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Agafay desert day trip from Marrakech – overview:
A short trip to Morocco will not allow for the highlight of visiting the Sahara. But an impression of Saharan life is replicated in a small way in the Agafay desert, very close to Marrakech.
This day trip offers a relaxing day in the rocky desert with wonderful views of the snow-capped High Atlas Mountains. Moreover, you can also gain an insight into local Berber life in the mountain villages.
These are the inclusions on this trip: an hour’s camel ride, driving off-road, hiking in the rocky hills, and visiting the Lalla Takerkoust reservoir. For mechanical sports enthusiasts, it is possible to rent a quad-bike or buggies to travel this magical setting at a faster pace.
Atlas Mountains and Agafay Desert day trip – highlights:
- Discovering charming the Berber villages and varying landscape of the high Atlas Mountains
- Enjoying lunch in a nomad tent in the Agafay Desert camp or at a local family house in the mountains
- Experiencing a full hour’s camel ride with you in a blue turban; very photogenic
- Unwinding with a relaxing glass of mint tea served with Moroccan biscuits
- Free time to explore the Kik Plateau landscape and take in panoramic views, often snow-capped mountains
What is included in this Agafay Desert day trip:
- Transport in a private air-conditioned 4×4 Toyota Prado Tx or Deluxe Van and fuel
- Pick up from and drop off at your hotel in Marrakech
- Experienced English/ French/ Spanish/ Italian-speaking driver-guide
- A camel ride for an hour to an hour and a half
- Mint tea and biscuits in the desert of Agafay
- Lunch in a nomad tent – with vegetarian and vegan options available
- Free time to explore sites such as valleys, the Lalla Takerkoust reservoir, and Berber villages for walks
- The opportunity to ask the driver to stop for breaks or visits whenever you wish
What is not included:
- Drinks
- Tips
- Extras
Atlas Mountains and Agafay Desert day trip from Marrakech:
- This Marrakech day trip to the Agafay desert can be customised to be more personal and special
- Agafay is a rocky desert whereas the desert areas with large sand dunes are the Erg Chebbi Dunes or the Erg Chegaga Dunes further south
- Blue turbans are provided for your use during the camel ride and for photos
- Here is a downloadable packing list to help plan for your Moroccan desert tour
- We offer a 25% discount for children under 12, and one child under 3 per family travels free of charge
- These prices are liable to fluctuation according to the current exchange rate
- We require a 30% deposit of the total price to book the car, while the balance is payable to the driver
- We accept payment through PayPal, bank transfers in Europe, by credit card, or cash (USD, Euro, GBP or MAD)
- Our prices can be subject to an increase over the busy season, and, in particular, the Christmas and New Year’s Eve period
Prices per person
| No Days | Meals |
|---|---|
| All-inclusive | |
| Total price | |
| 2 Persons |
|---|
| 145 € * |
| 290 € * |
| 3 Persons |
|---|
| 135 € * |
| 405 € * |
| 4 Persons |
|---|
| 120 € * |
| 480 € * |
| 5 Persons |
|---|
| 110 € * |
| 550 € * |
| 6 Persons |
|---|
| 110 € * |
| 660 € * |
Atlas Mountains and Agafay Desert day trip from Marrakech – itinerary
You may have very limited time in Marrakech and so are unable to reach the Saharan sand dunes in the south. But you can still take a short, alternative trip to the so-called “Marrakech Desert”, Agafay, for an impression of the silence and the majesty of the desert.
Agafay is a rocky, dry, moon-like desert, offering unexpected and splendid views of the High Atlas Mountains, snow-capped in winter. It is a mineral universe only disturbed by a few flocks of sheep passing by in their search for grass and herbs.
In the middle of this desert lies an unexpected oasis, a place of calm and peacefulness. Here, even surrounded by such barrenness, frogs and turtles live and breed, whilst plants can also flourish.
Your pick-up from your hotel/riad will be at 9 am. The trip starts with a wonderful drive through a road shaded by lush vegetation, and olive and orange orchards.
The first stop is Tahanaout village, where you will have the opportunity to visit an argan oil co-operative. Here, you will witness the fascinating process of extracting the famous argan oil, an essential ingredient for culinary and cosmetic purposes.
From here, you travel past stunning waterfalls and small Berber villages to get a glimpse of local life and learn about the rich Berber culture and traditions thriving in the Atlas Mountains. We visit the man-made reservoir of Lalla Takerkoust, which supplies Marrakech with water. The city relies on that snow each year to refill this lake. There is a great demand for water in this most popular city in Morocco with all its riads, pools and golf courses
Feast on a traditional Moroccan meal in the home of a Berber family. Then, relax with scenic views from a rooftop terrace. Alternatively, you can wait a while to enjoy a traditional Moroccan lunch in a nomad tent in the Agafay Desert itself.
Here you can take a camel ride of about an hour, followed by a traditional Moroccan lunch in an Agafay Desert luxury camp. A glass of the famous Moroccan mint tea completes the meal and you’ll have free time to relax or admire the sunset.
Map of Agafay Desert camp day trip:
