MAROC PAYSAGES 8 DAY
KASBAHS , PALMERAIE AND DUNES
Day 1: Marrakech
Arrival, reception and transfer to the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.
Afternoon: City tour: The creation of Marrakech dates back to around 1070 and various historical monuments serve as milestones to its history to the present day. First of all, the Kutubia Mosque (or booksellers' mosque) dating from the 12th century, from the outside. Its minaret is 77 m high. It has become the emblem of the city. We will then follow the ramparts Of the Saadian Tombs, crossing the Jewish quarter of Mellah, we will arrive at the El Badi Palace, Bahia Palace...
Day 2: Marrakech / Taroudant. 328 km.
Breakfast. Departure on Taroudant via the new road of Chichaoua and Imi N'Tanout in the heart of the Anti Atlas and where we will take a short break before approaching the great plateau of Idaa Oud Bouzia in splendid colors, Argana and finally Troudant for lunch.
In the afternoon: visit the city which was the first capital of the Saadians and a very important caravan centre at the end of the 16th century. Like Marrakech, the city is surrounded by ramparts where storks nest and its souk offers a wide selection of Berber silver jewellery as well as a varied handicraft. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 3: Taroudant / Ouarzazate. 285 km.
Breakfast. Early departure on Ouarzazate by Aoulouz, in the heart of a region characterized by a habitat clustered around a collective fortress attic called "Agadir". It is the only region of Morocco where these attics are still functional because in summer the entire population of the village transhumes in the Siroua Mountains to pastures and summer crops.
Beyond Aoulouz one enters a forest of argan trees, small trees that grow only in this region and in South America (which would reinforce the thesis of the drift of continents). Goats love their fruits, which are made with local lying oil and also cosmetics... Passing through Taliouine, a small village nestled in the heart of an almond orchard we reach Tazenakht, famous for its weaving of orange-bottomed carpets, a specialty of the Ouzguita tribe. Stop for lunch and for a visit to the Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou before continuing on to Ouarzazate, a monumental village fortified in the sanda on the banks of the Oued Drâa. Natural décor used for the filming of many films including Lawrence of Arabia, the Nile diamond, the Bible...
Continue on the Kasbah de Tiffltoute for a quick visit and finally Ouarzazate.
In the late afternoon, visit the Kasbah of Taourirt. Back to the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 4: Ouarzazate / Zagora. 165 km.
Breakfast. Departure on Zagora by the Tifernine parade and the Tizi N'Tinififft (1660 m) in the Jbel Anouar, then Agdz. After Agdz, the road then runs along the river, bordered by a succession of 6 cultivated palm groves where cereals, date palms and fruit trees meet. Road dotted with Ksours (fortified Berber villages) and Kasbahs (Berber houses in sip), Drâa valley. Closer to Zagora, we will also meet the crops and dryers with henna this cosmetic plant that gives 3 harvests per year. Zagora henna is famous throughout the Arab world for its high quality. Arrival in Zagora for our typical and friendly Moroccan lunch in a friendly Kasbah setting. In the afternoon, excursion to Tamegrout (22 km). Visit the potter's quarter. (more than rustic...). Visit the Zaouia Naciria and its library. La Zaouia is a holy place, center of religious study, which now houses the tomb of its founder Abu Abdellah Mohamed Bou Naceur who lived in the 17th century. One can visit the library he created by bringing in books from all over the Arab world, including some manuscripts of the Koran on gazelle skin and illuminations dating back to the 13th century. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 5: Zagora / Erfoud. 225 km
Continental breakfast. Departure towards Erfoud (uphill in the Drâa Valley). A fine example of pre-Saharan landscapes with alternations of stony ergs and small oases. Passing through Tazzarine where we will stop lunch. Continuation on Erfoud, crossing the valleys and oasis of the Tafilalet. Arrival in the late afternoon in Rissani, cradle of the present Alawite dynasty (visit of the Mausoleum), then Erfoud. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 6: Erfoud / Tineghir / Ouarzazate. 380 km.
Departure very early in Land Rover to watch the sunrise on the dunes of Merzouga (5 by Land Rover). Return to the hotel for continental breakfast and continue on Tinghir by Goulmina then Tinejdad. Beautiful road lined with palm groves and Kasbahs. Arrival in Tinghir, a former military post built at the foot of a magnificent palm grove and dominated by a powerful Kasbah. Excursion into the Todgha Gorge with lunch in the gorges, impressive cliffs over 300 m high that border the Oued Todgha buried at the bottom of the canyon only about twenty meters wide. Continuation on Ouarzazate through the Valley of the Thousand Kasbahs which runs along the Dades. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 7: Ouarzazate / Marrakech. 205 km.
Breakfast. We will take the beautiful high atlas road. The climb to the Tizi N'Tichka pass is in stages. We leave the pre-Saharan landscapes to reach the terraced cultures of the mountain villages of Agouim de Aguelmous. Halfway through, first pass of Tizi N'Lebsis (2215 m) and the road still goes up to Tichka (2260 m). Then it is the descent to the plain of Haouz by Taddert. The road follows the top of the mountain ridge, the view of the village of Aghbalou with its agadir in pink isle, the lock of oued Zat, the village of Aït Ourir and finally Marrakech where we will arrive for lunch. Afternoon free. Dinner in a Moroccan restaurant with entertainment. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 8: Marrakech.
Transfer, assistance and departure.