n the edge of North Africa's desert, I watch nomads shelter from the sun in a camel-hair tent. A man herds his camels with curved daggers hanging down his back, and a long colorful scarf wraps around his head and neck. Mules swing their heads and stare. In the distance, the great stone and snowy caps fold of the Atlas Mountains behind the man, the animals, the tent. It's late February, and I'm in South Morroco, following in the footsteps of ancient Berber tribes - an indigenous ethnic group descendant of the pre-Arab inhabitants of North Africa. The Berbers, or Amazighs- (freemen in local language), are a people who, after repelling ancient Roman colonialists and surviving several Islamic dynasties, have kept their nomadic lifestyle alive across the deserts and mountains of Morocco (and Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt). Their history serves as a link to the ancient past of the land and remains distinct from the Islamic faith brought about by the successive waves of conquest starting in the seventh century.
It's late February, and I'm in South Morroco, following in the footsteps of ancient Berber tribes - an indigenous ethnic group descendant of the pre-Arab inhabitants of North Africa.
The culture of Morocco is as diverse as its landscape. Apart from Berbers, it has been influenced by Arabs, Phoenicians, Sub-Saharan Africans, and Romans, among other groups. In 2020, most Berbers, it turns out, are no longer nomadic – except for some tribes of the Sahara. And that’s precisely why I am on a four-day road trip through some of the emptiest, most evocative corners of southern Morocco, revisiting the ancient caravan route through the Sahara – a track that has been pursued since the fifth century B.C.
The culture of Morocco is as diverse as its landscape. Apart from Berbers, it has been influenced by Arabs, Phoenicians, Sub-Saharan Africans, and Romans, among other groups. In 2020, most Berbers, it turns out, are no longer nomadic – except for some tribes of the Sahara. And that’s precisely why I am on a four-day road trip through some of the emptiest, most evocative corners of southern Morocco, revisiting the ancient caravan route through the Sahara – a track that has been pursued since the fifth century B.C.
Thanks to a Frenchman – Thierry Teyssier – well known for his theatrical events planning, I take in Morocco’s wilderness from private vantage points and a few spectacular roads unknown to anyone but locals. Recognized for having some of the most creative ideas in the world of deep-dive travel and confident that travelers require more comforts than nomads, Teyssier designed the Route du Sud. This unparalleled expedition takes me on a serendipitous discovery of Morocco’s southern extremes.
I arrive in an out-of-the-way corner of Agadir - an ancient town in the foothills of the Anti-Atlas Mountains
“Many people think South Morocco is just desert,” says Fabian, our RDS host. “Teyssier created the Route du Sud to change this mindset and show the different faces of a spectacular side of Morocco,” he goes on. The journey takes me to four isolated destinations in the country’s deep southern reaches. More or less equidistant from one another but diverse in landscape, three of these locations are where Teyssier has designed Maisons des rêves – dream houses, each finished by regional artisans and outstandingly beautiful.
The expedition commences as I’m picked up in Marrakech and, over three hours, driven northwest of Taroudant. I arrive in an out-of-the-way corner of Agadir – an ancient town in the foothills of the Anti-Atlas Mountains (Agadir is also the name used for the fortified granaries that nomads used centuries ago to store reserves of wheat, dates, and spices along trade routes). I stay high atop a hill at the edge of a canyon, above ridged mountains and groves of Argan trees – in a traditional whitewashed house. From the outside, the house looks like the half-dozen others in the tiny remote village, but the inside unfolds a gorgeous, elegant jewel with manicured style. My room’s view is sensational, but it’s the precious contrast between the new and old that I find most compelling.
The next early morning, our “caravan” heads south, crossing a pristine countryside in which the scenery changes by the hour. Nestled on hillsides are mud-walled Berber houses recognizable by their low doors – a trace of ancient times. We follow a route that hugs the base of the enormous, yellow Argan-covered hills that meander down the coast, at the edge of the blue Atlantic. It’s lunchtime, and we stop on a deserted beach in Sidi Ifni, where, to my surprise, an immaculate picnic is set up by an advance-operations team that tracks each Route du Sud client. Then, we drive further south, through terraced farms, and stroll the deserted bluff a few hundred yards across a blue skyline. Rocky sandstone hills loom in the distance, and after a couple of hours, an off-the-map oasis that stretches for miles provides a welcome streak of green. We arrive at glorious Maison l’Oasis.
Near an old caravan town on the Timbuktu route at the edge of the Sahara, we spend our southernmost halt within the largest inhabited oasis in Morocco. I join Fabian on a bike ride across traditional and abandoned houses and pass through impressive water system installations built by locals. The ferric red of Africa appears in rocky hills covered in sparse emerald grass. Ahead, in the same frame, is a Swiss pine forest. Dense Argan, dark verdure against dark earth, are alongside almond blossoms. These impossible combinations blend in, this infinite variety — all this, and not any one thing, is the Morocco I discover.
Overlooking a vermillion-stained canyon in the hidden town of Aojou, we reach elegant Maison Rouge on the third day of the expedition.
Throughout the journey, diverse scenarios unfold in every direction. We spend a few hours on the road – every day – as we move south, taking dozens of unpaved turnoffs in pursuit of places that tell a story through beauty-saturated moments and total privacy. In between, we do walks across villages, climb deserted hilltop fortresses and Agardirs, and have a few pauses that leverage the surroundings to their full dramatic effect. Overlooking a vermillion-stained canyon in the hidden town of Aojou, we reach elegant Maison Rouge on the third day of the expedition. Once again, I find myself in a mad, surreal Moroccan landscape, this time, on a cliffside above a dry riverbed across a vast, empty valley. Then, the following day, we move east, taking the same dirt road driven by the iconic Paris Dakar Rally, to reach the saffron dunes of the Sahara desert near the Algerian border – where Route du Sud sets an exquisite tent camp.
“Morocco’s ancient caravan route started in Timbuktu,” says Fabian. “It collected spices, salt, and other goods in black Africa to deliver across Morocco over a two-month journey,” he goes on. “The caravans traveled on camels, passing by Algeria, crossing the Sahara desert, eventually stopping in Skoura, before continuing towards the Atlas Mountains,” he explains. As we follow the ancient Route and leave the shifting sands of the desert behind, the Sahara, now out of sight, is suddenly behind a line of red mountains. We head to Skoura, a town in Ouarzazate Province, in the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs, which are fortified dwellings and former homes of the gentry or local chieftains. As I come across its riverbed, ancient villages, and more than 1,000 ruined castles, Skoura feels stuck in the Middle Ages. Locals make their living mainly from dates, camels, and nuts. Women have their heads covered by black burqas or headscarves. And men, with their brown faces, sit in the shade sipping mint tea.
Set deep in the palmeraie of southeastern Skoura is Dar Ahlam – a restored two-hundred-year-old rammed earth Kasbah turned into an utterly authentic hotel – another masterpiece from Tessyier. I stop here for two memorable nights before crossing the rugged Atlas Mountains to head back to Marrakech. Although Dar Ahlam exposes me to one of the most remarkable hotel experiences, after four days, followed by the theme of exile and absence, I slowly get used to bumping into other travelers. But the Berber element remains strong as well as the intriguing feeling of standing in the epicenter of the ancient trans-Saharan caravan route. This is a place where Europe, Africa, and Arabia’s trade and culture collide. It’s electrifying to taste the interconnected world that retains traces of a life of wandering and holy pilgrimage.
Practical Information
| Destination | Southern Morocco — Agadir to the Sahara |
|---|---|
| Best time to visit | October to April. February and March are particularly rewarding — cool enough to travel comfortably, with almond blossom and wildflowers across the Anti-Atlas. Avoid midsummer when temperatures in the south can be extreme. |
| Getting there | Fly to Marrakech (RAK) or Agadir (AGA). The Route du Sud departs from Marrakech (a 3-hour drive to the first stop) or 30 minutes from Agadir. Internal travel is by private 4WD throughout — no public transport serves these routes. |
| Where to stay | The entire journey is designed and operated by Dar Ahlam — book through them directly. The route spans four private Maisons des Rêves — Les Arganiers above Agadir, Maison l'Oasis in Morocco's largest inhabited oasis, Maison Rouge in the canyon village of Aojou, and a Saharan dune camp — before ending at Dar Ahlam itself, a 200-year-old Kasbah in the palmeraie of Skoura. Exclusively private: maximum six guests at a time, with a dedicated butler and chef throughout. |
| Currency | Moroccan Dirham (MAD) |
| Language | Arabic and Tamazight (Berber). French widely spoken in southern towns and by the Route du Sud team. |
| Visa | Visa-free for most EU, UK, and US passport holders for stays up to 90 days. |
| Notes | The Route du Sud is a minimum 4-night private journey — it is not sold as individual nights or stops. Book well in advance as only one group travels the route at a time. A 4WD is used throughout, but all driving is handled by your dedicated team. Skoura is 3–4 hours from Marrakech over the Atlas Mountains. |
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