Morocco sahara Erg Chgaga (Zagora)

​Today, a scenic diversity of mountains, green valleys and desert awaits us. We start in Marrakech and first cross the High Atlas over the Tizi N-Tichka pass (2260 m). In Ouarzazate we have lunch and start our journey towards Zagora. From there we drive through the Draa Valley, along date palm plantations and henna fields, past Kasbahs to Zagora, where you will spend the night in a hotel.

After breakfast we drive, now no longer on paved road, to one of the most important ceramic production towns of the country: Tamgrout. Ceramics production is in the hands of local families and proceeds according to ancient tradition. After lunch in Lmhamdid we will dive into the desert, more precisely the Erg Chgaga dunes - on foot or on camel. The desert area is about 150 m2 and its dunes are between 80 and 100 m high. The soundscape - namely silence - is magnificent and relaxing. An unforgettable sunset with a view of the seemingly endless desert landscape puts us in the right mood for the evening. In the camp, in the middle of the dunes, we have dinner, accompanied by the sounds of drums. The Milky Way has never been so close.

Today we drive about 90 km on sand and watch the play of changing shapes and colors. Via lake "Irikyi" we follow the old road of the Paris-Dakar-Rally, The first village at the edge of the desert we soon reach and here also a tarred road begins again. We stop in the Berber village of Tazaght, famous for its Berber carpets, and then continue our way to Ouarzazate.

Ourzazate is the Hollywood of Morocco. We visit the famous Kasbah Ben Haddou, or rather a nested collection of kasbahs. Dating back to the 11th century, the kasbah has served as a filming location for famous movies and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After an extended visit, we continue on our journey. On the way to Marrakech, the scenery changes. No desert landscape, but the mountain world passes us by. Over the pass N'Tichka we reach the end point of the journey: Marrakech.