If your time in Marrakech is limited and you can't reach the Saharan sand dunes in the south, you can still experience the desert's tranquility and grandeur with a short trip to the Agafay Desert, also known as the "Marrakech Desert."

Your adventure begins with a 9 am pick-up from your hotel or riad for a scenic drive to Agafay. The journey starts with a beautiful drive through roads shaded by lush vegetation and lined with olive and orange orchards.

The first stop is the village of Tahanaout, where you'll visit an argan oil cooperative. Here, you can observe the fascinating process of extracting the famous argan oil, an essential ingredient in culinary and cosmetic products.

Continuing the journey, you'll pass by stunning waterfalls and small Berber villages, offering a glimpse into local life and the rich Berber culture and traditions thriving in the Atlas Mountains. The trip includes a visit to the man-made reservoir of Lalla Takerkoust, which supplies Marrakech with water. This reservoir depends on annual snowmelt to refill and meet the city's high water demand.

The Agafay Desert is a rocky, dry, moon-like landscape offering unexpected and splendid views of the High Atlas Mountains, which are snow-capped in winter. This mineral universe is only occasionally disturbed by flocks of sheep searching for grass and herbs.

In the heart of this desert lies an unexpected oasis, a place of calm and tranquility where frogs and turtles live and breed, and plants thrive. Upon arrival at the Agafay nomad camp, you'll enjoy a traditional Moroccan lunch, followed by a glass of the famous Moroccan mint tea. You'll have some free time to relax or admire the sunset.

Afterward, you can take a camel ride through the desert before returning to Marrakech.