Wonders of the South – 4-Day Tour from Marrakech

A quick overview of the tour

Experience an unforgettable immersion in Southern Morocco with this 4-day tour from Marrakech. Discover the contrasting landscapes of the High Atlas, the famous kasbahs of the South, the Dadès and Todra Gorges, the mythical Drâa Valley, and the golden dunes of Merzouga in the heart of the Moroccan Sahara.
Enjoy a magical night in a luxury bivouac at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes, a camel ride at sunset, and authentic encounters in the oases, ksour, and Berber villages of the South. This tour is an invitation to travel through culture, adventure, nature, and tradition.

Price:

From €850 / person

Day 1: Marrakech – High Atlas – Ouarzazate – Skoura – Valley of Roses – Dadès Gorges

Departure at 8:00 am from your hotel in Marrakech. You take the road south, crossing the High Atlas mountains via the Tizi-N-Tichka pass (2,260 m). The route offers spectacular landscapes: majestic mountains, earthen villages clinging to cliffs, terraced crops, green oak forests, and breathtaking views of snow-capped peaks in winter. Arrival in Ouarzazate, an iconic city known as the gateway to the desert and famous for its historic kasbahs and Atlas film studios, where films like Gladiator and Lawrence of Arabia were shot. Lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you cross the Skoura oasis, a true labyrinth of palm trees, almond trees, and irrigated crops, home to many ancient kasbahs. Visit the majestic Amridil kasbah, a jewel of Southern Morocco’s adobe architecture. Continuation through the Valley of Roses in Kelaat M’Gouna, renowned for its rose cultivation and artisanal rose water cooperative. The route then becomes the road of a thousand kasbahs, passing through desert landscapes dotted with Berber fortresses. In the late afternoon, you reach the Dadès Gorges, impressive rock formations sculpted by the river. Dinner and night in a traditional riad in the heart of the gorges.

Day 2: Dadès Gorges – Todra Gorges – Ziz Valley – Merzouga – Erg Chebbi

Breakfast, followed by a walk in the Fig Valley, among terraced crops, colorful cliffs, and small Berber villages. Head east to reach the Todra Gorges near Tinghir. These spectacular canyons with steep walls (up to 300 m high) are ideal for a refreshing walk along the wadi. Discover the Tinghir palm grove, one of the most beautiful in the South. Continuation to Erfoud and the Ziz Valley, a fertile oasis in the heart of arid landscapes, crossed by a river fed by the High Atlas mountains. You then enter the Tafilalet region, the cradle of the Alawite dynasty. Arrival in Merzouga, at the gates of the Sahara Desert, in the late afternoon. You set off for a camel ride at sunset in the Erg Chebbi dunes, among the highest in Morocco (up to 250 meters). Check-in at your luxury bivouac in the heart of the desert: a typical dinner around the fire, a Saharan atmosphere with traditional music, and a night in a comfortable tent.

Day 3: Merzouga – Rissani – Alnif – N’Kob – Drâa Valley – Ouarzazate

A magical wake-up at sunrise over the golden dunes, followed by breakfast at the camp. Free time for a walk in the silence of the desert. Head to Rissani, the former capital of the region and a major caravan trade hub. You can visit the traditional market, collective granaries, and the ruins of the Ksar Abbar. Then cross the Anti-Atlas, a wild and mineral mountain range, via the villages of Alnif and Tazarine, semi-desert areas with lunar landscapes. Lunch in N’Kob, a charming Berber village surrounded by over 40 kasbahs, with views of the palm groves. In the afternoon, descend into the splendid Drâa Valley, the longest river valley in Morocco. This valley, fed by the Dadès and Ouarzazate wadis, is a true oasis crossing hundreds of kilometers of palm trees, kasbahs, and earthen villages. It is a major center of traditional oasis agriculture. Stop at the Tizgui waterfalls, an unexpected corner of freshness, before crossing the Tizi-N-Tinfifite pass (1,660 m) to reach Ouarzazate. Dinner and night at the hotel.

Day 4: Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – Ounila Valley – Telouet – High Atlas – Marrakech

After breakfast, visit the Atlas film studios, an iconic hub of Moroccan cinema. Then head to the famous Ait Ben Haddou kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This red earth fortress is one of the most impressive examples of traditional Southern Moroccan architecture. You will wander its steep alleys to the top of the village for a breathtaking view of the Ounila River valley. Continue through the lesser-known but spectacular Ounila Valley, lined with adobe villages and colorful canyons, to Telouet, where you will visit the Glaoui kasbah, once the luxurious residence of the Pacha of Marrakech. Lunch en route, then return to Marrakech via the Tizi-N-Tichka pass, with arrival at your hotel or riad in the late afternoon.