Another side trip from Marrakesh is 60 km south to the small village of Ouirgane, in the Berber area of the High Atlas Mountains. I really enjoyed my stay at the Domaine De La Roseraie hotel. It is in a lovely setting of acres of natural parkland with rose gardens, century old olive trees, lime and lemon groves, orchards, exotic plants and wild flowers. You can relax at the hotel or hike or ride horses above the hotel to small Berber villages which are quite interesting.
Still further south of Ouirgane is Ouarzazate. It is 118 miles from Marrakesh. The highlight here is Kasbah Ait Benhaddou, the most celebrated kasbah in Morocco and an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The hotel, Le Berbere Palace, was large but comfortable.
If you want to go further south, Taroudant is supposed to be really exceptional. La Gazelle d’Or, a hideaway with over 40 suites and 50 tents, is nestled in an idyllic tropical garden setting a mile outside the city gates is highly recommended by many including Andrew Harper in the Hideaway Report.
