Morning: Conquering the High Atlas

It all begins very early as your Moroccan, private transport, Morocco Desert Friends, meets you in Marrakech. You are at once off to the High Atlas, and start with a picturesque ascent. The road is an important piece of engineering that takes you to the great Tizi n’Tichka Pass which is 2,260 meters (7,415 feet). In a short time, the terrain becomes parted with green valleys and deep red rock mountainous terrain. We make a secure stop at the top, and you may make the wonderful, panoramic pictures. In turn, this section of the trip resembles a Day Trip to the Atlas Mountains From Marrakech by itself, as it initially presents you to the Berber core land and then takes you to the pre-Saharan region.

High noon: The Gates of the Sahara

On our way down the pass the air becomes drier and the landscape becomes drier reminiscent of the nearby Sahara. Our main place of visit is the grandiose Ksar of Ait Benhaddou. It is a beautiful, fortified mud-brick village that is located on the former Trans-Saharan trade route, which served as a key point in the trade of salt and gold by caravans. Hence, its history seems old and touchable. You are going to cross the river (that is frequently dry or that is covered by a small bridge) and see the labyrinth of small streets and high towers with a local guide. On the contrary, entering Ait Benhaddou is the same as appearing on a movie set, as it was the center of the stage in such cinematographic masterpieces as Gladiator and Lawrence of Arabia. This is indeed the most impressive feature of this amazing Morocco Desert Tours product.

Afternoon and Return Film Capital and Desert Drive

We visit Ait Benhaddou and we have a local lunch with fantastic scenery and we proceed to Ouarzazate. This city has legendary films studios around the world making it popularly known as Hollywood of Africa. As such, you can take a trip to the well-known Atlas Film Studios, or maybe to a historical landmark of the well-known Kasbah Taourirt, which is a great former home of the mighty Glaoui family. In addition, this tour provides an understanding of the new popularity of the area and its architectural tradition. And lastly we start the relaxing homeward journey across the Tizi nTichka Pass, but at a time that will allow you to see the sunset colours as they light up the mountains, and this will guarantee you a magnificent finale to your effective Day Trip to Ouarzazate and Ait Ben Haddou with Marrakech.