We start the day with a drive to the Middle Atlas. Enjoy a coffee in Ifran, also called the “Switzerland of Morocco” with its chalet-like houses. Shortly after, it’s time to feed the monkeys! They live in a cedar forest and love the sweet bananas you can buy at the roadside. From here we continue south through typical small villages and see nomadic families in their tents and with their herds of animals again and again. After lunch in Midelt, we drive over the Tizi N’ Talghoumt pass and enjoy beautiful views over the mountain road. In Aoufous, enjoy the panoramic view over the valley of the river Ziz with thousands of date palms. Now we are almost at our destination! Arrived in Merzouga at the foot of the red dunes, you relax in your riad (dinner included).

Today is dedicated to exploring the desert. In the morning, start the tour by 4×4 around Merzouga in the land of the Ait Khebach tribe. Visit the black community of Khamlia and enjoy the music and dances of the local folk music band over tea. If you wish, you can try out their instruments yourself and learn a desert beat on the drums! Afterward, we cross the desert plain far off the tarmac road and visit a Berber nomad family in their tent for lunch. See how the family lives and works amongst their goats, sheep, and working donkeys. Learn how a Berber pizza is prepared in the fire and enjoy lunch in the tent afterward. After the break, continue towards the lake of Merzouga (also called Tamezguida). This lake is formed in the winter months (Nov to May) during the rainy season in the Middle Atlas. One of the best places to see desert birds and sometimes even flamingos! Upon arrival back in Merzouga, you can leave your luggage at the lodge and now meet your camel and the camel guide. Ride high on the back of the friendly fellow species towards the sunset. Shortly before nightfall (depending on the season) you will reach the camp where you will spend the night in your private tent. Enjoy a cup of tea and look forward to the traditional dinner, served in the restaurant tent. Spot the numerous shooting stars in the clear desert sky or dance to the beat of the drums around the campfire. An unforgettable night in the middle of the large, red sand dunes of Erg Chebbi awaits you!

Today you wake up with the first rays of the sun and watch the sunrise over the Sahara before enjoying your breakfast at the camp. Then it’s back to Merzouga, either again high on camel or by 4×4 vehicle. Drive to Rissani and visit the local Berber market with its “donkey parking” and see some fossils in the rock outside the town. After lunch, we drive along the river to the gorge of Todra where you can take a short walk between the rock walls up to 300 meters high. This impressive gorge with its steep walls is a popular challenge for climbers from all over the world. Before arriving at our riad in the Dades Gorge, you will see the special rock formations of Boumalne Dades, which resemble monkey hands. Dinner and overnight in a riad in Dades.

After breakfast and a morning walk in the Dades Gorge, we continue to Ouarzazate. The drive takes us off the road over open terrain to the Boutaghrar mountains. In these mountains, some Berber nomads still live in caves. We will visit a family and have tea with them. Afterward, we enjoy the onward journey through the Valley of Roses. Here the famous Rose Festival takes place every year in May. After Skoura and countless Kasbahs, we reach Ouarzazate in the late afternoon, where you will spend the night in a riad.

After breakfast, In the desert town of Ouarzazate, also known as the “Hollywood of Morocco”, discover the old town with the Taourirt Kasbah, once built and inhabited by the Glaoui dynasty. A few kilometers outside of Ouarzazate lies Aït Ben Haddou, the fortified mud city with its ksars and kasbahs is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a frequent location for Hollywood films and series such as Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and Prince of Persia. After the tour, enjoy lunch in a restaurant in the new part of Aït Ben Haddou before we start the return journey over the Atlas Mountains towards Marrakech. Drive over the Tizi n’Tichka pass (2’260 m.a.s.l.) and enjoy the fantastic views along the way with many photo stops. Arrive at your accommodation in Marrakech in the early evening, and end of 5 days tour from Fes to Marrakech.