Marrakech, Zagora and Merzouga: the Sahara loop in 5 days

Itinerary: Marrakech, Zagora and Merzouga: the Sahara loop in 5 days

1. 1

   Day 1 · Marrakech — Tizi n'Tichka — Aït Ben Haddou — Ouarzazate

   A relaxed start, the High Atlas, argan cooperatives and the kasbah of Telouet or Aït Ben Haddou depending on your taste. Night in a riad in Ouarzazate or a kasbah at Aït Ben Haddou.

   
2. 2

   Day 2 · Ouarzazate — Agdz — Draa valley — N'Kob

   We descend into the Draa valley from the Agdz viewpoint, among palm groves and mud-brick ksars. Lunch in the palm grove and then the road east to N'Kob, at the foot of Jebel Saghro. Night in a restored kasbah.

   
3. 3

   Day 3 · N'Kob — Tazzarine — Alnif — Rissani — Merzouga

   A quiet road across plateaus and shepherd villages, a stop in Alnif for the fossils and lunch in Rissani. In the afternoon a camel ride to the Erg Chebbi camp. Dinner and a night in the desert.

   
4. 4

   Day 4 · Merzouga — Todra — Dadès

   A last look at the dunes at sunrise, then we leave the desert. The road west crosses a plateau of black stone broken by sudden oases. We stop at the khettaras of Tinejdad and then in Tinghir, where the palm grove follows the river like a green ribbon. In the Todra Gorge we leave the car and walk through the narrowest part of the canyon, cool even in summer. In the late afternoon we reach the Dadès valley, among the 'monkey fingers', curious red rock formations. Night overlooking the gorge.

   
5. 5

   Day 5 · Dadès — Skoura — Ouarzazate — Marrakech

   The Valley of Roses and the Skoura palm grove in the morning, lunch in Ouarzazate and then the High Atlas with the Tizi n'Tichka pass. Arrival in Marrakech in the evening.