Hidden Morocco 4x4 offroad adventure driving tours

Experience unique adventure touring on spectacular back road routes where few tourists venture - landscapes of gorges, volcanic mountains, open desert, rocky hamada and dunes and people of Morocco in remote Berber villages, Nomadic tribes, and desert wanderers. Trips include camel trekking with an overnight in the Erg Chebbi dunes as well as colourful village markets and unique historic sites along the way. Cross the High Atlas to Dades Valley and Tinehir; traverse the remote Anti Atlas Saghro volcanic massif, then head into the ergs of Sahara.

Sample Offroad Tour Itinararies starting from

Marrakech to Marrakech... more
Fes to Marrakech... more
Marrakech to Fes...more

Start from /or return to Fes or Marrakech and depart any day from September 15 to May 15 with flexible itineraries.
5, 6 and 7 day excursions available.
EMAIL for PRICES | More SAMPLE TOURS
For Morocco information click the links across the top of this page.

*Sahara - We don't tear up the beautiful sand dunes and contribute to global warming by raising dust as Lonely Planet Guide books describe off road touring in the desert - we use pre-established marked routes throughout all our off road excursions.

We also offer longer custom made private and 4x4 offroad desert tours.

back to the top

Sample 7 Offroad Day Itinerary Marrakech to Marrakech

Day 1
Your driver will meet you at your riad or hotel, depart Marrakech and transport over the High Atlas mountains Tichka pass, taking time to stop and enjoy impressive landscapes, and have coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice. At the height of the pass you turn off the main road toward Telouet. Visit the old Glaoui kasbah that is intrinsically linked to the formation of Morocco. This once beautiful kasbah now stands crumbling to ruins because no one wants to remember "the vulture" sultan who lived there. Back in the car, you'll follow the old Salt Road camel caravan route to Sahara until reaching Ouarzazate for lunch before heading to Dades. Stay in upper Dades gorge auberge (small country inn) overlooking the valley gorge and gardens.

Day 2
You'll head up gorge toward the High Atlas hidden valleys and villages. Here you will see Nomads who seasonally live in caves and tents, and graze their sheep, goats and camels during warmer summer months. The offroad track cuts across high plateaus and rocky highlands to decend into the Todra gorge and Tinehir valley on the edge of the Sahara. Visit Todra for a walk through sheer limestone walls rising over 300m in its narrowest part. If there is time, you can wander with a guide through palmery villages, gardens and kasbahs for a close look at traditional Berber ways of life. Stay in a traditional old kasbah.

Day 3
Head off road after breakfast, leaving the tourist route behind for the Saghro massif, one of the most remote regions in Morocco, populated by the Ait Atta nomad tribes. You can visit their camps and perhaps be invited in for tea. The traverse climbs a rugged trail off-road, crossing near volcanic cones and ridges, and we'll take time to enjoy spectacular views over this area. Stop for a picnic lunch near Bab n’Ali, two ancient weathered volcanic cores. Stay in NKob hotel.

Day 4
Today drive east of the stark Saghro Massif. This route is peppered with isolated villages and towns, rocky mesas and acacia trees. Have lunch near Rissani before departing for the Erg Chebbi dunes. Your late-afternoon destination is the auberge (small inn) 29 km from Merzouga. Meet your camel guide and ride into the dunes at sunset to the bivouac (camp). You will be served a traditional tagine dinner (vegetarians welcome), prepared under the stars shining above. Climb the big dunes and watch the moon rise before retiring to your bed in the nomad tent.

Day 5
Return by camel at sunrise to the auberge for breakfast and shower. Today you can take the 4x4 off road and explore around the Erg Chebbi sand sea, visiting Nomads for tea along the way (if they can be found). Visit the village of Hamlia, and experience the Gnaoua music of the Sufi tribes. This night you are back in the desert auberge for dinner and a good nights sleep.

Day 6
This day is onroad througout, following the edge of the High Atlas mountains on the main road to Ouarzazate. Along the way you'll pass through folded exposed rock slabs of fossils and can stop and visit fossil workshops for a closer look at Sahara’s wonderful variety of ancient life. Continue to Ouarzazate and the village of Ait Benhaddou where you'll spend the night.

Day 7
Tour Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO world heritage site. This village of clustered Berber Kasbahs has been used as a backdrop for more than 20 films and was one of the most important fortress strongholds on the old Salt Road where caravans brought slaves, gold, ivory and salt from Saharan Africa to Marrakech and beyond. Back on the road to Marrakech today, descend the Tichka pass once more. Late afternoon return to Marrakech, arriving approximately by 6 pm. You will need to book a hotel for this night.

back to the top

Sample 6 Days Itinerary Fes to Marrakech

Day 1
Your driver will meet you at your Fes riad or hotel, depart and transport over the Middle Atlas mountains through the cedar forests of Ifrane, Midelt and the Ziz gorges towards Sahara. Continue deeper into the desert landscape, until dunes appear on the horizon. Your mid-afternoon destination is the auberge (small country inn) 29km from Merzouga, where you’ll meet your camel guide and ride into the desert camp. Upon arrival you will have a tagine dinner prepared (vegetarians welcome) under the evening stars. Climb the dunes and watch the moon rise before retiring to your bed in the nomad tent.

Day 2
Camel trekkers return at sunrise to the auberge for breakfast and shower. Chill out in the dunes or the auberge pool, or take your car and driver for off road explorations around the Erg Chebbi dunes. Stop to visit Nomad families for tea if they are in the region, and explore as much as you wish - on foot if you like. The village of Hamlia on your route is famous for Gnaoua music. Stay in desert auberge.

Day 3
This morning you'll be back in the car going to Tinehir. Along the way pass through folded exposed rock slabs of fossils and stop and visit fossil workshops for a closer look at Sahara’s wonderful variety of ancient life. After lunch you can wander with a guide through palmeries, villages, gardens, and kasbahs and learn more about traditional Berber ways of life. Visit the (Monday) market in Tinehir. Late afternoon arrive to stay in an old kasbah.

Day 4
Leaving the tourist route behind, from Tinehir head for the Saghro massif, one of the most remote regions in Morocco, populated by the Ait Atta nomad tribes. You’ll visit their camps and perhaps be invited in for tea. The traverse climbs a rugged trail, crossing high plateaus, volcanic cones, ridges. Take time to enjoy spectacular views over this area. Stop for a picnic lunch near Bab n’Ali, two ancient weathered volcanic cores. Stay in Tazzarine hotel.

Day 5
After breakfast drive east of the stark Saghro Massif towards Zagora. This route is peppered with isolated villages, rocky mesas and acacia trees. You'll off-road taking an isolated route through the desert where only Nomads follow their herds, and emerge in the Draa valley and proceed to Ouarzazate. Stay in Ait Benhaddou.

Day 6
Visit the World Heritage Site, Ait Benhaddou, a village of clustered Berber Kasbahs used as a backdrop for more than 20 films and one of the most important fortress strongholds on the old Salt Road where caravans brought slaves, gold, ivory and salt from Saharan Africa to Marrakech and beyond. Descend the High Atlas mountains Tichka pass to Marrakech, and stop and enjoy impressive landscapes, with coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice breaks. Early afternoon arrival in Marrakech, approximately by 6 pm.

back to the top

Sample 5 Days Itinerary Marrakech to Fes

Day 1
Your driver will meet you at your riad or hotel, depart Marrakech and transport over the High Atlas mountains Tichka pass, taking time to stop and enjoy impressive landscapes, and have coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice. Exit the usual tourist route, and head for Telouet, where the Glaoui tribe ruled the Atlas. Their old Kasbah lies in glorious ruins, and you can have a look around, and hear about the violent history that surrounds this amazing site. After lunch, follow the old Salt caravan route toward the Sahara to Ait Benhaddou world heritage site. Stay this night in Ait Benhaddou riad.

Day 2
This morning visit the Ait Benhaddou World Heritage site of clustered Berber Kasbahs used as a backdrop for more than 20 films and one of the most important fortress strongholds on the old Salt Road where caravans brought slaves, gold, ivory and salt from Saharan Africa to Marrakech and beyond. Back in the car, pass through Ouarzazate and your next destination is Dades valley on the edge of the Sahara. We'll pass through the Valley of Roses and off-road through the foothills of the High Atlas mountains to the Todra gorges. Stay overnight tonight in an old kasbah in nearby Tinehir.

Day 3
After breakfast, leave the tourist route behind for the Saghro Massif, one of the most remote regions in Morocco. Visit the Ait Atta nomad camps and perhaps be invited in for tea. The traverse climbs a rugged trail off-road, crossing high plateaus, volcanic cones, ridges, with spectacular views over this area. Stop for a picnic lunch near Bab n’Ali, two ancient weathered volcanic cores. Stay in Tazzarine desert auberge.

Day 4
Leaving Tazzarine, you'll follow the southeast edge of the stark Saghro Massif. This route is peppered with isolated villages and towns, rocky mesas and acacia trees. From Alnif head for the Erg Chebbi sand sea and continue deeper into the desert landscape, until dunes appear on the horizon. Your mid-afternoon destination is the auberge (small country inn) 29km from Merzouga, where you’ll meet your camel guide and ride into the desert camp. Upon arrival you will have a tagine dinner prepared (vegetarians welcome) under the evening stars. Climb the dunes and watch the moon rise before retiring to your bed in the nomad tent.

Day 5
Camel trekkers return at sunrise to the auberge for breakfast and shower. Depart for long days drive to Fes, traveling from the desert through the Ziz gorge to the Middle Atlas mountains. The alpine town of Ifrane is a nice contrast from the desert. You can stop in Azrou cedar forests before descending to the hilly lowlands where the ancient city of Fes is situated. You will need to book a hotel this night in Fes.

Contact Morocco Explored

info@moroccoexplored.com

Telephone to Morocco:
GSM: +212 66 770 5212

Telephone from Morocco:
GSM: 0 66 770 5212

Telephone Canada and voice mail:
+1 604 393 3715