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    Erg Chigaga Sahara Excursion Morocco Cultural Tour from Marrakech

    4 days
    Age 1+
    All Months
    Availability 10

    Erg Chigaga Sahara Excursion Morocco Cultural Tour

    Do you want to spend a basic tour as many other people do, or do you want to come with us to see the extraordinary hidden aspect of people and places in Morocco? In a word, through this Erg Chigaga Sahara Excursion Morocco Cultural Tour you will surly experience one of the most amazing adventure hence you will be driven via the Atlas Mountain the North Africa’s greatest mountain range, and on the other side of it you plunge south east into the 125km belt of date-palm oasis that eventually merges into the Sahara near M’hamid El-Ghizlane, worm where you’re going to drive 60km on the dunes to get to Erg Chigaga where you’ll surely choose to drift off to sleep while watching the twinkling stars in mid of an awesome stretch of golden sand sea after dinner. Wake by dawn to watch the sun starting its daily arc with a cool blue morning sky as it replaces the Sahara shadows just before becoming a glowing ball of fire. You exit Erg Chigaga head to north to Taliouine, Taroudant and Marrakech as a final stopover point.

     

    Day 1 : Marrakech – Talouat – Ait Benhadou – Ouarzazate – Agdez – Zagora 07:00

    From Marrakech we jump-off to some of Morocco’s most stunning landscapes, set against the soaring peaks of the Atlas Mountains. We drive along craggy cliff tops to tiny Berber villages in the North Africa’s highest mountain range. As long as we drive towards Ait Benhadou we drive over the Tizi n’Tichka pass (2260m/7400ft) to the splendid Glaoui Kasbah in Talouat and the lush green Ounilla Valley all the way to Ait Benhadou, the UNESCO-protected red mud-brick Ksar from the 11th century, where we offer a local lunch experience with a family. While the more scenic route takes you to « Ouallywood » movie studio and the sprawling Taourirt Kasbah. You descend into the Drâa Valley, a 125km belt of palm trees oasis that eventually merges into the Sahara near M’hamid, At Agdez, a classic caravanserai oasis with a still-pristine palmeraie, 17th century ancient mud-brick Kasbah and a secret desert prison then you get to a star attraction of the Drâa valley, Tamnougalt a 16th century fortified Ksar that perched on a hill 6km south of Agdez. Arriving to Zagora.

     

    Day 2 : Zagora – Tamegroute – M’hamid El-Ghizlane – Erg Chigaga Desert

    Today, we head to Morocco’s wildest desert via Tamegroute, an unusual place that was once the most important settlement in the Valley of Draa with its green pottery. The Zawiya Naciria is still a site of pilgrimage and refuge for the mentally-ill and a working Quranic school with a library that was once the richest in Morocco of ancient illuminated texts containing 4000 books. Leave Temegroute through a dauntingly bleak landscape of sun-scorched rubble to the end of paved road of M’hamid El-Ghizlane to begin you off-road journey to Erg Chigaga where you’ll surely choose to drift off to sleep while watching the twinkling stars in mid of an awesome stretch of golden sand sea after dinner.

     

    Day 3 : Erg Chigaga Desert – Foum Zguid – Taznakht – Taliouine

    Wake by dawn to watch the sun starting its daily arc with a cool blue morning sky as it replaces the Sahara shadows just before becoming a glowing ball of fire. You exit Erg Chigaga heading north to Taliouine via a rough-road out of the desert through the 80s km long dry lake bed of Lac Iriki that made well-known by the Paris-Dakar rally  and through the Sahel and Reg to Foum Zguid and then 85km north to Taznakht, a handy stop for a quick bite coffee, petrol and, yes, carpet. Then we head to the struggling village of Taliouine and the African Centre of l’orrouge (red gold) or saffron, the most expensive spice.

     

    Day 4 : Taliouine – Taroudant – Tizi n’Test – Marrakech

    From Taliouine to Marrakech via Taroudant that is considered to be one of the most elegant purely Berber towns of Morocco with its majestic, tawny-brown and honey-gold circuit of 7km walls. While you stroll and linger around, note the distinctive, highly beautiful blue veils that many of older local ladies put on. Later on you will be driven via the road that blasted through the high Atlas Mountain by the French in the late 1920s and famed by Tizi n’Test that offer one of the best panoramic drives in morocco. Heading north to Marrakech we will stop over for Tinmal village to visit the 1156-year mosque.

     

    Map

     

    Accommodation
    Unless a specific accommodation is requested, we reserve or recommend the best different authentic stays from the most quintessentially Moroccan accommodation available, reasonably priced, charming hotels/Riads in the Medina to the Kasbahs and Bedouin style tents in the Sahara desert with private bath, hot water, good service, value and sustainable management practices. Accommodation is based on two persons sharing a twin-bedded room. Desert Camp feature full size walk-in tents for two or more persons with Bedouin-style bedding or sleeping pads. On trekking and camping trips tents, sleeping pads or mattresses, wash basins, toilet facilities, cooking equipment, lanterns, pack animals and portering gear are provided. Participants must furnish their own clothing, soft-luggage and day pack. Sleeping bags are necessary for some trips, but are usually available for rent. MSITravels reserves the right to substitute equivalent or superior hotels/Riads.

     

    Nutrition

    Morocco Social Impact Travel exists to authentically connect you, not only to Morocco’s incredible destinations. We want you to touch and feel the good quality of our local families home-cooked meals and to taste the ras el hanout and the saffron and more other commonly used spices in our Delicious local & seasonal cuisine, such as seven vegetable Couscous, flavorful Tagines & creative soups & vegetables, plus Tanjia and Rfisa, mint tea and pistachios. Plus, enjoy a hands-on cooking class so you can impress friends & family back home. Gluten free or vegan? We’ve got you covered!

    Give Back

    While in Morocco we are pleased to support the wonderful work of Ennajah Association and Chabab Time, two nonprofit organizations. the first one based in Zagora and aims to create sustainable development in community through The Fight Against School Dropouts of girls by providing transportation and providing water for the population …
    The second one is based in Rabat but works all over Morocco and aims to motivate young people to actively participate in Public life. We may also pick a local Berber school to donate supplies & small toys, spreading joy in simple ways, and giving a bit back to the local people of the area.
    Last but not least, we want you to have the opportunity to give back, to support vulnerable families in meaningful ways. To build authentic connections and know that your visit matters. That when you leave, you’ll take carpets and Argan oil and lanterns and photographs and memories, but you’ll also leave a mark that made a difference.

    Transportation

    We, in Morocco Social Impact Travel « MSITravels », care about our clients and their comfort. Thus, we offer different kind of transportation depending on the number of customers and the tour they’ve chosen. E.g. If the tour is off-road we will offer a 4 wheels drive car for each 4 customers maximum. Otherwise we have 7 seats Minivan, Minibus for 17 travelers and Coach for more than 17 travelers.

    • Departure
      Marrakech
    • Included
      Eng, Fr, Spa-speaking professional driver/tour guide
      Shuttle from and to the airport
      Accommodation is organised at all stages of the tour
      Air-conditioned vehicle
      Visit to women's cooperatives
      Toll road fees, fuel charges and all taxes
      Transport insurance
      An opportunity to give back and meet up with locals
      Camel ride in the desert
      Option: Some home-cooked dishes with local families, are available upon request and will be at the expense of the customer.
      Daily breakfast
    • Not Included
       Flights
       Travel insurance
      Gratuities
       Entrance fees to historical monuments
       Additional services
      Drinks
       Anything not mentioned in ‘included’


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    Erg Chigaga Sahara Excursion Morocco Cultural Tour from Marrakech