On September 3, we will begin our journey toward the desert. We'll leave the hassle and hustle of Marrakech behind and cross the Atlas Mountains to reach Tamnougalt by evening, where we will spend two nights.

Tamnougalt is a kasbah and date palm oasis located in the Draa River valley in Morocco.

In addition to stopping for lunch, we will most likely stop several more times along the way because the scenery is magnificent and there are photo ops around every turn.

In the oasis town of Tamnougalt, we will spend two nights/days in a 16th-century kasbah. 

This is a spectacular place. It's like traveling back to a time full of mystery and ancient traditions. Here we will tour the kasbah, experience live, traditional, local music, eat delicious food, and be treated like family. 

We'll be in the middle of an oasis, so it's a peaceful, quiet contrast to Marrakech. There will be time to visit the neighboring town, market, and shops, as well as take walks through the oasis.

The Tajine cooking class will take place here as an add-on.

Ah, what can I say about this day? No words can describe the experience you're going to have!

We'll leave Tamnougalt today and head towards a small town at the edge of the desert, M'Hamid El Ghizlane. There we will ditch our van for a 4x4 and meet our desert guide, who will take us to our desert camp.

I don't want to say much more about this part of the trip. Just open your heart and mind and let your soul explode. 

After a starry night beneath the desert sky, we'll head back to reality. We'll pick up our van, say 'shukran' (thank you) to our desert guide, and head off to the town of Zagora.

Zagora is called “The Desert Gate” because it’s one of the last towns in Morocco before the start of the Sahara Desert. Camel caravans used to stop at Zagora before going to Timbuktu, Mali. It would take 52 days to get there!

We'll see if the sign is still there and have an IG moment :-)

We'll also visit the 'souk' (traditional market), which is the largest traditional market in Morocco. Be prepared to haggle your life away! This will be a great place to pick up some unique and original gifts for yourself and others.

We'll spend the night here.

This ancient fortified city may look familiar to you. The scene in which Maximus is sold to Proximo in the movie Gladiator was shot in Aït-Ben-Haddou.

It was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.

We'll have plenty of time to wander around this spectacular place and take in its sights, smells, and sounds. There's some good shopping to be done here as well. There are official guided tours, so if you are interested, these can be arranged.

We'll be spending one night in the area, then heading back to Marrakech in the morning.

 "Are you not entertained?”
― Maximus

On these last two days in Marrakech, there will be time to wrap up any sightseeing or shopping you may not have done on the first days here. 

Also, there is the option of a half-day trip to the nearby Berber villages and a meal with a local family (dear friends of mine). That can be discussed and decided once we are there.

I like to end this trip with a few hours at the hammam (Arab spa). This is an add-on and will need to be booked in advance. So let me know if you're interested, and I'll arrange it.

“To travel is to take a journey into yourself.” – Danny Kaye

As our adventure comes to a close, I hope that the experience has left a positive imprint on your soul and that you feel enriched for the time you've spent in Morocco.

I wish you safe travels to your next destination and I hope our paths will cross again in the future, perhaps even for another Journey Beyond Destination.