Drâa-Tafilalet

Day Trips

Benefit from pick-up at your accommodation in Marrakech, and then journey to the ancient settlement of Ait Benhaddou via the winding roads of the Atlas Mountains. Upon arrival, discover the center of Morocco's movie industry and see where films such as "Gladiator" and "Lawrence of Arabia" were shot. Get a wonderful view of the entire valley from the top of a hill, and admire the typical clay architecture of the historic settlement. Get 2 hours to explore the village and enjoy a meal on a terrace with clear views of the Kasbah. Continue to telouete and pass from the ounilla paradis valley. Return to Marrakech and get dropped off at your accommodation on arrival.

Start your day trip with pickup from your Marrakech accommodation from 7-8 AM. Hop inside your air-conditioned car and soak up the scenery as you travel into the Atlas Mountains. Your first stop will be at a small village called Ait Ben Barka near the amazing natural areas surrounding Toufliht. Explore the area with your driver and learn about the schedule for your trip, and the sights that you will see on your trip. You'll take a little break to enjoy the beauty of this natural landscape and get excited for the next part of your journey. The second stop on your tour will be the Tizi n'Tichka pass, 7,415 feet above sea level (2,260 meters).  Your third stop will be at Atlas Film Studios at Ouarzazate. This is the largest film studio in the world, famously featured in the TV series Game of Thrones. You will have the opportunity to visit the studios to explore on your own. You'll be able to learn more bout the actors and films that have been filmed here, and take some pictures of the unique Moroccan scenery in the area. After the studio, you will go for lunch at one of the best restaurants in the area, with excellent prices and stunning panoramic views. The next and last visit after lunch will be at the famous Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, recognized as a UNESCO site and one of the most extraordinary kasbahs in Morocco. You'll end your day of scenic views and memories by relaxing in your comfortable air-conditioned vehicle on your drive back to Marrakech. You'll be dropped off at your accommodation in Marrakech between 8-8:30 PM.

Day 01: Marrakech - Art Ben Haddou - Ouarzazate - Todra Gorges Start your Marrakech adventure bright and early with a convenient pick-up from your Marrakech located hotel. After a short meet and greet with your driver you will be on your to your first location. Cross the High Atlas Mountains until you reach the Tizi N Tichka's pass (2250 meter altitude). Continue on until you reach the Kasbah of Alt Ben Haddou, here you will marvel at the unique looking desert villages. Visit the magnificent Ksar (selected as a heritage listed site by UNESCO) before continuing on to Ouarzazate. In Ouarzazate you will have the chance to stroll through Taourirt. After your sightseeing you will continue on your travel until you reach Todra Gorges, here you will settle in for a relaxing sleep overnight and enjoy dinner under the stars.  Day 02: Todra Gorges - Erfoud - Merzouga Dunes Depart in the morning for day two of your adventure. Start your day by taking a short drive to the Merzouga dunes and witness an outstanding and picturesque natural occurrence. Enjoy a drive to the Palmeraie area, dotted with thousands of Palm Trees. Visit Todra Gorges and witness the breathtaking, panoramic views of the steep gorges that sweep across the desert landscape. Once you have finished walking amongst the gorges you will pass through Tinejdad and Erfoud until you reach Rissani where you will enjoy a lunch. After lunch you will be taken to visit the tomb of King of Alaouit (belonging to the current royal family).  Next you will visit Merzouga, where an exciting camel ride over the dunes of Erg Chebbi awaits you. Whilst on the back of a camel you will be able to marvel at the Sunset as it falls behind the dunes. Pitch a tent in the evening and spend the night under the desert night sky.  Day 03: Merzouga - Rissani - Nqob - Tammougalte - Ouarzazate - Marrakech After you have enjoyed a delicious breakfast, you will depart back to Marrakech on an alternative route. On the way you will stop by new locations you have not yet seen.  Drive through the Draa valley in Nqob. Pass through a desert landscape that many of the locals consider to be mysterious. As you drive through it you will get to see the beautiful Oases that seem to survive in this harsh habitat. Before reaching your final destination in Marrakech you will stop in Ouarzazate and enjoy a delicious lunch with panoramic views. After your lunch you will be returned to your accomodation in Marrakech. 

The day begins with pickup from Marrakech and leaves the city behind as you head towards the Atlas Mountains. Stop at the famous Tichka Pass, the highest road pass in Morocco, and admire breathtaking views of the scenery. Continue the tour to the ruins of Glaoui Kasbah, which dates back to the 18th century and was once a main power point of south-east Morocco. Drive through the impressive Ounila Valley next, stopping to marvel at the old Berber villages along the way followed by a visit to Telouet Kasbah. Once you’ve worked up a bit of an appetite, enjoy lunch at a local eatery before arriving at the UNESCO listed Ait Benhaddou Kasbah. Enjoy a guided tour of the kasbah, which dates back to the 17th century, and learn about its fascinating history and architecture. At the end of an unforgettable day, sit back, relax, and soak up stunning views of the landscape on the way back to Marrakech.

Begin your full-day tour of the incredible Moroccan landscape with a drive from Marrakech through the Tizi-N-Tichka Pass. Visit a cooperative run by women in the Atlas Mountains, where the famous argan oil is produced by hand and organic delicacies and beauty products are sold.  Just before Ouarzazate, the gateway to the desert, enjoy the unique chance to visit the Aït-Ben-Haddou Kasbah. This ancient town is not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site but often a location used in Hollywood films and television series, such as Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, Prince of Persia and Game of Thrones. Enjoy a 1-hour tour with a local guide and discover what makes this little town so unique. After lunch in a local restaurant with a panoramic terrace in the newer part of Aït-Ben-Haddou, continue to Ouarzazate and enjoy the choice of visiting either the venerable Kasbah Taourirt and the Old City or the Film Museum on the other side of the street. Stop for a coffee or tea over the High Atlas and return to Marrakech.

Get picked up from your hotel in Ouarzazate in the morning. Set off on a day tour to the gorges on a road referred to as "1000 casbahs road", naturally, because of the huge number of casbahs one passes while driving on it.  Head towards Skoura palm grove and visit the Amerhidil Kasbah. Continue to Kelaa M’Gouna, the city of the Persian roses. The next stop is Tineghir, famous for its beautiful palm grove, called Todra, a word which originally referred to the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. After 7 miles through the valley, arrive at the Todra gorges, known for rock climbing. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Take the chance to walk in the palm grove and visit the jewish quarter in Tineghir before returning to Ouarzazate.

Departing early in the morning from your accommodation in Marrakech, you will drive towards Ouarzazate through the High Atlas before reaching the Tizi N'Tichka pass. Sitting 2,260 meters high, this is the highest road crossing in Morocco. It connects the Marrakech Saharan regions, of which Ouarzazate is the crossroad. You will then stop for a visit to the famous fortified city of Ait Ben Haddou. This city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its Kasbah has been the backdrop for many films including the Diamond of the Nile, Lawrence of Arabia, Sodom and Gomorre, the Jewel of the Nile, Jesus of Nazareth, the Mummy, Gladiator and Babel. After this visit of the fortified village of Ait Ben Haddou, you will continue to the city of Ouarzazate to explore another Kasbah built in the 17th century. Here you will visit the cinema studios, before stopping for lunch in a local restaurant. Following lunch, you can enjoy free time to enjoy a mint tea and enjoy the green valley and beautiful views of the High Atlas peaks. In this area, between the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert, one can find several Kasbahs, all the color of the sand and forming small Berber villages that take advantage of the abundance of water from the Atlas to its small crops and animals. At the end of the day, you will be returned to your accommodation in Marrakech.

Go through the Tizi N Tichka path, in order to get the Tamdakhte Kasbah and the one at Ait Ben Haddou. There, you will visit this UNESCO world heritage site and continue the journey to Ouarzazate and Agdez, where you will enjoy a panoramic view of the Draa Valley. Then, you will follow this valley until Tansikht, where you will be able to discover kasbahs and typical villages along the Draa Valley until Zagora. From there, you will enjoy an hour camel ride with your guide to get to the authentic Tizi desert camp. At dinner you will eat a traditional meal with Moroccan mint tea, then spend the night in your tent After seeing a beautiful sunrise over the dunes, you will be back in your 4x4 and to start the Moroccan desert discovery trip, including of course, the famous Chegaga with the biggest sand dunes in Morocco. Then, head to a village called Mhamid. After arrival you will enjoy lunch. Then you will be able to walk in the big dunes or practice sand-boarding before coming back to your 4x4 and then spending the night under the starry sky in authentic tents: erg Lihoudi. Admire the beautiful sunset across the big dunes of Lihoudi. Listen to traditional music around the fire at night. After the tour, in the early morning, you will hop back in the 4x4 to join your minibus and driver before coming back to Marrakech via the Draa valley and the Taourirte Kasbah.

Cross the High Atlas Mountains by the Tizi n'Tichka Pass, 2,260 meters above sea level. See Berber villages perched on the side of the mountains, hardly distinguishable from the mountains themselves. On the far side of the mountains the landscape becomes desert-like. Admire the kasbah architecture featuring turrets, grilled windows, and peach-colored adobe walls. Continue to the ancient kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stop in Ouarzazate, known as Morocco's Hollywood. Movies filmed there including Diamond of the Nile, Lawrence of Arabia, Kingdom of Heaven, The Mommy, Gladiator, Seven Days in Tibet, Alexander the Great, Babel, and others.

Following a morning pick-up from your Marrakech accommodation, pass through the magical Atlas Mountains and the Berber villages on your way to Ouarzazate. Cross the Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass and make a short stop for photos. Afterwards, visit the beautiful Kasbah Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where several popular movies were filmed. Following lunch at a traditional restaurant, arrive in Ouarzazate to enjoy a city tour with visits to the Cinema Museum and the Taourirt Kasbah. End the tour with a transfer back to Marrakech.