Day trip from Marrakesh to Agafay Desert and Atlas Mountains

Commonly when we think of Morocco, it’s all about the breathtaking architecture, spices, chaotic cities, lovely handicrafts and a rainbow of colours. But… you should know that there is also an adventurous side to the country. And, sometimes a simple day trip can lead you to discover many hidden gems.

Since this time I was staying 5 days in Marrakech, I decided to try one of the many off-roading adventures that Morocco has to offer: Day trip from Marrakech to Agafay Desert and Lower Atlas Mountains.

Before we dive into off-roading in Morocco

Well, while I can confirm from my personal experience that road-tripping in Morocco is definitely the best way to capture the beauty of the country, I feel like I must say that off-roading in Morocco requires the presence of a person who is able to navigate in the least accessible places. I mean, it is very difficult to get orientated around the desert and mountain areas since there are no points of references to make navigation easy.

And this is why we decided to rely on one of the most organized tour operators of the country, Morocco Tours 4×4, for our day trip from Marrakech to the Agafay desert and the lower Atlas Mountains. This was certainly one of the best day trips from Marrakech that we could ever imagine!

Our Morocco Tours 4X4 package included:

1. Exploring Agafay Desert
2. Lunch at Berber Village at the lower Atlas Mountain
3. Camel ride and Moroccan tea tasting

First step of our trip from Marrakesh to Agafay desert and the lower Atlas Mountains

We were staying in a Riad called Dar Lalla F’dila. Since it’s inside the medina of Marrakesh, very close to Jemma El Fna Square, our guide Ahmed Timegharine came to pick us up at the riad.

Well, if you haven’t already heard, vehicles aren’t allowed in the medina and it’s very easy to get lost in the medina, so, we truly appreciated his help on walking us to the vehicle.

Our trip from Marrakesh to the Agafay Desert started exactly at nine am.

Leaving the city behind, we slowly got into the arid area as we approached the desert and suddenly the street turned off onto a gravel road.

Day trip from Marrakesh. First stop: Agafay Desert

Agafay desert, located only 30 kilometres south of Marrakech (45 minutes by car), was the first stop of our day trip. Contrary to what one can imagine, it isn’t made of sand dunes, but instead it’s a stony desert forming strange rolling brown hills. This is why you need a good 4X4 vehicle for this off-roading adventure in Morocco.

I can’t tell you how long this stop will take. It depends on how many photos you want to take and what you want to do there. We stayed about 3 hours because we stopped many times to take photos and to have some short walks. Our guide was simply fantastic. Every time we asked him to stop, he patiently did. Moreover, he had a good mastery of English, so he explained everything very clearly. We really enjoyed our time with him.

By the way, quod and camel rides are one of the many things to do at the Agafay Desert.

Day trip from Marrakesh. Second stop: Berber house in Tagoumt Village

Our four-wheeler took us then to a Berber house in Tagoumt Village, in the lower Atlas Mountains. Here we had a relaxing lunch prepared by the Berber family members. The dining room was very cosy. It had a strong Moroccan feel. Even though we were the only guests that day, they had prepared tons of food.

Everything was delicious. I want to say that here we had the most tasty lamb tajine in Morocco. it tasted better than in the tourist areas.

After the lunch, we were given some time to go around the village. It was a pleasant walk. Some children of the village joined us, too. If you are planning to go on this day trip from Marrakesh, I suggest that you take something to give to the children. They will highly appreciate it. Unfortunately, we had nothing, so we left nothing.

Day trip from Marrakesh. Third stop: Camel ride

After the lunch break at the lower Atlas Mountains, we drove for about twenty minutes to reach a hut filled with camels. Our package with Morocco Tours 4X4 included a half an hour camel ride. Well, you don’t get far with a half an hour of camel ride, but it gives you a taste of what it means to ride a camel and of the characteristic of the surrounding areas.

After the camel ride we were offered some Moroccan mint tea. We spent another hour here before heading back to Marrakesh again.

We got back to Marrakech around 5 pm. So now, don’t worry about how to get from Marrakech to agafay desert. It really very simple with “Marocco Tours 4X4”. They provide quality cost effective solutions tailored to your individual needs.

▶ Compare online prices before contacting Morocco Tours 4X4: From Marrakech to Agafay Desert

Who is Morocco Tours 4×4

Morocco Tours is a small local tour company which offers a wide range of private cultural tours and day trips all around Morocco which are customized to the taste of tourists. I’d like to try the 3-day Sahara Desert trip with them during my next time in Morocco.

They are very active via email so you can easily reach out to them for information on packages and prices. contact@moroccotours4x4.com

I recommend this day trip from Marrakech, especially if you are staying in town for five or more days. It is one of the best places to visit in Morocco. I mean it has its own why!!!

Since the distance between Marrakech and Agafay Desert is very short, you should definitely consider tring it. I believe that Morocco Tours 4×4 has put on a great adventure day trip from Marrakech to the Agafay desert which is perfect for all ages. It is a light drive suitable for all sorts of tourists. I mean, it’s not necessarily meant to be done only by thrill seekers.

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