6 Days from Marrakech to Fes

After breakfast. We leave Marrakech to begin our tour in the Dades Valley. We pass through Tizi-n-Tishka in the high Atlas Mountains where we pause to appreciate the mountain views. We visit the Ait Ben Haddou village which is recognized by UNESCO as a world patrimony. It is famous as a backdrop for many films, including 'Lawrence of Arabia', 'Gladiator' and 'Alexander'. We take lunch here before continuing on our way enjoying the natural beauty of the landscapes and historical monuments such as Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate and Roses Valley, which is renowned for the Festival of Roses. We also pass through the little Berber villages of Skoura and 'El Kelaa des M'Gouna' and 'Boumalene Dades'. The latter is our final stop for the day. We shall stay overnight in a hotel which includes dinner and breakfast.

From Boumalene Dades we head to Merzouga in one of the largest wind blown dunes in Morocco, Erg Chebbi. Through the Berber village of Tinghir we visit Todra Gorge where the cliffs are as high as 600m and only 10m apart. We leave Todra passing through many Berber villages to pass through Tinjdad where we can stop for lunch or if you preferrable continue to Rissani where you could have the local speciality, Berber Pizza for lunch if we get there by Midday. After lunch we make our way to Merzouga to meet the camels joining us on our trek. The camels take us to a Berber camp in the middle of an oasis amidst the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. 20 km long and5 km wide it is also reputed as the highest sand dunes in North Africa. It is a unique and diverse environment. The camel trek takes about 1hr 30 min from the hotel to the camp where we continue the spirit of the nomadic Berber lifestyle. There we setup 3 Berber tents with additional restaurant and kitchen with the dunes naturally providing basic facilities. The tents are well equipped and we provide mattresses, blankets, and cushions. After dinner we gather round the fire and enjoy the desert night perhaps with traditional Berber drums.

After breakfast, you will go all the way round the dunes via the oasis of MERZOUGA, the nomadic depository, KHAMLIA village (Blacks’ village You’ll visit the Gnawa people, originally slaves brought from Sudan, to experience their music and lifestyle. Not far away there’s the lake of Merzouga, with its bird populations, you’ll leave for Rissani. Once called Sijilmassa, this was the meeting place for the salt caravans, coming from Timbuktu in Mali. Here you’ll walk through the souk, selling spices, vegetables and cloths. After a lunch pizza in Rissani you will travel back to your riad where where your camel will be awaiting you. After a glass of mint tea. After lunch at Noura restaurant to try a berber Pizza then we drive to the hotel after you can enjoy a bit walk to the dunes .

Early in the morning, your camel man will wake you up to watch what well may be the best sunrise of your life. You’ll peacefully camel-trek back to the village of Merzouga. Over the dunes, you couldn’t fail to appreciate the unique beauty of the spectacular Erg Chebbi sand dunes - changing with the light as the day progresses. After breakfast in your riad, you will start travelling to Fes via the Ziz Valley and Azrou. You will enjoy the fascinating landscape along the magnificent Ziz Gorges carved through volcanic rock, and through the Tizi n’ Talghamt Pass to Midelt. After lunch, you will continue through the Midlle Atlas Mountains and the Cedar Forest, where you will see the Barbarian apes in the wild. Continue to Fes overnight at the hotel or riad.

Enjoy a full day sightseeing tour in Fes which is the oldest of Morocco’s four “Imperial Cities”. The medieval city of Fes El Bali, or “Old Fes” remains complete and is unspoiled. During your tour of this part of the town, you can visit the exotic Bou Inania Medersa, the Medina and the Kairaouine Mosque, where you may take photos of the wonderful courtyard from the main gate as well as the famous soukhs. In the afternoon you can visit Fes El Jdid, or “New Fes” and the Museum of Moroccan Arts. The night is spent in the riad.