General

hiking in the atlas mountains & sahara desert trip 5 days

Atlas mountain and sahara desert 5 days 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.

itinerary atlas mountain & sahara desert

1 day: Marrakech – Imlil – Sidi Chamharouch – Toubkal Refuge

Approximately 5 hours of walking.

You will be picked up from your hotel in Marrakech at 8AM. Our driver will take you to Imlil (1740m), a Berber village located about 65 km south from Marrakech, where our trek will start. Here we will meet the Berber muleteer crew. An experienced mountain guide will take you on a walk through the Berber villages via the shrine Sidi Chamharouch (2500m) to reach the mountain hut. Here we will stop for a picnic lunch. After enjoying the lunch and having a short break, we will continue towards the refuge (3200m). A hot shower will be available to wash off the dust from your body and freshen up for the next day. In the evening a traditional Moroccan meal will be prepared for dinner. During summer months there is an option to spend a night in the tent.

2 days: Toubkal Refuge– Toubkal Summit– return to Imlil

Approximately 8-9 hours of walking.

The next day starts with an early wake up to escape from the full power of the sun.

Breakfast is served around 5:00 am, We will begin the ascent climb at 5:30AM. In the middle of our climb we will stop for a short break with some refreshments – water, oranges and nuts. After walking uphill for some 3-4 hours, we will be able to enjoy a picturesque view of all the High Atlas Mountains, valleys and Berber villages. When reaching the summit, we will have a break of 45 minutes to take pictures and enjoy the magnificent view. Afterwards we will return back to the hut, where the lunch will be awaiting for us. To get back to Imlil we will follow the same route down the hill.

3days: Imlil – Tichka pass – Ait Ben Hadou Kasbah – Dades Gorges

Approximately 6 – 7 drive to the Sahara desert.

Once you have taken breakfast you will begin your drive to the Sahara desert. You will firstly cross Tizi n’Tichka Pass of the High Atlas Mountains to the sahara dert, Passing through many Berber Villages along the way you will have a chance to view riverside oasis and barren hillsides that are clustered with Kasbahs.

After lunch you will drive further to Valley of Roses, with beautiful views of the Dades valley and the valley of a thousand kasbahs. You will stay overnight in Dades.

4 days: Dades Gorge – Todra Gorge – Merzouga sand dunes

After breakfast you will be taken to Todra Gorge, After this stop you will head onwards to ‘Auberge du Sud’ at the dunes of Erg Chebbi

5 days: Merzouga Erg Chebbi – Marrakech Back To Marrakech.

Wake up in the morning to enjoy sunrise in Chebbi Dunes. After breakfast we will return to Marrakech via Ouarzazate, arrival around 8 pm.