Ancient Fortresses and Awe-Inspiring Mountains

We’ll pick you up from your hotel or riad after breakfast, then head through the stunning High Atlas, immediately plunging you into outstanding natural beauty, soaring peaks, deep valleys and jagged ridges.

We’ll wind through the magnificent Tizi N’tichka, the mountain pass that creeps through the imposing range, stopping at various points to fully absorb the panoramic views.

Eventually, we arrive at the Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, which is recognised by UNESCO as a world heritage site. This jaw-dropping fortified village, looking in itself like a mountain of red-orange houses and walls, is a famous backdrop of many films like “Gladiator” and “Game of Thrones”.

Take the chance here to explore the winding, climbing stairways and alleys, transporting yourself back in time as you discover hidden, shaded corners and ornately carved alcoves.

After lunch, our drive continues and it’s time to enjoy the beauty of the ever-changing Moroccan landscape.

You’ll visit the stunning Valley of Roses in Skoura. The river here is smothered by a vibrantly, riotously pink carpet of roses, the perfumed fragrance rising up the ochre walls of the valley past 500-year-old olive trees.

Our day will finish when we arrive at the hotel where you will have a delicious, traditionally cooked dinner, an overnight stay in beautiful, luxurious settings.

Venture into the Endless Desert

After breakfast, we set off from the atmospheric and beautiful Boumalne Dades towards Merzouga and the awaiting Sahara Desert. On this journey, we’ll pass through the picturesque Tinghir, so that you can take in the dramatic Todra Gorge.

This sheer, plunging chasm of up to 300m is an awe-inspiring sight, as rugged cliffs climb to the clear blue skies, looming over the swift Dades River.

Then, dependant on time, we will stop for lunch in Tinjdad, or continue to Rissani where you can try the local delicacy, a stuffed, pizza-like dish called medfouna.

After lunch you’ll head straight to Merzouga and the endless expanse of the desert. At Erg Chebbi, known for boasting the highest sand dunes in North Africa, you’ll get your first glimpse of those immaculate, fluidly rising dunes that make up the largest desert in the world.

We’ll arrive at the hotel where we will enjoy a refreshing cup of mint tea and to leave your luggage in a secure spot, ready to set off on the next part of your journey.

This is where we get off the beaten track and deep into the wilderness.

Set off on your camel trek to the Berber camp in the Saharan sand dunes, picking your way leisurely through this incredibly humbling setting, stopping to enjoy the warmth of an African sunset in the majestic ochre dunes.

Arriving at the idyllic camp of luxury tents and bivouacs, you’ll dine on authentic Moroccan nomad cuisine, enjoy hypnotic Berber drum beats and an overnight stay, enjoying a sky scattered with stars.

Explore Lush Valleys and Vibrant Markets

Your final day starts early to begin your camel trek back to the hotel, and you’ll have the privileged opportunity to gaze upon the iridescent Saharan sunrise, turning the sky from pitch black, to indigo, to a huge dome of pure blue.

We’ll take breakfast and showers at your hotel then head to visit the vibrant spice market in Rissani and the traditional souk, heady with a mix of fragrant scents and glittering lamps, beautifully woven carpets and gorgeous handcrafted artworks.

From here, we head on to the Ziz Valley, a lush, fertile valley that defies the arid landscape with a sea of palm trees and abundant plant life. An emerald and sapphire carpet in the midst of a sunbaked, unforgiving rock and dust, this makes an incredible photo opportunity.

The cool, clear Ziz River carves through the landscape forming dramatic canyons, and feeds a series of Oases along its meandering course, offering sweet respite in an otherwise harsh environment.

Travel through the Middle Atlas, arriving in the high-plain town of Midelt. From here we continue our tour on through bizarrely alpine Ifrane and Azrou, before arriving at our final destination in Fes.

If you’re lucky, you may be able to spot one of the famous Azrou monkeys that live in the cedar forests, also known as the Barbary Macaque, an endangered species.

In Fes, you’ll get the chance to wander the hectic labyrinth of the medina, and experience the truly unique, fascinating Chouara Tannery. A mosaic of stone vessels filled with vibrantly coloured liquids for softening hides, the practices on show here have been in use for 1000 years.

This is a piece of authentic, traditional Morocco, and is absolutely central to life in Fes, making it an essential stop on your tour of this part of the world.

We will stop for lunch as we explore, and your guide will take you to your riad or hotel at the end of your 3-day tour.