Oriental Desert Express
marrakech-sahara
Overview
A varied tour by rail and road, sensational landscapes and unforgettable experiences.
You will visit the imperial cities of Rabat, Fez and Marrakech, climb the high sand dunes at Merzouga, discover the great palm groves, villages and kasbahs built on the land of southern Morocco. Not to be forgotten is the desert train adventure, this journey through the eastern steppes marks the climax of this trip.
.
Included/Exclude
✅Accommodation and meals according to the programme
✅Transfer from/to the airport
✅Nights in tents in a luxury camp in the desert according to the programme.
✅One 1.5 litre bottle of water per person per day during the tour
✅Entrance fees to the monuments/sites indicated in the programme
✅Camel ride
✅All Train tickets in 1st class
✅Guided tours: ½ day in Marrakech, Rabat & 1 day in Fez with a local French speaking guide. ✅English or French speaking Tour Guide or Driver-Guide ✅Transport by car or minibus with drivers and trains according to the programme
❎All drinks except water
❎Flight tickets
❎Mandatory cancellation insurance
❎Personal travel insurance
❎Tips
❎Cooking courses
❎Hammam and Massage
❎All personal expenses
Tour Amenities
Car Parking
Laundry service
Outdoor Seating
Smoking Allowed
Wireless Internet
Tour Plan
Arrival at Mohamed V Casablanca airport. Warm welcome by our staff member at the exit of the terminal 1 or 2 depending on the airline. Then drive to Rabat, depending on the time of arrival you will pass through the city centre of Casablanca, the largest city and the economic capital of Morocco with a photo stop in front of the great Hassan II Mosque or go directly to Rabat by the highway. Check-in at the hotel and dinner.
After breakfast visit Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom with a guide. You stop at the Royal Palace, visit the Chellah, a 14th century Merinid necropolis in a beautiful park and built on Roman foundations, the Hassan Tower, the emblem of the city visible from afar because of its exposed position on a hill, as well as the mausoleum of King Mohamed V. Finally, you walk through the Kasbah des Oudaya with a splendid view of the Atlantic coast. Lunch in a fish restaurant on the coast. Then transfer to the train station and a comfortable three-hour journey by regular train to Fez. Arrival in Fez towards the end of the day.
The day is devoted to the discovery of Fez, the oldest of the four Imperial cities and the spiritual and intellectual centre of the country. The visit starts with a stop in front of the Royal Palace, then you walk through "Le Mellah", the Jewish quarter. You climb up to the South Borj where you will be amazed by the panoramic view of the city, followed by a visit to the pottery district. Later on you will discover the old town, a labyrinth with thousands of small streets, where you won't get lost thanks to your guide. Walk through this captivating old town with the Andalusian quarter and visit one of the many Koranic schools, e.g. the Attarine or Bou Inania medersa. After a stop at the Nejjarine square with its remarkable fountain, you pass the Karaouiyine mosque and the mausoleum of Moulay Idriss. After a lunch break in the middle of the medina, stroll through the disconcerting souks where you can observe the shopkeepers haggling and the craftsmen working in their workshops.
A pleasant train journey in a first-class carriage through the beautiful landscape of northern Morocco. You pass through the towns of Taza and Taourirt and reach the provincial capital and easternmost town of Oujda after about six hours. A picnic lunch is served at your seat on the train.
Today an unforgettable journey and an unusual experience awaits you. Several stops and plenty of time to take photos are on the agenda. Enjoy a peaceful day on board a train that rarely exceeds 50 km/h as it travels through the vast steppes and fantastic landscapes of the Oriental region. You make photo stops at the Tiouli tunnel built in 1930 and at the station of Ain Beni M'thar, not far from here is an intact church dating from the time of the French protectorate, which testifies to the intense commercial activities in the years before the Second World War. After lunch on the train, a stop is made at Tendrara station, where a sequence from the James Bond film "SPECTRE" was shot. And of course not to forget the stops to clear the rails of sand. Slowly, the sun disappears on the horizon and gives way to a unique lunar landscape. With many new impressions in your luggage, you arrive in the evening at the day destination, the small town of Bouarfa. Transfer by bus from the train station to the only hotel in the area.
OBS! The train runs according to a pre-established schedule. Due to possible track clearing work (sand), the journey may take a little longer. The expected duration is 10 to 12 hours.
After breakfast the journey continues by coach or minibus along the eastern foothills of the High Atlas to Er-Rachidia. Then a beautiful drive through the Ziz valley with its lush palm groves to Erfoud in the Tafilalet, one of the most important regions in Morocco for date production. For lunch along the way, try the local specialty, "Medfouna", a kind of Berber pizza. Continue to Merzouga and Erg Chebbi. The desert adventure begins with a camel ride to admire the sunset over the sand dunes that can reach 100 m high. An unforgettable night in the middle of this sea of sand awaits you.
Wake up early at sunrise to admire once again an exceptional play of colours. You leave the erg Chebbi via Rissani, cradle of the Alaouite dynasty, cross vast arid plains and discover the Khettaras, vestiges of ancient underground water galleries. In Tinejdad, visit the old Ksar El Khorbat, restored with the help of the Barcelona Technical School of Architecture and which is now largely inhabited again. A visit to the "Museum of the Oases" gives a better understanding of the aspects of traditional life in the pre-Saharan valleys. Arrival in Tinghir around noon and installation in the hotel. After an optional lunch at the Kasbah Tomboctou hotel, visit this immense oasis which stretches over 30km in length before taking a tour to the Todra Gorge, world famous for its rocky walls up to 300 metres high.
After breakfast departure by the road of the 1000 Kasbahs for Ouarzazate. Visit of Aït Benhaddou, one of the most beautiful ksour of the south of Morocco and since 1987 UNESCO world heritage. This Ksar, a group of dwellings and community spaces is an excellent example of the adobe architecture of southern Morocco where many films have been shot, including "The Gladiator" and "Jesus of Nazareth. During the crossing of the High Atlas via the Tichka Pass (2260 m), one of the highest road passes in Morocco, breathtaking views of the valleys and mountains await you. Optional lunch en route. After arriving in Marrakech, soak up the atmosphere of this bustling city with a stroll of your own through the colourful souks and Djemaa El Fna Square. Every evening, food stalls are set up where you can sample a rich selection of typical local specialities.
After breakfast, visit of the "Pearl of the South" with a local guide. On the programme: the Koutoubia Mosque (from the outside), the Badii Palace, the Bahia Palace and the Ben Youssef Medersa (Koranic school). The afternoon is at your disposal. Stroll through the colourful souks and the famous Djemaa El Fna square where jugglers, musicians, snake charmers and acrobats create an impressive oriental atmosphere.
Farewell dinner in a Moroccan Restaurant in an old palace in the Medina
Today, alas, the day of return has come and say goodbye and return home with your memory full of memories and in your luggage.
Depending on departure, more free time then departure from your Riad / hotel and transfer to the airport and flight home.
NOTE: Please inform yourself and take note of the time when the room is to be vacated in your hotel/riad.
Location
Find a route from your location
Related Tours
Review Scores
Booking Tour
Last Minute Deals
One time event example
$49.00
Car example
$49.00
Hostel example
$49.00
One time event example
$49.00
