Oued Draa (Draa Valley)

From Ouarzazate, the N9 plunges southeast into the Draa depression, shaped by a narrow ribbon of water from the High Atlas that sometimes emerges triumphantly in lush oases, notably between Agdz and Zagora, a stretch of concerning 95km. The drive from Agdz to Zagora takes 3 to four hours, although the additional scenic Circuits Touristiques route follows the piste through the oasis. On the far side that, a road takes you 96km more south to M’Hamid, a city 40km wanting the Algerian border that marks the top of the road and the start of the desert proper.

If you do not need to retrace your steps back to Ouarzazate on the N9, it's attainable to continue west of M'Hamid through the desert to Foum Zguid, from wherever you'll be able to devour the N10 north via Tazenakht. For those with longer, it's attainable to complete a colossal circuit east on the N12 from Tansikht (29km southeast of Agdz) to the erg Chebbi dune field close to Merzouga and come back to Ouarzazate via the Todra and Dades Gorges.

Draa depression attractions

Erg Chigaga

The star attraction is that the misnamed erg Chigaga, not one dune (erg) however an awesome stretch of golden sand ocean some 56km southwest of M'Hamid. It’s the biggest sand ocean in Morocco, snaking on the horizon for 40km and deckled to the north and south by mountain ridges. The simplest thanks to reach them is in classic flick style: by camel, that takes 5 days or every week (from Dh500 to Dh600 per day) round-trip.

To reach the world in barely a couple of hours, a 4wd prices from Dh1000 to Dh1300 per day with insurance, and another Dh350 to Dh500 for the camp.

This ocean of golden crescents that peak at 300m hides little, long-term camps in its troughs. As a result the desert expertise here is quiet and close, providing spectacular night skies lighted by the large arc of the Milky Way.

Musée DEs Arts ET Traditions de la Valleé du Draa

Eight kilometres north of city, below a spectacular read purpose over the palmeraie, follow ‘Musée’ signs to a triple-story mudbrick home that homes this fascinating desert-culture deposit. Within the tea salon, you’ll notice key instrumentation for desert fun c 1930: a vintage ham radio, an acoustic gramophone, and tea glasses believed to shatter on contact with poison.

Artefacts are labeled with perceptive explanations of their origins and purpose in French and English – terribly useful for explaining otherwise mysterious tattooing implements, the intriguing birthing space and markedly completely different wedding clothes from 5 local tribes. The individuals behind the museum also run a recommended guesthouse next door.

Kasbah des Caïds

The maze of rooms at Tamnougalt ksar (fortified granary) leads through a sizeable mellah (Jewish quarter), dips underground with strategically placed skylights and candle nooks, and emerges into sunny curtilage stables lined with horseshoe arches. See if you'll be able to distinguish between the Arab, Andalusian and Berber somebody motifs that mix therefore seamlessly here – or a minimum of acknowledge scenes shot here from Oscar-winning movies Babel and The English Patient.