Family trip from Marrakech to the desert (page 2 of 10)

Around 3 PM, after lunch in Rissani, we make our way into Merzouga. We’d booked our bivouac in advance—we really wanted some time just for ourselves, if possible. So here we are at Dar Gamra, the House of the Moon, with Ali.... We’ve got a little time ahead of us. The bivouac departure isn’t until 5 PM... So we ask Ali if the lake has water, the ephemeral lake. We’ve never seen it full before. But this time, it’s the real deal. Ali’s nephew comes along with us. We take a track through the stony desert, and we get there quickly. Once there, we rent binoculars to watch the birds. The most common are the pink flamingos. They keep their distance—hard to get good photos. There are also ducks and some small waders. A lovely sight. And we’re surprised by the size of the lake.



On our way back, we pack a small bag with the essentials for the bivouac. Everyone climbs onto their camel—the younger ones are a bit nervous... But it’s a magical moment for all of us. It’s just so beautiful!

Oops, wrong move—I clicked "Send my message" instead of uploading the photo...

Once at the camp, we get a little exercise. Climbing to the top of the dune takes some effort, but what a reward! The kids are having a blast—we lent them a board to slide down the dunes. After they’ve burned off all their energy, it’s time to admire the sunset. Stunning! Then, we gather under the tent for dinner because the wind suddenly picked up, and we’re hit with a sandstorm. Another new experience for most of us. Dinner is excellent, and the young staff serving us are really friendly. A few card games and charades before everyone heads to bed for the night—the wind has died down. Perfect.

After a great night’s sleep and a fantastic breakfast under the tent, we head back to the hostel. On the way, we stop to draw water to give the camels a drink. An amazing experience... Such a wonderful memory for the whole family, this shared moment in the desert...

Hi Daniel, Could you give us a few details about your accommodation in Tinghir? Thanks, I’ll be there next week.

Good evening, This lake is stunning! And the dunes are still just as... your good luck followed you to Morocco!

The Todra Panorama hostel is located between the town of Tinghir and the Todra Gorge, on the right above the beautiful palm grove of Tinghir. It's a small, well-designed place, tastefully decorated. You should be able to find the details and photos on Booking or TripAdvisor. They might even have a website... Ahmed’s welcome is really friendly, and the food is good. For me, it's a great spot!

You're right, Roselyne—we got lucky! That way, everyone got to enjoy it.

Great job on this new story—it really takes us on a journey! I just did a trip from Marrakech to Tangier myself, and it was amazing.

Awesome, a little courage to share your trip with us!!!

It's a great idea, I don't doubt that for a second. But I'm not used to it and I'm hesitant to dive in.

At least the different stages, to give us a little idea of the itinerary.

Why not? I’ll draft something first... And if it’s okay, I’ll write it up neatly... But only if it’s okay. So we’ll see!

Good luck and see you soon!

Go Michelle!! It's a region we don't see as much in travel journals. Share your draft with us, and we'll let you know what we think ;)😇 Good luck! See you soon.

Why not? I’ll draft it first... And if it’s okay, I’ll write it up neatly... But only if it’s okay. So we’ll see!

+1 :)

Amazing trip, well done! 🙂

I'm glad you like it! I hesitated to share this trip because it's a classic route that's often detailed on forums. But as long as it's helpful and helps some of you build an itinerary, that's great.

..... I hesitated to share this trip because it's a classic route often covered in forums. But as long as it's enjoyable and helps some of you plan your itinerary, that's great.

This route will become even more common with the increase in direct flights between France and Ouarzazate. But travel journals still inspire and often hide little gems, like this amazing photo I took of Lake Merzouga when it was full of water! So don’t hesitate 😉😎!!

After our night in a bivouac, we left Merzouga to head to the Dadès Valley via Tinejdad this time. But we preferred the route through Alnif. Following a friend’s advice from the forum, we stopped at Résidence Ourti, which has a lovely view of the gardens along the oued. The small apartments are nice, each with its own little terrace. It’s cozy, though a bit chilly since it doesn’t get much sun. Before dinner, we took a nice walk to the famous Monkey Fingers. The lighting was amazing...



The next day, we hit the road again for Skoura. The kids can’t wait to see their little friends again, and they’re happy to stay a few nights in the same place. On the way, we picked up some rose water in Kelaa—small gifts that are always appreciated.

In Skoura, we went for a picnic by the Dadès River, as promised to the youngest ones. They remembered, of course, and had a blast in this paradise-like setting. Swimming and games were on the agenda. Unfortunately, I can’t post the photos—they don’t fit the format. Too bad...

The Routard forum accepted the photos...

I sometimes run into this issue too, even if I’ve only tweaked the photos a little.