High Atlas Mountains private 4x4 tour with lunch

High Atlas Mountains private 4x4 tour with lunch

If you're looking for remote Berber villages, mountain panoramas and bucketloads of adventure, you've found it. This 4x4 tour begins as you approach the High Atlas foothills, just a short drive from Marrakech. Soon you'll be deep into north Africa's highest mountain range, passing typical farms and rust-coloured peaks. Yasmine, one of our expert local guides, says, ‘Our olive grove in Asni valley was once enough to support the whole family, but when the crop reduced due to lack of rain, we had to move to Marrakech. These days, I work as a tour guide, and I'm proud to show our guests what life in the Berber villages I know so well is like.'Your private, air-conditioned 4x4 vehicle is exclusively for you and your party. As you wind into the rugged terrain, you'll stop at the most panoramic locations to admire the view and snap some photos of the distinctive landscapes. You'll also see a local pottery studio where artisan potters use traditional methods to make ceramic products, and you can buy some items if you like.Next up, you'll explore a typical Berber village. Your guide will accompany you to a traditional home to enjoy a mint tea and try freshly baked bread. Wave goodbye to your hosts and continue through the mountains into the Asni valley, where it's time to stop for a traditional lunch. You'll round off your 4x4 adventure at the Plateau de Kik, calling in at the Tahanaout gorges on the return trip. On a private tour, the guide is at your disposal, so itinerary tweaks are possible.

Private horse-drawn carriage tour of Marrakech by night

Marrakech by night has to be seen to be believed. When dusk falls over Jemaa el-Fnaa, the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and the atmosphere is electric. You'll experience it with a private horse-and-carriage tour of the city in the evening, with time to soak up the magic of the square afterwards. Fatima, one of our expert local guides, says, ‘I'd often go by horse and carriage to get to school from my family's riad in the old medina. Horses, donkeys and mopeds are the only way to travel in the narrow alleys, and there are usually pedestrians, too. There's no point trying to rush in the medina.'Say hello to your horse and driver, then set off on your horse-drawn carriage tour to see the main sights in and around the medina. You'll trot along the 12th-century ramparts and down the main avenue, see the highlights of the Hivernage district, and ride through Bab Jdid, and Bab Ighali, two of Marrakech's ornate city gates. Next, you'll visit the Royal Palace district of Mechouar and head for La Kasbah Mellah, before finishing up at Jemaa el-Fnaa, the UNESCO World Heritage Site that is the beating heart of Marrakech.By day, it's a spacious town square, but by night it reinvents itself and puts on a spellbinding show. As the sun sinks low, stallholders arrive and set up shop. Acrobats flip. Storytellers enchant their audience. Fortune-tellers twist their cards. And cooks' grills sizzle with sweet-scented street food staples. An unmissable Marrakech experience.

Essaouira and Medina heritage tour

Explore Essaouira the seaside city and its Medina and European military architecture before visiting Argan cooperative.

Road of the Kasbahs 4x4 tour

Take a 4x4 ride in the Atlas mountains and drive through the Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass also visit Aït Benhaddou where Gladiator was filmed.

Berber trails 4x4 tour

Experience high Atlas mountains off-road adventure and explore the typical Berber village

Full-day Ouzoud waterfalls from Marrakech

Visit Ouzoud the longest waterfalls in North Africa and admire the breathtaking natural scenery at Berber village.

Taste of Riad in Marrakech

For a true Moroccan experience, dinner in a riad hits all the spots! This excursion is perfect to get to know the city's local wonders.

Marrakech horse and carriage tour with Jemaa el-Fnaa Square

Marrakech by night is magical – and as the sun begins to set over the medina, the night-time entertainment turns the atmosphere electric. You'll enjoy your own magical experience with a horse-and-carriage tour, and time to soak up the heaving Jemaa el-Fnaa square in the evening. Fatima, one of our expert local guides, says, ‘My family owns a riad in the medina and I would often go by horse and carriage to get to school. Horses, donkeys and mopeds are the only means of transport to traverse the narrow alleys of the medina – if you're in a rush, too bad.'Start your evening by hopping on to your horse-drawn carriage to tour the main sights in and around the medina. You'll trot along the 12th-century ramparts and down the main avenue. Then take in the views from the Hivernage district, and ride through Bab Jdid and Bab Ighali, two of Marrakech's imposing city gates. Next, you'll tour Mechouar – the Royal Palace district – and continue towards La Kasbah Mellah and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Jemaa el-Fnaa. At this time of day, it's less crowded.The square is the life and soul of the city. By day, it's a space for vendors to sell their fresh produce, but by night it takes on a completely different air and the show begins to unfold. As the sun sinks low, stallholders begin to set up for the evening. Acrobats perform, storytellers sit cross-legged as crowds gather round, fortune-tellers proffer their wisdom. And cooks' grills sizzle with various street food staples – an absolute must-do in Marrakech.

Road of the Kasbahs 4x4 Tour with Lunch in Aït Benhaddou

The sands of the High Atlas are sprinkled with silver screen stardust. On this epic tour, you'll travel by 4x4 to Telouet, rumble across the dizzying Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass and visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Aït Benhaddou. It's a blockbuster. Youssef, one of our expert local guides, says, ‘I'm from the village of Tamdaght, just 6km from kasbah Aït Benahdou – a red clay village so untouched it feels like you stepped into a movie. Living here, films became a normal part of our lives. I boosted my income when I was a student by working as an extra.'Your 4x4 adventure in the Atlas Mountains kicks off with a scenic drive via Taddart to Telouet – a crumbling kasbah on the former caravan route that linked Marrakech to the Sahara. Then, with views over Aït Benhaddou, you'll break for a tasty lunch freshly prepared with locally sourced produce. Afterwards, your guide will take you inside the ksar walls of the kasbah, where Hollywood films such as Gladiator and Lawrence of Arabia were filmed. This is one of Morocco's finest examples of earthen clay architecture.For the return trip you have the ascent to the spectacular Tizi n'Tichka pass to look forward to. Youssef says, ‘Tizi n'Tichka means “difficult mountain pasture” in Berber, and you'll soon find out why. It reaches the altitude of 2,212m with lots of switchbacks.' Once over the pass, the road descends through scenic valleys, passing villages and palm groves, before arriving in Marrakech.

Ouzoud Waterfalls tour with Imi-n-Ifri and lunch from Marrakech

The Ouzoud Falls are one of the top sights in Morocco and easily visited from Marrakech. You'll head into the Middle Atlas Mountains to see North Africa's highest waterfalls as well as a natural travertine bridge. Hamza, one of our expert local guides, says, ‘I've been guiding this excursion for many years, but I still love seeing the falls. They drop 110m down craggy red cliffs, and there are various places to view the cascading water, from above and below. Ouzoud means “olive” in the Berber language, and the falls are named after the ancient olive trees that thrive around this valley.'You'll cross palm groves, pass by typical Berber villages and weave through mountain passes en route to Ouzoud. Reaching the falls, you'll have plenty of time to take photos and marvel at the succession of tiered cascades. There's a permanent rainbow created by the mist thrown up from the natural power of the water, which is at peak flow during the spring.Your guide will point out the best viewpoints, and with luck you might even spot the Barbary apes that call this dazzling place home. Hamza says, ‘Many people think of Morocco as arid. Yet the Ouzoud Falls and the green surroundings bring a sense of vitality and life-force to the landscape.' After your visit, it's time to relax over a meal in a Berber restaurant where you'll tuck into a freshly-prepared local lunch including a typical dish of the region. And there's a photo stop at the nearby Imi-n-Ifri natural bridge on the way back to Marrakech.