Country(ies): Morocco
Tour type: Shoestring
Group size: Min: 2 | Max: 40
Accommodation: 4-star hotels, optional desert camp
Meals:
Transport: A/C minibus/coach & 4x4 landcruisers
Highlights: Marrakech medina, Djemaa El Fna square, Atlas Mountains, Ait Benhaddou World Heritage Site, Boumalne, Pre-Saharan villages, Erg Chebbi sand dunes, Berber desert camp, Dades Canyon, Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, Ouarzazate
This exciting budget tour gives you a fantastic insight into the history and cultures of the Moroccan desert regions. The tour will take in beautiful scenery, the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert.
The tour starts with a full day's tour of the fascinating city of Marrakech, including the famous Djemaa el-Fna square which is well worth re-visiting late in the evenings as it is packed with street food stalls and local entertainers. We then take a scenic drive across the Atlas Mountains and over the highest mountain pass in Africa, the Tizi N’tichka at 2260m altitude. After descending, we'll visit the famous UNESCO world heritage site of Ait Benhaddou which has featured in many famous movies. Our journey into the desert then continues to Boumalne where we spend the night. From Boumalne we pass through several pre-Saharan villages including Tamegroute, known for its pottery centre, before arriving at Erfoud (where a night is included in a local hotel) on the edge of the spectalar Erg Chebbi sand dunes. Here you have the option for a 4x4 safari into the desert, with dinner and a night spent sleeping in a comfortable Berber camp on the edge of the dunes. After a memborable evening at the camp you can rise early to witness a beautiful sunrise from the top of the nearby dunes. A 4x4 safari to climb the dunes at sunset is also included if you spend the night in the hotel instead of the desert camp.
We then head back towards the Atlas Mountains, dtopping at the spectacular Dades Canyon and then driving on the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs past Kalaat M’Gouna & the Skoura valley before spending the night at Ouarzazate. Our final drive then crosses the Atlas Mountains again to Marrakech where you have a free afternoon for some final sightseeing and souvenir shopping in the souqs, and a last evening back in the main square.
The standard tour uses comfortable mid-range hotels, with an upgrade to a higher 'Superior' level available on request.
If our scheduled departure dates don't work for you, or you would prefer not to travel with a group, then we can also run this tour privately for you and customise the itinerary and accommodation to suit your personal requirements. Please contact us for more information and prices.
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Hotel Gala Dinners
Many of Morocco's higher level hotels arrange a very special gala dinner with entertainment in the evening on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Payment for these is normally optional on Christmas Eve (24 Dec) but normally compulsory on New Year's Eve (31 Dec), whether you attend or not. Prices for any compulsory Gala Dinners are included in our tour prices.
If you are looking for a tour and not finding what you are looking for, have a look at our best other related tours to check out for your travel plans. At Encounters Travel, we offer a variety of tours to suit your needs. So sit back, relax, and let us help you plan the perfect getaway.
We offer 3 levels of accommodation on this tour (Standard, Comfort and Superior), pricing can be found below for each of these. Please see the tour notes for accommodation details. This tour may also be booked privately on any dates.