Sophia’s Travel AKA Jewish Travel Agency is proud to present our Private Morocco including Sahara camping under the stars.
Private tour of Beautiful exotic Morocco. Stay in Riad and Kasbah Tamadot
Arrival into Marrakech airport, meet your driver and guide and leave for to Ouarzazatte .
Approximately 4 hours drive through High Atlas Mountains. Highlight views are Tiz-inTichka Pass (7,417 ft altitude) , built in 1920s by French, through rich soil and fertile valley. The Atlas range provides Morocco’s spine. The peaks are amongst the highest in Africa, and there’s even a ski resort tucked away amongst them. The mountains also separate the relatively fertile coastal half Morocco from the Sahara desert. And crossing the Atlas is a journey from olive groves and orange trees to outback.
Ourzazate is a stoping overnight point half way to Merzouga dunes. It is Morocco’s Hollywood. When film crews from over the world want a desert setting, they tend to come here. This has long been the case – golden oldies such as The Man Who Would Be King and Jesus Of Nazareth were shot here. Others include the spectacular desert scenery within easy reach of Ouarzazate and a natural light that lends itself to moviemaking. In more recent years, James Bond has paid a visit, with the desert doubling for Afghanistan in The Living Daylights. Ridley Scott and Martin Scorcese are repeat visitors, too. As well as Gladiator, Scott filmed parts of Kingdom of Heaven and Body of Lies here, while Scorcese used the area for Kundun and The Last Temptation of Christ.
Arrival check into hotel. Dinner. Accommodation at the hotel Le Temples des arts in Ouarzazatte, Junior suite double and deluxe room single.
Day 2,
Ourzazate – Merzouga. Approximately 6 hours drive. The drive will go through Middle Atlas mountains. On the way stop at Todra Gorge with cliffs high as 985 feet on both side of narrow corridor. In the bottom of the valley you will palm and dates groves on oases. Stop in Berber village on the way.
On arrival Erfoud, at Xaluca hotel, you will change from your car to the jeep (advisable only take one suitcase for a night), and continue to the desert. The camels will be waiting for you for sunset ride. If Catherine does not feel like it, she can walk to the tent without camel ride or even stay in luxury hotel Xaluca.
After sunset ride, proceed to your luxury tent where you will have private “tent rooms” with bathroom and hot water and electricity . But please be aware that electricity is turned off at 10pm. Enjoy berber feast by the fire.
Overnight in deluxe encampment in Merzouga ( The dunes of erg chebbi) B, D
Day 3,
Merzouga – Ait Benhaddou.
In the morning sunrise walk you will witness the sun rising from the east over the desert dunes and be astounded by the peace and calm as well as the changing colors of the landscape.
Enjoy breakfast in the desert and leave by jeep and change in Erfoud to your minivan to continue back to Ait ben Haddou approximately 6.5 hours on the way to Marrakech. It is the UNESCO world heritage site called “Ait Benhaddou” classified since 1987. This fortified Ksar is an attractive site for tours and excursions departing from Marrakech, Ait Benhaddou Kasbah is one of many locations served as a natural decoration for many movies which were shot in the area such as “Lawrence of Arabia and Jesus of Nazareth”.
Check into Riad Ksa INghda
Single and double standard rooms.
Dinner and Overnight. B, D
Day 4-7,
Marrakech . After breakfast, depart for Marrakech through Tizi’n Tchichka Road. Approximately 4 hours road with beautiful scenery and the road winds its way up the Atlas Mountains, through verdant foothills and villages perched precariously on the edge of deep chasms. There will be many photo opportunities as well.
Arrival Marrakech , check into your hotel. We offer two choices:
Overnight Boutique Hotel LA Sultana prestige rooms .
Your tour starts at the 12th century Koutoubia Mosque whose beautiful minaret dominates the skyline of Marrakech, and can be seen from almost every approach to the city. The tour will include a visit to the medina and its colourful souks (marketplace) where you can barter for carpets, leather goods, jewellery, lanterns and spices.
In the early evening we will head towards the frenetic Djemaa el-Fna, the most famous square in Africa, where snake charmers, storytellers, acrobats, medicine men and musicians compete for your attention.
Next day Continue your tour of Marrakech where you will visit the Majorelle Gardens, Cyber Parc with free internet, the Saadian Tombs, the medieval Medersa Ben Youssef (Koranic university), the Musée de Marrakech and the Dar Bellarj cultural foundation.
Dinners will be on your own in Marrakech , your guide would be happy to recommend restaurants.
Day 8,
in the morning, transfer to airport .
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