Moroccan Desert Adventure - a Family Holiday in Morocco (EXFMC)

Duration: 8 days (may vary)
Areas: Morocco
Tour types: Family Adventures, History & Culture, Nature & Wildlife, Walking & Trekking

Description

DATE-PALMS & KSARS
Starting in Ouarzazate, we travel south towards the desert through the lush palm-fringed terraces of the Draa Valley. We pass many traditional mud-brick kasbahs, pausing at the ksar of Tamnougalt, the old citadel of a once dominant berber tribe. At Zagora we are officially on the edge of the great Sahara - 52 days by camel from Timbuktu in fact! Here we take the opportunity to explore the palmeries of Amzrou and hopefully visit a local school before our real adventure begins.

INTO THE GREAT SAHARA
As we continue south, we cross the baked black rock of the Jebel Bani to the palm-groves of Mhamid and spend our first night in a traditional auberge. From here we begin our camel-supported trek into the great Sahara. The peace, tranquillity and endless landscapes of this, the greatest desert on earth, provide a truly unique and memorable experience and we may come across Bedouin and Tuareg nomads and their camel trains as they cross the desert with their trade goods. We spend two nights in this stunning environment, camping nomad-style under the huge, silent, star-lit sky.

MOUNTAINS & KASBAHS
On the final day of our trek we are met by our rugged four-wheel drive vehicles for an exciting drive back to civilisation, past the huge sand sea at Chegaga and the immense flat, waterless plain of Lac Iriqui, sometimes a part of the Paris-Dakar rally route! From the oasis of Foum Zguid our final day takes us into the rugged scenery of the Anti-Atlas mountains. Before arriving back in Ouarzazate, we stop at Ait Benhaddou, Morocco's most famous kasbah and UNESCO World Heritage site, used in films from Lawrence of Arabia to Gladiator. A fitting end to an epic adventure!

Tour itinerary

Day 1

Join Ouarzazate.

Day 2

Drive Zagora through Draa Valley.

Day 3

Drive Amezrou and visit palmery; continue to Ouled Driss.

Day 4

Camel trek to Erg Zmila.

Day 5

Camel trek to Erg Smar.

Day 6

Finish trek; drive Foum Zguid via Erg Chegaga.

Day 7

Drive Ouarzazate via Tazenakht and Ait Ben Haddou.

Day 8

End Ouarzazate.