About This Tour

Day 1: Arrival in Marrakech:

Welcome at the airport and transfer to your Riad in the Medina (Half-Board).

Day 2: Marrakech - Taroudant: (Via Tizi N'Test): (269 km)

Departure from the Riad in Marrakech at 8:30 AM.

Passing through Tizi N'Test, one of the High Atlas mountain passes (2092 meters), on the road connecting Marrakech to Taroudant, one of the most beautiful winding roads in Morocco. Built in 1924, this road allows you to cross the Atlas via the mountain pass, located at an altitude of 2,092 meters. Depending on the season, you can admire almond trees in bloom and snow-covered peaks.

Leaving Marrakech, we take the Tizi N'Test road that winds through the mountains and countryside. As we exit Marrakech, we pass fields of wheat and olive trees irrigated by the water flowing from the High Atlas mountains, which also powers the traditional mills made of mudbrick for flour production.

This road may be closed to traffic in winter due to snow. However, this route allows you to discover the diverse and beautiful landscapes of the High Atlas, with its rustic villages and agricultural areas.

Passing through the first village of TAHANAOUT (located at 995 meters above sea level), an entry point to the first mountain ranges of the Atlas.

Visit the Tinmel Mosque, built in the High Atlas region in memory of Mehdi IBN TOUMERT, founder of the Almohad dynasty (12th century). This mosque was built using Andalusian-Maghreb techniques that combine the refinement of traditional architecture with local building methods.

Arrive in Taroudant, a city located 76 kilometers from Agadir in the heart of the Souss Plain, surrounded by the Grand Atlas and Anti Atlas mountains. Taroudant was the first capital of the Saadian dynasty in the 16th century and holds an important place in Moroccan history.

The city walls of Taroudant stretch 7.5 km long, with 130 towers and 19 bastions, making it an impregnable fortress. They have five entry gates: Bab al-Kasbah, Bab Zorgan, Bab Targhount, Bab Oulad Bounouna, and Bab El Khemis.

All these gates are vaulted in the Moorish style, dominated by bastioned towers and a walkway. Taroudant is known for its leather, iron, wood, painted wood, ceramics, and Berber silver jewelry crafts. This city attracts many tourists from around the world who come to experience the gentle atmosphere of Taroudant, Berber lifestyle, and Moroccan hospitality in a temperate climate year-round.

Lunch on your own.

Transfer to the Riad or Hotel.

Visit the city of Taroudant, starting with a tour of the city walls, a visit to the typical artisan souk, which includes artisans, grocers, and various craftspeople. Visit the Assarague square, the sister of Jamaa El Fena square, with its storytellers, acrobats, and snake charmers...

A short break is a must after this walk in the city, where you can enjoy mint tea or any other drink while surrounded by the famous walls that guard this magical city.

Overnight stay in Taroudant.

Landmarks:

• Panorama of the Atlas Mountains.

• Small Berber villages.

• Traditional irrigation canals.

• Traditional agriculture in the region.

Day 3: Taroudant - Tissint (Via Igherm and Tagmout): (370 km)

We depart from Taroudant to take the national road linking Taroudant and Igherm, in a panoramic setting: As we advance, the altitude increases, offering an extraordinary landscape where desert and Atlas mountains meet.

Mint tea stop in Igherm: In the middle of almond tree mountains, with a very friendly local Amazigh population.

Continue towards Tagmout via the winding Tagmout road.

Tagmout is a rural commune in the Tata province, in the Guelmim-Oued Noun region. This tourist village, located 45 km from Tata, is known for its oases.

Tagmout is a Berber tribe originating from the Sahara, with settlement in the region dating back to the 12th century.

The Tagmout tribe is composed of 3 fractions: Ait Nicer, Ait Semnat, and Ait Assa.

The region has a pre-Saharan climate with less than 100 mm of rain per year. Tagmout has 9 water sources that feed the oasis all year round, enabling the irrigation of 400 hectares.

Agriculture: Palm trees, olive trees, and almond trees.

Cereal cultivation: Barley and wheat.

Tagmout is also famous for its Ahwach dance, a specific Berber folklore performed by a group with varying numbers, depending on the tribe. The dance follows a particular rhythm, often inspired by the local environment or history. Each tribe has its own Ahwach or Ahidous, another Berber musical style.

We leave Tagmout heading for Tissint.

Arrive in Tissint.

Visit of Tissint:

Tissint, in Berber, means "the salt," referring to the slightly salty water of its river.

The Ait Tissint tribe consists of Berber and Arab elements, the latter originating from Seguiet-Al-Hamra.

We explore the saltwater waterfalls of Tissint, where you can enjoy a refreshing bath. Under the waterfalls, a larger water pool serves as a swimming area for children in summer. From here, we also visit the old village of Tissint, where Charles de Foucauld stayed and described it as a "paradise on earth."

Walk (or mule ride for children) through gardens and palm groves, followed by a crossing of a desert plateau to approach the canyons.

Surroundings of Tissint:

• Trit Salt Flats: Hiking and discovering the old salt flats, still in use today in the hinterland. Picnic in the area and return via a different route.

• Oued des Canards and Pigeons: Walk in the dry Oued El Moussi towards the village of Tanzida, in a canyon landscape with rocky peaks. The area is home to colonies of ducks and gray herons.

• Cascades du Bani: Hiking through Tissint’s great palm grove towards Foum Zguid. The route leads to the beautiful Bani waterfalls, perfect for a picnic and a swim.

Overnight stay in Tissint.

Day 4: Tissint - Chegagat: (124 km)

We take the Foum Zguid road towards Chegagat.

Arrive at Erg Chegagat:

Erg Chegagat is one of the two large sand dunes of the Sahara in Morocco, the other being Erg Chebbi. Located about 50 km west of M'Hamid El Ghizlane, it's a massive dune field in the Souss-Massa-Drâa region.

You will have the chance to witness a magnificent sunset before spending the night under the stars or in a traditional Berber nomadic tent, with a traditional dinner.

Overnight stay in the desert bivouac under the stars.

Day 5: Chegagat - Agdez: (159 km)

We wake up early to witness a breathtaking sunrise over the dunes. It's truly worth the experience.

We then head for Agdez, along the Foum Zguid road, where we encounter impressive landscapes and geological formations, mediating between the mountainous and desert regions. Several stops are possible on demand as we cross oases lined with date palms.

Overnight stay in Agdez.

Day 6: Agdez - Ouarzazate: (73 km)

The Draa River, which originates in Ouarzazate, flows through a splendid oasis between Agdez and Mhamid. This 200 km stretch is a true palm kingdom, with the valuable date palms and fields of henna. The local communities live in ksours (villages), particularly those between Agdez and Zagora. Further along, the Tin-Zoulin oasis features a beautiful kasbah, and the desert stretches beyond the palm groves, creating a unique landscape.

Day 7: Ouarzazate - Marrakech: (194 km)

Arrival in Ouarzazate:

Ouarzazate is a city at the foot of the High Atlas mountains, known as the gateway to the Sahara desert. The enormous Taourirt Kasbah, home to a 19th-century palace, offers views of the rocky landscape that has featured in several films. To the northwest, the red-walled fortified city of Ait-ben-Haddou is a UNESCO World Heritage site, while the rocky Todra Gorges lie to the northeast. A road leads southeast, crossing lush palm groves in the Draa Valley towards the desert.

Visit the famous kasbahs of the region: the Ait Ben Haddou kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988, the Taourirt Kasbah, and a photo stop at the Tiffoultout Kasbah.

Drive towards Marrakech via the Tizi-n-Tichka road, with stops along the way for panoramic views of the High Atlas and its snow-capped peaks.

Day 8: Visit Marrakech:

Marrakech, one of Morocco's imperial cities, has played a significant role in shaping the country's history. Today, it remains the fascinating capital of the south, showcasing Morocco’s rich historical and cultural heritage.

Marrakech, with its historic monuments: The Koutoubia Minaret, the Jamaa El Fena square, the Saadian tombs, the Menara gardens, the El Badi Palace, and the Bahia Palace, offers both tangible and intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO. Visitors can discover this in the bustling streets and corners of the city, from the early morning calls of merchants to the center of attraction at Jamaa El Fena, with acrobats, snake charmers, and storytellers.

The souks, with their myriad of vibrant colors, make Marrakech one of the most attractive cities in the kingdom. Marrakech truly deserves the name "Pearl of the South."

Day 9: Transfer to the airport and farewell day.

Note: The itinerary is flexible regarding schedules, routes, and landmarks. You can customize the trip based on your preferences and desires.