5-Day Morocco Tour from Marrakech: Atlas, Ait Ben Haddou and the Sahara

From Marrakech, this 5-day circuit crosses the High Atlas range to discover the Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, the valley and the Todra Gorges, and finally an unforgettable Christmas night among the dunes of Erg Chebbi, Merzouga. The return is via Agdz in the Draa Valley, then Telouet, a small Berber village in the High Atlas.

Day 1 Marrakech – Aït ben Haddou

Morning departure from Marrakech by minibus, crossing the hills of the High Atlas towards the Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou. A breathtaking panorama of spectacular peaks and Berber villages perched on the mountainside. We will have lunch in the village of Taddert before resuming our journey and joining the province of Ouarzazate, where Ait Ben Haddou is located.

In the afternoon, a visit to the Mellah of the Ksar overlooking the river, at the foot of the Ounila valley. In 1987, UNESCO inscribed the Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou as a World Heritage Site.

Day 2 Aït-Ben-Haddou – Merzouga via the Todra Gorges (390 km – 5 h 30 of transport without breaks) Early departure for the Todra Gorges and the lush palms of Tinerhir. An excursion in the palm grove accompanied by a local guide. We will then have lunch at the Todra Gorges, the imposing limestone cliffs carved over time by the river. In the early afternoon, towards the dunes of Merzouga, our final destination. Along the way, a small cultural stop at the Lalla Mimouna springs museum in Tinejdad. An unusual, poetic museum where visitors are invited to leaf through, along a drivable path, everything representative of local history, water in the strict sense, and Berber nomadic life.

Day 3 Merzouga and surroundings – Christmas Eve in the desert Early morning free; we take the chance to relax, walk in the small grove along the desert, or enjoy a game of bowls for the enthusiasts... We will then meet the Gnawa musicians of Khmilia, a village not far from the guesthouse. This troupe of 21 musicians and their music welcomes us with tea in their village.

Day 4 Merzouga – Agdz, Draa Valley

Departure for Agdz in the Draa Valley. We will take the road that runs alongside the arid peaks of the Anti-Atlas, through the villages of Tazzarine, Morocco's henna capital, and N'kob, a village of 45 kasbahs where we will have lunch. In the late afternoon, we will settle in and dine at a Kasbah near Agdz, and visit the Tamnougalt Ksar. Built in the 16th century, Tamnougalt is one of the oldest ksour of the Draa Valley.

Day 5 Agdz – Marrakech

We will leave the Draa Valley to reach Marrakech, which marks the end of this stay. It is through the Ounila valley, stretching along the slopes of the High Atlas, that we will reach the village of Telouet. Set in the heart of the Glaoua country on the southern slope of the High Atlas, it is dominated by the old Kasbah that once served as the residence of the chief of the powerful Glaoui tribe. We will visit this historic kasbah, then reach the highest point of the Tizi n'Tichka pass to finally arrive in Marrakech in the late afternoon.