9 Days Agadir and Western Sahara Tour, Wild beaches and Berber villages — Road-trip in another South of Morocco.
Massa — Guelmim — Tafnidilt — Mirleft — Tafraoute — Taroudant — Return flight
In the south of Morocco, the Sahara extends its immensity along the ocean. It is in these provinces that we discover this grandiose territory of sand and ocher rock that meets the Atlantic. These regions with bewitching light welcome the nomadic Sahrawi population, which carefully maintains its traditions and its main wealth, water and the dromedary. We offer you through this trip to discover another face of Morocco and its coast, far from the classic routes. Your road-trip begins in the heart of the Souss-Massa natural park, a wild and preserved coastline where you can rest among the pink flamingos, then head towards Guelmim, a former caravan center, before reaching the White Beach which leads us to Tafnidilt , surrounded by fascinating canyons on the edge of the Oued Draâ. Another charming stage, Mirleft, a fishing village clinging to the hill, a new paradise for surfing and green tourism. Last puffs of Anti-Atlas in Tafraoute, an arid and mineral world at the antipodes of the verdant wadi Massa, but which Morocco obliges, does not forget the technicolor. End of the journey in Taroudant, a picturesque little town protected by desert-colored ramparts which alone are worth the trip. Throughout the trip, we will have scoured the lively souks, surveyed the medinas, made beautiful encounters, and above all we will have been amazed. We will have a change of scenery and rejuvenation, too, thanks to exteriors that call for an interior journey.
DAY 1 : AGADIR — MASSA (1 hour drive)
Flight to Agadir. On arrival, your private driver will meet you at the airport of Agadir (Marrakech is also an option) and drive to Massa.
you will be here for two nights in a guest house facing the ocean, on a large sandy beach. It is a haven of calm and serenity, lost about fifty kilometers south of Agadir and nestled in the heart of the Souss-Massa National Park, a precious bird reserve. Flamingos, blue tits, common cranes and other northern bald ibises inspired the names of the rooms, each with its own enchanting tone. Typical decoration of southern Morocco for the Cormoran, where Berber carpets found in the souk become bedspreads. Florentine yellow and garish blue in the Pie, an ideal size room for families. Marrakech impressions, tadelakt and moucharabieh for Sarcelle. With its alcoves, red hangings, and its fireplace, La Mouette is the favorite nest of lovers. And, for everyone, swimming pools, spa, hammam, whirlpool bath and massages guarantee relaxation and disconnection.
DAY 2 : MASSA NATIONAL PARK
On the program of your Agadir and Western Sahara Tour — A guided walk in the ornithological reserve. Accompanied by a specialist, we set off for a magnificent two-hour walk along the river that flows into the ocean. The mouth of Massa is a migratory stopover and a wintering place for many birds between Europe and Africa. Armed with your binoculars, very early in the morning or at the end of the day, you encounter ducks, flamingos, gray herons and, if you are lucky, bald ibises — the last colonies of this endangered species. disappearance remains in the park.
DAY 3 : MASSA — TIZNIT — GUELMIM — FORT BOUJRIF (3 hour drive )
Road to Guelmim, former caravan center on the road to Timbuktu. Along the way, stop at Tiznit, a charming town whose medina is hidden behind imposing ramparts, preserving all the mysteries of the “blue sultan”. This is the legendary El Hiba of Mauritania, who reigned at the beginning of the 20th century over the entire Souss region as far as Marrakech. A break allows you to browse the pretty alleys of the medina, the alleys of the souk of the jewelers which makes the reputation of the city, and to have lunch in a pleasant restaurant serving traditional Moroccan dishes. We also don’t miss the old souk, with its fascinating architecture made up of colonnades and patios where craftsmen work with silver.
After crossing the last links of the Anti-Atlas, Guelmim emerges from a vast oasis. Famous for its weekly camel market with a picturesque atmosphere, the city is also home to a souk offering a wide variety of local crafts.
Installation for a night on the outskirts of the city, in a superb desert environment of perfect tranquility. A handful of sober and comfortable rooms welcome visitors behind walls of an ochre-pink color, close to that of the desert. We are very close to the White Beach.
DAY 4 : GUELMIM — PLAGE BLANCHE — TAFNIDILT (3 hour drive )
Your Agadir and Western Sahara tour takes you today to Tafnidilt by chasing the track of the White Beach. This name, given by Spanish navigators, refers to an impressive sandy beach that stretches continuously for 50 kilometres. The tiny village of Tafnidilt is built north of Tan-Tan, on the edge of Oued Draâ. It is surrounded by aesthetic canyons and sand dunes, enjoying an exceptional panorama.
Installation for the night in an establishment that takes up the architecture of the kasbahs of the South, character and cachet included. On site, guests have everything they need: comfortable rooms, a swimming pool, a bar, a restaurant… and a superb view! Built on a rocky promontory, the place offers a panoramic view of the mouth of the Oued Draâ and the Fort of Tafnidilt.
DAY 5 : TAFNIDILT — MIRLEFT
Road to Mirleft, going up north via Sidi Ifni, a small Hispanic-looking town.
Night on the heights of Mirleft, in an old fort from 1935 converted into a guest house. Admirably renovated by craftsmen from the region in the spirit of Moroccan traditions, the address is imbued with great charm, while remaining quite raw, without frills. The rooms, tastefully decorated, have a view of the mountain or the sea, with a splendid panorama of Mirleft. Between two walks, relax in the swimming pool or in the hammam heated by a wood fire.
DAY 6 : MIRLEFT — TAFRAOUTE (3 hour drive)
Road to Tafraoute, taking the very beautiful road that climbs to the Kerdous pass (1100 meters above sea level), in the Anti-Atlas region, mountains covered with argan and almond trees.
Installation for the night in a contemporary sand-colored kasbah placed in the heart of the Ameln valley. The building, full of charm despite its young age, houses a few rooms in a sober Berber style. From the terrace, the swimming pool or the deckchairs, we have a view of the steep mountains and the “lion”, a zoomorphic rock sculpted by erosion.
DAY 7 : TAFRAOUTE — TAROUDANT (3 hour drive )
Road to Taroudant through steep landscapes. Before heading north, you can stop at the blue rocks painted by the Belgian Jean Vérame, south of Tafraoute. A surprising vision in the middle of the ocher of the desert. Along the way, don’t miss the Tioute palm grove where, in lush landscapes, you can visit a women’s argan oil cooperative — a Moroccan elixir with many virtues -, have lunch with the locals or in a local restaurant. , and discover the old kasbah which overlooks the valley.
You will be here for two nights on the edge of a 40-hectare olive grove and a few hundred meters from the impregnable ramparts of Taroudant, within a unique estate, managed in an eco-responsible manner. Once through the door, a whole universe of plants unfolds before our eyes — unusual plants from arid regions, with surprising shapes and rare colors that create, over the seasons, veritable paintings of nature. These amazing gardens were designed by two big names in international landscape design. The places have been designed to preserve everyone’s privacy and respect ancestral techniques — sets built in natural materials by local craftsmen, no fault of taste. Between moments of sharing and relaxation, we are here as if in suspense.
DAY 8 : TAROUDANT
Off the tourist trails, Taroudant, in the Souss plain, is protected by high ocher walls which alone are worth the trip. The city, former capital, is the heir to a long history of which it has retained pride and a taste for business. It has a small medina, modest but dynamic souks, beautiful gardens and a spirit full of seduction.
On the program — Day in Berber villages. Nestled in the hollow of the mountains near terraced crops, the Berber villages renowned for their pottery, olive or argan oils reveal to the visitor their charm and ancestral traditions. We have lunch with the locals, the opportunity to meet people in their daily life.
To see, to do — Browse the souk where locals come to buy extra quality slippers and famous camel leather goods — enjoy Berber cuisine in the open air at the Jnane Soussia restaurant — walk along the promenade of the ramparts recently returned to their luster — visit Freija, a small fortified village on the south bank of the Souss.
DAY 9 : TAROUDANT — RETURN FLIGHT
Before leaving Taroudant, don’t forget to visit the Palace-Museum of Claudio Bravo, a hyperrealist Chilean painter. Its color palette is inspired by the Italian Renaissance and Spanish Baroque. Each room of his magnificent property constitutes a small museum all by itself, by the presence of paintings and works of art collected over the years.
Road to Agadir airport (1h), end of your Agadir and Western Sahara Tour
WITH A FEW DAYS MORE… DAKHLA
A new Mecca for kite-surfers, Dakhla nonchalantly spreads out its turquoise lagoon lulled by the trade winds. Still far from the classic tourist routes, its region offers the face of a Berber territory apart: long sandy beaches beaded with dunes, at the gates of the Saharan desert. A perfect place to end the trip in style (and relaxed).
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