ITINERARY:
Day 1 – Arrival day – Marrakech – Atlas Mountains  14th April
Plan on arriving in Marrakech either today or before today 13th April. We will then all meet at the airport and transfer to our bus with local driver and our guide. Please arrange your flight to Marrakech to arrive before 1pm. If you are wishing to do any cultural activities in or around Marrakech then we would advise arriving a day or so earlier, as we will not be able to do any of this once our tour departs the airport in the early afternoon of the arrival day on the 13th. Once we leave the city we will head through arable land and up towards the Atlas mountains. Along the way we make regular stops for birding and can expect our first introduction to the Moroccan avifauna. The Maghreb Magpie with its blue patch around the eye, should be found alongside birds like Spotless Starling, House Bunting, Crested Lark and maybe our first Levaillant’s Woodpecker, African Blue Tit, or the very smart Moussier’s Redstart. We will also keep a look out for Blue Rock Thrush, Black Redstart and Black Wheatear, Rock Sparrow and maybe some migration flocks of White Stork or Black Kites. We will then arrive at our quaint hotel situated in a valley within the Atlas Mountains.
Overnight Atlas Mountains: D.

Day 2 – High Atlas Mountains – Oukaimeden  
After breakfast we will drive up into the High Atlas Mountains and visit Oukaimeden, a ski resort at (2600m). As we drive along the rocky hillside, we should find a good mix of resident species such as Great Grey Shrike, Little Owl, Red-billed Chough, Common Raven, Sardinian Warbler, Spotless Starling, Maghreb Magpie, Moussier’s Redstart and House Bunting. Slightly higher up, among the rocky slopes, and wooded valley’s we will search for Blue Rock Thrush, Black Redstart, African Blue Tit and id we missed it yesterday the endemic Levaillant’s Woodpecker. When we reach the ski resort at Oukaimeden, we will check out the stunning scenery before beginning our search of the snowline for the handsome African Crimson-winged Finch. Other species here include Rock Sparrow, Mistle Thrush, Black Wheatear, White-throated Dipper, the ‘seebohmi’ race of Northern Wheatear known as Atlas Wheatear, Yellow-billed and Red-billed Chough, Grey Wagtails, and the future split (Atlas) Horned Lark. If we are very lucky we may even be able to find an Alpine Accentor, but these are never easy. If the weather is favourable we could spot raptors such as Booted Eagle, Black Kite, Egyptian Vulture and even Bonelli’s Eagle.
Overnight Atlas Mountains. B,L,D

Day 3 – High Atlas Mountains – Ouarzazate – Boumalne du Dades
After an early breakfast we leave the mountains behind, perhaps pausing again en route for Levaillant’s Green Woodpecker. From the flat plains of Marrakech we turn back uphill, and drive to Boumalne du Dades via the Tizi-n-Tichka pass (2260 meters), a spectacular and long drive. On the Pass we’ll try for yet another endemic “Tristram’s Warbler”. This species has very specific habitat requirements away from its wintering grounds and is not always easy to find. As the road climbs into the hills, we may start to see some raptors such as Long-legged Buzzard and Bonelli’s Eagle both possible. Before reaching Boumalne du Dades we’ll stop in Amerzgane to look for the rare “Maghreb Wheatear”.
Overnight Boumalne du Dades: B, L, D

Day 4 – Boumalne du Dades – Tagdilt Track
After breakfast, we head to the Tagdilt Track. This is without doubt one of the top areas for birding in the South of Morocco. Excellent chances exist for seeing Red-rumped, White-crowned and Desert Wheatear, Thekla Lark, Trumpeter Finch, Greater Hoopoe Lark, Temminck’s Lark, Greater Short-toed Lark, Cream-coloured Courser, Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse and with luck the highly nomadic and sought after Thick-billed Lark. If the heat allows, we will dedicate most of our day to exploring this area, before we visit a rocky canyon searching for Maghreb Wheatear, Desert Lark, Lanner Falcon and our first chance of Pharaoh Eagle Owl in an area where the people live in caves and look after flocks of sheep and goats.
Overnight Boumalne du Dades: B, L, D

Day 5 – Boumalne du Dades – Todra Gorges – Zaida
Today we will visit Todra gorge for another chance for the delightful but often elusive Tristram’s Warbler, plus Black Wheatear, Blue Rock-thrush, Rock Dove, Eurasian Crag Martin and possible the superb Bonelli’s Eagle! Next, we travel eastwards and stop at a scrubby wadi to seek out the elusive Streaked Scrub Warbler, a bird that can amazingly disappear in the smallest of bushes. Later in the afternoon we will reach our destination, the rather featureless town of Zaida. Situated in the shadows of the Anti-Atlas Mountains, we will should get our first chance to look for the elusive Dupont’s Lark. This very difficult species of of the high-plains, acts more like a rodent, running around fast among the scattered grassy tussocks. However this is its favoured habitat and with perseverance we can hope to get views of this very special lark. if not then we have better chances first thing tomorrow morning. Overnight Zaida B, L, D

Day 6 – Zaida Plains – Azrou – Ifrane – Zaida  
Today we will leave early before sunrise in order to be on site at the best time of day to look for Dupont’s Lark a very special and often very difficult bird to observe. Birds are much more likely to be vocal in the early morning, giving us a much better chance of locating one. There will of course be other more widespread birds to look at but our main focus will be to try and get good views of the lark. Hopefully, once we are successful, we will return to the hotel for a well deserve breakfast. Afterwards we will drive to Azrou – Ifrane area and search the mature oak and cedar forests in search of a very special bird that few birders have ever seen, the Atlas Flycatcher, a pied flycatcher that usually arrives mid to late April to its very localised breeding grounds here in the Atlas Mountains. May is the best time to try and see this bird, but very few birdwatchers visit in May as the temperatures in other areas that we need to visit would be just unbearable. So, we can just hope we can find one of the earlier birds arriving to this fascinating forest habitat. While here we can also see the local races of Coal Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch and Short-toed Treecreeper, plus the delightful Firecrest and even Hawfinch. The Maghreb Owl also lives here but we would need to be very lucky to come across one. Another exciting prospect is the chance of seeing Barbary Apes which inhabit the area. After our exploration and hunt for the Atlas Flycatcher we will return to our hotel.
Overnight Zaida B, L, D

Day 7 – Zaida – Merzouga 
After an early morning walk looking for Greater Short-toed and Thekla Larks we will set off south towards the edge of the Sahara Desert. Along the way we will break the journey to stretch our legs and look for birds like Desert Lark, Black and White-crowned Wheatears and Eurasian Crag Martin. In one of the valleys we could also find Blue Rock Thrush, Eurasian Hoopoe, House Bunting and Western Orphean Warbler. Continuing on we start to see our first proper sand dunes, and can then start to explore these and the nearby stony desert of Erg Chebbi – the largest dune system in Morocco. Overnght Merzouga: B, L, D

Day 8 – Merzouga – Erg Chebbi Dunes – Rissani
Today our day will be dedicated to explore the sandy dunes and rocky desert of this very special area. Our first exciting excursion will be a short drive to a desert well, where overflow water attracts flocks of sandgrouse, coming to get their one drink of the day. Staying in our vehicles so as to not disturb them we can get excellent views of both Crowned and Spotted Sandgrouse and with luck maybe a very smart looking Pin-tailed Sandgrouse. Nearby, a variety of different birds will be in our sights, and we can look for Brown-necked Raven, Greater Hoopoe, Desert and Bar-tailed Larks, Fulvous Chatterer, African Desert Warbler, Desert Sparrow, Cream-coloured Courser, Lanner Falcon and the beautiful Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. In addition to these desert birds, if there have been recent rains, a seasonal lake can prove very interesting with birds such as Greater Flamingo, Glossy Ibis, Ruddy Shelduck, storks, waders and maybe a hungry raptor or two. We will also search the desert in 4×4’s to try and locate a Houbara Bustard, but these birds are very elusive and having been hunted for generations by wealthy Arabs with falcons, they have learn’t to hide hide extremely well. Hopefully a little easier will be the Egyptian Nightjar, a bird that’s only active at night-time, but with help from our local shepherd who knows where they sleep during the day, we may get incredible view of this highly camouflaged bird. Overnght Merzouga: B, L, D

Day 9 – Merzouga – Anti Atlas Mountains – Ouarzazate
Today will be a long transfer day from Merzouga to Ouarzazate. We will drive through the scenic Anti-Atlas Mountains, a series of rocky hills, cliffs and deep gorges of volcanic formations. Roadside birding could produce Barbary Partridge, Desert Lark, Western Orphean Warbler, plenty of White-crowned Wheatear and Great Grey Shrikes. Before reaching our hotel in Ouarzazate we’ll stop to explore the Barrage at Mansour Eddahbi. Here we have the chance of seeing more water birds such as Ruddy Shelduck, Flamingos, possibly Marbled Duck, Great Cormorants, wading birds, wagtails, pipits and warblers, plus the Maghreb Lark. .
Overnight Ouarzazate: B,L,D

Day 10 – Ouarzazate – Anti Atlas Mountains – Souss Valley – Agadir
 Another long drive today to the west will take us over the Anti Atlas mountains, and eventually into the Souss Valley and on to Agadir. Initially we will keep our eyes open for various larks by the roadside and for wheatears, Laughing Dove, Cirl Bunting, Great Grey Shrike, Dartford and Spectacled Warblers, Spanish and Rock Sparrow. Around the town of Taroudant there may be Little and Pallid Swifts, European Bee-eaters and Eurasian Hoopoe. Finally, after another exciting stop we arrive at our superb accommodation near to Agadir for two nights. B,L,D

Day 11 – Oued Massa – Oued Souss
South of Agadir is the famous Oued Massa, and our visit here will involve an early start in order to get to our site to witness the rare and critically endangered Northern Bald Ibis, flying over the coastal desert to their feeding grounds. After seeing these rare birds in flight we will set about trying to locate them on the ground. Other target birds in the area include Black-winged Kite, the secretive Black-crowned Tchagra, Moussier’s Redstart, Sardinian Warbler, Little Owl, Wryneck, Ruddy Shelduck, Laughing Dove and Brown-throated Martin. We will also search for Mediterranean Short-toed Lark, Eurasian Stone-curlew, Barbary Partridge and much more. Later we visit the Oued Souss another excellent area for Flamingos, Stone Curlew, Collared Pratincole, shorebirds and large numbers of roosting gulls and terns, with possibly Audouin’s Gull among them. The scrubby areas can hold warblers, Great Grey Shrike and even Great Spotted Cuckoo. 
Dinner and accommodation in the south of Agadir 

Day 12 – Agadir – International departure from Agadir – 25th April
Today is our last day and you should arrange your departing flight from from Agadir not Marrakech. Depending on departure times we will arrange our bus and driver one transfer from the hotel to the airport, before they have to return themselves to Marrakech. B