Fes by the desert tour in Morocco is loud, rough, decaying, and gorgeous all at the same time. It is an incredible city, rich with culture, delicious Moroccan cuisine, spectacle, and history. Fes-el-Bali’s old medina has stayed intact for over a thousand years and is still home to around 70,000 inhabitants. Most tourists moved by this gloomy, tortuous, and unforgiving location, the world’s largest car-free metropolitan area. You must encounter the anarchy and disarray of the medina if you like it or not when you visit Fes.
From Fes, take the main N8/N13 highway south across the Middle and High Atlas mountains. This Marrakech and Atlas mountain trek is a stunning journey along largely decent roads with breathtaking views of snow-capped peaks.
Beautiful Locations In Marrakech to Sahara Desert Trek:
You will get to visit several great destinations during this Marrakech to Sahara desert vacation. Marrakech has a lot of great things to see and many more activities to do, like camel trekking and Atlas mountain hiking. From Toubkal to Sahara, Morroco is a symbol of versatile terrains where there is a snow-covered mountain at one end and hot golden dunes of Sahara on the other. Let’s uncover the beauty of spots located on the path of the Marrakech to Sahara desert tour.
Tizi n’Tichka: Tizi n’Tichka (Col du Tichka) is a large mountain crossing in central Morocco at 2.212m. Tizi n’Tichka denotes “difficult mountain pasture”. Every cloverleaf interchange and hairpin turn on this high mountain route provides breathtaking glimpses of the Atlas Mountains. Visitors to the peak are greeted with breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside.
As the route descends to Ouarzazate, travelers can marvel at the arid and immobile pre-Sahara lands and the silent peaks of the enormous Atlas Mountains. The sights and communities while traveling through Tizi n’Tichka Pass are spectacular. Visitors are pushed to embark on this trip of history, adventure, and natural awe.
Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou: Ait Benhaddou is a historically significant location that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This ksar, or fortified town, is located on what was once Morocco’s caravan route from the Saharan Desert to Marrakech.
This historic landmark is situated in the Atlas Mountains’ lowlands. Morocco has other ksars, but Ait Benhaddou is unquestionably the most popular and justifiably beautiful location to visit. Its wonderful lost-in-time feelings will make you want to remain forever! The Ait Benhaddou is also an excellent example of ancient clay Moroccan architecture.
Ouarzazate: Ouarzazate is renowned as the entrance to the Moroccan Sahara Desert. You have now left Toubkal and headed towards the Sahara Desert. Ouarzazate is also popular as a favorite filming location due to the scenes filmed in blockbuster movies The Mummy and Lawrence of Arabia.
Additionally, Ouarzazate is the final well-built city stop on a 3-day tour from Marrakech to Merzouga before entering the high cliffs and gorges of the Dades Valley. So you can stay here for a short while or buy any essential goods that are not accessible in a little town such as Boumalne Dades.
Dades Valley Boumalne: Boumalne Dades is a village in Morocco’s Tinghir Province, located at the end of a desert plateau and surrounded by the stunning gorges of Dades Valley. The Dades Valley Gorges are a sequence of deep valleys carved out by the Dades River over time. The Dades River flows from the High Atlas Mountains. These gorges are beautifully colored in browns, yellows, oranges, and purples and can range in height from 150 to 600 meters. Dades Valley is also a famous rock climbing location.
Todra Gorges: The Todra Gorges, also known as Todgha Gorges, are rocky wadis formed over time by the stream of the River Todra. These limestone river canyons are high and tight, only around 10 meters wide at times! During the dry weather, these wadis are usually dry, with only a little stream moving through them. However, once the monsoon season arrives, the river’s flow resumes full force and is a sight to behold! During the dry season, the Todra Gorges is also a great spot to go trekking in the wadis and explore the region’s unique flora and animals. Tinghir, also known as Tinerhir, is the ideal place to enjoy the area’s natural beauty.
The Berber people are the majority of the inhabitants of Tinghir. Thick, magnificent palm trees surround the majority of the area. Tinghir also has a lot of ammonia – as well as other – remnants, which is remarkable because this place was underwater throughout the Mesozoic period. TinjedadTinjedad is another town you may cross through on your Morocco holiday tour from Marrakech to Merzouga. This city is famous for its naturally present minerals and fossils, particularly red hematoid quartz. It is a tranquil little village with little tourist bustle, but its beauty is fascinating. Here you can spend a few hours for sightseeing and exploring before heading to the Merzouga desert trip from Marrakech.
Merzouga: From here, the path from Marrakech to Merzouga tour concludes well. Merzouga is the starting point for practically all Morocco desert treks, and with good reason: it is just on the border of this gorgeous, enormous desert! The Morocco Sahara tour is the absolute best part of a 3-day desert tour from Marrakech. Merzouga is a little settlement, but its location near Erg Chhebi makes it worthwhile to visit. Erg Chebbi is one of the numerous ergs that may be found in the Sahara Desert. Ergs are vast sand seas formed by wind-swept sand with tall dunes.
When you reach Merzouga, you can enjoy a Morocco camel ride from the Sahara Desert to camp for the night. The desert overnight stay consists of ridding camels over dunes into the Saharan sunsets, then traveling to the traditional Berber desert campground, eating an original Berber dinner, and ending it a night under a starry night sky – an unforgettable experience!
Other Places To Visit In Morroco Holiday Trip
Morocco desert tour either by Marrakech route or Fes has many beautiful places to visit. Though Toubkal and the Sahara desert are famous for Morocco camel trekking and mountain hiking, there is much more to see. Let’s uncover the beautiful places you may come across in the Morocco desert tour.
The Draa Valley: The Draa Valley is best known as Morocco’s date basket. Draa Valley, located near the otherwise desolate Sahara Desert and Dades Gorges, is a magnificent green oasis teeming with life. The Draa, Morocco’s longest river, creates the valley.
The River Draa is generated by the junction of the Dades and Imini rivers. Drawi is the people who live in the Draa Valley. This place is rich in vegetation, animals, and ancient customs and traditions. It’s a lovely path on our Moroccan holiday, and every curve presents a new Instagram-worthy picture!
Rissani: Rissani is a town in Morocco’s Errachiada Province comparable in size and acreage to Erg Chebbi. Rissani was also the capital of Tafialet, Morocco’s greatest oasis. It offers several traditional and architecturally significant sites worth visiting, particularly for some wonderful photography!
The mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif stands out among these. Moulay Ali Cherif was the third great-grandfather of Moulay Cherif, the Alaouite Dynasty’s founder. This historic town was also a major caravan stop in the past. It is now an important commercial town with a large souk (traditional market) that lights up, especially on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. The bazaar “souk” is most famous for its calfskin and lambskin leather. So, if you want to go sightseeing, plan your journey from Marrakech to Merzouga properly!
Nqob: Nqob often spelled Nkob or N’kob, is a settlement near the Moroccan city of Ouarzazate. Nqob is located in the Zagora Region in the Atlas Mountains, close to Jbel Sgharo, and is among the most picturesque parts of this road journey along the N9.
Several kasbahs and two oases also surround Nqob. Many of these kasbahs have been refurbished and made into hotels, which are the main drawers of this small town. Nkob is also the capital settlement of the Berber tribe Ait Atta.
This little town is rich in culture and heritage and is an excellent spot to immerse yourself in Moroccan traditions. The Saghrou Highlands surrounding Nkob also provide excellent hiking options, ranging from day walks to multi-day excursions deep in the mountains.
TamnougaltTamnougalt is another beautiful settlement in the Draa Valley. Tamnougalt, situated in the Atlas Mountains trek, is famed for its gorgeous kasbahs and a date palm oasis. Tamnougalt was the former capital of the Mezquita region. It is also where a number of the old cads used to live. The Jbel Kissane rises on the outskirts of Tamnougalt, dominating the settlement.
Final words: Morocco’s holiday is popular among tourists because of its beauty. Seeing the real Morocco on the road is simple because the region is diverse with multiple terrains. Additionally, it is rich in traditional culture, and the people are so friendly. The dunes of the Sahara Desert cover a large portion of Morocco. River valleys, gorges and canyons, and mountainous regions are among the country’s other landforms. You can visit the most beautiful areas of this country and experience true Morocco with every kilometer you go if you have enough planning and information. Just take the route that suits you well and try to cover as much as possible.
Despite the beauty of the Atlas mountain route and camel trekking in Sahara dunes, you must not forget to visit the Afgay desert, fees, and Zagora desert on your Morroco holiday tours. These places are not so famous but entirely breathtaking. Lastly, be prepared for your trip and pack as little as you can. In this tour, you will encounter rocks, mountain treks, desert sand, and city roads. The best shoes and a perfect tour guide can make your trip a perfect vacation trip that you may not forget.