TOUR Nº 1.
OUARZAZATE - MERZOUGA – OUARZAZATE

This is one of our most popular tours. It is a tour of the Sahara next to nature, with wide open spaces and far-off horizons amid the hospitality of the nomad Berbers.

Duration: 9 days and 8 nights. Arrival at Ouarzazate airport on Friday or Saturday at 23:00 hours, or the day of the week at your choice.
Return trip on Saturday or Sunday of the following week at 07:00 hours.

Accommodation: at charming typical hotels, in the Tamaris Kasbah or the “Golden Dunes” guest house in Merzouga, and a bivouac (nomad tent) in the middle of the desert.

Meals: all meals are included. You will taste our typical home-cooked meals, and enjoy a bottle of red wine for 4 persons with your meals, and 2 beers per person in the afternoons.

Vehicle and driver–guide, all included and entirely at your service.

Day 1. OUARZAZATE.
Arrival at 23:00 hours. We meet you at the airport and take you to the hotel.

Day 2. OUARZAZATE – ZAGORA. 170 km.
In the morning we visit Ouarzazate, and then we set off to the south-east along the valley of the Dráa, a river which comes down from the Atlas mountains into the desert, with short halts for photos, tea or visits. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel.

Day 3. ZAGORA –M’HARCHE. 160 km.
Visit to Zagora, a former camel-trail, and to the Koran Library if possible. We take a route out of Zagora into the desert and its spectacular scenery. We have lunch in a cosy ambience, visit a small nomad village, reach M´harche at nightfall and spend the night in nomad tents in the middle of the desert.

Day 4. M’HARCHE – MERZOUGA. 130 km.
After breakfast, we move along the dry lakes and small oasis, have lunch and admire the Erg Chebi sand dunes, which are spectacular mountains of sand some 40 km. long. In the middle of this range is the Merzouga Oasis. We spend 3 nights here, perhaps even 4 if everyone is comfortable, at either the Tamaris Kasbah or the Golden Dunes guest house.



Day 5. MERZOUGA.
Time to rest and visit the village and oasis of Merzouga, meet the local people and observe their way of life and customs, visit the town’s craft shop, and perhaps take a ride through the dunes on a dromedary, or go up to the Great Dune and enjoy the desert dusk amid incomparable scenery. For dinner any typical fare, and then the stars, but for these we can offer no explanation ….

Day 6. MERZOUGA.
On this day you can do as you please, but the town of Rissani 35 km. away is worth a visit. A short walk through its colourful market, the Great Souk of the South, and the old Kasbahs are also worth a visit or a photo. Back to base at dusk, a get-together among friends and perhaps some Berber music.

Day 7. MERZOUGA – TINERHIR. 210 km.
We move off at a steady pace towards Erfoud. First we visit a fossil site, then follow the River Rheris and its palm groves until we reach Tinerhir. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel.

Day 8. TINERHIR – OUARZAZATE. 180 km.
This is a day out in the mountains. We visit the valley of the River Todra. We then follow the River Dades and arrive at Ouarzazate in the evening. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel.

Day 9. END OF THE TOUR.
An early start for the airport, where we see you off and wish you a safe journey.