Sunrise Farewells and the High Atlas Ascent
You’ll be collected early from your riad, hotel, or the airport in Marrakech—coffee in hand and road maps in the mind. The drive climbs steadily out of the ochre city, through villages where men mend terraces and goats amble past flat-roofed houses. As the urban hum fades, the road tightens into hairpins and the air cools; you’re heading for the Tizi n’Tichka pass, the highest major motorable pass in North Africa. Expect broad mountain vistas and occasional snow on the peaks in winter months.
Stop often. The pass offers dramatic panoramic shots—stone-studded ridgelines, terraces, and the startling blue of high-altitude sky. Local vendors may appear at viewpoints with woven Berber hats and handmade trinkets; polite bargaining is part of the ritual. Bring layers for the climb: mornings are crisp, but the sun can turn warm quickly at altitude.
Aït Ben Haddou: Clay Walls and Movie Memories
Aït Ben Haddou sits like an earthen crown at the edge of the plains—a ksar of reddish clay, crenellated towers, and narrow alleys. This UNESCO World Heritage site stands as an exemplar of southern Moroccan earthen architecture and has been a backdrop for films and TV shows for decades. Walk the short trail up from the parking area for views over the fortress-like village and the river below.
The texture of Aït Ben Haddou is tactile: crumbling mudbrick under your fingertips, sunlight catching on carved wood, the faint smell of cooking tagines from a nearby home. Guides often offer short hikes that reveal hidden courtyards and rooftop vantage points. Respect local homes—some families still live in the kasbah—and ask before photographing people close up.
Through Draa Valley to Zagora: Palms, Oases, and the Edge of the Sahara
After lunch—either beside the kasbah or in Ouarzazate—you’ll slip through the Anti-Atlas foothills and into the green ribbon of the Draa Valley. The Draa River carved these oases over millennia; palms cluster in dense, cool groves and small ksour (fortified villages) dot the banks. The valley is famous for its long stretches of palm plantations and the chain of oases that lead south toward Zagora.
Ouarzazate, often called the “Door of the Desert,” makes a natural stop if you’re interested in film history. If time allows, a short visit to Taourirt Kasbah or the nearby studios gives context to the cinematic landscapes you’ve been driving through. Continue south through small villages and terraced fields until the road opens, the air dries, and the dunes begin to appear on the horizon.
Camel Trekking, Sunset Ceremonies, and Night in the Camp
Arrive Zagora in the late afternoon and meet the dromedaries that will carry you into the dunes. The first sway of the camel is a ritual in itself—slow, hypnotic, and oddly soothing. As you crest a dune, the sun begins its slow, theatrical descent, painting the sand in gold and crimson. This is the moment many travelers call the highlight of the tour: sunset in the Sahara, an ever-changing canvas.
Your camel leads you to the desert camp where tents or traditional bivouacs await. Expect a Moroccan dinner of tagine and bread, communal seating, and local musicians beating rhythms on drums. Night in the Sahara is a sensory concerto: the coldness of the air after sunset, the sweet sting of mint tea, and the astonishing clarity of stars—so many that constellations and satellites wrestle for attention. Sleep in a comfortable camp, often with private bathroom facilities if you’ve booked a luxury option.
