From Tangier to the desert through the Ziz valley

We meet you in the port, hotel or airport and begin our desert tour from Tangier. We will enjoy the road along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea crossing the crowded beaches during the summer like Fnideq or Martil, if it is the case we will go to Tetouan by the inland road. Tetouan, former capital of the Spanish protectorate, is also known by the nickname of "The white dove". On a guided tour you can enjoy its charming medina, declared a World Heritage Site, and from Moulay El Mehdi square walk to the royal palace.

We will travel to the blue pearl of Morocco, the magical town of Chaouen in the Rif mountains. Although it is a very tourist destination, it is a holy town that only since 1920, with the arrival of spanish people, began to allow entry to foreigners. And this is perceived from the first moment. In Chaouen you will enjoy the walk through its cozy streets painted indigo blue that for many are ranked among the 10 most beautiful streets in the world. Instagramers will be your delight. Every street, every door and every corner is a beautiful photograph. The medina is full of craft shops. You can have tea and enjoy the breeze in nice roofs and restaurants in the the Andalusian-style Ta hammam square. You can also visit the Kasbah and go up to its tower from where you can observe the beautiful landscape of the village and the mountains of the Talassemtane National Park.

In the morning there will still be time for one last ride. We will approach the laundry rooms where the women gather to wash clothes and lay it in the sun following their customs. You can also take advantage to make some purchases.

Visit the beautiful Roman ruins of Volubilis, a Unesco heritage city, is a must. This is the most impressive and well-preserved archaeological site in Morocco. There are still vestiges of houses with beautiful mosaics in the city. There also other spectacular areas such as the thermal baths of Gallien, the forum and the capitol. On the top of the hill, the basilica and the imposing Arch of Caracalla, remain as a gateway to Mediterranean fields. If you like photography you will enjoy the light on the columns and roman ruins.

It is worth to enter in Meknes, the quietest and least known of the 4 imperial cities. You can visit the mausoleum of Moulay Ismaïl. We will see the beautiful door Bab Mansour of 1732, the largest in Morocco and North Africa, which gives entrance to the medina. And we'll walk through the square in front of it, that will remind you Marrakech. If there is still time we will visit the old barns of Meknes.

We dedicate the day visiting the enigmatic and religious Fes. It is the cultural capital and the oldest city of the Imperial cities of Morocco, founded by Idris I (789) and his son Moulay Idris II (810). From the hand of a local guide, Fes city tour takes you to a tale time, while we visit Fes-el-Bali, its chaotic medieval medina, the largest in the world. In the visit, it is essential to approach their medersas (koranic schools) Attarine and Bou Inania, the fountain of Nejjarine, the mausoleum of Moulay Idriss and the Al-Karaouine Mosque, the oldest university in the world. All this walking through the souks of artisans of metal, wood, carpets, ceramics and all kinds of crafts. Raffling wagons pulled by donkeys full of merchandise. We will also have the opportunity to visit Chouara, old tanneries or skin tanners where articles of clothing and bags are made.

Our tour continues in the 7 golden doors of the Royal Palace. Beside it, we find the Jewish quarter, first Mellah ever built in Morocco, during the sixteenth century. Also after lunch, we will visit a tile and ceramic cooperative. From there, with the car we will go up to the fortress to observe the wonderful panoramic view of Fes. If it is the hour of prayer, it will accompany your visit resonating spirituality from the hundreds of mosques in the city.

On this fourth day of our desert tour from Tangier, we leave Fes in the morning and head through this agricultural region of Morocco, towards the Middle Atlas to pass through Ifrane known as Little Switzerland. We stop in the great cedar forest to see barbary macaques in the middle of nature. From this green and lush haven of peace in the vicinity of Azrou, we will cross the middle Atlas along the road that goes to the south.

Our route will continue through Midelt and through the awesome Ziz Valley, where life takes place under the extension of palm trees and among a multitude of kasbahs. We will make some stops as always to enjoy panoramic views and maybe even see some kasbah more closely.

The great green palm grove along the course of the river will accompany us a stretch on our trip to Erfoud, the desert gate. Afterwards, we can visit amazing quarries of fossils that are there. And that is, where there is sand now, once there was water. We will finally arrive at the foot of Erg Chebbi wonderful dunes. A welcome mint tea will be waiting for us and we will enjoy the sunset in the desert of Merzouga. Reach the camp with a ride with dromedaries is an option we recommend.

That first night in the desert is worth staying in a haimas camp. The original ones are tents made with dromedary hair in the traditional way of the berbers nomads. Our tents are equipped with every detail. After relaxing with a good shower, we will enjoy dinner in the tented camp near the dunes in the style of a thousand and one nights. Stars illuminate in the darkness of the desert sky, that seem to shine more than anywhere else.

Before breakfast, possibility of walk towards the dunes to admire the sunrise. With the light of dawn and as the sun rises the desert sand takes on a spectacular reddish color.

Coming back from the site camp, we will drive through some of the Paris-Dakar rally old tracks. Already with our driver, we will visit Khamlia, a small town of about three hundred inhabitants of a Sha and Berber ethnic group. Originally from black Africa, they moved to the Sahara where they began to settle together with Berber nomads. Its people, as in the whole south, are warm and friendly. And music is also an important part of their culture. We will make a stop to enjoy their hospitality and their traditional Gnawa music.

We will go to the well and orchard /oasis of the village of Hassi Labied. A haven of peace to understand a little more about the life of the inhabitants of this town in the desert.

Free afternoon to relax at the hotel, enjoy the pool, go for a walk near the dunes or quad biking to hire once in the desert.

Leaving the desert, we will pass by Rissani, the former capital of Morocco, whose market was famous for the sale of donkeys. If there is time and it is a day of market it is very worth visiting it.

We will undo the route to the north with a stop to spend the night in Midelt.

If there is time we’ll do a stop in the middle of a volcanic plateau at an approximate altitude of 2,050 m. Dotted with pumice stones of dark color as it is an area with old volcanoes turned off, we find the largest of the lakes, the "Aguelmane Sidi Ali" lake. In the lake you can get in touch with Berbers who inhabit its shores all year round.

Day trip back directly to Tangier by highway. Depending on the flight departure time, free time to visit Tangier. Transfer to the airport or port, and end of the tour from Tangier to the desert, and our services.