8-Day Photography Tour from Fez to Marrakech

Day 1 – Fes – Ifrane “Moroccan Switzerland” – Cedar forests and monkeys of Azrou – Middle Atlas Mountains – Midelt

In the morning, meeting with the escort guide at your accommodation in Fes at 8:00 AM.

We will begin the journey traveling through the university city of Ifrane, better known as the “Moroccan Switzerland” and one of the favorite cities of the King of Morocco, the cedar forest and monkeys of Azrou, and the landscapes of the Atlas until reaching Midelt.

Free time for a well-deserved rest.

Day 2 – Midelt – Errachidia – Ziz Valley – Erfoud – Merzouga – Camel excursion – Magical night in a Berber camp (khaimas)

After breakfast and at the time agreed with the guide, we will resume our route to head toward the desert, passing by the Errachidia lake and the extensive palm grove of the Ziz Valley, where we will make a stop to contemplate the panoramic views.

We will continue through the Ziz Valley until arriving in Erfoud, a city nestled almost at the gates of the desert and the starting point for the vast majority of excursions to the famous Erg Chebbi dunes. It is also well known for hosting the Date Festival every year during the month of October, where numerous colorful events filled with Berber tradition take place.

After a section of dirt tracks and desert landscapes, we will reach the location where we will swap our vehicle for camels—the true kings of the desert—who will lead you at their calm and rhythmic pace to our camp in the dunes. During the camel ride, you will be able to watch the sunset, making a stop to enjoy one of the magical moments of the trip.

Arrival at the camp, welcome, and traditional Berber dinner at the camp to the rhythm of drums under the moon and stars, surrounded by dunes and accompanied by a campfire.

This will undoubtedly be a magical night!

Day 3 – Merzouga – Rissani and traditional market to witness local commercial exchanges firsthand – Khamlia and traditional Gnaoua music demonstration – Galb Nass Mountain (the mountain of the heart of the people) – Afternoon of relaxation to enjoy the last sunset in the desert, take a walk in the dunes, relax by the hotel pool, or take part in optional activities (quads, buggies…)

Those who wish can wake up early to watch the sun rise from the dunes and not miss the opportunity to contemplate a sunrise that can be enjoyed here like in few other places.

After breakfast, we will return by camel to the location where our vehicle awaits us to take us to Rissani, where we will have the opportunity to witness local commercial exchanges and the livestock market firsthand.

Next, we will head to Khamlia to witness a traditional Gnaoua music demonstration by the Bambaras group of Khamlia, and immediately after, we will visit a place that very few people know about, which will soon become a strategic enclave for taking panoramic photographs of the entire desert: GALB NASS, which in our Berber language (Tamazight) literally means “the mountain of the heart of the people.”

Today we will have a free afternoon to take a relaxing walk in the dunes or enjoy the last sunset in the desert, engage in optional activities (quads…), or simply rest by the hotel pool.

Farewell dinner in the desert.

Day 4 – Merzouga – Todra Gorges – Dades Valley

We will say goodbye to the dunes and set off on our route toward Tinghir and Todra. We will make a stop to visit its gorges perched at an altitude of 1,350 meters and surrounded by a palm grove, until reaching the town of Boumalne, where the other gorges known as Dades are formed.

A beautiful journey through valleys, Berber villages, kasbahs, and a landscape of rich contrasts between palm trees and vegetation.

Tonight we will stay surrounded by mountains, kasbahs, and valleys.

Day 5 – Dades Valley – Nkob – Zagora

After breakfast, we will travel through the Oasis of Nkob, situated on the southern slopes of the Jebel Saghro mountains, featuring more than forty kasbahs built at the beginning of the 20th century by the Ait Atta families, though several of them have been renovated into hotels.

Arrival in Zagora, an ancient Almoravid fortress that used to control Saharan trade and served as the departure point for old caravans.

Day 6 – Zagora – Agdz – Mini Atlas – Ouarzazate

After breakfast, we will set off toward Ouarzazate passing through Agdz, a town dominated by the tajine-shaped mountain, Jebel Kissane, at an altitude of 1,535 meters.

This agricultural town was of great importance in the past as a resting spot for old caravans crossing the Atlas toward the south, and it offers beautiful surrounding landscapes.

Arrival in Ouarzazate for a well-deserved rest.

Day 7 – Ouarzazate – Fint Oasis – Ait Ben Haddou

In the morning, optional visits to the Universal Film Studios and the Taourirt Kasbah.

Next, we will visit the Fint Oasis, which in our Berber language means “hidden.”

If the city of Ouarzazate is considered the “Gateway to the Desert,” then the Fint Oasis, located 10 kilometers to the south, could well be considered the garden of the desert.

Finally, we will arrive at the ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, the most emblematic fortified village made of adobe kasbahs in Morocco.

It presides over the Ounila River valley and is one of the many magical places in Morocco. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, this complex of kasbahs is one of the best-preserved, oldest, and most splendid ksurs in the country.

The best views can be enjoyed from the top of the hill, with the palm grove, the High Atlas, and the desert at our feet. To get there, you have to climb a staircase nestled between the narrow alleys of the ksar; the sunset from this point is a true delight.

Cinema lovers surely know that this fortress has been immortalized in a multitude of films, making it one of the most cinematic locations in Morocco.

Scenes from a long list of movies have been filmed here since the 1960s, including: Lawrence of Arabia, Jesus of Nazareth, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Mummy, Gladiator, Alexander, and more recently, the series Game of Thrones.

As a curious note, one of the monumental gates of the ksar is not original, as it was built out of concrete so that Michael Douglas could crash his light aircraft into it in The Jewel of the Nile.

Day 8 – Ait Ben Haddou – Telouet Kasbah – High Atlas – Tichka Pass (2260m) – Marrakech

After breakfast, departure from Ait Ben Haddou to head into the High Atlas Mountains where the Andalusian-style Telouet Kasbah is located at an altitude of 1,650 meters, and where we will find what is possibly the most photographed window in all of Morocco.

We will cross the High Atlas Mountains with their beautiful landscapes through the Tichka Pass, situated at 2,260m, and arrive in Marrakech for a well-deserved rest or to start enjoying the magical atmosphere of this city.

Transfer to your accommodation.

END OF OUR SERVICES.

We wish you a happy return home, and see you again soon in Morocco, Inshallah