Duration: 10-Day Morocco Private Tour

Morocco Travel: In Luxury 4x4

English, Arabic, French Speaking Driver, Guide

Starting & Finishing Point: Airport in Casablanca

Morocco's Desert High Atlas Tour is an ideal 10-day travel itinerary Book a Touror call (800) 787-8806). Let us be your guide to Morocco Travel.

Imperial Marrakech, Sahara Desert & High Atlas Region is a fascinating and adventurous tour for first time travelers to Morocco. Private Travel to Morocco. Book a Touror call (800) 787-8806. Let us be your guide to Morocco Travel. 

Visit the Grand Sahara Desert’s Erg Chebbi Dunes

3 Nights in Marrakech, the Paris of Morocco

1 Night in Ouarzazate, the Hollywood of Morocco

1 Night in the Valley of Roses, El Kellat Des Mgouna

1 Night in the Dades Valley with views of the Gorge

1 Night in a Luxury Desert Camp in the Sahara Desert

2 Nights in the Skoura Palmeraie in the Valley of 1,000 Kasbahs

Marrakech, known as the "red city or Al Hamra," is a city in southwestern Morocco in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Marrakech is the second largest city and administrative center in Morocco. The heart of Marrakesh, Djemma El Fna Square, offers an exciting experience with its souks, gardens, palaces, snake charmers, outdoor food stalls and fabulous shopping for Moroccan goods. Overnight Marrakech. 

Visit the Majorelle Gardens and the Berber Museum. Head to the Majorelle Gardens, a magical and lush small garden estate designed by Jacque Majorelle and maintained by Yves Saint Laurent. The Majorelle Garden is filled with colorful walkways, ponds, cactus and plants as well as a beautiful shop with hand-made goods. 

Next visit the lower medina to explore more of Marrakesh’s secrets: El Mansour Mosque, the sixteenth century Saadian Tombs with its stark towers. Visit the El Badi Palace, and the Jewish Mellah along with the Jewish Synagogue. Enjoy old world palaces and shop the souks. End your day at the Ben Youssef Madrasa. On our return to your hotel, we will pass by the La Mammounia Hotel Garden (where Alfred Hitchcock wrote the famous film The Birds). Overnight Marrakech. 

Dinner and Fantasia Show Option: The fantasia is a ceremony opposing various groups of horse riders. Each group quivers under light, and the riders point their long rifles to the sky, shout out simultaneously and leave behind them a cloud of dust, before spouting their “black baroud of honor." During dinner, made up chiefly of traditional Moroccan food, you will experience Moroccan traditional music such as Berber, Hadous, Chabbi, Gnaoua and other forms.

Marrakech Depature to Ouarzazate. Ouarzazate is referred to as the Door to the Sahara Desert. En route, visit Kasbah Telouet and the Berber Village sin the Region of Telouet. The Telouet Kasbah was built by the Pasha El Glaoui and has a rich history that is intertwined with the French and is located in a fertile valley surrounded by palm, fig and olive trees. Inside you can see the kasbah’s painted wooden ceiling and low level corridors leading to two well preserved Andalusian style reception rooms engraved with stuccowork and colorful zellij tile work along with ancient Jewish tilework and trade road silks. 

Next we drive to the picturesque village of Ait Benhaddou. Aït Benhaddou is situated in Souss-Massa-Draâ on a hill along the Ouarzazate River and was once a significant stop for traders carrying gold, salt and slaves along the famous Southern Caravan route moving through the Sahara. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here and Orson Welles used it as a location for Sodome and Gomorrah; and for Jesus of Nazareth the whole lower part of the village was rebuilt. In recent years more controlled restoration has been carried out under UNESCO auspices. Your guide will lead you on a private tour through this Berber village of towered and crenulated kasbahs that once guarded the lucrative caravan route through the Atlas Mountains.

Known for its spectacular sunsets and dramatic mountain and desert scenery and surrounded by breathtaking valleys, Ouarzazate was once crossing point for African traders seeking to reach northern cities in Morocco and Europe. During the French period, Ouarzazate expanded considerably as a garrison town and became the administrative center of the Zagora region. Overnight Ait Benhaddou. 

DAY 4: OUARZAZATE REGIONAL VISIT- OASIS OF FINT – ATLAS FILM STUDIOS - SKOURA

Visit the region of Ouarzazate the Oasis of Fint and the Kasbahs. Visit the Atlas Film Studios. David Lean filmed Lawrence of Arabia at The Atlas Film Studios in the early 1960’s. Since then many famous directors have followed in his footsteps to exploit the magnificent scenery. International blockbusters shot here in recent years include: the French version of Cleopatra, Bertolucci’sSheltering Sky, Scorsese’sKundun, Gillies MacKannon’s Hideous Kinky, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, Black Hawke Down, Oliver Stone’s Alexander The Great, Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven, and Penelope Cruz’s Sahara. 

Continue to Skoura. Skoura is a fertile oasis lined with immense palm groves that provide great views of the Atlas Mountains alongside deserted landscapes. It is renowned for the cultivation of roses. The palm groves were laid out in the 12^th century by the Almohad sultan Yacoub el-Mansour and named after its original inhabitants, the Berbers of the Haskourene tribe. The most beautiful kasbahs in southern Morocco can be found here. Many of them are still partially inhabited.  

We will stop to visit the most imposing of the kasbahs in this area that you will tour is 17th Century Amerhidil Kasbah. This fortified residence once belonged to the most powerful family responsible for protecting the village and its lands called the Glaoui. Today it is owned by the Sheikh of Amerhidil. Touring the kasbah is a most charming opportunity as its interior is now restored. 

The Amerhidil Kasbah is featured on a 50.00 note of Moroccan Dirhams and on an Orange Juice box branded, Marrakesh. The kasbahs of Ait Abou were built in the 1800’s and the oldest in the palm grove is six storeys and walls 25 m high. Continue to the Valley of Roses. Overnight in the region of the Valley of Roses. 

DAY 5: SKOURA - VALLEY OF ROSES  - EL KELAA DES MGOUNA

Visit the Valley of Roses, also referred to as El Kelaa Des Mgouna. Your driver will stop for you to view the Capp et Florale distillation factories laid out in El Kelaa Des Mgouna, a small Kasbah town that manufactures the entire nation’s products of eau de rose. The rose water and other products such as hand and body soaps, oil, crème perfume and dried flowers are for sale and also popular among Moroccans. 

In spring of each year, the Rose is attended by local villagers and celebrated with traditional Berber music, food and dance. The festival features an exhibition of local crafts and a street-parade with bright colorful floats made out of faux roses whereby the Ms. Roses of El Kelaa Des Mgouna is chosen.

Take the road to the Dades Valley to explore the magnificent Valley and Dades Gorge. You will pass flower filled fields, fertile fields, riverbanks and several fortified ksours. At the bottom of Gorge of Boumalne Dades there are ruined hilltop Kasbahs and valley floor gardens. Overnight in the Dades Valley. 

Dades Valley Departure. Take the road to visit the region of Tinerhir and the Todra Gorge.Visit the Todra Gorge, a breathtaking canyon that is a must see for all travelers who have a love of natural wonders. Lunch at the foot of the gorge. Overnight in the region of the Todra Gorge.  

Todra Gorge Departure. Take the road to Merzouga. Visit the town of Erfoud known for its preservation and creation of fossilized rock designs. Next continue to the Sahara Desert town of Rissani. Visit the Rissani Souk and participate in the making of Madfouna, a local Berber Pizza. Sunset Camel trek into the heart of the Erg Chebbi Dunes. Arabian Nights dinner in the Sahara Desert.  Overnight in a Luxury Desert Camp. 

Merzouga Departure. Explore the flora and fauna of the Sahara Desert. Visit the Musicians of Khemlia, a Sudanese group that has been living in the region for over a century. Then take the road to the village of Ait Ouzzine, located in N’kob, which is nestled within the Middle Atlas Mountains. Aït Ouzzine is a Berber village inhabited by over 300 families who live in beautifully painted crenulated kasbahs, with their own henna fields, water wells, livestock, and gardens. This peaceful village is tucked away along an impressive desert route connecting the Draa Valley (Tansikht) and Rissani.

Meet a local Berber family, sip tea in the Sagro Mountains, and dine on couscous. Then explore and tour the village by foot. Walk in the green fields and see how the traditional Berbers live with their gardens of herbs, livestock, and henna plants. After lunch, you can have your hands and feet painted with henna or your hair adorned with saffron by a local village artist and relax. Experience the tradition of Berber perfume made from musk and amber along with the village's own spices. End the afternoon in Ait Ouzzine with mint tea and almonds. Overnight Ouarzazate. 

Skoura Departure. Take the road back to Marrakech. Evening at Leisure. Overnight Marrakech 

DAY 10: MARRAKECH DEPARTURE TO MENARA AIRPORT.