Desert Circuit by 4WD & Camel - Adventure Tour of the Moroccan Sahara - REDISCOVER THE WORLD - MOROCCO

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.

" FOUR LEGS, FOUR WHEELS, THREE DAYS INTO THE HAMADA DU DRAA "

3 DAYS / 2 NIGHTS - ref. ITCLFD11z

DAY 1: MARRAKECH - AIT BEN HADDOU - FIBULE DU DRÂA, ZAGORA - AMEZROU - ASRIR IGNAOUN - TELLOUGUI OASIS

Departing from your hotel in Marrakech at 06:45 at the latest, we set off south in our air-conditioned Land Cruiser 4WD over the Glaoua Plain to cross the High Atlas Mountains via the fabulous Tizi n’Tichka Pass (7412ft) - hold on to your hats. We continue down alongside the Oued Ouarzazate to visit the remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Ksour of Aït Ben Haddou, stop for a short unguided visit and then lunch overlooking the kasbah.

Tichka Pass oad Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou Fibule Du Draa Hotel - pool

Then continuing ever southwards down the surprising Valley of the Oued Drâa until you arrive at the kasbah-like Hotel Fibule Du Drâa in the oasis village of Zagora. Time for a comfort break, before setting off with your guide/chamellier around 4pm on your dromedaries for some 2½ hours towards the south-west through the oases and kasbahs at Amezrou and Sart and the Jewish Cemetery in Asrir Ignaoûn, to arrive in the established bivouac site nestled in the small dunes of the oasis of Tillougui.

Camels leaving Zagora desert near Zagora

Whilst we settle in to enjoy an awesome sunset, our traditional welcoming mint tea is taken; our dinner for the evening is prepared, to be enjoyed under the immeasurable canopy of the starlit heaven and calm, amazingly quiet solitude.

DAY 2: TELLOUGUI OASIS - TAMEGROUTE - KETTOUA OASIS - TAGOUNITE - ERG LIHOUDI - CH'GAGGA DUNES.

Breakfast tucked away after an incredible sunrise, you now venture further south with your driver to visit Tamegroute with its Koranic Library and pottery co-operative. This is the ancient village of Tamegroute, a seat of learning since the XIth century - we shall stop to visit the incredible library, with its XIII century illuminated Koran scrolls written on gazelle hide, some works of Pythagoras, some original maps of Alexandria together with some very early mathematics text books. After that we visit the pottery co-operative just outside of Tamegroute, to see pottery being produced in the simplest of manners, in the simplest of kilns. If you have ever been to Fes, or have seen photographs of this Imperial City, here in Tamegroute you’ll see the famous green glaze associated with Fes’s 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.

Tamegroute pottery Tamegroute - Koranic School Erg Lihoudi

Then we cross the Foum Takkat gorge and into the Kettoua palmeraie with its ancient Jewish Kasbahs of Nesrat, Beni Hayaoun and Beni Sbih. Continuing on to the village of Tagounite to cross the Tizi Ben Salman and arrive at the nomad encampment of Erg Lihoudi for your lunch under the welcome shade of the Bedouin tents. Early afternoon you continue with your driver ... after these further kilometres into the harsh and naked countryside we arrive at the now-famous and more impressive dunes of this western extension of the Sahara - Dayet (pool) Ch’ggaga (6° 15’ W) and our Nomad bivouac site, apparently in the middle of nowhere.

Road to M'Hamid Ch'Gagga Dunes

Whilst dinner is being prepared, we might take time out to stretch our limbs, set up our photo-shoot for the oncoming sunset as the rarefied heavens turn from bright blue to cobalt, to yellow to gold, to purple to black, (the sands and stones change their colour too, in step with the lowering rays), or take a shower or simply crash out!

DAY 3: CH’GGAGA DUNES - LAKE IRIQUI - ZAOUIATE SIDI ABDENI - FOUM ZGUID - TAZENACHT - MARRAKECH.

Early birds can witness the sunrise- then after an early breakfast you will drive to the dried bed of the Lake Iriqui, once an important meeting place for thousands of migratory birds. After passing through the village of Zaouiate Sidi Ben Abdenbi you reach the old military outpost town of Foum Zguid and then the village of Tazenahkt, renowned for the production of distinctive Berber carpets.

Dunes en route to Foum Zguid

Stop where you wish to enjoy your packed lunch. You continue through Amerzgane and then cross back over the Atlas Mountains to arrive in Marrakech in the late afternoon.

General desert scenery from south of Zagora

Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, near Ouarzazate

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


	Map of Route

OUR TOURS INCLUDE:

Experienced, licensed English-speaking driver. Air-conditioned Toyota Land Cruiser 4WD (Marrakech - Zagora/Tellougui - Ch’ggaga - Foum Zguid - Marrakech. Light lunch at Ait Ben Haddou, field picnic of Moroccan salad, kebabs* mint tea and bottled water at Erg Lihoudi, packed lunch on day 3, two dinners of Moroccan salad, chicken* or vegetable tagine, in-season fruit, mint tea and bottled water.Dromedary ride from Zagora to Tellougui Oasis, visit of the Potteries and Museum at Tamegroute. Chemical toilet in Tellougui and Ch’ggaga; portable shower in Ch’ggaga.

* Those vegetarians or vegans amongst us need to pre-advise at time of reservation.

THE TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE:

Personal medical or accident insurance outside of the vehicle. Gratuity to guide/drover. Any expenditure of a personal nature, nor anything not specifically mentioned in the itinerary.

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.

"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."