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 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.
The hotels and accommodations listed below are the ones we most often use 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.
Our tours are designed to include all that you need to enjoy a really special time in the destination you‘re 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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Need some travel inspiration or looking for some handy travel tips? Our blog provides excellent insight into our travel destinations - from tour updates to country guides, packing lists to little known things to do, you'll find it all in our travel blog.
From the expansive Sahara desert across the border to the sensuous hustle bustle of city life in Marrakesh, you won’t find anywhere else as unique or as rewarding as Morocco.
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