The Moroccan desert and southern valleys
The Moroccan desert is one of the kingdom's most impressive features. Discover the effervescence of Marrakech, the imperial city, the adobe architecture of Ouarzazate's kasbah, the oases in the Draa Valley and Zagora's ramparts during a road trip that will shake up any misconceptions you may have.
When you board a La Méridionale Marseille-Morocco crossing with your vehicle, you'll arrive in the port of Tanger-Med. Now, your discovery trip through the country of the far-distant setting sun can begin.
When should you head to the Moroccan desert?
Thanks to its Mediterranean climate, Morocco can be explored, with the sun shining, almost all year round. Autumn's the best time to visit Marrakech and the Moroccan desert. Temperatures range between 20 and 30 degrees and the sun shines for 10 hours a day. And, rain only falls one or two days a month.
You can also take a ferry to Morocco in winter and in spring. The weather is milder and December and April skies adorn incomparably-pure colours.
Even if you're a heat lover, it's better to avoid summer if you wish to visit the Moroccan desert. As temperatures can rise to around 50 degrees, July and August aren't the best times for discovering Southern Morocco and the Sahara Desert.
Discovering the Moroccan desert
If you imagine desert rhymes with dunes and never-ending expanses of sand, then the Moroccan desert has a host of surprises in store for you. Here, a mix of rocky areas, oases and palm groves await you.
Marrakech, "the city of seven saints"
You can't discover Morocco without visiting Marrakech! Once you've crossed from Marseille to Tangier by ferry, head for the ochre-hued city. You'll be wowed by the constantly buzzing medina, listed as a Unesco world heritage site. The buzz in the air reaches its peak at Place Jemaa El-Fna, where snake charmers rub shoulders with craftspeople, artisans and their stalls.
If you'd like a bit of peace and quiet, head for the Jardin Majorelle in the new part of town. This was fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent's retreat. The old town also has quite a few havens of peace. The Jardin Secret is hidden away just a stone's throw from the souk. Behind this mysterious name lies an exotic garden, an Islamic garden, palaces and one of the city's tallest towers.
Art and culture lovers will delight on the myriad of activities on offer in Marrakech. They can learn all about Berber culture at Marrakech Museum and be charmed by yesteryear's Morocco at the Mouassine Museum and at the House of Photography.
This gateway to the South, just like the rest of the kingdom, has always been a source of inspiration for many foreign artists. The Orientalist Museum and the one dedicated to Yves Saint-Laurent remind us just how much Marrakech fuelled European painters and artists' imagination.
Ouarzazate, "Gateway to the desert"
The gateway to the Moroccan desert, located at the crossroads between the Draa and Dadès Valleys is often forgotten by tourists. Yet, Ouarzazate enjoys exceptional sunshine that makes it Morocco's Hollywood.
Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and Kundun were all filmed here. You can admire the film sets and costumes used in these super productions in the town's Cinema Museum.
If you'd like to visit the 'real' Ouarzazate, then head for Taourit Kasbah. Explore the labyrinth of alleyways, stalls and grocery shops hidden behind the high adobe architecture façades decorated with geometric designs.
Zagora, "the silent city"
The route to the Sahara begins in Zagora, as illustrated on the famous painted signpost mentioning Timbuktu, 52 days (by camel).
Before you too head off to visit the Moroccan desert, take time to enjoy a walk in the shade along Avenue Mohamed V or set yourself a challenge and climb Jebel Zagora. You'll delight in a vista over the silent city, the cliffs and the surrounding dunes from a height of 200 m.
And, if you still have some free time on your hands when you visit Zagora, plan a getaway to the village of Amezrou or an excursion to the Tinfou dunes.
Visiting Southern Morocco valleys
Passé Zagora, les vallées du désert du Sahara s’offrent à vous. Pour les amoureux de la nature qui se demandent que visiter au Maroc, les vallées du Drâa, des Roses et du Dadès sont à ne pas manquer.
Once you pass Zagora, the Sahara Desert valleys await you. For nature lovers who wonder what to visit in Morocco, the Draa, Roses and Dadès Valleys are a must.
Draa Valley
One of Morocco's largest oases nestles south of the Atlas Mountains. The Draa Valley is a former caravan trail, dotted with Berber villages, palm groves and fortifications.
The scenescapes and the silhouettes of the ksour (castles) are best admired by car and every stop you make in villages has its share of surprises. In Agdz, for instance, Qaid Ali's descendants invite you into their ancestor's home. An opportunity to admire the riad and its orange groves that were once reserved exclusively for guests.
The road has made you hot and you'd love to have a swim in the middle of the desert? No problem, because Draa waterfalls are close by. These torrents, located just a few minutes from the village of Tizgui, create a natural pool where you can swim when the weather's fine.
Roses Valley
This Atlas valley owes its name to the roses that blossom here in the springtime.
The rocky ground takes on a colour with multiple tones, veering from ochre to pink.
Head off for a hike through the gorges and canyons.
You'll pass through villages that have preserved Berber culture like Bou-Tharar with its ksar (castle), Kelaat M’Gouna with its weekly souk and Hadida with its rose water distillery.
The trip is magical in April and May, when the scent of roses diffuses through the M'Goun riverbed.
Dadès Valley
The Dadès Valley stretches out just a few kilometres north of Ouarzazate. Palm groves, Berber fortresses, mosques, etc. Stop off along the route of a thousand kasbahs in Skoura, Imassine or El-Kelâa M’Gouna as you please.
And, for the adventurous among you, you can head for the top of Jebel Saghro (2,712 metres) in an off-road vehicle or on foot.
Fancy discovering the Moroccan desert, Marrakech and Morocco's imperial cities? Then get on-board one of our ferries and head to Morocco! We'll welcome you on-board our ships where you can enjoy a crossing with total peace of mind.
