6-Day Tour from Marrakech to Essaouira

Itinerary: 6-Day Tour from Marrakech to Essaouira

Day 1: Marrakech – Ouarzazate – Daraa Valley – Zagora

Travel south of Morocco through the famous Tiz in Tichka Pass, approaching the desert. Mountain scenery and the Berbers of Ksour and Douar, stops for photos and to feel the breath of fresh, pure Atlassian air. Next stop is Ksar Ait Ben Haddou, an architectural gem of great significance and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue on to Ouarzazate, the ancient caravan centre. Free time for lunch at a typical restaurant with a panoramic view under the Kasbah of Ouarzazate, the cinema where great films such as Gladiator and Babel and Jesus of Nazareth were shot. We will also stop at the Casbah of Tifultuta. After Tizi n’Tinifift we cross the Draa valley from the town of Agdez. The landscape offers magnificent palm groves, Ksuras and Duars, and beautiful pice architecture. Arrival in Zagora. Overnight in a hotel with half board.

Day 2 : Zagora – Alnif – Arfoud – Merzouga

After breakfast, we will head downhill about 20 km to visit Tamegrut, a ceramics centre, and the famous Koranic school, home to over 4000 ancient religious and scientific books, some of which are written in gold on gazelle skins. We continue our journey to Arfoud, crossing the wadi Draa and the mineral expanse of the Bugafer massif, before reaching Tazzarin and Alnif. The road will take you to Merzouga, studded with palm groves, oases, kasbahs and typical mud-brick houses. One of the most beautiful roads in Morocco is the road of 1000 kasbahs. After walking 50km along the Rissani, you will reach Merzouga, weather permitting, and have tea with them. In the afternoon, a well-equipped camel ride awaits you to admire the dunes and capture the sunset. Dinner and overnight stay in a Berber tent.

Day 3: Merzouga – Rissani – Kasbah Taourirt – Ouarzazate

Before dawn, our bivouac companions wake us up to climb the sand dunes and take fantastic photos of the sunrise. We have breakfast and then set off on the road to Tinghir and Todra Gorge, we have some free time to walk through Todra Gorge, then our guide will accompany us on our journey to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery, we will cross the Boumalene Dades and also drive through the Berber villages of El Kelaa of M’Gouna Then we head to the Kala Rose Megun Valley, known for its annual Rose Festival and Oisis Skoura since (17th century). In the afternoon we arrive in Ouarzazate and before returning to the hotel we visit Kasbah Taourirt, the former residence of Pasha Glaoui, ruler of the desert. We spend the night with our guide.

Day 4: Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – Marrakech – Essaouira

After breakfast, our driver will prepare our luggage for the return journey to Marrakech. On the way we will cross the highest mountain pass in North Africa, the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass (2.26m) where we will see traditional Berber villages working and interacting along the way. After arriving in Marrakech you will have free time for lunch in Jamaa el Fana Square: the Koutoubia Mosque, one of the most impressive buildings in Marrakech and one of the most important and beautiful mosques in the western Muslim world. The minaret is 70 metres high.

The Bahia Palace, a mixture of Islamic and Moroccan architectural styles, is one of the most visited attractions in the city, as are the Andalusian gardens with their many fruit trees.

Finally, visit the Saadian tombs, the only testament to the power and sophistication of the Saadian dynasty. They were built by the greatest of the Saadian rulers at the end of the 16th century.

Day 5: Essaouira to Essaouira

A day at leisure Essaouira is the perfect coastal city to spend the day in, with a wide range of activities and experiences. Visit the port and watch the fishermen deliver their catch, or learn how boats are built using ancient techniques. Then feast on freshly caught fish or seafood at one of the stalls, visit Jutia Square, walk 3km along the beach at low tide and see the romantic Borj el-Barod fortress sinking into the sea, or the ruins of the Sultan’s palace at Diabete. Take a boat trip to the Mogador Islands, home to the rare Eleonora Falcon, or try water sports such as surfing, windsurfing, body boarding or kayaking. Or sit in a beach café and watch the world go by with a cup of coffee or mint tea and perhaps a Moroccan pastry at one of the cafes in Moulay Hassan Square.