After collecting you from your hotel or riad at 08.00am, we set off towards Ouarzazate enjoying the spectacular scenery as we climb upwards to the important Tizi-n-Tichka pass – the highest major mountain pass in North Africa - nestled at a height of 2,260m in the High Atlas Mountains.

Throughout the tour, your driver will stop off en route for refreshments and photo opportunities of breathtaking views, ever-changing colours and the scenic beauty of the many Berber villages on our travels.

We pass through the palm groves of the Skoura Oasis and the Valley of the Roses, noted as Morocco’s most productive region for rose cultivation and the production of rose-scented produce.

As we continue to twist and turn upwards through the valley, we arrive at the Dadès Gorge to spend the night in our hotel amidst the natural scenery of this spectacular canyon and little more than a babbling brook to break the silence of this unusual location.

After breakfast, we start to explore more of the Dadès Gorge, taking in a brief stop at the Tamnalt Hills during our descent to capture some incredible rock formations (which bear a striking resemblance to monkeys’ feet). We follow the Road of One Thousand Kasbahs amid striking red and mauve rock faces and the cliff-hanging Berber villages that are peppered along the route as we head for the neighbouring Todra Gorge.

Here you can enjoy the glorious, fresh mountain air and take a trek through some of the 300m high – and sometimes just 20m wide - canyons which are popular with both amateur and professional rock climbers.

Take one of the bridges or walk straight across the riverbed to one of the cafés here in the gorge in preparation for the next stage of our journey – to the Sahara!

En route we pass through Erfoud and Rissani, the latter being an important staging post along a former caravan route and settlement of the Alouite, the early conquerors of Morocco.

With a stop for lunch en route, by now the scenery has changed dramatically to the wide-open plains that serve as a prelude to the desert and the Erg Chebbi dunes just beyond Merzouga that loom on the horizon during the afternoon.

On arrival at Merzouga, we change our mode of transport at an auberge for a two-hour camel trek to the dunes of Erg Chebbi.

You’ll have the opportunity to witness a fabulous Saharan sunset and take in some dramatic desert scenery as our guides escort us to their Berber camp behind an oasis in the heart of the Moroccan desert.

The evening continues with a traditional Berber meal and entertainment before becoming entranced by the total darkness and peace of the desert. With your accommodation in a Nomadic-style tent and a crystal clear sky full of stars, this will be a night to remember!

It’s an early start at the Berber camp if you want to catch the Saharan sunrise -– and in the early dawn light we head back to the auberge for a shower and breakfast.

Refreshed and ready for action we set off for a desert tour 4x4 style. This trip takes us into the heart of the Erg Chebbi dunes where we will pass by oases and visit the village of Khamlia, the birthplace of Moroccan Gnaoua music which originated in Mali.

We’ll also visit the mines of Mifiss where sediment is scraped off the land surface (and used as a sealant by the desert nomads) to leave a landscape that resembles ice or dinner plates as the sun catches it at certain times of the day.

You’ll have a chance to spend time with some Berber nomads and learn more about the flora and fauna of the desert before we return to our auberge for a freshen up and relaxation before our evening meal and rest for the night.

With breakfast and check out complete at the auberge, we head for Ouarzazate. En route we stop at Rissani where the souks offer a reminder of times when the camel trains would pass through. Interestingly, Rissani boasts one of the largest donkey markets in Morocco!

Surrounded by amazing landscapes that range from almost barren wastelands to verdant palm groves, we make our way through the Drâa Valley with its millions of palm trees before arriving at Ouarzazate, the “Hollywood” of Morocco by evening in time to check in to your hotel for your evening meal and overnight stay.

We take a detour from the main road from Ouarzazate to Marrakech to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ait Ben Haddou. Dating back to the 17th Century, this ksar is an outstanding example of early southern Morocco architecture.

And, not only will you be stepping back in time here, you can also follow in the footsteps of film stars who have appeared in movie productions such as Gladiator, The Mummy, Lawrence of Arabia and Game of Thrones which used this magnificent backdrop for some of their location shoots.

The next part of our journey today takes us through some rugged countryside as we head towards the Kasbah Telouet. Our route includes what was formerly known as the Salt Route – salt being one of the many commodities along with gold, ivory and slaves that were brought from the Sahara to be traded at Marrakech and onward destinations.

Their journey would pass through Telouet, home of the legendary Glaoui family who ran the rule over passing traffic with taxes while keeping watch for any threatening behavior from elsewhere in the south of the country. Outwardly, little remains of the once magnificent Kasbah Telouet, home of the self-appointed “Lord of the Atlas” – Pasha Glaoui.

But once inside, as you make your way through a maze of crumbling passageways, you can truly appreciate the opulent lifestyle enjoyed by generations of this family from the 18th century to as recently as 1956.

After Telouet, we rejoin the main route to take us through the remainder of the High Atlas Mountains and the Tizi N’Tichka Pass before beginning our descent to Marrakech where we return you to your accommodation.