(Group Tour second half of April 2026, in spring /
Private Tour anytime)
8-days / 7-nights
Immerse yourself in the artistry of old Morocco.
Explore the world of artisans and villagers who have preserved
the skills of their ancestors, creating works of art
from materials provide by nature.
Silver dagger crafting. Ornate wood carving. Carpet weaving. Painting.
Juniper mug making, and more.
BOOKINGS CLOSE July 31, 2025
Natural dyes for sale, that are used in traditional artisanal crafts.
Here is the proposed itinerary for the 2026 Boumalne Dades Artisan Trail tour of Morocco concept. (This is just a framework. We will publish an itinerary with specific dates after receipt of sufficient expressions of interest from you, and subject to Cara’s reconnaissance in May 2024.)
DAY 1: Marrakech
MEALS: Dinner (D)
Airport pick up at Marrakech. For those who arrive at Casablanca, we can drive you to Marrakech 2.5 hours away (for an extra fee). We’ll stay at a quirky arty riad or dar in Marrakech – something that fits well with our artistry tour theme – and then enjoy a welcome dinner at the riad.
DAY 2: Marrakech
MEALS: Breakfast (B) & D (the food tour)
After breakfast we’ll spend the morning exploring the Medina. It’s a guided tour that ends at a Marrakech henna cafe for lunch. The afternoon is free so you can spend more time exploring or return to the riad for a bit of rest before our evening food tour. This is about three hours of excellent food in the wonderful atmosphere of Marrakech at night.
Handmade donuts made by a third-generation donut maker in the Marrakech medina, whom we are likely to meet on our food tour.
DAY 3: Marrakech > Ait Ben Haddou > Skoura oasis
MEALS: B & D
After breakfast, we drive to the Skoura oasis via the UNESCO World Heritage site, Ait Ben Haddou. (You may have seen parts of it in the TV series Game of Thrones.) It is about 40 minutes past Ouarzazate.
Skoura is a scenic palm oasis that just begs you to explore on foot or by mountain bike. We’ll stay at L’Ma Lodge (or equivalent) where we also have dinner.
Ait Ben Haddou at the golden hour. Reigning over all is the granary, once also used as a lookout for approaching camel caravans and marauders too.
DAY 4: Skoura oasis > Boumalne Dades
MEALS: B & D
After breakfast, we’ll drive on to Boumalne Dades and settle into accommodation at Kasbah Filou (or equivalent). On the way, at the Roses Valley, we will visit a silver dagger workshop. The drive (excluding any stops) is just over an hour, and the rest of the day is free to relax or explore.
Well water to throw over one’s head to cool down, at Bou Tharar (Valley of the nomads) between the Roses Valley and Boumalne Dades
DAY 5: Boumalne Dades studios
MEALS: B L & D
Today we visit the artisans. You’ll meet various artists in their studios/homes – woodcarver, carpet weaver, silversmith, an internationally exhibited Amazigh lady painter – as many as we can fit into the day. Hopefully, we can also visit – or if more convenient and travellers are interested, we might try for this on Day 4 – a remote village where artisans make Juniper mugs with copper embellishments. (Around early to mid 2024 we will upload a blog post by Cara about some of these local artists so you get a flavour of what is in store on this trip.)
At the end of this immersion-in-artistry day, we’ll return for dinner at our accommodation. Cuisine in this region is usually good.
One of the artists who lives at the side of the Monkey Fingers in the Boumalne Dades. With thanks to Fatima Mellal.
DAY 6: Boumalne Dades > Monkey Fingers > Boumalne Dades
MEALS: B L & D
A good breakfast will prepare you for today’s hike around the Monkey Fingers. This amazing natural formation will be interesting to explore and includes seeing a storehouse hidden in a cave complex, old rammed-earth kasbahs and a spectacular walk through the gorges. The experience ends with a riverside, barbecue picnic lunch.
Then we return to our accommodation for dinner.
Rammed earth Kasbah. This one is in the Roses Valley nearby to the Boumalne Dades.
DAY 7: Boumalne Dades > Agdz via the Jbel (mountain) Saghro range
MEALS: B & D
After breakfast, it is a scenic drive through the Jbel Saghro, stopping on a mountain top for lunch with a local family, and onto Agdz, thereby avoiding retracing our steps between Boumalne Dades and Ouarzazate.
A work of art about identity, by local people on top of a mountain in the Jbel Saghro (mountain) range.
Our accommodation is Kasbah Kissane (subject to availability) – a beautiful kasbah, owned and managed by a beautiful family, and a beautiful location in the Draa Valley for our final dinner together.
DAY 8: Agdz > Ouarzazate airport
The tour ends with our early morning drop-off at Ouarzazate airport, where you’ll catch
the flight that you have booked with Royal Air Maroc to Casablanca. Note that we leave a little too early for getting any breakfast at our accommodation today.
Rock engravings at Foum Chenna near Ouarzazate, Ancient art depicting a hunt, using drums to frighten the gazelles.
CONSIDER combining this tour with one of the others we have on offer.
Or, you could arrange for a private tour
to see other places of interest before or after.
Think about making the most of your time here in Morocco.
Contact Cara to show your interest in securing your place on this tour.
Fill in the Enquiry form on our website or email us direct.
holidays@aussiesinmoroccotours.com.au