Christmas / New Year in Morocco
Christmas / New Year Desert Tour
Xmas!!…Do something this New Year which will change your life forever. Discover the greatest desert in the world and celebrate Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve deep in the sand dunes under Sahara stars with live music, dancing, and a traditional Moroccan feast.
Your festive journey follows the ancient route once taken by sultans and traders, from the bustling souks of Marrakech to the silent beauty of the desert. Along the way, you’ll wind through snow-dusted High Atlas peaks, explore ancient kasbahs, wander palm-filled oases and marvel at dramatic gorges.
As the year draws to a close, ride your camel under brilliant winter stars to an overnight Sahara camp and contemplate the year gone by in the warmth of the campfire. Enjoy your candlelit three-course North African dinner to the rhythm of local musicians, under the crystal clear winter sky.
Due to peak demand during the festive season, bookings must be made well in advance. A minimum of 7 days is required for this itinerary.
Christmas / New Year Desert Tour – Day 1 – Marrakech
We’ll be there to greet you at the airport and transfer you to your charming riad in the heart of the medina. Depending on your arrival time, we can arrange a guided introduction to Marrakech’s gardens, palaces, and souks. In the evening, relax on the rooftop terrace or head out to Jemaa el Fna square to take in the magic of storytellers, musicians, and food stalls.
- Stay: Restored riad in the medina
Xmas / New Year Desert Tour – Day 2 – Marrakech – High Atlas – Ait BenHaddou
Today we leave the city behind, crossing the breathtaking Tizi n’Tichka pass — the highest in North Africa — with views straight out of a Christmas card. We’ll stop at panoramic viewpoints before continuing to Aït Benhaddou, Morocco’s most iconic kasbah and a UNESCO World Heritage site that has starred in countless films.
- Stay: Boutique mountain retreat with beldi charm
Xmas / New Year Desert Tour – Day 3 – Ait BenHaddou – Skoura Oasis – Dades Valley
Journey through the Skoura Oasis and into the Valley of the Roses, following the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. You’ll pass traditional Berber villages, palm groves, and ancient adobe fortresses before arriving in the Dades Valley — a region known for its dramatic rock formations and deep canyons.
- Stay: Berber Palace / Kasbah
Xmas / New Year Desert Tour – Day 4 – Dades Valley – Todra Gorge – Erfoud – Merzouga – Erg Chebbi Sand Dunes
After a morning walk or short trek, we’ll head toward the Todra Gorge — a towering canyon carved by nature. Then we set off towards the desert, watch the scenery change until the first sand dunes appear. Finally, we arrive at Erg Chebbi, with its beautiful apricot-coloured sand stretching as far as the eye can see. This is where your New Year Party begins. You will be introduced to your camel which you will ride to the oasis where our desert camp is located and on arrival enjoy true Berber hospitality with mint tea, dates and almonds.
After the sun sets dramatically over the dunes the campfires and lanterns will be lit and a traditional Moroccan feast will be served to the sound of local Gnaoua musicians – this is an experience to be found nowhere else on earth and when you’ve enjoyed the party and the magic, the stars and the secrets, the laughter and the friendship – you can sleep in your desert tent or under the sacred stars to watch the dawn of a New Year – and start the year with hope in your heart.
Stay: Luxury desert camp with private en-suite
- Stay in a luxury camp with private en-suite
Xmas / New Year Desert Tour – Day 5 – Merzouga – Rissani – Agdz
Wake up to the silence of the desert and watch the sunrise over the dunes — a moment of reflection for the year ahead. After breakfast, we continue to Rissani, an important Saharan trading town with a lively market where nomads come to barter goods, herbs, and livestock. From here, we pass through the Saghro Mountains and the wild beauty of the Draa Valley to reach Agdz.
Stay: Family-run auberge with desert hospitality
Xmas / New Year Desert Tour – Day 6 – Agdz – Fint Oasis – Ouarzazate – Marrakech
Today we drive to Fint Oasis which consists of four traditional villages which blend Sub-Saharan, Moroccan and Berber culture, the Fint Oasis is a laid-back place where donkeys and other beasts of burden still roam the streets and women still wash clothes in the river. Explore this peaceful area, where traditional Berber and Sub-Saharan culture meet and time slows down. Then we continue to Ouarzazate — once a hub for Hollywood epics — before crossing back over the High Atlas to Marrakech. Return to your riad for a well-earned spa treatment or perhaps a traditional hammam.
- Stay: Elegant riad in the medina
Xmas / New Year Desert Tour – Day 7 – Marrakech
Spend your final day exploring Marrakech at your own pace. Dive into the souks which are a shoppers paradise and we bet you’ll do better here than in the January sales back at home. Or let us arrange a hands-on cooking class to take home some Moroccan flavour. It’s your day to soak up the energy of the Red City before heading home — relaxed, inspired, and ready for the year ahead.