Country(ies): Morocco
Tour type: Small Group
Group size: Min: 2 | Max: 20
Accommodation: 3 & 4-star hotels & riads
Meals:
Transport: AC minibus/coach & 4WD landcruiser style vehicles
Highlights: Djemaa El Fna Square in Marrakech, high Atlas mountains, Tizi n Tichka pass, Merzouga Desert, Ait Benhaddou, Ouarzazate, desert sands at Zagora
This 8-day small-group Morocco tour is a great way to explore this beautiful country for the very first time, taking in its bustling medinas, its beautiful desert regions and enjoying the local Moroccan cuisine.
The Desert and Kasbahs tour starts and ends in the bustling city of Marrakech, but concentrates on Morocco's beautiful mountain and desert scenery. After leaving Marrakech we cross the Atlas Mountains via the high Tizi n Tichka Pass before descending through the hills to the desert plains around Ouarzazate. We'll then head back into the hills to Skoura Oasis, the Valley of the Roses and the Dades Canyon.
The tour then heads out to the edge of the Sahara Desert at Merzouga, where you can take an optional sunrise camel ride amongst the spectacular sand dunes. You can also spend the night here in a comfortable Berber camp next to the dunes.
A further drive through changing desert scenery past some tiny Amazigh villages brings us to the remote town of Zagora, home to Morocco's largest palm valley. Our tour of the region here includes Tamegroute with its potteries and famous library which hosts some important ancient Koranic scripts. We'll then drive through the Draa Valley to Ouarzazate, home to the Atlas studios where many international movie productions have taken advantage of the surrunding scenery. Here we'll explore the Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.The tour then returns back over the Atlas Mountains for some final time exploring Marrakech.
Accommodation is in mid-range boutique style hotels, kasbahs and riads, along with the desert camp option.
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Hotel Gala Dinners
Many of Morocco's better 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 may be compulsory on New Year's Eve (31 Dec), whether you attend or not. Prices can range from around US$30 to over US$100 per person. Final decisions on prices and whether dinners are compulsory are made relatively close to the time. We aim to always select hotels that make their Gala Dinners optional, though this is is not always possible. Gala dinner prices are therefore not included in our prices above, but will be added to your booking if they become required. This generally will only apply if you add a hotel upgrade to your booking. More information is available on request.
Small group departures start on Saturdays throughout the year. The tour is also available for booking privately for travel on any other dates when it may also be customised to suit your personal requirements.
The hotels and accommodations listed below are the ones we most often on this tour. From time to time we may exchange these for similar properties at the same level. In general, specific hotels cannot be guaranteed on our group tours, but you may select your preferred options if you are booking a tailor-made trip.
Le Kech
Marrakech
La Kech is a 4-star boutique hotel in Marrakech. Overlooking the Atlas Mountains, it has 72 fully-furnished rooms. It features a gym, pool, spa, and two restaurants.
Hotel Xaluca
Dades
Located just 12.4 miles from the Dades Gorges, this 4-star hotel is set in the heart of the Atlas Mountains. You can relax in the outdoor swimming pool and hot tub or in the spa's hammam and massage rooms.
Riad Lamane
Zagora
Set in Draa Oasis, this typical Moroccan-style Riad features an outdoor pool surrounded by palm trees. It offers air-conditioned accommodation, and a tented dining room in the garden.
Dar Chamaa
Ouarzazate
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.
Our tours are designed to include all that you need to enjoy a really special time in the destination youre visiting. However, we do also offer some extra options to complement the tour and add some additional sightseeing or activities, or some extra time at either end of the tour.
All accommodation based options (e.g. Single supplements, extra nights, cruise upgrades) should be booked and paid for in advance so that we can make the appropriate arrangements. Other options may either be booked and paid for in advance or while you are on the tour, though we recommend booking in advance to ensure there are no issues with availability.
Many options are priced the same throughout the year, but some may incur single or high season supplements - full details are given on the tour reservation form or on request.
The detailed Tour Notes below have been written to give you some more detailed information about how the tour runs, what to expect, and how to prepare for your holiday. We recommend downloading an up to date copy of these shortly before you travel in case of any changes.
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Desert & Kasbahs & Country Reviews
Product Review
Posted 15th of Sep 2017
Good itinerary, good guides.
Product Review
Posted 9th of Jun 2017
I enjoyed the trip. Only issue is that the tour guide changed a part of the trip because he didn't want us to do something. Not the fault of encounters. But otherwise the trip was great. I would like to say that travelling from Fez to Marrakech should be on a plane or train. Driving was too long and wasted a day.
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