Recommended Excursions into the Sahara and the Deep South 

			Reservations - All our holidays are tailor-made so please feel free to request any combination of hotels, riads or tours for your own holiday. The minimum reservation for our accommodation only service is 3 nights in total, although not necessarily at same property. Simply contact us by phone or email or complete one of our enquiry forms. Why Rediscover? - All our reservations staff have worked in Morocco (or visited extensively) and will be more than happy to offer advice and suggestions on any of our featured destinations, tours and properties. Prices - our prices are similar to or quite often cheaper than our internet competitors or booking directly and significantly cheaper than those producing expensive brochures whilst our service, knowledge and after sales care is second to none. Security - Rediscover the World is a member of the TTA (T6816), we also hold our own ATOL bond (T7172). We therefore provide full financial security and assistance should any part of your holiday not happen entirely to plan. If you were to assemble your holiday yourself you may not have this sort of protection.

" Morocco's Deep South - The Dunes of Ch'Gagga, Erg Lihoudi & Teghramt " 

3 DAYS / 2 NIGHTS - ref. ITCLFD14z

DAY 1: MARRAKECH - OUARZAZATE - ZAGORA - M’HAMID - CH’GAGGA.

Departing from your hotel in Marrakech at 06:45 at the latest, we set off to the deep south in our air-conditioned 4WD Land Cruiser over the Glaoua Plain to cross the High Atlas Mountains via the fabulous Tizi n’Tichka Pass - hold on to your hats. We continue down alongside the Oued Ouarzazate to the ex-French Foreign Legion town of Ouarzazate and on through the beautiful Valley of the Oued Drâa via the kasbah at Tamnoughalt until you arrive at around 12:30 at the small, charming kasbah-like Hotel Fibule Du Drâa in the oasis town of Zagora where you will have your midday lunch (included).

Suitably refreshed, we to then set out for a unique adventure towards the south-east deep into a sub-Saharan desert surrounding of many small dunes, interspersed with the black gravelly ‘Reg’ stretches of the Jbel Tadrart basin. Driving on down the eastern bank of the Oued Drâa we go as far as allowed to M’Hamid, once a stop for the trans-Saharan caravans of salt, gold and slaves and where the magnificent Drâa Valley finally gives itself up to the Sahara.

From here we turn westward across the blasted wilderness of stony plain between the Erg el M’hazil and the wind and sand-blasted Jbel Beni range of hills to our bivouac site set amidst the dunes of Ch’ggaga. As the air has heated up, the winds have risen to make the sand swirl about us, you’ll notice that older dunes appear darker, for the iron in the sand there has finally oxidised. This night may be spent in our tents or out in the open air if you wish, under the awesome canopy of the starlit heavens to witness the magnificent sunset, the rarefied heavens turning from bright blue to cobalt, to yellow to gold, to purple to black. The sands and stones will change their colour too, you’ll notice, in step with the lowering rays.

DAY 2: CH’GAGGA - ERG LIHOUÏDI - TAMEGROUTE - TILLOUGUI.

Having witnessed an awesome sunset the night before, now is the hour for an even more startling sunrise before our Bedouin breakfast of mint tea, bread, jams and cheeses, Off now off back east across the Hamada Du Drâa towards the dunes of Erg Lihouïdi. These dunes - now only 50 Days To Timbuktu - are the closest in this region one can get to the Sahara as one imagines it. There is also the ’real’ Sahara found in the Merzouga region to the eastern border of Morocco with Algeria - this is a little further from Marrakech but we offer adventures there too.

On now north east to the remote village of Tagounite through the oasis and nearby ancient Jewish kasbahs of Beni Sbih and Beni Hayoun to cross the dunes of Aït Isfoul. Here we rejoin the tarmac road to drive north until we arrive at an unusual tightly-knitted grouping of ksours and kasbahs; this is the ancient village of Tamegroute, a seat of learning since the XIth century, with its incredible library of XIII century illuminated Koran scrolls written on gazelle hide, some works of Pythagoras and some original maps of Alexandria together with some very early mathematics text books. We shall also visit the Museum and village before continuing our drive down near the pottery co-operative just outside of Tamegroute, where pottery being produced in the simplest of manners, in the simplest of kilns. If you have been to Fes, or have seen photographs of this Imperial City, here you’ll see the famous green glaze associated with its tiled roofs, for the founders of the XVIIth century Abou Ben Naceur ‘Naciri Brotherhood’ in Tamegroute invited craftsmen and potters to this remote area with the intent to turn it into a thriving caravan hub city.

Onwards, ever onwards to Zagora, a refreshing shower and a light lunch to leave around 4.30 astride our ships of the desert for our dromedary ‘méharée’ towards the south-west into a sub-Saharan desert of many low dunes interspersed with black gravelly ‘Reg’ reaches of the Nebche area of the El Faija Plateau to our bivouac site of carpeted Berber tents at TILLOUGUI and our dinner of vegetable tagine or chicken or couscous with tea, bread and fruit. Perhaps you’d wish to continue for a circle trip to explore the surrounding area to return in time for this evening’s meal in our nomads’ tents.

DAY 3: TILLOUGUI - ZAGORA - OUARZAZATE (FINT OASIS) - MARRAKECH.

Our final desert sunrise and breakfast before we rejoin our Land cruiser, at around 9 o’clock, to make our way back up north for some 30 miles off-road adventure in the Valley of 1000 Kasbahs and back on to the main road through the Drâa Valley, perhaps to stop at the ancient kasbah at Agdz or other en-route points of photo-opportunity. Just before reaching Ouarzazate we take a piste road to visit the magnificent Oasis of Fint.

On now to visit the remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site of the magnificently exotic Ksour of Aït Ben Haddou (guide not included and not really necessary). Here we alight from our vehicle to visit these various kasbahs, so closely-knit that they appear to be but one complete building, backed up against the looming mountain in a stretch of unforgiving hammada. The thick, high, sheer, elaborately decorated pisé walls, stepped-up housing, turreted, crenellated ramparts, balustrades and arched ‘babs’ are a sight not to be missed. Obviously, here Hollywood has shot many of its films, including, as everyone will tell you, “Lawrence of Arabia” and "Gladiator". One of the more spectacular sights in the Atlas ranges, set upon a rock above a reed-strewn assif, commanding the area for miles around, this kasbah controlled the route to Marrakech until the French blasted a road through the Tizi n’Tichka in the late 1920s. We’ll stop for a light lunch here at the Haj Tibou Restaurant before continuing north over the Adrar n’Deren range of mountains to your hotel or riad in Marrakech by 7pm from the deep south of the Kingdom of Morocco .

NB: Prices are based on the number of people in your group; each desert trip is an individual reservation.

OUR TOURS INCLUDE:

Journey by air-conditioned Land Cruiser Marrakech-Ouarzazate-Zagora-Ch’ggaga-Erg Lihouïdi-Zagora/Tillougui -Fint Oasis -Marrakech. Dromedary ride Zagora – Tillougui; trained dromedary & chamellier; lunches at the Fibule du Drâa; dinners and breakfasts in tented, carpeted accommodation, sleeping on mattresses; chemical toilet. Visit of the Library, Potteries and Museum at Tamegroute. Off-road adventure in the Valley of 1000 Kasbahs. Visit of the Fint Oasis. Unguided visit of the Ksour at Aït Ben Haddou and light lunch.

Supplement per person for live Moroccan folklore musicians: £18

OUR TOURS DO NOT INCLUDE:

Medical or accident insurance outside of the vehicles. Gratuity to guide/drover. Any expenditure of a personal nature. Bottled or gaseous water, nor anything not specifically mentioned in the itinerary.

Meals consist of vegetables, eggs and fruits and some meat (please advise if you wish all vegetarian).

IT IS RECOMMENDED YOU BRING:

Day pack (for camera, water bottle, hat, etc.); windcheater (seasonal), broad-brimmed hat (or you may purchase a ‘Chèche’ before you set out from Zagora); personal toiletries and towel; hygienic wipes; small First Aid kit; torch with batteries (non-essential); filled water bottle(s); sunscreen, sunglasses; nibbles and/or dried fruit. Drinking chocolate if preferred. Camera, batteries and plastic bags for lenses; extra toilet rolls could come in handy! For those who wear contact lenses, perhaps it would be a good idea to bring along a spare pair of glasses.

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Customer comments:

"The guide, Ali; the dromedary drover, Ali and cook, Youssef were all excellent. The whole experience was wonderful, especially the camels and bivouac camp. The food was both plentiful and great"

"We were so glad that we booked it as it turned out to be the highlight of our holiday. Ehmed, our driver, was excellent, punctual, a safe driver and helpful and informative. We arrived at our destination where our camels were waiting for us and were led on a magical, unforgettable ride through the breathtaking scenery as the sun set over the dunes. It's a great trip and we'd recommend it to anyone visiting Morocco."

"Our driver from Marrakech to the desert, Ali, was the absolute BEST. A very careful, safe driver and a kind friendly person, we would HIGHLY recommend him. When we arrived at the camp our beds were made with fresh linen and lots of warm blankets ... the staff were very friendly and we were welcomed with the usual mint tea and a lovely dinner."

"Our camel excursion was very memorable: Youssef who was our guide, was fantastic and had a great sense of humour - he may deal with tour groups every day but he certainly made us feel special."

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