Marrakech, Desert Tour & Essaouira - 7 Days

Day 1: Arrive & Explore Marrakech

Welcome to Marrakech! Nicknamed the "Red City" for its 1000-year-old red sandstone city walls and buildings, Marrakech is a major economic center. Marrakech has Berber rather than Arab roots and was once an important trading capital for tribes of the Atlas mountains. Orient yourself around Marrakech's bustling Jemaa el-Fna Square: the souks (markets) are to the north, the Koutoubia Mosque and Gardens lie to the west, and the kasbah (fort or fortification) area with the Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace, and El Badi Palace are to the south. In the Ville Nouvelle, you will find the Majorelle Gardens. 

For a unique way to tour the medina (old quarter), board a calèche (French for horse-drawn carriage). Notice the fondouks—medieval inns that provided merchants and travelers with shelter and supplies. Today some have been converted into residences or large shopping areas and workshops that you can explore. Find your way to the Koutoubia Mosque and take a respite from the heat in its gardens amid fountains and palms. Though the mosque cannot be entered by non-muslims, it's worth checking out its 12th-century foundations and minaret. 

As the evening progresses, Jemaa el-Fna comes alive with musicians and storytellers, acrobats and dancers, and even snake charmers. Wander the many rows of food stalls serving everything from full meals to fruit drinks, dried dates, and small snacks. Grab a bite, or for a more relaxed experience, look for one of the many cafés that sit above the square to enjoy a meal while you watch the show below.

Day 2: Over the High Atlas Mountains to Ouarzazate

 Leave the busy city behind and head east toward the desert, ascending the High Atlas mountains. See if you can spot Mount Toubkal, the highest peak at 13,671 feet (4,167 m). Along the way, you will pass many Berber villages made up of traditional mud-brick buildings. Lunch in Taddert and tour the local Argan Oil Cooperative to discover how the local women extract the precious oil from the argan nut for the health, food, and cosmetic industries. Follow the winding road to the Tizi n'Tichka pass and stop to appreciate the panoramic view. 

Continue east to the popular desert hub and filming location of Ouarzazate. Made popular by the growing movie industry, you will have the option to tour one of the two movie studios and envision how the nearby regions have been featured in many movies. Some popular film credits include "Gladiator," "Black Hawk Down," "Prometheus," "American Sniper," and "Game of Thrones." To learn more about the history and filmmaking process in the area, stop at the Musée du Cinema.

Day 3: Zagora & Camping in the Sahara

Today you will meet your driver and continue east to the small but grand city of Zagora. Cross up and over the Jebel Sarhro mountains through the Tizi-n-Tinififft pass. Along the way, you will pass through Agdz, a busy service center, before your route continues into the Draa River valley. The Draa River produces fertile soil and allows for intensive farming. Notice the prolific date palmeries and be sure to stop at one of the many stalls for a road trip snack. Continue to follow the Draa River valley southwards through dense palm tree clusters until you reach Zagora.

Zagora's wealth, achieved from successful date cultivation, is obvious in the wide central avenue and the quality of many of its buildings. Explore Zagora before you make your way to your accommodation outside the city. You will have the option to switch gears and ride a personal camel to trek into the desert and to your campsite, traveling between sand dunes paralleling the faces of high rocky mountains. Enjoy the sunset and your evening meal before settling around the campfire to listen to traditional drumming and singing. Retire to your Bedouin-style tent, sleeping under a blanket of stars.

Day 4: Aït Benhaddou Kasbah

Rise early to experience a desert sunrise before riding your camel to meet your transfer. Stop in nearby Tamegroute, an unassuming city on the edge of the desert with houses colored the same as the sand, that is worth exploring. Discover the Islamic Library, home to almost 50,000 volumes collected from around the world. The library was once considered to be the richest library in North Africa. For a unique lesson on pottery, visit one of the oldest family-run pottery workshops and discover why Tamegroute's pottery is the color green.

Make your way back toward Ouarzazate and travel further north to the nearby Aït Benhaddou Kasbah.  A protected UNESCO site, Aït Benhaddou is the most famous kasbah in Morocco and once held an important position along the trans-Saharan trade route between Marrakech, Ouarzazate, and the southern desert. Spend the night in the old town and wander the empty alleys after the day-crowds have left. Pay a nominal fee to enter a few of the kasbahs and climb up to the rooftop for pretty views of the surrounding ksours (individual kasbahs) and Ouarzazate Valley. 

Day 5: Return to Marrakech

Before the crowds filter into the old kasbah, explore the narrow passageways and alleys to get a real feel for this 11th-century fortified city. Leave Aït Benhaddou behind, and return to Marrakech, traveling one more time up and over the High Atlas mountains and through the Tizi n'Tichka Pass. As you descend the north-facing slopes of the High Atlas you will notice a dramatic change in climate and landscape. After all the tranquillity of the mountains and the desert, soon you will be a part of the hustle and bustle of Marrakech.

You may want to spend the rest of the afternoon at a slower pace. Walk the medina via a food tour or visit Jemaa el-Fna and grab a bite to eat at one of the many food stalls on your own. From there, take an evening stroll and walk the short distance to admire the floodlit Koutoubia Mosque, before retiring to your accommodation.

Day 6: Marrakech to Essaouira

After breakfast, make your way west to the Atlantic coast and to the charming beach town of Essaouira. The route along the way takes you over extensive rolling plains and through endemic argan forests. If you're lucky, you may see goats in the trees grazing on the argan fruit, a sight seen when grass pasture is limited or unavailable. Along the way, there is an option to stop at an Argan Oil Cooperative to see how the precious and expensive oil is extracted from the nut.

Arrive in the port city of laid-back Essaouira, a nice contrast to frenetic Marrakech, and spend the rest of the day as you choose. Walk the Skala de la Kasbah (the 18th-century seafront ramparts) along the coast. Designed by European engineers, old brass cannons line the walls and offer views over the Atlantic. Explore the UNESCO-protected medina before making your way to the windswept beach. Jimi Hendrix fans may want to take a short taxi ride to Diabat at the end of Essaouira's beach where he reportedly spent some time. You can arrange an excursion on the beach, such as a windsurfing lesson or horseback riding. Walk back to Essaouira and enjoy a meal of freshly caught seafood.

Day 7: Return to Marrakech, Depart

Known as the "Windy City" for its strong Alizée trade winds that hit its crescent beach, Essaouira is a popular kiteboarding destination. Take the morning to watch the windsurfers and kiteboarders or for the more adventurous, take a lesson, before saying goodbye and returning to Marrakech. 

Depending on your flight details you may wish to explore the kasbah area south of Jemaa el-Fna. Check out the Saadian Tombs and discover the 500-year-old craftsmanship that went into its construction. Visit the sunken gardens of the 17th-century El Badi Palace as you work your way through the Mellah (Jewish quarter) and to the 19th-century Bahia Palace. Visit the only surviving Almoravid monument, the 12th-century Almoravid Koubba, before spending some time in the Marrakech Museum, housed in the 19th-century Dar Mnebbi Palace, and enjoy modern and traditional Berber and Moroccan art.

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