Tour Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival Marrakesh

Welcome to the Kingdom of Morocco, land of spice, black soap and mint tea.  Upon arrival in Marrakesh, you will be met at the airport by your specialist guide and transferred to your hand-picked Riad accommodation. Depending upon your arrival time in Morocco, today is at your leisure or we would be delighted to arrange an additional privately guided tour upon request.  This evening you will enjoy a welcome Moroccan dinner at your Riad.

Day 2 Marrakesh - Dades Gorge

Today, your journey takes you away from the bustling city of Marrakesh.  You will experience the zigzagging switchbacks of the Tiz-n-Tichka pass peaking at an impressive 2260m high as you cross the High Atlas Mountains on your journey to Ouarzazate.  Before you arrive, you will pay a visit to the ancient village of Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 and film location to many a Hollywood movie, including the Box Office blockbuster Gladiator.  Here you will take a gentle walk around the village before stopping for lunch.  From there your journey takes you through the Draa Valley, a lush palm oasis, home to countless Berber villages and abandoned ancient Kasbahs and onwards to your overnight accommodation, with dinner, at a beautiful Riad in the Dades Valley.

Day 3 Dades Gorge - Merzouga

This morning you will continue your journey towards the Sahara stopping for lunch en route.  Upon arrival at the quiet oasis town of Erfoud, famous for its fossils and annual Date Festival, the sand dunes of the Sahara begin to take shape and grow in stature reaching an impressive 150 metres at Merzouga’s dune area known as Erg Chebbi.

Upon arrival in the desert town of Merzouga, the Touareg people will ready your camel for a memorable ride into the desert just as the sun is setting over the Sahara.  A warm welcome awaits at your overnight desert camp accommodation with roaring fire, the obligatory glass of Moroccan mint tea and piping hot shower in your luxury tent.  You will be treated to a sumptuous five course dinner, music and an evening of stargazing.  It’s a truly magical experience.

Day 4 Merzouga - Marrakesh

Today you will wake early to witness a magical sunrise over the Sahara. After a hot shower and lavish breakfast you will head back to Marrakesh and your beautiful Riad accommodation in the medina.  With the labyrinthine souks right on your doorstep you’ll have no excuse not to buy some souvenirs to take back home.  This evening you will enjoy a farewell dinner on the famous Jemaa El-Fna square.

Day 5 Depart Marrakesh

Today we say Bislema (‘goodbye’ in Arabic) and a bon voyage, and hope very much that you have enjoyed your time in the Kingdom of Morocco as much as we have enjoyed guiding you.  But before you leave, you will enjoy one last Moroccan breakfast at your Riad.  Your private taxi will be on hand to transfer you to Marrakech Menara Airport in accordance with your flight departure time.

Accommodation

For this Sahara Desert Express we have hand-selected 3-4* accommodation throughout chosen for location, styling, comfort, and exemplary service. 

Marrakesh itself is home to over 1000 riads, guest houses and hotels.  Here is just a taste of what you can expect on your tour.

All our tours are fully customisable and offer the freedom and flexibility to design an itinerary and accommodation that is perfect for you. 

Please contact us should you wish to upgrade your accommodation for this tour. 

Marrakesh

In Marrakesh we have chosen Riad Bindoo.  An exceptional, well-styled riad located in the Medina, it has comfortable lounges, a rooftop terrace with sunbeds and views over the Medina.  The rooms are spacious and harmoniously arranged.  A truly stunning riad.

Also in Marrakesh is specially selected Riad Le Jardin d’Abdou. A boutique 9 suite riad with views to the Palmeraie, it offers comfort and serenity.  It has a Hammam and beauty treatment room providing a calm oasis.

Dades Valley

Situated in the Dades Valley and en route to Merzouga, the Ksar Sultan Dades is a boutique hotel with just 9 guestrooms and an outdoor pool.

MERZOUGA

Welcome to the Sahara Desert and the village of Merzouga.  For one night you will camp under the stars amongst the dramatic sand dunes of Erg Chebbi staying in comfortable tents at Borj Merzouga Luxury Desert Camp where you will be treated to a roaring fire, music, a five course meal, hot showers and wonderful beds.

Secure your booking with a low deposit

Our booking process is simple.  Just fill in the form below and we will get straight back in touch.  Feel free to use our price calculator to estimate the final cost of your chosen tour.   Please be assured, our tour prices are not subject to seasonal price fluctuations. The price you see is the price you pay.  Our tours are not inclusive of flights and these will need to be booked and paid for separately.  When filling out the booking form please give an indication of your preferred dates of travel.  Once we have confirmed availability for your chosen tour and its start date, we will hold your booking for a period of 5 working days to allow you time to arrange your flights.    When you have notified us of your flight details, your booking will be confirmed and only then will your deposit become payable. Payment can be made via bank transfer or by use of credit and debit card.  The final balancing payment for the tour will be payable on arrival in Morocco.  We are able to modify your tour in accordance with your time of arrival and departure. Please let us know your exact requirements.  We can customise Morocco!

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance is essential when visiting Morocco. As Morocco is outside of the EU there are no reciprocal healthcare agreements and you will not be covered by an EHIC if you have one. A travel insurance policy that covers emergency medical assistance and repatriation, and also covering all activities you are planning to participate in is a mandatory requirement for all our tours and we reserve the right to ask for proof of such.

It is wise to buy your Travel Insurance at the same time as booking your flights and tour as you will be covered from the outset.

Top Tip

Through experience we have found travellers with pre-existing medical conditions may find cheaper comprehensive travel insurance through specialist insurers such as staysure.co.uk, insurancewith.com and bootstravelinsurance.com.

For further travel and safety advice we would suggest reviewing the following websites:  www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk and www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/morocco

Customised Morocco does not sell Travel Insurance and has no affiliation with any of the insurance companies referred to above.

Financial Protection for You

The final balancing payment for your tour is due only upon arrival in Morocco.   Deposits can be made via bank transfer.

We understand that sometimes your plans may change. Should you need to cancel your trip, your deposit, whilst non-refundable, can be credited to the cost of an alternative trip, less any costs incurred, i.e. hotel reservations, etc, if taken within six months of your original booking.

We are committed to being completely honest and transparent with our customers and places integrity at the forefront of everything we do.  Please see our Terms and Conditions for full details.