Private Morocco Tours offering an ‘Off the Beaten Track’ desert, mountain and Berber cultural experience. These tours, in a 4x4 with local Berber driver, get off-road and travel along the pistes (unpaved tracks) as often as possible to discover what lies behind the regular tourist trails.

Discover the Berber culture and a traditional way of life as you journey through an ever-changing landscape with high mountain passes, old caravan trade routes, deep verdant gorges, crumbling kasbahs and golden desert dunes. Pause, as you pass, to drink tea with Berber nomads and experience a different way of life in some of Morocco’s most inhospitable environments.

Include a night or two in the desert and sleep under the stars in a nomad-tented camp, relaxing to the pace of desert life. Tours include an (optional) Erg Chebbi camel trek or camel trekking in the Erg Chigaga – Morocco’s most accessible sand seas.

Our ‘Off the Beaten Track’ Moroccan tours are suitable for couples, friends, groups and adventurous family tours with children.

Quick Links for 4x4 Morocco Adventure Tours ‘Off the Beaten Track’

• Get ‘Off the Beaten Track’ from Marrakech
• Camel Trekking in Erg Chigaga
• Camel Trekking in Erg Chebbi
• Short Morocco Desert Tours
• Bonded Morocco Tours – Prices, Confirmation and Payment Options
• Testimonials

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‘Off the Beaten Track’ Desert Tour from Marrakech

This is a sample itinerary for an ‘Off the Beaten Track’ desert tour that runs from Marrakech to Marrakech. There are other options and each tour itinerary depends the number of days you have, what you want to experience and where you want to be dropped off i.e. Marrakech or Fes.

Marrakech to Ait Benhaddou via Telouet and the Tizi-n-Telouet

Transfer over the highest Atlas mountain road pass of Tizi n’Tichka (2260m) to the Berber village of Telouet and visit the Kasbah of el Glaoui, former Pasha of Marrakech. Drive along the original trade route over Tizi-n-Telouet to Ait Benhaddou and visit the World Heritage Site of Ait Benhaddou, a fortified village (ksar) that once stood on the route of the trans-Saharan caravans.

Ait Benhaddou to Dades Gorge via Rose Valley Circuit (off-road)

Transfer to Kelaa Mgouna (Rose Valley) where, in Spring, children sell garlands of perfumed roses grown for their essential oil. Leave the highway and take the Old Rose Valley Circuit (off-road) and perhaps see nomads on the move - their camels heavily laden with the weight of black wool tents, cooking pots and small children. Re-join the tarmac in the Dades valley and continue past the rock formations of the Tamnalt hills.

Dades Gorge to Tamtattouchte across the Atlas Mountains

Transfer to Msemir and cross the piste (off-road) towards Todra Gorge. Witness a nomadic way of life as you pass through the rugged beauty of these mountains and stop to drink mint tea with a nomad family in their thick wool tent.

Tamtattouchte to Ncob via Todra Gorge and the Tizi-n-Tazazert

Transfer along the Todra Gorge, the highest gorge in Morocco, to Tinghir and cross (off-road) one of the most fabulous mountain passes in the Jbel Sarhro - the Tizi-n-Tazazert, with far-reaching views, stunning rock formations, Berber settlements and fertile valleys.

Ncob to Erg Chigaga via Draa River Valley and Mhamid

Transfer along the Draa River Valley through lush palmeries and Berber villages to Mhamid and, from here, cross (off-road) the desert wilderness of Erg Chigaga that is home to semi-nomadic Ait Atta Berber nomads. Reaching the desert camp is always a wonderful experience as is walking in the sand dunes at sunset.

Desert Exploration and Camel Trekking in Erg Chigaga

Spend a day relaxing to the pace of desert life. Walk in the immediate dunes or explore with your driver e.g. visit a family of nomads and wonder how they survive here. Late afternoon meet your guide and camel trek in Erg Chigaga at sunset.

Erg Chigaga to Ouarzazate via Iriqui Salt Lake and Foum Zguid

Wake early to watch the sunrise and, after breakfast, cross the Iriqui salt flats on your journey to the desert oasis of Foum Zguid. After lunch pick up the paved road and continue to Ouarzazate.

Ouarzazate to Marrakech

Transfer to Marrakech and arrive in time for a guided tour of the Djemaa El Fna and the bustling souks. The contrast between the pace of life in the desert and Marrakech could not be more extreme so take a day or two to explore before heading home.

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Camel Trekking in Erg Chigaga

As part of an ‘Off the Beaten Track’ Tour it is possible to camel trek from Mhamid to the Erg Chigaga Dunes over 3 days. The route, with wild camping under the stars, crosses the hammada (black desert) via small dunes, knarled tamarisk trees, nomad wells and the traditional camel-hair tents of the Ait Atta Berbers who live here.

Erg Chigaga Camel Treks: 'Erg Chigaga Camel Treks'

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Camel Trekking in Erg Chebbi

As part of an ‘Off the Beaten Track’ Morocco Tour it is possible to include a camel trek from the Erg Chebbi dune line to the far side of the dunes. The route, through the sand dunes and across the hammada (black desert) includes knarled tamarisk and acadia trees, nomad wells and the dwellings of the Berbers who live here and you can camp alongside a Berber family.

Erg Chebbi Camel Treks: 'Erg Chebbi Camel Treks'

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Short Morocco Desert Tours

3 day and 4 day short desert tours to Erg Chebbi or Erg Chigaga cannot get ‘Off the Beaten Track’ as there is insufficient time however, if you only have three or four days, you can still experience the highlights along the route. Short Desert Tours run from Marrakech, Fes, Marrakech to Fes or Fes to Marrakech and you need a minimum of three days and four days to slow down the pace.

Tea in the Sahara Desert Tour: 'Tea in the Sahara Morocco Tours'

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Bonded Morocco Tours – Prices, Confirmation and Payment

Please refer to: 'Private Morocco Tours - Pricing'

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Testimonials

To read our clients’ feedback please refer to: 'Tours of Morocco - Testimonials'