Morocco travel and Sahara bivouac experience, you will then be off to visit the Boulmane Dades Valley, the Todra Gorge and Bouthgrar’s Valley of Nomads and the piste of Mount Mgoun.

Travel Exploration Morocco is an Ouarzazate Travel Agency based in New York City & Ouarzazate that offers a Sahara Tour & Camel Trek option from Fes. 4×4 Travel to Morocco’s Sahara through Travel Exploration Morocco guarantees an authentic Moroccan Sahara journey to Merzouga.

Merzouga-Sahara-Desert-Couple-On- Camel-Tuareg-Man

DAY 1: FES- IFRANE – ZIZ VALLEY- MERZOUGA

►Your Driver will pick you up at your Riad/ Hotel in Fes at 9:00am to travel to Morocco’s Sahara in a 4×4

►Departure to Merzouga Sahara Desert passing the unusual flora and fauna of the Sahara.

►Enroute to Merzouga’s Sahara Desert, we will pass Ifrane, stopping to see the cedar tree forrest and the local barbary monkeys.

▶ We will have lunch during our journey in the Ziz Valley or at another local town en route to the Sahara desert. We will continue the road to Merzouga’s Erg Chebbi Dunes and arrive before sunset.

▶ Arrive in Merzouga’s Sahara Desert, then go by dromedary camel trek for 2 hours at sunset into the Erg Chebbi Dunes to camp overnight in a Berber Biouvac tent at an oasis. Your Tuareg guide will share some of the Sahara Deserts’ secrets. As you glide across humpback on these silent, mystical dunes there will be countless opportunities to photograph the endless rolling dunes.

▶Have dinner and spend the night at a biouvac near the Oasis in the Erg Chebbi Dunes of Merzouga.

DAY 2: MERZOUGA – TODRA GORGE – BOULMANE DADES VALLEY

►Rise, have tea and break. Then take a sunrise camel trek to Merzouga center. Breakfast in Merzouga.

►Discover Merzouga by piste (windy road) and the flora and fauna of the desert. Take the road from Merzouga to Erfoud through Tinerghir and Rissani (old Saharian Desert Town).

►Continue the road by 4×4 land cruiser Morocco travel until you reach the Todra Gorge & Dadles Valley located in Morocco’s South.

►Your journey will take you through the Todra Gorge, one of the most impressive and breathtaking Gorge in Morocco.

►Lunch at the foot of the Todra Gorge.

►Then you will continue your visit in the Dadès Valley which covers 125 km between Ouarzazate and Boulmane du Dadès in the High Atlas Mountains.

►Once you reach Boumalne at first sight you notice the limestone cliffs with uniquely shaped erosions and superb scenery and the valley’s pise (windy roads). Driving along you will pass flower filled fields, fertile fields, riverbanks and several fortified ksours. At the bottom of Gorge of Boulmane Dadès there are ruined hilltop Kasbahs and valley floor gardens.

►Lunch will be served at a nearby guesthouse that offers local Moroccan fare and a panoramic view of the Dades Valley Gorge. Relax and sip mint tea while gazing at the impressive valley view.

►Moving on, your driver will continue the road towards the breathtaking Todra Gorge. The Todra Gorge is a stunning natural spectacle of pink- grey gigantic rock walls that change colors with the different times of the day. Explore the gorge by foot and make sure to photograph the beautiful ribbon of palms between the cliffs, Berber villages and ancient kasbahs and ksours.

►Have Dinner & Spend the night in the Dades Valley at a Riad/Hotel with a view.

DAY 3: BOULMANE DADES – OUARZAZATE

►Rise and have breakfast in the Boulmane Dades Valley at your Riad.

►Take the road by piste to Mount Mgoun and Bouthgrarar to discover Berber Villages in Southern Morocco. Mount Mgoun is an area in Southern Morocco where you can discover the “Road of Nomads” and the traditional families, how they live.

►Lunch in Mount Mgoun at a Moroccan auberge or within the Valley of Nomads. Take a short hike in the area, then continue the road to Ouarzazate.

►Arrive in Ouarzazate. Dinner at your Riad. Spend the night in Ouarzazate.

DAY 4: OUARZAZATE – MARRAKECH

► Rise, have breakfast at your Riad in Ouarzazate.

►Start your morning by touring the Atlas Film Studios. David Lean filmed Lawrence of Arabia at The Atlas Film Studios in the early 1960’s. Since then many famous directors have followed in his footsteps to exploit the magnificent scenery. International blockbusters shot here in recent years include: the French version of Cleopatra, Bertolucci’s Sheltering Sky, Scorsese’s Kundun, Gillies MacKannon’s Hideous Kinky, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, Black Hawke Down, Oliver Stone’s Alexander The Great, Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven, and Penelope Cruz’s Sahara.

►After visiting the Atlas Film Studio, we will take the road by pise to the picturesque village of Aït Benhaddou located 32 km from Ouarzazate. Aït Benhaddou is situated in Souss-Massa-Draâ on a hill along the Ouarzazate River. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here and Orson Welles used it as a location for Sodome and Gomorrah; and for Jesus of Nazareth the whole lower part of the village was rebuilt. In recent years more controlled restoration has been carried out under UNESCO auspices. Aït Benhaddou is one of many locations in this region used for shooting Hollywood films.

►Your guide will lead you on a private tour through this Berber village of towered and crenulated kasbahs that once guarded the lucrative caravan route through the Atlas Mountains. Explore the kasbahs by foot with the option to ride a donkey across a river.

► Your guide will share the fascinating history of Aït Benhaddou which once served as the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh in present-day Morocco. Most of the town’s inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river; ten families however still live within the ksar.

Aït Benhaddou was once a significant stop for traders carrying gold, salt and slaves along the famous Southern Caravan route moving through the Sahara. Only six miles away, is the village of Tamdaght, dominated by the canyon walls of a Glaoui Kasbah. The Kasbah is famous and you will find its towers inhabited by storks. Walk outside the Kasbah’s lush terraced gardens and witness the same desert scenery that used in Gladiator and Alexander the Great.

►For lunch, relax on a terrace with clear views of Aït Benhaddou and enjoy a traditional Moroccan meal of mfouar (steamed wheat), Takila (a Berber tajine), couscous and fruit. After lunch, browse the village shops then climb back in the comfortable air-conditioned/heated 4×4 and head to the village of Tamadaght.

►After lunch, we will depart Aït Benhaddou and take the road to Marrakech.

►En route to Marrakech, stop to visit the Argan Cooperative where women make Argan Oil, Argan butter and cosmetics. Have a complimentary tasting and sample the products.

►Arrive in Marrakech in the early evening. This completes your Sahara Tour & Camel Trek journey from Fes to Merzouga

►Arrive in Marrakech in the early evening. This ends your Sahara Tour & Camel

Zagora-Dunes-Of-Tinfo-Bivouac

For More information about Sahara Tours on Morocco Travel Exploration

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial Cities, Seaside Resorts, Sahara Desert, Berber villages, A Taste of Morocco, Magical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of Marrakech, Fes, and Ouarzazate.

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Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806  or 1 (917)703-2078  and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Sahara Desert Tours & Camel Treks from Marrakech, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

Traveling Morocco’s Sahara Desert for a Morocco vacation is a once in a lifetime magical experience. When considering a Sahara Tour & Camel Trek from Marrakech there are several Sahara Tour options. Travel Exploration Morocco is an Ouarzazate Travel Agency based in New York City & Ouarzazate that offers three different Sahara Tour & Camel Trek itineraries from Marrakech. 4×4 Travel to Morocco’s Sahara through Travel Exploration Morocco guarantees an authentic Moroccan Sahara journey.

Morocco’s Sahara Desert accounts for over 9,000,000 square kilometers (3,500,000 square miles) and stretches across a vast and luminous piece of land. The rolling Dunes in Morocco’s Sahara Desert give way to a unique Sahara experience through their golden waves of sand. Morocco’s Sahara also has a  variety of flora and fauna that is indigenous to desert terrain. Each part of the Moroccan Sahara guarantees a completely unique desert experience.

Erg-Chebbi-Merzouga-Sahara-Golden- Dunes

When traveling to Morocco’s Sahara the three options are:

The Erg Chebbi Dunes of Merzouga

The Erg Chegaga Dunes in M’hamid

The Dunes of Tinfo in Zagora

The Erg Chebbi Dunes of Merzouga can be reached by beginning your Sahara Tour in Marrakech and then driving through Ouarzazate, to Rissani with a final destination of Merzouga. Merzouga is a small village 35 kilometers southeast of Rissani, 45 kilometers from Erfoud and 25 kilometers from the border of Algeria. Merzouga is famous for the Erg Chebbi dunes and boasts the largest body of water in Morocco.

The Erg Chegaga Dunes in M’hamid are another option when planning a Sahara trek from Marrakech. M’hamid is the furthest point of the Moroccan Sahara and is often referred to as the more “authentic Sahara desert.” European and British foreigners have shown more interest in the last century in Sahara treks to M’hamid while American foreigners tend to prefer Merzouga.

Visiting the Dunes of Tinfo in Zagora just an hour before M’hamid offers a Sahara trek option within the Saharan Desert town. When planning a camel trek to Zagora this also leaves an opportunity to discover the region’s Draa Valley, the Tamagroute Pottery Cooperative and ancient Zaouia Spiritual Site.

Whichever Sahara Desert Tour & Camel Trek from Marrakech you choose, the Moroccan Sahara guarantees a majestic and intimate experience.

Family-Sahara-Desert-Trek-Tour

4×4 SAHARA TOUR FROM MARRAKECH TO MERZOUGA’S ERG CHEBBI DUNES

DAY 1: MARRAKECH – MERZOUGA

►Your Driver will pick you up at your Riad/ Hotel in Marrakech at 9:00am to travel to Morocco’s Sahara in a 4×4.

►Departure from Marrakech to Merzouga Sahara Desert. 

►En route from Marrakech to Merzouga, stop to visit the Argan Cooperative where women make Argan Oil, Argan butter and cosmetics. Have a complimentary tasting and sample the products.

►Stop for Lunch in the Tizzin Tichka Pass, which boasts breathtaking views of

the Tichka region as you continue your journey to the Sahara Desert.

▶ Arrive in Merzouga, then go by dromedary camel trek for 2 hours at sunset into the Erg Chebbi Dunes to camp overnight in a Berber Biouvac tent at an oasis. Your Tuareg guide will share some of the Sahara Deserts’ secrets. As you glide across humpback on these silent, mystical dunes there will be countless opportunities to photograph the endless rolling dunes.

▶Have dinner by an Oasis in the Erg Chebbi Dunes of Merzouga. Spend the night at a bivouac near the Oasis in the Erg Chebbi Dunes in a bivouac tent under the stars.

DAY 2: MERZOUGA – OUARZAZATE

►Rise, have tea and bread. Then take a sunrise camel trek from the Erg Chebbi Dunes in the Sahara Desert to Merzouga center. Breakfast in Merzouga Sahara Desert.

►Discover Merzouga by piste (windy road) and the flora and fauna of the

Sahara Desert. Take the road from Merzouga to Erfoud through Tinerghir and Rissani (old Saharian Desert Town).

►Visit the Rissani souk, which is one of the most famous in the area and surrounded by donkeys, mules, sheep and goats enclosed in corrals. After a tour of Rissani, we are off to Alnif. Alnif is known for its rocks, fossils and minerals found in shops along the roadside Trilobites are the areas main export.

►Continue the road from Merzouga’s Sahara Desert through Rissani, until you reach the Berber Village of Ait Ouzzine nestled in the High Atlas Mountains just 5 kilometers from N’kob.

►Lunch will be served to you in Aït Ouzzine, Morocco by a traditional Berber family. The menu will include a traditional meal of fresh baked bread with spices and a chicken and vegetable tajine and fresh local fruits for desert. Explore the Berber Village. Watch them make bread. Have your feet and hands with henna and see how the traditional and original people of Morocco live.

►Have your hands and feet painted with henna in Ait Ouzzine, Morocco by a Moroccan woman who specializes in the tradition of henna and experience the Berbers making of Berber perfume.

►Tea and Almonds for an afternoon snack. Then continue the road to Ouarzazate. Arrive in Ouarzazate, have dinner at your Riad.

►Spend the night at a beautiful Riad in Ouarzazate that has a terrace and views.

DAY 3: OUARZAZATE – MARRAKECH

►Rise and have breakfast at your Riad in Ouarzazate. Visit Spices Maria a spice souk nearby and option for a rose or almond oil massage prior to your departure to Marrakech.

►Take the road by piste to visit the picturesque village of Aït Benhaddou located 32 km from Ouarzazate. Aït Benhaddou is situated in Souss-Massa-Draâ on a hill along the Ouarzazate River. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here and Orson Welles used it as a location for Sodome and Gomorrah; and for Jesus of Nazareth the whole lower part of the village was rebuilt. In recent years more controlled restoration has been carried out under UNESCO auspices. Aït Benhaddou is one of many locations in this region used for shooting Hollywood films.

►Your guide will lead you on a private tour through this Berber village of towered and crenulated kasbahs that once guarded the lucrative caravan route through the Atlas Mountains. Explore the kasbahs by foot with the option to ride a donkey across a river.

► Your guide will share the fascinating history of Aït Benhaddou which once served as the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh in present-day Morocco. Most of the town’s inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river; ten families however still live within the ksar.

Aït Benhaddou was once a significant stop for traders carrying gold, salt and slaves along the famous Southern Caravan route moving through the Sahara. Only six miles away, is the village of Tamdaght, dominated by the canyon walls of a Glaoui Kasbah. The Kasbah is famous and you will find its towers inhabited by storks. Walk outside the Kasbah’s lush terraced gardens and witness the same desert scenery that used in Gladiator and Alexander the Great.

►For lunch, relax on a terrace with clear views of Aït Benhaddou and enjoy a traditional Moroccan meal of mfouar (steamed wheat), Takila (a Berber tajine), couscous and fruit. After lunch, browse the village shops then climb back in the comfortable air-conditioned/heated 4×4 and head to the village of Tamadaght.

►After lunch, we will depart Aït Benhaddou and take the road to Marrakech.

►Arrive in Marrakech in the early evening. This ends your Sahara Tour & Camel Trek to Merzouga in Morocco’s Sahara Desert

Mhamid-Sahara-Desert

4×4 SAHARA TOUR FROM MARRAKECH TO M’HAMID’S ERG CHEGAGA DUNES

DAY 1: MARRAKECH – SKOURA – ZAGORA

►Your Driver will pick you up at your Riad/ Hotel in Marrakech at 9:00am to travel to Morocco’s Sahara in a 4×4.

►Departure from Marrakech to M’hamid Sahara Desert. 

►En route from Marrakech to Merzouga, stop to visit the Argan Cooperative where women make Argan Oil, Argan butter and cosmetics. Have a complimentary tasting and sample the products.

►Stop for Lunch in the Tizzin Tichka Pass which boasts breathtaking views of

the Tichka region as you continue your journey to the Sahara Desert.

▶Stop in the Skoura Palmary to visit the Amirdhil Kasbah.

▶Take the road by piste through the Draa Valley to discover the old road of Moroccan caravans.

►Then continue the road through the Draa Valley to the town of Zagora, the door of the Sahara. Arrive in Zagora and you have the option to spend the night in either a bivouac tent in the Sahara or in a Riad Hotel within a beautiful palmery.

DAY 2: ZAGORA – M’HAMID

►Rise, have breakfast in your Riad in Zagora, then take the road to visit Tamagroute.

►Visit the village of Tamergroute in the Sahara Desert known for it’s a potter’s cooperative (making forest green, glazed pottery) ksars and kasbahs as well as the prestigious Zaouia Nacri. The Zaouia Nacri is a 17th century Islamic academic center was built by Mohammed Bou Nasri and made Tamergroute the most important settlement in the Draâ Valley.

►Visit the Zaouia’s library where you can see illuminated Korans, animal hides, 12th century works on mathematics, medicine and history. Then take the road to Visit the Sahara Desert’s Dunes of Tinfo and see the old sign where the caravans took the road to Timbuktu.

►Explore the town of Zagora and the Amazrou village. Walk through the desert gardens that lead to the old Jewish kasbah, La Kasbah des Juifs. Visit workshops of the local Muslim Berbers who have continued the Jewish tradition of silver jewelry making, after the exodus of the Jews.

►Take the road by piste to visit the Sahara Desert’s Dunes of Tinfo.

►Enjoy lunch in Zagora.

►Arrive in M’hamid and take a sunset camel trek from the city to the M’hamid Erg Chegaga Dunes.

►Dinner in M’hamid. Spend the night in Erg Chegaga Dunes.

DAY 3: December 30th – M’HAMID – AIT OUZZINE- OUARZAZATE

►Rise, have tea and bread. Then take a sunrise camel trek across the Erg Chegaga Dunes to M’hamid center.

► Spend the day exploring M’hamid and enjoying the Sahara’s flora and fauna.

►Lunch will be served to you in Aït Ouzzine, Morocco by a traditional Berber family. The menu will include a traditional meal of fresh baked bread with spices and a chicken and vegetable tajine and fresh local fruits for desert. Explore the Berber Village. Watch them make bread. Have your feet and hands with henna and see how the traditional and original people of Morocco live.

►Have your hands and feet painted with henna in Ait Ouzzine, Morocco by a Moroccan woman who specializes in the tradition of henna and experience the Berbers making of Berber perfume.

►Tea and Almonds for an afternoon snack. Then continue the road to Ouarzazate. Arrive in Ouarzazate, have dinner at your Riad.

DAY 4: OUARZAZATE – MARRAKECH

►Rise and have breakfast at your Riad in Ouarzazate. Visit Spices Maria a spice souk nearby and option for a rose or almond oil massage prior to your departure to Marrakech.

►Take the road by piste to visit the picturesque village of Aït Benhaddou located 32 km from Ouarzazate. Aït Benhaddou is situated in Souss- Massa-Draâ on a hill along the Ouarzazate River. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here and Orson Welles used it as a location for Sodome and Gomorrah; and for Jesus of Nazareth the whole lower part of the village was rebuilt. In recent years more controlled restoration has been carried out under UNESCO auspices. Aït Benhaddou is one of many locations in this region used for shooting Hollywood films.

►Your guide will lead you on a private tour through this Berber village of towered and crenulated kasbahs that once guarded the lucrative caravan route through the Atlas Mountains. Explore the kasbahs by foot with the option to ride a donkey across a river.

► Your guide will share the fascinating history of Aït Benhaddou which once served as the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh in present-day Morocco. Most of the town’s inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river; ten families however still live within the ksar.

Aït Benhaddou was once a significant stop for traders carrying gold, salt and slaves along the famous Southern Caravan route moving through the Sahara. Only six miles away, is the village of Tamdaght, dominated by the canyon walls of a Glaoui Kasbah. The Kasbah is famous and you will find its towers inhabited by storks. Walk outside the Kasbah’s lush terraced gardens and witness the same desert scenery that used in Gladiator and Alexander the Great.

►For lunch, relax on a terrace with clear views of Aït Benhaddou and enjoy a traditional Moroccan meal of mfouar (steamed wheat), Takila (a Berber tajine), couscous and fruit. After lunch, browse the village shops then climb back in the comfortable air-conditioned/heated 4×4 and head to the village of Tamadaght.

►After lunch, we will depart Aït Benhaddou and take the road to Marrakech.

►Arrive in Marrakech in the early evening. This ends your Sahara Tour & Camel Trek to M’hamid in Morocco’s Sahara Desert.

Dunes-of-Tinfo-Camel-Sahara-Experience

4×4 SAHARA TOUR FROM MARRAKECH TO ZAGORA’S DUNES OF TINFO

DAY 1: MARRAKECH – SKOURA – ZAGORA

►Your Driver will pick you up at your Riad/ Hotel in Marrakech at 9:00am to travel to Morocco’s Sahara in a 4×4.

►Departure from Marrakech to M’hamid Sahara Desert. 

►En route from Marrakech to Merzouga, stop to visit the Argan Cooperative where women make Argan Oil, Argan butter and cosmetics. Have a complimentary tasting and sample the products.

►Stop for Lunch in the Tizzin Tichka Pass which boasts breathtaking views of

the Tichka region as you continue your journey to the Sahara Desert.

▶Stop in the Skoura Palmary to visit the Amirdhil Kasbah.

▶Take the road by piste through the Draa Valley to discover the old road of Moroccan caravans.

►Then continue the road through the Draa Valley to the town of Zagora, the door of the Sahara. Arrive in Zagora and you have the option to spend the night in either a bivouac tent in the Sahara or in a Riad Hotel within a beautiful palmary.

DAY 2: ZAGORA

►Rise, have breakfast in your Riad in Zagora, then take the road to visit Tamagroute.

►Visit the village of Tamergroute in the Sahara Desert known for it’s a potter’s cooperative (making forest green, glazed pottery) ksars and kasbahs as well as the prestigious Zaouia Nacri. The Zaouia Nacri is a 17th century Islamic academic center was built by Mohammed Bou Nasri and made Tamergroute the most important settlement in the Draâ Valley.

►Visit the Zaouia’s library where you can see illuminated Korans, animal hides, 12th century works on mathematics, medicine and history. Then take the road to Visit the Sahara Desert’s Dunes of Tinfo and see the old sign where the caravans took the road to Timbuktu.

►Enjoy lunch in Zagora.

►Explore the town of Zagora and the Amazrou village. Walk through the desert gardens that lead to the old Jewish kasbah, La Kasbah des Juifs. Visit workshops of the local Muslim Berbers who have continued the Jewish tradition of silver jewelry making, after the exodus of the Jews.

►Take the road by piste to visit the Sahara Desert’s Dunes of Tinfo. Sunset camel trek across the Dunes of Tinfo.

►Dinner at the foot of the Dunes of Tinfo in Zagora, near your bivouac.

DAY 3: ZAGORA – OUARZAZATE

►Rise, have breakfast, then take the road to the village of Ait Ouzzine located in the High Atlas Mountains and in Morocco’s heart of the Draa Valley.

►Explore the village of Ait Ouzzine, N’kob Morocco and see how a traditional Berber, Moroccan family lives. Visit their gardens, wheat and henna fields, farming community and meet other members of the Moroccan village. Have an up close Morocco Sahara travel experience.

►Lunch will be served to you in Aït Ouzzine, Morocco by a traditional Berber family. The menu will include a traditional meal of fresh baked bread with spices and a chicken and vegetable tajine and fresh local fruits for desert. Explore the Berber Village. Watch them make bread. Have your feet and hands with henna and see how the traditional and original people of Morocco live.

►Have your hands and feet painted with henna in Ait Ouzzine, Morocco by a Moroccan woman who specializes in the tradition of henna and experience the Berbers making of Berber perfume.

►Tea and Almonds for an afternoon snack. Then continue the road to Ouarzazate. Arrive in Ouarzazate, have dinner at your Riad.

DAY 4: OUARZAZATE – MARRAKECH

►Rise and have breakfast at your Riad in Ouarzazate. Visit Spices Maria a spice souk nearby and option for a rose or almond oil massage prior to your departure to Marrakech.

►Take the road by piste to visit the picturesque village of Aït Benhaddou located 32 km from Ouarzazate. Aït Benhaddou is situated in Souss- Massa-Draâ on a hill along the Ouarzazate River. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here and Orson Welles used it as a location for Sodome and Gomorrah; and for Jesus of Nazareth the whole lower part of the village was rebuilt. In recent years more controlled restoration has been carried out under UNESCO auspices. Aït Benhaddou is one of many locations in this region used for shooting Hollywood films.

►Your guide will lead you on a private tour through this Berber village of towered and crenulated kasbahs that once guarded the lucrative caravan route through the Atlas Mountains. Explore the kasbahs by foot with the option to ride a donkey across a river.

► Your guide will share the fascinating history of Aït Benhaddou which once served as the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh in present-day Morocco. Most of the town’s inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river; ten families however still live within the ksar.

Aït Benhaddou was once a significant stop for traders carrying gold, salt and slaves along the famous Southern Caravan route moving through the Sahara. Only six miles away, is the village of Tamdaght, dominated by the canyon walls of a Glaoui Kasbah. The Kasbah is famous and you will find its towers inhabited by storks. Walk outside the Kasbah’s lush terraced gardens and witness the same desert scenery that used in Gladiator and Alexander the Great.

►For lunch, relax on a terrace with clear views of Aït Benhaddou and enjoy a traditional Moroccan meal of mfouar (steamed wheat), Takila (a Berber tajine), couscous and fruit. After lunch, browse the village shops then climb back in the comfortable air-conditioned/heated 4×4 and head to the village of Tamadaght.

►After lunch, we will depart Aït Benhaddou and take the road to Marrakech.

►Arrive in Marrakech in the early evening. This ends your Sahara Tour & Camel Trek to Zagora’s Dunes of Tinfo Morocco’s Sahara Desert

Camel-Trekking-in- Merzouga

More information about Sahara Tours on Morocco Travel Exploration

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside ResortsSahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate.

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Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration
Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806  or 1 (917)703-2078  and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Ouarzazate Travel Agency, Kasbahs & Kilims: Your Guide to Southern Morocco Travel & Sahara Desert Tours

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Ouarzazate Travel Agency – Kasbahs & Kilims, Your Guide to Southern Morocco Travel & Sahara Desert Tours

Traveling to Morocco’s Sahara region through a Ouarzazate Travel Agency guarantees an authentic Morocco Travel experience. When traveling to Morocco’s Zagora region of Ouarzazate, the Draa Valley and the M’hamid Sahara Desert (Erg Chegaga Dunes) it is important to also have a Ouarzazate or Saharan driver and licensed guide who speaks fluent English, Arabic & French as well as the local dialect of Berber (Tashlhiyt).

Mhamid-Sahara-Desert-Riad

Kasbahs & Kilims are two genuine reasons to consider a short break to Morocco or a tailor made Private Morocco Tour. A Ouarzazate Travel Agency will be able to organize a seamless tour that enables you to discover the gems of Southern Morocco such as its ancient Kasbahs and Kilims. Southern Morocco’s Ouarzazate region is known for its ancient Kasbahs and hand made Berber Kilims. For centuries Morocco has been a premiere travel destination for American explorers, literary writers, artists and composers such as Paul Bowles, Allen Ginsberg, Brion Gysin, Isabelle Ebrehardt, William S. Burroughs and Yves Saint Laurent.

Paul-Bowles-In-Morocco

Unlike other regions of Morocco both the Ouarzazate and Zagora region offer an untouched Morocco Travel journey that will enable you to engage up close with the Berber and Tuareg people. The Berber villages within the Draa Valley and Zagora region still retain their century-old traditions that makes for an attractive Morocco Travel cultural and enlightening educational experience. These Berber Villages are home to some of the most magnificent Kasbahs and High Atlas Mountain scenery. The century old Moroccan Kasbahs that once served as fortified villages to protect the Berbers now mainly serve as homes for their immediate and extended families.

Tuareg-Man-In-Sahara-With-Camel

The Berber village experience is unlike another in Morocco. Spending a day with a Berber family in a traditional Moroccan village offers insight into how they live using ancient traditions that include baking bread by earthen oven, while using the wheat grown in locally in their fields and cooking couscous by candlelight. You can also witness how the henna plant is used to decorate the hands and feet of the Berbers in extraordinary beautiful patterns. Part of touring through a Ouarzazate Travel Agency also enables you to have your hands and feet hennaed while spending time in the village and partake in the other daily activities.

Hands-Hands-Morocco

A Kasbah is referred to as a fortified village or a medina, Islamic city fortress. Traditionally Kasbahs is where local leaders lived and a Kasbah served as a defense when the city was under attack. Kasbahs high walls that are made of mud and earth typically have no windows. Kasbahs were traditionally built on top of a hill, which made them easier to defend however some were also built near the entrances of harbors. Having a Kasbah built was once a sign of wealth however almost all Moroccan cities, especially those in the Middle and High Atlas Mountain regions of Morocco had them as a necessity of survival. Today, Kasbahs in Morocco are often restored by foreigners and made into Raids, Bed & Breakfast style hotel accommodations or lived in by families. The Kasbah is by far one of the most charming and delightful forms of ancient architecture found in Morocco.

Jewish-Fortified-Kasbah

A Kilim is a flat tapestry, woven carpet or rug. In Morocco Kilims are often referred to more generally as Berber carpets and is another great reason to travel to Morocco through an Ouarzazate Travel Agency.

Southern Morocco’s Ouarzazate and Zagora region are famous for Berber carpets and offer travelers the opportunity to see how they are made locally and purchase them directly from Berber villages or in local shops that have more reasonable prices then the big cities such as Marrakech and Fes. Berber carpets are essentially the “free trade” carpets of Morocco. Berber carpets are often used as prayer rugs as well as for covering concrete and tiled floors in Morocco today. When traveling to Morocco you can choose a Sahara region tour for a cultural trip and adventure or opt for one that allows you to Shop the Souks of Morocco!

Kilim-Berber-Carpets-In- Ouarzazate-Souk-and-Villages

Here are the Top 10 Sites & Places to Visit When Traveling With a Ouarzazate Travel Agency In The Southern Morocco Region:

#1: Ait Benhaddou Kasbah

#2: Kasbah Taouirit

#3: Kasbah Tifoutltoute

#4: Oasis of Fint

#5: Atlas Film Studios

#6: Skoura Oasis & Palmary

#7: Dunes of Tinfo (Zagora)

#8: Dades Valley

#9: Todra Gorge

#10:  Valley of Roses

For more information about a Ouarzazate Travel Agency and to discover the Ouarzazate & Zagora region

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & Waterfalls, Absolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate.

Ouarzazate Travel Agency, Ouarzazate Kasbahs & Kilims, Sahara Desert Tours, Kasbahs in Southern Morocco, Berber Villages, Draa Valley, Tuareg people, Travel to M’hamid, Travel to Chegaga, Ouarzazate, Travel to Morocco for a Private Tailor Made Tour to Zagora, Berber Village Travel, Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, Oasis of Fint, Skoura, Skoura Palmary and Oasis, Dades Valley Tour, Todra Gorge Tour, Valley of Roses Tour, Morocco Travel, Tours to Morocco, Morocco Vacations, Morocco Holidays

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Google on call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 or (212) 661-4898-960 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.