Famous Places in This Trip
AIT BENHADDOUAït Benhaddou is a historic ighrem or ksar along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh in Morocco. It is considered a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
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ZAGORAZagora is a town located in the Draa River valley in the Moroccan region of Drâa-Tafilalet. On the base of the Zagora mountain the remains of an Almoravid fortress can still be seen. The exact location of the former Almoravid mosque is still a matter of dispute.
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M'HAMID EL GHIZLANM'Hamid lies at an altitude of about 500 meters above sea level and about 24 kilometers from the Algerian border at the edge of the Sahara. M'Hamid can be reached at the end of National Route 9 from Ouarzazate (260 km) via Zagora (approx. 97 km). Mhamid lies on the Wadi Draa, which rarely contains water.
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TOUR PROGRAM
M’Hamid is a small Sahara Desert village in the Zagora region of Morocco. M'hamid is one of the two places in Morocco where Sahara begins (another is Merzouga). M'Hamid is the real Sahara Desert and an the perfect place to have a Morocco Travel Sahara Trek and experience. M’Hamid is arguably more "authentic" part of the Sahara Desert.M’Hamid is just 7- 8 hours by car from Marrakesh and 5 hours from Ourzazate. The original name for M'hamid is Bounou, once a thriving village that evolved from a mix of local Ait Atta Berbers,Drawa, and Hassani tribes. There is a kasbah located 2Km away from the road that is inhabited by black Africans who came from Mali many years ago. Other than this, the main attraction are the Erg Chegaga dunes which are about 50Km from the town. The main attraction of M'Hamid is trips to desert, overnight or several day tours: by camel, 4x4, motor bike or a quad bike.
Day 1: Home - Marrakech:
Pickup from the airprot and transfer to you hotel in Marrakech, if you stil have time you have a free time around the city.
Things to visit in Marrakech
Day 2: Marrakech - M'hamid:
Morning departure by car to Mhamid, crossing the high atlas mountains and driving along the ancient caravan route, arriving in Agdez in time for lunch. In the afternoon our sahara desert experience continues through Draa valley and Zagora. Once we arrive to Mhamid the gate to the desert you will ride camels for about an hour and a half. Enjoy the sunset from the top of the highest dune over the distant mountains, before the camels take us back to the bivouac of nomad tents for dinner and a night’s rest.
Day 3: M'hamid - Erg Lihoudi
Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Kasbah Sahara Services hotel in Mhamid. Depart from the desert gate of Mhamid for the real and huge desert by camels crossing small sand dunes. This camel ride is an experience worthy of a simpler, quieter, off-the-beaten-track life. A good example of our ecotourism activities. Lunch will be somewhere along the way under the showdown of the three. You will get a glimpse of the nomadic life while riding the camels and traveling through the desert with its different facets of life. Night in half board in the peaceful camp of Sahara Service Standard, Erg Lihoudi.
Day 4: Erg Lihoudi - Erg Chegaga
Wake up early in the morning to enjoy the sunrise over the dunes and have breakfast. Return to M'hamid by camel. You can take a refreshing shower at Kasbah Sahara Services Hotel, followed by a delicious lunch. Then your driver will pick you up and your trip will continue in 4x4 to another different area of this huge desert.
The journey continues towards the dunes of Erg Chegaga with its height of 300m and its extent of 40km. Enjoy the splendor of the sunset over the waves of the great sand dunes. Dinner, entertainment and night at the Sahara Service Standard Camp, Erg Chegaga.
Day 5: Erg Chegaga - M'hamid
Enjoy a picturesque sunrise over the sand dunes and a refreshing breakfast at the tent's restaurant. Then we return by 4x4 jeep to the village of Mhamid, the "Gateway to the Desert of Morocco". Arrival at the Kasbah Sahara Services hotel will take place around 10:00 am. Continue your journey or extend your stay for another night in our comfortable hotel and enjoy the refreshing pool.
Day 6: M'hamid - Marrakech:
If you wake up early enough, you can watch the spectacle of the sunrise, when the colour of the dunes and the play of shadows are an awesome sight. After this, it’s back in the vehicle and set off to Ait Ben Haddou, a beautiful kasbah, often used as a movie location for Hollywood blockbusters like Gladiator starring Russel Crowe. We have lunch here before making the drive back over the Tizi-n-Tichka pass and back to Marrakech.
Day 7: Marrakech - Home:
Transfert to the airport to catch the flight back home!
INFORMATION
Cross the swirling sands of the Sahara, watch the dawn break over the dunes. Recreating the simple nomadic lifestyle, spending two nights camping under the clear desert sky, the dramatic desert backdrop covered with a blanket of dreamy stars.
Included :
Excluded:
In the morning of days 1 and 2, you have the option to take a guided tour in Mhamid and visit the 7 Kasbahs or simply relax and enjoy the swimming pool of the Kasbah Sahara Services hotel before leaving around 4:00 p.m. for the Sahara desert.
M’Hamid is a small Sahara Desert village in the Zagora region of Morocco. M'hamid is one of the two places in Morocco where Sahara begins (another is Merzouga). M'Hamid is the real Sahara Desert and an the perfect place to have a Morocco Travel Sahara Trek and experience. M’Hamid is arguably more "authentic" part of the Sahara Desert.M’Hamid is just 7- 8 hours by car from Marrakesh and 5 hours from Ourzazate. The original name for M'hamid is Bounou, once a thriving village that evolved from a mix of local Ait Atta Berbers,Drawa, and Hassani tribes. There is a kasbah located 2Km away from the road that is inhabited by black Africans who came from Mali many years ago. Other than this, the main attraction are the Erg Chegaga dunes which are about 50Km from the town. The main attraction of M'Hamid is trips to desert, overnight or several day tours: by camel, 4x4, motor bike or a quad bike.
Day 1: Home - Marrakech:
Pickup from the airprot and transfer to you hotel in Marrakech, if you stil have time you have a free time around the city.
Things to visit in Marrakech
Day 2: Marrakech - M'hamid:
Morning departure by car to Mhamid, crossing the high atlas mountains and driving along the ancient caravan route, arriving in Agdez in time for lunch. In the afternoon our sahara desert experience continues through Draa valley and Zagora. Once we arrive to Mhamid the gate to the desert you will ride camels for about an hour and a half. Enjoy the sunset from the top of the highest dune over the distant mountains, before the camels take us back to the bivouac of nomad tents for dinner and a night’s rest.
Day 3: M'hamid - Erg Lihoudi
Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Kasbah Sahara Services hotel in Mhamid. Depart from the desert gate of Mhamid for the real and huge desert by camels crossing small sand dunes. This camel ride is an experience worthy of a simpler, quieter, off-the-beaten-track life. A good example of our ecotourism activities. Lunch will be somewhere along the way under the showdown of the three. You will get a glimpse of the nomadic life while riding the camels and traveling through the desert with its different facets of life. Night in half board in the peaceful camp of Sahara Service Standard, Erg Lihoudi.
Day 4: Erg Lihoudi - Erg Chegaga
Wake up early in the morning to enjoy the sunrise over the dunes and have breakfast. Return to M'hamid by camel. You can take a refreshing shower at Kasbah Sahara Services Hotel, followed by a delicious lunch. Then your driver will pick you up and your trip will continue in 4x4 to another different area of this huge desert.
The journey continues towards the dunes of Erg Chegaga with its height of 300m and its extent of 40km. Enjoy the splendor of the sunset over the waves of the great sand dunes. Dinner, entertainment and night at the Sahara Service Standard Camp, Erg Chegaga.
Day 5: Erg Chegaga - M'hamid
Enjoy a picturesque sunrise over the sand dunes and a refreshing breakfast at the tent's restaurant. Then we return by 4x4 jeep to the village of Mhamid, the "Gateway to the Desert of Morocco". Arrival at the Kasbah Sahara Services hotel will take place around 10:00 am. Continue your journey or extend your stay for another night in our comfortable hotel and enjoy the refreshing pool.
Day 6: M'hamid - Marrakech:
If you wake up early enough, you can watch the spectacle of the sunrise, when the colour of the dunes and the play of shadows are an awesome sight. After this, it’s back in the vehicle and set off to Ait Ben Haddou, a beautiful kasbah, often used as a movie location for Hollywood blockbusters like Gladiator starring Russel Crowe. We have lunch here before making the drive back over the Tizi-n-Tichka pass and back to Marrakech.
Day 7: Marrakech - Home:
Transfert to the airport to catch the flight back home!
INFORMATION
Cross the swirling sands of the Sahara, watch the dawn break over the dunes. Recreating the simple nomadic lifestyle, spending two nights camping under the clear desert sky, the dramatic desert backdrop covered with a blanket of dreamy stars.
Included :
- Transfer Mhamid - Camp - Mhamid in our modern and air-conditioned Toyota Land Cruiser 4×4.
- 6 Nights in mixte of Accommodation, luxury camp and hotels.
- Guided camel ride on the first day
- Lunches
- Taxes and fees
- 4WD Car for the Adventure.
- Local Guide in his own car.
Excluded:
- Drinks
- Personal expenses
- Tips and gratuities
- Optional activity/upgrade costs
In the morning of days 1 and 2, you have the option to take a guided tour in Mhamid and visit the 7 Kasbahs or simply relax and enjoy the swimming pool of the Kasbah Sahara Services hotel before leaving around 4:00 p.m. for the Sahara desert.