Morocco Active & Special Interest holidays
- Walking in High Atlas Mountains
- Day Walks
- Meet the Berbers
- Morocco - A Golfer’s Paradise
- High Atlas Hot Air Ballooning
- Bird Watching
- Spa Retreats with Special Packages
- Marrakech Cooking Classes
- Desert Adventures
- A Desert Encounter
Walking in High Atlas Mountains
The exhilarating scenery of the Atlas Mountains combined with the opportunity to experience the genuine hospitality and warm smiles of the Berber people makes trekking in Morocco a unique experience. So we suggest you pack some sturdy shoes and a few basic essentials to explore these spectacular and diverse landscapes.
It is generally possible to walk throughout most of the year in the Atlas Mountains but we must warn you that between November and May temperatures can drop below freezing above 2000m, when snow covers the peaks and passes.
In contrast, whilst midsummer guarantees longer daylight hours and snow-free passes, the temperature in the lower valleys can be extremely hot. In our opinion springtime (April to late June) is the ideal time to visit, as the alpine flowers are in bloom and daytime temperatures are in the low to mid 20C, as well as the colourful autumn months of September and October. It is normally 5°C cooler in the mountains than in Marrakech.
We can arrange a large selection of private walks, from one to seven days’ duration or more, with departures from Marrakech, Imlil (an hour’s drive from Marrakech in the Atlas Mountains), Fès or Ouarzazate.
However, for simplicity, we have chosen a small selection of easier Grade 1 treks, which will suit anyone who is fit and leads a reasonably active life. The treks are mostly along paths in the foothills of the mountains but also sometimes involve walks in rocky areas.
It is recommended that you take good sturdy trainers or walking boots, ramble pole (optional), hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, swimming costume (seasonal) snacks, camera, binoculars, hygienic wipes and a bottle of water.
Walking at High Altitude
The walks chosen above are all categorised as Grade 1 (from easy to moderate difficulty) and are suitable for anyone with a reasonable degree of fitness. However, if you intend to visit any area where the altitude exceeds 3000m (for example a trek to the summit of Mount Toubkal), then please consult your doctor for his advice regarding your health. Anyone suffering from high blood pressure, anaemia or respiratory problems should always seek medical advice before attempting such a trek.
Departures from Marrakech, Fès and Ouarzazate
These private walks and rambles range from 3 to 7 hours’ duration and prices are based two persons travelling together.
Departures from Marrakech
High Atlas Valleys and the Tin Mal Mosque - 3 hours ramble, £85 per person
An enjoyable 3 hour ramble through the High Atlas Mountains past authentic Berber villages, visiting the Almohad settlement of Tin Mal, with its 12th century fortress and mosque, open to non-Muslims (daily except Friday).
The Ouirika Valley and Setti Fadma Cascades - 4 hours ramble, £85 per person
Drive out past lush vegetation, terraced fields and Berber villages to the beautiful Ouirika Valley set amidst the Atlas peaks. Start your hike, walking along the winding hillside with the breathtaking scenery of the High Atlas before you. A stop for tea at a Berber home and a picnic lunch are some of the highlights. Continue to the riverside hamlet of Setti Fadma, where a gentle afternoon walk will take you through ancient walnut groves up to the beautiful waterfall before returning to Marrakech.
Departures from Fès
Troglodyte Village, Soft Countryside and Berber Surrounds - 3 hours walk, £120 per person
Drive out to the Middle Atlas Mountains and the unique troglodyte dwellings at Bhalil for a glass of mint tea with local Berbers. Continue on a 4km walk through glorious countryside for a picnic, before visiting unspoilt Sefrou, famous for its cherry festival (in June) with its bustling souk and picturesque Medina.
The Middle Atlas Cedar Forest Ecosystem - 5 hours hiking, £120 per person
Drive out to the foothills of the beautiful Middle Atlas Mountains, stopping en route to visit some inhabited troglodyte homes and an old Berber souk. Continue past forests of cedar trees, to the mysteriously mushroom-shaped rock formations of the Tisfoula valley (1700m), where you start your walk through the Royal park of Kissarite, with its ancient cedar, pine and juniper trees. After a picnic lunch, continue down the waters of the Oued Ifrane (where you may have the opportunity of coming across some of the local barbary apes), before driving back to Fes.
Departures from Ouarzazate
Ksar Aït Ben Haddou - 5 hours hiking, £100 per person
A visit and walk around Aït Ben Haddou, one of the most spectacular sights in the Atlas, with its impressive kasbahs and palm grove, where ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ was filmed. Followed by a 3 hour hike through everchanging countryside to Glaoui Kasbah at Tamdagt.
Beau Geste Country - 7 hours hiking, £120 per person
Drive out to the Draa Valley past magnificent mountain scenery to the lush palm grove at Ait Saouin for the start of your 4-hour hike to Ouirika. After a picnic lunch by the waterfall, continue on for the next 3 hours through dunes, palm groves and Berber hamlets towards the ochre-pisè village of Agdz, set against the Djebel Sarhro Mountain range, where you re-join the vehicle to return to Ouarzazate.
Prices are based on two persons** travelling together and include:
- Private transfers from Marrakech, Fès or Ouarzazate hotel to starting point of walk
- An experienced, licensed and French/Arabic speaking guide
- A simple picnic lunch of Moroccan salad, cheese, tinned tuna fish, mint tea, bread and fruit. Please preadvise if vegetarian and/or vegan food is required. ** Reduced prices for 3 or more persons travelling together available on request
Not Included:
- Medical or accident insurance
- Gratuities
- Expenditure of a personal nature
A two-centre break in Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains from £695 per person
Stay 5 nights in a Marrakech riad of your choice and 2 nights in a Berber village, with 2 days walking in the heart of the Atlas Mountains.
This exciting itinerary is aimed at anyone who is fit and wants to contrast the lively atmosphere of Marrakech, with a simpler Berber life-style, staying amidst the glorious countryside of the High Atlas Mountains. You will also have the opportunity to meet and visit the homes of local Berber people.
We suggest that you spend your first 2 nights at your selected riad in Marrakech, to accustom yourself with the city and its sights, followed by 2 nights at Kasbah Samra, a simple yet authentic Berber mountain retreat.
Please note that there is no electricity, only candlelight in the standard rooms but there is hot and cold running water (but as in any mountain location, there water or energy shortages may arise at any time).
Kasbah Samra near Imlil
Kasbah Samra is a simple and rustic Berber mountain retreat, set in the Atlas Mountains above the village of Imlil. It is approached by mule along a mountain track and makes an excellent base for walkers and nature lovers alike. Visit our website for photographs and more details.
Accommodation details and facilities
- 5 double bedrooms all with open-plan shower room, separate wc, washbasin and fireplace
- Salon/dining room, roof-top terrace and hammam, half-board included
- Approximate driving distance from Marrakech - 1hr
- Mule trek from Imlil to Kasbah Samra - 30min
Prices are based on two persons travelling together and include:
- Flights from Gatwick to Marrakech (flights available from other aiports)
- Return transfers from the airport to Marrakech riad
- 5 nights B&B at Riad Magellan (or similar)
- 2 nights HB at Kasbah Samra (description above)
- Return transfers between Marrakech and Imlil
- One afternoon 4 hour easy ramble into the valleys and Berber villages of the Atlas Mountains
- A day walk (7 hours) into the Berber villages of the Jbel Toubkal Mountains.Return to top
Morocco’s reputation as a premier golf destination has grown significantly over the last ten years, championed by the enthusiasm of the former King Mohammed Vl, a keen golfer himself. Apart from some well designed and beautifully located courses, golfers to Morocco are rewarded by year round sunshine, fewer crowds and cheaper tee-off times than on most other nearby European courses. Green fees range from £15 - £30 per person; club-hire from £10 - £20.
Marrakech boasts three excellent 18-hole courses, all in beautiful settings and less than 20 minutes drive from the centre. Agadir has three, all situated about 15 minutes from the town in the southern dunes, including the new Golf de Soleil, which boasts three nine-hole courses to suit all levels. The superb Dar Es-Salam Golf Championship 45-hole course, situated just outside Rabat, is set in a huge cork forest and comprises of three magnificent courses designed by Robert Trent Jones.
Although we do not claim to be ‘golf specialists’, we can offer you an efficient and reliable service, using the assistance and expertise of our overseas agent. Whether you wish to book a golfing break to Morocco, or just want to play a few rounds of golf whilst away on holiday, we can book your tee-off times in advance, sometimes at preferential rates.
Marrakech Golf Courses
Palmeraie Golf Club – 5 Ball course situated on hotel grounds 18 holes 6214m Par 72
Handicap: Men 28; Ladies 35
Architect: Robert Trent Jones Sr. Inaugurated in 1993. 15 minutes north of Marrakech in a valley and an immense lush oasis
Type: American-style course running through palm-lined fairways with the High Atlas Mountains as a backdrop; Bermuda grass; 7 lakes – water in play; sand hazards: practice range, putting green, club rental.
Tee times: 7 days’ notice, earliest call 0800
Amelkis Club – 5 Ball course 18 holes 6657m Par 72
Handicap: none required.
Architect: Cabell B. Robinson. Inaugurated in 1995. Next to Marrakech Royal Golf Club
Type: tough American-style fairly open course with wide, undulating fairways running through ‘khettaras’ (10thC irrigation channels), fig, eucalyptus trees and date palm, with the impressive High Atlas Mountains as a backdrop.
Tee times: 0800 to 1900
Royal Golf de Marrakech – 5 Ball 18holes 6200m Par 72
Handicap: Men 28; Ladies 36 (but not enforced) No Handicap Certificate required
Architects: Arnaud Massy, Gustave Gollias & Bouchaïb Stitou commissioned by the then Pasha of Marrakech and opened in 1923. The longest-established course in Morocco, constantly maintained, renovated and improved; a favourite of the past King Hassan II. Putting green, pitching green.
Type: style with narrow, undulating fairways bordered by ficus, cypress, eucalyptus, olive, cork-oak, date palm, banana, orange and apricot trees; papyrus and hibiscus. Club house
Tee times: reservations from October until January must be made with a minimum 7 days notice.
Agadir Golf Courses
Club du Soleil – 4 Ball - Run by Club Med – 3 courses of 9 holes
Handicap: Men 36; Ladies 36 Handicap certificate required. Players above maximum and under 54 Green card may play only for 9 holes after 3pm.
Architect: Fernando Muella. Inaugurated in 1999.
Blue Course: 2928m Par 36 - more strategic play and greater accuracy required.
Red Course: 2951m Par 36 – an easier course, leading to a popular combination with the Yellow course.
Yellow Course: 3025m Par 36 - the toughest course
Type: American-style. Tifway grass. Driving range. 3 lakes as water hazards on 6 holes, gentle fairways lined with eucalyptus and date palm trees, tamaris, geranium, mimosa and cactus; treacherous greens.
Tee times: must be reserved. 0800 until 1900
Dunes Golf Club 4 Ball – run by Club Med 3 courses of 9 holes each
Handicap: 32 No Certificate insisted upon.
Architect: Cabell B. Robinson, inaugurated in 1991.
Eucalyptus (Blue) Course: 9h 3174m Par 36. - warmup course for some with a difficult 8th hole
Oued (Yellow) Course: 9h 3050m Par 36 for the more able (par 5 3rd hole 469m with water hazard.)
Tamaris (Red) Course: 9h 3204m Par 36 for those on top of their game. 2 lakes as water hazards. 9th hole uphill Par 5.
Type: American-style Bermuda and Pencross grass. Fairways run through 4 small lakes, eucalyptus, cork-oak and date palm trees. Exotic rough includes agave cactus, mimosa and geranium.
Tee Times: 0800 to 1800. Must be reserved October until January.
Rabat Championship Course
Royal Golf Dar Es-Salaam – 5 Ball 3 courses of total 45 holes 18 holes
Designer Robert Trent Jones Sr
Morocco’s most prestigious course and site of the King Hassan ll Annual Trophy. Located 11km south of Rabat, this course of international repute, is a golfer’s paradise and a botanist’s dream, with fairways set amongst lakes and forest of cypress, date, eucalyptus and cork-oak trees.
Red Course: 18h 6702m Par 73 ‘A veritable fortress’ with trees, sand and water hazards.
Handicap: Red Course. Men 22 Ladies 24. Handicap Certificate or European Green Card required only for Red Course. Caddies: obligatory on Red course, even if buggy is hired.
Blue course: 18h 6205m Par 72 Difficult course with open fairways, water in play.
Handicap: Blue Course Men 28; Ladies 30.
Green course: 9h 2170m Par 32 Relaxed golf with only 3 and 4 par holes. No handicap restrictions – ochre sand bunkers and eucalyptus trees, date and banana palms.
Type: American-style Penross and Bermuda grass. Club house Pro Shop. Club Pro: several
Tee times: 0700 until 1800 2 weeks pre-reservations required from December to March
This exhilarating flight in a hot air balloon is a unique experience not to be missed and makes a perfect choice to celebrate a special occasion or anniversary. Departures are from Marrakech and the itinerary is as follows:
- Early morning transfer from your hotel by 4 x 4 to Marrakech’s launch site in the Palmeraie
- Take off in your air balloon over oases, Berber villages and their terraced fields, with views for miles and miles of the distant Western High Atlas Mountains
- After landing, transfer back to Marrakech by 4 x 4 via some of the Berber villages you have flown over, where you stop and meet the local Berber people in their homes, over a glass of mint tea and some Moroccan pastries.
| Prices per person are from: | |
| Shared Flight (from 2 to 7 persons) | £200 each |
| Shared Flight with Champagne | £250 each |
| Exclusive Flight with Champagne (2 persons) | £450 each |
Morocco’s unique geographical location, on the northernmost tip of Africa, yet only 13 kms from Europe, coupled with its warm weather conditions and vast wetlands, means that it is the natural haven for migrating birds. Around 460 species have been recorded, en route from sub-Saharan Africa to the breeding grounds in the Northern Hemisphere, to avoid the harsh winters. Early winter months are particularly active, but the most pleasant time of year to go birdwatching is from March to May, when the weather is pleasant and the widest variety of species is present.
- Souss Massa National Park – the bald ibis is an endangered species and is being protected at the National Park, where the population of 300 has remained relatively stable over recent years.
- Taroudannt – in this area you can come across white storks, kite, alpine swifts, red-necked nightjars and fan-tailed warblers.
- Boumalne du Dades – the hammada and grassy plains south of Boumalne offer some rewarding opportunities for bird watching. Take the piste road, south towards the village of Tagdilt and Vallee des Oiseaux (Valley of the birds) to look for larks, wheatears, sandgrouse, buzzard and eagle owls.
- Merzouga Desert – this is considered to be the best area for birdwatchers in Morocco for spotting many desert species, including desert sparrows, Egyptian night-jars, desert warblers, fulvous babblers and bluecheeked bee-eaters. Sometimes in Spring, pink flamingos flock to the shallow lakes that appear after rainfall.
- Essaouira – the uninhabited Iles Purpuraires off th cost of Essaouira are a sanctuary for Eleanora’s falcons, which breed between April and October, before making their return journey to South Madagascar.
- Lake Afenourrir – (Azrou, near Fés) attracts migratory birds such as grey herons, flamingos, as well as many kinds of ducks, including the ruddy shelduck.
Spa Retreats with Special Packages
Many of our featured hotels and riads have their own small spa centres and offer a range of relaxing treatments – including traditional Moroccan hammams, relaxing milk baths with rose petals, facials and toning mineral wraps. Many of the products used are handmade and derived from local plants and minerals. The following properties offer special inclusive packages, which can be pre-booked in advance, or booked during your stay. Please contact one of our specialists for further details or to make a booking.
Marrakech
Les Bains de Marrakech at Riad Mehdi
This wonderful sanctuary is located beside Riad Mehdi, but can be used by guests staying elsewhere (by appointment only). The spa offers individual treatments (massage with essential oils, facials, henna tattoos), as well as a range of reasonably priced inclusive packages, which you can pre-book in advance including:
- Day Spa - hammam, traditional exfoliating body scrub, massage with argan oil and Oriental bath. Duration: 3 hours and costs from £36 per person.
- Luxury Oriental Spa – a gentle milk bath with rose petals, a Zen facial with essential oils and a Zen Shiatsu massage. Duration: 3 hours and costs from £60 per person.
- Invitation to Dream – hammam, exfoliating body scrub with desert sand and precious Moroccan oils, Oriental bath, one hour massage with argan oil, light lunch and facial. Duration: 6 hours and costs from £75 per person.
All Simpson guests staying at Riad Mehdi for 3 nights or more, are offered a complimentary hammam at the Bains de Marrakech.
Riad des Eaux
With just 4 guestrooms, this intimate and charming riad is a haven of peace and relaxation. Suitable for individuals or a small group, its bijou spa offers soothing Oriental treatments, massage with essential oils, a solarium, plunge pool and traditional hammam. For couples or individuals who want to chill out and pamper themselves for a few days or more, we can organise some relaxing special spa packages, inclusive of flights, transfers, accommodation and treatments. Prices vary according to date of travel and room occupied. Prices apply to staying in ‘Zen’ room and include: breakfast, one treat a day according to a specific programme designed for clients on arrival.
| Inclusive per person prices start from | One person | Two persons |
| 3 days | £635 | £495 |
| 5 days | £895 | £695 |
Jardins de la Medina
In addition to its beautiful swimming pool (heated in the winter) and charming garden, small fitness centre and hammam, the Jardins de la Medina also boasts a rooftop beauty centre, which offers both individual treatments and some attractive inclusive spa packages. When you pre-book these with us in advance, you will receive a 10% reduction from the normal price.
Special treatments – (must be pre-booked and paid for in advanced to take advantage of the special price)
- Nature’s Rythym – hammam and body scrub with natural plant oils, followed by a half-hour massage with essential oils and a manicure. Prices start from £48 per person.
- Awakening the Senses – hammam and body scrub with lavander, followed by a half-hour Jaccuzi and a four-hands massage. Prices start from £60 per person.
- Zen Experience – hammam and body scrub followed by a half-hour Jaccuzi and a one hour Californian massage. Special prices start from £60 per person
Dar les Cigognes
The beautiful spa and treatment room is small yet spectacular. With a thirty-foot ceiling, and intricately carved stucco windows, adorned with coloured glass, it is a wonderful sanctuary for a massage, pedicure, manicure, henna tattoo, facial, waxing, or many other beauty and relaxation treatments. For total relaxation, combine a hammam followed a shiatsu or a deep tissue massage. Alternatively be adventurous and have a professionally-designed henna tattoo applied by the resident specialist.
Kasbah Agafay
Set in the picturesque grounds of the Kasbah, with its water fountains, scented organic gardens, medication cave and shady courtyards, the open-air Agafay Spa offers a full range of revitalising treatments. The spa’s philosophy is to reawaken all five senses and offers aromatherapy massages with blended essential oils, reflexology, facial and beauty treatments, traditional hammam, as well as Yoga lessons. Special spa packages are available – please ask for prices.
Hotel Es Saadi
Located by the hotel’s beautiful pool and gardens, the Es Saadi Oriental Spa offers a range of stimulating and invigorating treatments in an authentic and relaxed setting, with traditional hammam, sauna, beauty treatments and massages with essential oils. This lovely Spa centre and fitness centre has only recently opened and is one of the most beautiful and professionally run centres in Marrakech.
Asounfou Spa at Kasbah Tamadot
Asounfou is the Berber word for relaxation and perfectly describes the wide range of beauty treatments available at the Kasbah’s ‘Virgin Touch Spa’, dedicated to the nourishment and revitalisation of mind, body and soul.
Guests can enjoy a complimentary traditional Moroccan hammam and sauna and then relax by the indoor heated pool, with a traditional Moroccan herb infusion, before starting their course of therapies.
All Asounfou facials, beauty treatments and massages use products by L’Orientalist, an exquisitely beautiful range of nourishing anti-ageing oils and perfumes, based on argan oil and blended with Atlas Rose, Orange Flower and Amber perfumes.
Special day and full-day relaxation packages can be booked on arrival at the Kasbah.
The many secrets of Moroccan cuisine can be learnt at both La Maison Arabe and Kasbah Agafay, where the use of local, freshly grown vegetables, herbs and spices are all blended together in traditional dishes. These courses must be pre-booked in advance and are subject to availability.
La Maison Arabe, Marrakech
The cookery lessons are held at the house in the gardens, just outside the city. Each participant has their own workspace and is guided by a teacher on how to create the plat du jour. With the aid of a translator, the exact measures of spices and the different ways of cooking, baking and roasting are conveyed precisely, thereby divulging some of the oldest kept secrets of the Moroccan recipes. The pièce de résistance is the final product, which comes out of the oven and can be enjoyed under the shade of the olive and fig trees in the gardens. There are various modules (Moroccan tajines, pastries, salads and couscous etc.) which can be selected for different days.
Prices for each module start from:
£55 per person (for 2 persons, £110 for one)
£42 per person (for 3 – 5 persons)
£35 per person (for 5 – 8 persons)
Kasbah Agafay, Marrakech
The Kasbah has a large organic garden, which produces a wide range of seasonal fruit, vegetables and herbs. Under the watchful eye of Chef Abdel Howard, the Kasbah’s superb chef, cooking classes are organised for a half-day or up to 5 days, his demonstrations showing you how to make some delicious Moroccan dishes. You may request a particular dish or he will decide for you. The classes tend to be either in the morning or afternoons but you can spend a whole day learning to cook if you wish.
You will then be guided on how to re-create the chosen dish yourself, which can be tailor-made to suit your special dietary requirements. Advice will also be given on which additional side dishes and wines should accompany the meal. Afterwards you can enjoy the fruits of your labour in the delightful setting of Kasbah Agafay.
Prices for a one day course start from:
£60 per person (for 2 persons, £120 for one person)
£58 per person (for 3 – 5 persons)
£40 per person (for 6 persons)
Prices for longer classes and the Gourmet Moroccan cookery package available upon request.
Les Jardins de la Medina, Marrakech
The cookery school is situated on the terrace of Les Jardins de la Medina and classes commence at 9am and finish at 12.30, when the tasting begins!
Guests will be greeted with a presentation, followed by getting stuck in to the preparation of a selection of Moroccan Salads, Lemon Chicken Tagine as a main course, followed by delicious Moroccan pastries. Also included in this course is a 1/2 bottle of wine per person, Les Jardins de la Medina apron and a Morrocan recipe book.
Prices for a 1/2 day course start from £50 per person
Riad Merdoudi, Marrakech
For our guests staying at Riad Merdoudi, cookery classes are hosted on the roof terrace of this delightfully intimate riad. The Australian owner, Edwina, is a fabulous cook and will guide you around the souks to buy fresh produce before the cookery classes take place. Edwina, having spent much time travelling through Europe, has created some wonderful recipes; based on an exotic fusion of Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine.
Prices for a one day course start from £65 per person
Souk Cuisine, Marrakech
For our guests not staying at any of the above listed properties, we can prebook 'Souk Cuisine', an innovative half day course run by Gemma Van de Burgt, who has lived in Marrakech since 2005. The 'Souk Cuisine' commences at 10am, by congregating in the Jemma el Fna Square and visiting the souks to buy your ingredients. Once shopping is over, the group heads to a traditional riad to begin the lesson under the supervision of Moroccan cooks. Delicious traditional meals will be prepared by the group, who will get the opportunity to enjoy their creations, with a glass of local wine on the sun terrace.
Prices for the 1 day course are from £35 per person.
We recommend that you choose one of the following itineraries for a taste of life in the desert, both of which include a camel trek (méharée), dinner around the campfire and a night in a bivouac in the desert. All camps have separate quarters with wash-hand basins and flushing loos. You can take a refreshing shower on return to your base camp on the second morning.
If you only have a few days available, we suggest that you take one of the following shorter desert excursions, which depart from Zagora or Erfoud. Longer itineraries be arranged and prices are on request.
From Zagora take the road from Ouarzazate along the Draa Valley to Zagora for the start of a 2 day/1 night excursion to the Erg Lihouidi sand dunes.
From Erfoud follow the road from Ouarzazate along the Valley of the Thousand Kasbahs to Erfoud, for a 2 day/1 night excursion to Merzouga, where you will get your first glimpse of the red sand dunes of Erg Chebbi.
Camel Trek from Zagora to the Erg Lihouidi sand dunes (2 days)
Price for 2 persons: £160 per person
for party of four: £120 per person
Highlights
- Set out about 13.00 by 4 x 4 from Zagora out to the renowned library at Tamegroute (a seat of learning since the XI century) and the pottery co-operative
- Visit the oasis and nearby ancient Jewish kasbahs of Beni Hayoun and Beni Sbih, and a remote hamlet, once a stop for the trans-Saharan caravans of salt, gold and slaves
- 3 hour camel trek over to the dunes of Erg Lihouidi
- Visit en route to watch a magnificent sunset, before a tajine dinner round the campfire
- Overnight in a carpeted bedouin tent set amidst some small dunes
- Early start to watch the sunrise and breakfast, before returning by camel (2 hours) to our base camp at La Fibule du Draa in Zagora.
Camel Trek from Erfoud to Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi sand dunes (2 days)
Price for 2 persons: £90 per person
Price for a party of four: £75 per person
Highlights
- Depart 15.00 from Erfoud by 4 x 4 across desert hammada to Merzouga base camp
- Evening camel trek across the golden sand dunes, to watch the sunset
- 2 hour camel trek over to the dunes of Erg Lihouidi
- A welcoming mint tea is followed by a 4 course meal, accompanied by Berber drums and folk songs
- Camp out under the stars in your bivouac Berber tent in a small desert oasis
- Awaken to a beautiful sunrise, followed by a typical bedouin breakfast
- Trek by camel to the Auberge du Sud, where you can shower, before returning by 4 x 4 back to Erfoud.
Cost includes
- 4 x 4 vehicle transfer from Zagora or Erfoud to desert base camp
- Own camel (with owner to/from bivouac)
- Traditional Berber dinner and breakfast
- Tented carpeted accommodation with bed-linen
- Lanterns and candles
- Portable WC, traditional wash-bowl, soap and small hand towel
Not included
- Medical or accident insurance (unless purchased through Simpson Travel)
- Gratuity for 4 x 4 driver, camel owner and the bivouac host
- Early start to watch the sunrise and breakfast, before returning by camel (2 hours) to our base camp at La Fibule du Draa in Zagora
A 7 day desert circuit departing from Marrakech
For those wishing to spend a week or more touring around this fascinating area, we recommend that you follow our Desert Encounter Itinerary. This departs from Marrakech via Ouarzazate to Erfoud, following the Valley of the Thousand Kasbahs, the Dades and Todra Gorges down to the Merzouga sand dunes, where you can spend a night (or more) in the desert. The journey then continues via the interesting Berber town of Rissani to Zagora, from where you travel back via the Draa Valley to Marrakech.
Desert Encounter
Prices for 2 persons with private chauffeur-drive car start from: £1050
Prices for 2 persons with self-drive car start from: £735
We can design an itinerary of any length, so please contact one of our specialists for advice and a quote.
Desert and Mountain Safaris by 4 x 4
The desert and mountain area of Southern Morocco provides some spectacular scenery for an exciting and challenging safari by 4 x 4. From the rugged mountains and rough tracks (pistes) through river valleys and gorges, past remote Berber villages to the lush green oases, palm groves and desert dunes of the Sahara, this will be an exhilarating and memorable experience for anyone with a sense of adventure. Departures are from Marrakech or Ouarzazate and can be arranged for individuals, small groups and families. We can tailormake itineraries for 3 days or more, for travel at any time, but subject to weather conditions. Please see our website for sample itineraries and prices.
Special interest itineraries and ‘secret places’
We can tailor-make exciting special interest itineraries for both individuals and small groups - with or without an experienced guide (as you prefer) - to accompany you on your trip.
From cookery lessons and walking in the Atlas Mountains, to visiting gardens and archaeological sites, we can suggest some exciting trips with professional guides/teachers. Just let us know your particular requirements and we will be pleased to make some suggestions and give you a quote.
