Easter Week Route and Trip in Morocco

Marrakech, Merzouga

13 photos

Duration

5 Day

Maximum number of people

Minimum age

Type of tour

Offers

Overview:

This Holy Week Route and Trip begins in Marrakech, crossing the majestic High Atlas Mountains with scenic stops and a visit to the argan oil cooperative, continuing on to the historic Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, a World Heritage Site, and then to Ouarzazate, the great gateway to the desert. The itinerary includes the Valley of Roses and the Dades Valley, with accommodation in local hotels, allowing you to enjoy traditional architecture, mountain landscapes, and Berber culture on a journey of discovery through southern Morocco.

The following days focus on adventure in the Todra Gorges, the dunes of Merzouga, and the Ouzina desert, with activities such as camel caravans, quad biking, and cultural experiences in Berber villages, including Gnawa music, rock carvings, and meals with local families. The return route crosses the Draa Valley and the Anti-Atlas Mountains, offering pre-desert landscapes, oases, and historic cities before ending in Marrakech, completing a unique 5-day experience of nature, culture, and desert.

Included/Excluded

Transportation and Guide
Accommodation and Meals
Sightseeing Tours

Meals
Additional Expenses
Travel insurance

Tour Plan

Day 1 Marrakech – High Atlas Mountains – Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou – Dades Valley

Pick-up at 8:00 a.m. at your hotel, riad, or the square where you are staying in Marrakech. Departure for the HOLY WEEK excursion to the Merzouga desert and the High Atlas Mountains, crossing the Tizi N'Tichka pass at an altitude of about 2,260 meters, with stops to enjoy spectacular panoramic views. We will visit the ARGAN oil cooperative, where we will discover the production process and learn about the countless benefits it has for the human body. We will continue south and then turn off onto a 6 km track that will take us to the fortified village of Ait Ben Haddou where we will visit its famous Kasbah (declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO). This spectacular setting has been used as a backdrop for such renowned films as Gladiator, The Jewel of the Nile, and Sahara. We will have lunch in the village and then continue our journey to Ouarzazate, considered the great gateway to the desert, the starting point for major expeditions and home to the great Kasbah of Taourirt. We will continue to the Valley of Roses, passing through the large palm grove of Skoura, until we reach the Dades Valley, where we will spend the night.

Accommodation in a hotel with dinner and breakfast.

Day 2 Dades – Todra Valley and Gorges – Merzouga Dunes (Desert):

After breakfast, we will travel to Merzouga and climb a path to observe the gorges from a strategic spot in the mountains. We will then continue along a road dotted with beautiful kasbahs, each one completely different from the next. After several stops, we will arrive at one of the highlights of the south: the Todra Gorges, 300 m high. The Todra River has formed a gorge with vertical walls of enormous proportions and great beauty. It is a paradise for climbers and a unique place. We will have lunch on site and then continue towards the desert until we reach the impressive Merzouga Dunes, where we will have a cup of tea while we rest for a while. We will leave our bags at the hotel and set off in a caravan of dromedaries, which will take us to the Haimas camp in an hour. We will stop halfway to watch the sunset over the dunes and stretch our legs before continuing on to the camp. Before or after dinner, we will have the opportunity to climb the dunes near the camp to enjoy the peace and quiet and the stars of this famous desert. We will spend the night in a haima.

Accommodation in haimas with dinner and breakfast and a live Berber music show after dinner.

Day 3 Merzouga – Khamlia – Taouz – Dakar Rally track – Jdaid village – Lunch with a Berber family – Ouzina Desert and sunset in the Erg Ouzina dunes.

We will get up early to watch the sunrise over a dune and then have a leisurely breakfast. You can choose to return to the hotel by camel or 4×4. We will continue on our route, or you can enjoy some time at the pool or visit the dunes if the weather is good. You can also go on a quad bike or buggy excursion through the Erg Chebbi dunes. Afterwards, we will take the 4×4 and go to the village of Khamlia, home to the Gnawa, musicians of sub-Saharan origin (Black Africa), who will delight us with music and dance while we enjoy mint tea (Berber whisky). You can buy a CD of their music for €10 or give them a tip of at least €5. We will then continue to Taouz, from where we will take the old Paris Dakar Rally track to see some wonderful rock carvings, and pass through the village of Jdaid where we will eat at the home of a Berber family (Berber pizza and tea), and where we can also get henna tattoos from a specialist in this art. (a tip must be given to the henna artist). If you are interested, you can take a walk around the village of Ouzina and its oasis. In the afternoon, we will go to the hotel located in the Ouzina desert where we will spend the night.

Accommodation at Kasbah Hotel Porte de Sahara Ouzina with dinner and breakfast.

Day 4 Ouzina – Paris Dakar Rally Track – Baritina Mines – Borika Oasis – Abandoned Village of Oubahlou – Ramlia Oasis – Ouzina Desert

In the morning, after a leisurely breakfast, we will take the trail to visit the nomads who live in the Ouzina area and then we will go to the Barite mines to see the mine and how they work (barite is a mineral that is extracted there in the mine and taken to Europe, where it is used to make glass). Then we will head to the Bourika Oasis, where we will have a picnic lunch (Moroccan salad or similar and grilled chicken). After lunch, we will go to the Lost City or Oubahlou (the lost city or the Portuguese city), which are ancient Portuguese ruins. We will take a walk around there and in the afternoon we will arrive at the Ramlia Oasis, where we can have tea in a café and also take a stroll around the village and its oasis. In the evening, we will go to watch the sunset in the Erg Ouzina dunes to enjoy the tranquility and peace of this wild desert.

Accommodation at Riad Hôtel Porte De Sahara OUZINA with dinner and breakfast.

Day 5 Merzouga – Draa Valley – Anti Atlas – Ouarzazate – Marrakech

We will wake up and have breakfast at 8 a.m. Departure from the hotel to Marrakech for an Easter excursion from the Merzouga desert, passing through Rissani, one of the oldest cities in Morocco and capital of the Alaouite dynasty. There we will stop at the edge of town to take a photo of the desert gate, and crossing the arid yet interesting pre-desert landscapes until we reach the Draa Valley, where we will stop to enjoy this beautiful valley that runs alongside the river of the same name. It is the longest river in Morocco and crosses the entire country to Mauritania, with another part reaching the white beach. We will cross the Anti-Atlas (Ait Saouen) to reach Ouarzazate, where we will have lunch in a typical restaurant in the city. In the afternoon, we will cross the High Atlas until we reach Marrakech, where we will leave you at the furthest point you can reach by car and end our excursion and trip service during EASTER WEEK from Marrakech to the Merzouga Sahara Desert in Morocco.