Morocco

High Atlas, Sahara and Agadir

An 11-day birdwatching tour to the coast, deserts and mountains of Southern Morocco

Run in conjunction with our sister brand Limosa, this holiday explores southern Morocco providing the opportunity to enjoy some of the best birding in North Africa with time to explore the deserts and mountains of the south along with the coast around Agadir.

Visiting these diverse and spectacular habitats gives us the opportunity to look for a fantastic range of species and the bird list reads like a veritable ‘Who’s Who’ of sought-after Western Palearctic specialties with Northern Bald Ibis, Cream-coloured Courser, Crowned, Black-bellied and Spotted Sandgrouse, Pharaoh Eagle Owl, Egyptian Nightjar, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Levaillant’s Woodpecker and Maghreb Magpie amongst the possibilities.

We also hope to see up to ten species of larks and eight wheatears, Moussier’s Redstart, Tristram’s and African Desert Warblers, Fulvous Babbler, Crimson-winged Finch, Trumpeter Finch and Desert Sparrow, whilst also enjoying the spectacle of the northern migration as birds head up into Europe.

Tour Highlights

Enjoy the best birding in North Africa
Two days of excursions by 4WD vehicles into the Sahara for desert birds at Merzouga
Look for Northern Bald Ibis, Egyptian Nightjar and Desert Sparrow plus a host of other Moroccan specialities
Migration in full flow plus up to a dozen raptors, ten larks, eight wheatears and twenty warblers
Incredible and varied landscapes from the snowy peaks of the Atlas mountains to the towering sand dunes of the Sahara desert
Small group with a maximum of just 10 participants
Expertly led by New Horizons' Fernando Navarrete, an expert on Morocco’s birds

Outline Itinerary

Fly to Marrakech. Night Ourika
High Atlas Mountains around Oukaimeden (2500-3000m / 8200-9800ft). Night Ourika
We cross the Tizi n’Tichka pass and head east to Boumalne Dades (2 nights)
Tagdilt track, Imiter and Gorges de Dadès
We continue east for the first of a three-night stay on the edge of the Sahara Desert. Night Merzouga
4WD desert excursions looking for Egyptian Nightjar, African Desert Warbler and Desert Sparrow. Merzouga (2 nights)
Heading west. Night Ouarzazate
From Mansour Lake, up and over the Atlas Mountains. Drive to Agadir (2 nights)
Explore the coast at Tamri and visit Oued Massa
Explore Oued Massa. Evening flight to UK from Agadir