5-day grand south tour from Marrakech to the Chigaga dunes and the walled city of Taroudant via Boumalne Dades and Zagora. Book this unique desert-to-kasbah route.
A unique circuit that few operators offer: after two days reaching the remote Chigaga dune sea, the route heads west across the Anti-Atlas to the walled city of Taroudant, Morocco’s laid-back “Little Marrakech,” before a final scenic drive home through the argan tree country.
Leaving Marrakech behind, the road climbs into the High Atlas Mountains and crosses the dramatic Tizi n’Tichka Pass, the highest paved mountain pass in North Africa, with sweeping views over Berber villages clinging to the slopes. A stop at the crumbling Telouet Kasbah reveals the faded grandeur of the Glaoui dynasty, while a short detour to Ait Benhaddou — the UNESCO-listed fortified village famous from Gladiator and Game of Thrones — is a highlight for photography lovers. After lunch in the former garrison town of Ouarzazate, the route continues along the Skoura palm oasis and through the fragrant Valley of Roses before reaching Boumalne Dades at the entrance to the dramatic Dades Gorges, where the night is spent in a kasbah-style guesthouse.
Leaving the Dades Gorges, the route crosses to the Draa Valley, Morocco’s longest oasis, passing a succession of earthen kasbahs and palm groves before reaching Zagora, famed for its historic camel-caravan signpost pointing the way to Timbuktu.
The road continues south through Tamegroute, known for its green pottery and ancient Koranic library, to M’Hamid El Ghizlane, the last village before the true Sahara. From there, a 4×4 or camel convoy crosses into the vast, untouched dunes of Erg Chigaga for an overnight desert camp.
Leaving the dunes, the route crosses the arid plains toward Foum Zguid and over the Anti-Atlas range to Taroudant, a walled city nicknamed “Little Marrakech” for its red pisé ramparts, but calmer and more authentic, with lively souks specialising in silver jewellery and leather goods.
The route back to Marrakech winds through argan forests unique to southwestern Morocco, with the option to stop at a women-run argan oil cooperative, before crossing the Atlas foothills (via the dramatic Tizi n’Test Pass or the faster Chichaoua road, depending on season and road conditions) back to the Red City.
Ideal for: Repeat visitors to Morocco and adventurous travellers who want a route that combines deep desert with an authentic, less-visited city.
