10 Day Desert Tour from Marrakech

Home - Marrakech

Upon your arrival at the Mohamed V Airport in Marrakech, you will meet your guide and travel immediately to your hotel. First, relax in the morning; then, your guide will take you to explore the sites of the seven saints of Marrakech. This city is called Seven Saints City for the Baraka. These shrines hold in Islamic Sufi history. Your guide will take you to them one by one.

Way back, the Regraga tribe had seven saints. There is, however, one difference in the fact that their saints were from the same tribe, while the saints in Marrakech came from different areas and backgrounds. There is a derb called Sidi Nafaa, where a small mausoleum has seven tombs lying next to each other. They are too old that their story and history have been forgotten. Marrakech is always referred to as the city of Seven Saints. These Most renowned Seven holy men came from Andalusia in 1083, but they took on significant importance during the Saadian's 16th-century Dynasty. To the point where the body of M.S Jazouli was moved from the South to be reburied in Safi, they then moved again to Marrakech, where his Marabou exists today.

Chronologically the Seven Saints of Marrakech are as follows:

1- Cadi Ayad: A scholar who lived during the Almoravid era. Professor and Judge both in Ceuta and other Andalusian cities. He was exiled from Ceuta when the Almoravids clashed with its inhabitants as he was considered a leader of the uprising. He late returned to Marrakech, where he pursued his teaching and stayed as a judge until his death in 544 Hejir (1185 A.D)

2- Aboukassim Abdurrahmane Souhaily: Born in Andalusia, where he spent his youth before moving to Marrakech. He is a scholar, Imam, Fakih, linguist, and poet. All these qualities are added to the skills of a good musician and luth player. Unfortunately, he lost his eyesight at the age of 17. Nevertheless, he was appreciated by the Moroccan Sultan Abou Yaakoub Youssuf Ibn Abdelmoumen and has written many books in various fields. He died in Marrakech in 578 (1195 A.D).

3- Youssuf Ben Ali Senhaji: Born and studied in Marrakech. He lived in Almohad Area when it was widespread. Although he was not considered a scholar, he was famous for his patience and endurance of pain as he had a bad case of skin disease. He was also a great healer of physical aches and was a good speaker. The long endurance of his pain made him special enough to be considered a saint. He died in 583 H (1199 A.D.)

4- Abou El Abbas Sebti: Born in Ceuta and moved to Marrakech to seek knowledge. He spent 40 long years alone on a hill adjacent to the city called Jbel Gueliz (the mountain of Gueliz). He was known for helping people experiencing poverty, and his legacy still lives today as his tomb is the meeting place of most people who are blind. He died in 601 H (1212 A.D).

5- Mohamed Ben Slimane Jazouli: showed the ultimate love for the Prophet Mohammed and wrote poems and books on the subject. He was a master in communication and convincing; thus, he had many followers, some of which would become saints in their own right. He created 11 "Zaouias," gathering places for religious and ideological thinking. These zaouias combined spiritually with a sense of martyrdom against the Portuguese and Spanish occupying some Moroccan enclaves. He established a well-executed political program to fight foreign invaders, but because of his leadership and charisma, he was poisoned in 875 H (1471 A.D). He immediately became a legend and saint after his death.

6- Abdelaziz Ben Abdellah Tebbaa: A student of Jazouli. He followed his family's profession and was a silk merchant. He studied partly in Fes and established his own Zaouia, which later became part of the Jazouli Zaouia. He died in 914 H (1508 A.D.)

7- Abdullah Ibn Ajjal Ghazouani: Another student of Tebbaa who built three Zaouias. He was very much involved with agriculture, especially during drought, and correspondence with scholars in Morocco and abroad. He died in 935 H (1528 A.D.) Dhikr and gatherings are held every afternoon in these shrines for you to enjoy invocations and share time with other mureeds. It is open to men and women. However, if you can't cover this in one day, we will spread it for the three days you will be in Marrakech.

Marrakech – Ouarzazate – Tinghir

Your driver will come to your hotel to take you to Tinghir and Fez. You will spend most of your day en route to Ouarzazate, stopping in Taddart and Tizi Tishka pass at 11,000 feet. The pass divides the mountains into two distinct facets: the harsh, stark side acting as a shield that protects the hinterland from the robust, dry expansion of the Sahara, and a lush side, soft and evergreen, which collects the moisture from the Gherbi winds of the Atlantic Ocean. In addition, you will explore the legendary Kasbah of Aït-Benhaddou, a renowned architectural marvel. Finally, you will arrive in Ouarzazate, where one large oasis intercepts the water flow between the Dadès, the Drâa valleys, and the majestic High Atlas Mountains. Finally, you will depart for Tinghir. On the way, you will explore the Dades Valley, traveling through El Kelaâ De Mgouna and Boumalne to view the inimitable natural vistas and unusual rock formations. Upon your arrival in Tinghir, you will visit the Zaouia of Lamrani for a Naciri Dhikr, then conclude your day with dinner and other accommodations at your Kasbah.

Merzouga Dunes – Rissani – Midelt – Azrou – Fez

With its indescribable beauty, watching the sun as it rises over the spectacular Merzouga dunes is an experience that should not be missed. Afterward, you will eat breakfast with the Tuaregs and continue to Fez. You will depart in the morning for Fez, stopping in Midelt for lunch as you enjoy the dramatic sight before you: the Middle Atlases give way to the High Atlas Mountains, whose peaks are visible through the haze, soaring to over 12,000 feet. Continuing onward, you will spend your day discovering the rural environs of the Atlas Mountains’ Berbers. Covered with evergreen pines, tall cedar trees, and poplars and laced with flowing streams, the Middle Atlases will appear oddly un-Moroccan. Next, we will stop at Zaouiet Sheikh and make a ziyyara of the Sanctuary of the pioneer of Sufism in North Africa, Sidi Ya’Ata Bouazza. Next, you will soon come across Azrou, an important market center for the region’s Berber tribes located at a major junction of mountain routes. You will continue traveling until you reach Fez, where you will conclude your day with dinner and other accommodations at your hotel.

Fez

Continue exploring the marvels of Fez, visiting Sufi sites and zaouias in the old city and the outskirts. Not to miss Ibnu Arabi's house in the Medina. We will have a traditional Sadaqa Lunch over the hills of Mount Zalagh at Sidi Ahmed Barnoussi Zaouia. He is the founder of the Zerrouki Tarika and the author of many books on alchemy and the science of Kalam. He is famous for his book "The Meanings of Allah's Attributes.

Chefchaouen - Moulay Abdessalam Ibnu Mashish – Casablanca

Take an early morning excursion to Moulay Abdessalam, teacher of Abu Hassan Shadhuli, Founder of the Shadhuli Tarika, the largest in the world today. Moulay Abdessalam is a unique Sufi Master known for his strong-felt Baraka. He did not leave much literature, but his Salat Mashishia is most significant, compact in words, and so vast in meaning. So many other Sufis devoted their lives to deciphering it or extracting from much wisdom and diverse learning. He is buried in the remote Riff Mountains. Today is a day to treasure forever. In the afternoon, we will travel to Casablanca for dinner and overnight.