Top Ouarzazate Tours: See Best of Morocco’s Door to the Desert
Ouarzazate, it’s almost Morocco’s doorway to the Sahara, isn’t it? The location has kind of a mysterious charm, doesn’t it? It’s where massive desert landscapes link up with old kasbahs, that’s really kind of unique. Picking how to see all this splendor might feel a bit much, I’d agree. I want to chat about what I think are the top five tours you can hop on, these all will showcase Ouarzazate. You can experience pretty fantastic Moroccan experiences, for sure. Tours often include visits to the famous Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, studio tours (where many famous movies were shot!), and rides through the stark and stunning desert landscapes. I aim to really equip you so that you’re able to make an informed pick. I’ll make sure your trip will not just be another item checked off a travel bucket list, very vanilla. What’s more, this’ll make it a set of lasting memories from one of the most beautiful spots you could ever visit.
1. Ait Benhaddou & Atlas Studios Day Trip
First on the list has to be a day adventure to Ait Benhaddou and the Atlas Studios. As I was saying, this is an awesome choice if you want to hit two major sights near Ouarzazate without dedicating too much time to a lengthy, super planned tour. The excursion kicks off usually with an early start right out of Ouarzazate. Very, very quickly you’ll be on the move into the countryside where the Ait Benhaddou Kasbah sits, perched on a hilltop just like that, very striking.
Ait Benhaddou, it tends to be a UNESCO World Heritage site, you know? Plus it makes a bit of an unbelievable backdrop for movies. So this Kasbah is an amazing example of traditional Moroccan building techniques, really a classic. Your tour tends to include a guided visit. This bit explains all that went into constructing the Kasbah and what it meant back in the day when it acted as one of the stops on the caravan routes between the Sahara and Marrakech.
Moving forward from Ait Benhaddou, actually your following visit probably is going to be at the Atlas Studios, basically one of the biggest movie studios on our whole continent, how about that? Take a look around movie sets. That is, see where huge blockbuster hits, like Gladiator or Kingdom of Heaven got made! It adds, in a way, like a touch of modern film to this area’s deep history.
These tours, they usually include your transport needs covered, so no need to be uneasy about that. Plus a professional guide to go over the historical bits and facts related to the sites you’ll see. It’s often a more cost-effective solution and cuts down the organizing effort needed on your end to just get moving, and what’s more, makes your day run smoothly, as I was saying, for tourists.
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2. Ouarzazate Desert Safari: Zagora or Merzouga
Think about jumping on a desert safari out of Ouarzazate towards Zagora or Merzouga. I really do feel that’s the best method to experience the incredible Sahara Desert firsthand. You, possibly, will be offered either a shorter trip over to Zagora, that can be perfect if you only have very few days free. Maybe choose Merzouga if you would like to deep-dive fully into the desert scenery some distance further out, of course. Actually that part is nestled by Erg Chebbi’s big dunes.
Generally, these safaris start from Ouarzazate and, you know, head out via the Draa Valley which provides killer views because of its huge palm groves, like an oasis. Along your way, almost all excursions plan stops at significant places. A classic stop off that could grab your interest may, actually, be at the underground kasbah in Tamnougalt. This location presents insight regarding local culture and heritage. It’s almost kind of mind-blowing.
When you get closer, depending on whether you go out to Zagora or Merzouga, a camel ride at sunset has been planned as a main part of each experience, alright. This ride, you know, delivers unbelievable perspectives regarding the desert changing color, given the time. Camp, in this case, will be at a desert camp often. Here you will relish local dishes, groove to classic Berber music and also possibly relax underneath a big, sparkly blanket filled with stars in the clear night sky, that is definitely nice, actually.
Trips to Merzouga generally, actually, run longer. They do cover far more distance to and from Erg Chebbi. What’s more they really include spare activities. Stuff such as 4×4 dune bashing could be very cool for anyone wanting something with an added thrill component! These safari tours always provide lodging and transport services plus experienced guides too making sure your desert journey proceeds efficiently as is feasible for a smooth excursion completely across the Sahara wilderness.
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3. Valley of Roses & Dades Valley Tour
Would you like to see an incredibly striking part of Morocco? Seriously, book up an adventure out to the Valley of Roses along with the Dades Valley. So this adventure is especially magnificent at the tail end of springtime when the roses flower, thus coloring almost everything throughout. Your trip here presents beautiful landscapes and chances at going deeper into the Berber lifestyle.
Tours kick off out of Ouarzazate and often pass through Skoura Oasis. This oasis displays lovely palm trees including classic kasbahs there, what’s more. Eventually the road advances straight into the Valley of Roses at Kalaat M’Gouna which really showcases its expansive rose fields alongside processing factories which create rose water and rose oil based extracts. Local markets may, arguably, offer options so that visitors purchase a variety of rose crafted gifts. Souvenirs could be a nice thought if desired.
When you go out past the Valley of Roses, you’re very likely going to explore the Dades Valley featuring its eye catching rock shapes, such as the well known “monkey fingers,” as an example. Almost all journeys have built in short hikes throughout the Dades Gorges granting panoramic sights and unbelievable image ops too of some natural wonders that look kind of out of place elsewhere, by the way. Throughout these guided routes, it’s generally typical you’ll have conversations including people around community centers. Also understand typical cooking styles within someone’s household—in fact an amazing immersion throughout regional living. Valley visiting presents outstanding nature exposure which provides deep local history experiences ensuring someone appreciates a memorable journey while seeing Berber tradition right up near what can only appear, typically, is some remote village setting.
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4. Telouet Kasbah & High Atlas Mountains Day Tour
Plan out one day travelling the High Atlas Mountains with a bit of a detour to Telouet Kasbah if it’s, almost, going to become your wish seeing further rugged panoramas but simultaneously delving ever more throughout Morocco. This is a really culturally and visually rewarding experience with some old sites available nearby.
The tour heads out from Ouarzazate traversing upwards through winding paths into this Atlas setting. These climbs come jam-packed, though, including just great view options; frequently the road can provide viewpoints across beautiful locations in a far off distance. When your adventure draws near you come across Tizi n’Tichka which would be considered an uphill passageway located almost a quarter from sea area height giving photographers abundant chance for photographing some exceptional vista snapshots.
As travelers come down further on just one distinct location they could discover that they’ve gotten to the ancient Telouet Kasbah: now mostly existing to a ruined state, a long time back it formed as residence with a former strong tribe’s leader by the name Glaoui; seeing the deteriorating yet nevertheless awesome development shows that really ancient grandeur will have definitely existed once during the course with the nation’s history regardless. Very short excursions have sometimes, apparently, guided historical descriptions also offering insight in regards cultural noteworthiness regarding spots around within the country while they travel as part during specific timetabled arrangements while participating with expeditions as something planned using someone that really is qualified giving adequate detailing based with current important occasions at that place at certain times from beginning to ending after arrival, or even maybe some situation happens if unexpectedly delayed so the travelers won’t loose a step after.
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5. Fint Oasis Day Trip
Arrange to enjoy the serenity and verdant greenery when there isn’t anywhere quite close? Get along throughout a time visiting Fint Oasis that supplies relief coming away because all locations, as an instance, are packed with visitors always attempting photographing those similar famed landscape areas continually throughout day-hours regularly, for instance! Tours available out coming using Quarzazate will, of course, be scheduled with very little effort plus, it looks like, it will showcase pure natural splendor within only a few miles ride distant off due East-region oriented. The remote region seems fairly covered among great towering rock developments but in it’s central vicinity hides 1 oasis featuring multiple flowing-water-streams that nurture palm trees not quite comparable what occurs often round Sahara’s desolate terrain.
Visits available around some designated day usually comprise leisure walk all’ around oasis district locations where sightseers seem welcomed due seeing precisely a handful folks exist frequently so people definitely enjoy exploring. Nearby neighborhoods appear truly polite given that neighborhood persons frequently give information in regards ancient garden practices used consistently from century to century so that one obtains full historical noteworthiness also knowing things, possibly, by what approaches those villagers have existed rather sustainably given such limitations as a result out those challenges nearby to Fints boundaries! Guests very commonly cherish chances enjoying simple tea offerings beside neighbors to their own respective real-estates.
Day itineraries made almost always present brief stops during numerous eye striking surroundings or even panoramic view zones all across Fints’s geographical positioning insuring travelers don’t loose out upon a potential for receiving picturesque remembrance or even picture shots given specific timeframe of visit either. Such travels act with outstanding substitutes with travelers who have interests around immersing themselves across calmer ecosystem segments found off far aside from all highly promotional travel sites and getting up adjacent Berber existing daily lifestyles during some rather much intimate setting without interruption by larger crowded events regularly appearing as travelers get drawn regularly near some of highly publicized Moroccan touristic draws there constantly. These adventures actually work out to represent unforgettable, really authentic and serene jaunt across distinct oasis locale.
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