From the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara dunes

Salam! Welcome to the Atlas Mountains in Ouarzazate! Your driver will take you to Aït Ben Haddou*. Once you’re settled into your riad, you’ll head to the ksar, an eleventh-century UNESCO-protected fortified village. Take your time to wander around and get lost in its alleyways. Expect picture-perfect views at the turn of every corner. In the evening, get together with the rest of the group for a quick briefing about your adventure.

Today is the first day of our Moroccan adventure! We start by crossing Ouarzazate, the gateway to the desert, and continue south. We take a short break to visit Fint Oasis and find out how farming works here. We then follow a series of bends into an exceptional rocky landscape with villages forming oases in the hollow of the desert mountains. Travellers are few and far between on these roads, so we’ll feel privileged to cross the Atlas Mountains almost totally alone. We take a tajine break in Taznakht before heading back on the road to Foum Zguid on a stretch of the Paris-Dakar racetrack. Overnight stay at a comfortable hotel.

Today, we head to Zagora. We hit the track early in the morning and cross a valley that looks abandoned, but as we progress, we come across some villages and back to civilisation! We stop for an improvised picnic, the perfect moment to admire the landscape and stretch our legs. Entering Zagora is marvellous, as we cross the Draa River to reach our riad. After this wonderful riding day, a spa and massages are available to those who want them (at extra cost).

Early in the morning, we visit Zagora Oasis and the Jewish kasbah where some jewellers still work. We then get back on the road for a short ride to Erg Lihoudi Dunes, where we end the day. We’ll enjoy a traditional meal and stay overnight at a camp. It’s time to kick off your shoes, walk barefoot in the dunes and enjoy the calm and the sheer vastness of the desert. Welcome to the Sahara! We’ll spend the night under the stars.