Depart Marrakech at 8.00 am for an unforgettable journey through the majestic High Atlas Mountains via the Tichka Pass, reaching an altitude of 2,260 metres. This is the highest road crossing in Morocco, linking Marrakech to the Saharan regions, with Ouarzazate as the gateway.

On the way, we’ll stop to explore the historic fortified town of Ait Ben Haddou. Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this Kasbah has been the setting for many famous films, including Lawrence of Arabia, Seven Years in Tibet and Alexander the Great.

After a delicious lunch, our adventure continues as we drive through the charming palm grove of Skoura, followed by the captivating Valley of the Roses, which leads us to the breathtaking Dades Gorges, where we spend the night in a comfortable hotel.

After breakfast, you can take an excursion into the Gorges. The Dades Gorges valley is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and impressive in southern Morocco. Situated between the towns of Boumalne Dadès and M’semrir, in the Souss-Massa region, it takes its name from the Dadès, a tributary of the Drâa river which winds its way through an arid desert landscape to water the many oases along its banks, as well as the fig, date and almond trees.

We then set off again to explore the equally remarkable Todgha Gorges. Walking through the heart of this immense oasis, you will encounter breathtaking landscapes of canyons and verdant gorges.

Then on to Agdz via Tazarine.

Dinner and overnight in the palm grove.

All the way to the end of the road, there is this paradox: on the left, the magnificent landscape of the palm grove with its plantations of date palms, olive trees, fruit trees and market gardens, and on the right, relentless drought and arid land. The Drâa Valley is also famous for its sumptuous Ksours and adobe kasbahs, one of the most remarkable of which is Tamnougalt.

We arrive in Zagora, the regional capital, where an ancient signpost indicating the Timbuktu 52-day route welcomes us and evokes in us the emotion of our close encounter with the grandiose Sahara desert. This was the starting point for the great camel caravans that crossed the Sahara to Mali.

Our next stop is Tamegroute, a quiet adobe village renowned for its green ceramics and ancient Koranic library.

90 km south-east of Zagora we finally arrive at the peaceful oasis of M’hamid El Ghizlane (or M’Hamid of the gazelles), where the road ends to make way for the desert. As far back as the 16th century, M’Hamid was the departure point for Ahmed El Mansour Addahbi, who set off with his warriors, his camels and his entire tribe to conquer Timbuktu.

Typical dinner and night in a kasbah between palm groves and dunes.

The next day, after breakfast, it’s time for a 4×4 adventure across the Sahara towards Erg Chegaga, one of the two great dune deserts of the Moroccan Sahara, which can be reached after about fifty kilometres of tracks between Reg and sand. Erg Chegaga is made up of several interlaced ergs, some forty kilometres long and fifteen kilometres wide, with some dunes reaching heights of 40 metres (equivalent to a 16-storey building) and a maximum altitude of 520 metres.

Once on the perfect fold, at the summit, the view of the waves of dunes in chiaroscuro is impressive. So many people feel the magic of the desert, through its silence, its geometric shapes that are at once so fluid, its changing colours, and then the infinite number of stars that cover you like a luminous protective cloak.

You can also take an optional camel ride around the dunes.

Dinner and a lively evening around the fire to the sound of nomadic music.

Overnight at the fixed bivouac Le Charme d’Aladdin at the foot of the great dunes in a tent with private bath.

After breakfast, we return to the track and at the end of the dunes we cross the immense Lake Iriki, which is generally dry due to a lack of endemic rainfall and where the clay outcrops mirages. This is a mythical spot in southern Morocco, and only a few decades ago it was a favourite spot for the gazelles of the south.

We get back on the tarmac road and head for the village of Tazenakht, which is a centre for Berber mountain carpets, known as “Ouaouzguites”, Ouzguiti or Gloui carpets, the most popular and best-selling carpets.

We’ll continue on to Taroudant, a charming old fortified town, where we’ll spend a transitional night between desert and ocean.

After breakfast, we’ll hit the road again to reach Agadir, Morocco’s leading tourist destination.

We’ll leave the day free for you to visit the town, do some shopping, visit the old port or take advantage of the magnificent beaches for a swim in the Atlantic.

As an option, you can take an excursion to the Valley of Paradise, an hour’s drive away, made up of waterholes, palm groves and imposing rocks where you can bathe in natural pools.

Dinner and overnight in a hotel in Agadir.

After breakfast, we’ll set off along the coast, stopping off at Taghazout, a small authentic fishing village and a must for surfers from all over the world.

We then continue on to Essaouira, known as Mogador in Portuguese times.

Essaouira has a strategic position on the Atlantic coast and has therefore always been an important trading port since the 15th century. Different populations and cultures have lived side by side in harmony for centuries, creating a city with a cosmopolitan atmosphere.

You’ll fall under the spell of its historic centre, with its souk where you’ll find all sorts of handicrafts from the simplest to magnificent wood carvings, particularly of thuya.

You can stroll along the ramparts, soak up the sun on the magnificent beaches, or simply stroll and enjoy a cup of tea on the promenade facing the ocean.

Dinner and overnight in a Riad in Essaouira.

We’ll leave you the morning for a final day of relaxation and sightseeing, and we’ll hit the road again in the afternoon to reach Marrakech after around 3 hours’ drive.

We’ll drop you off at your destination and hope that this trip will leave you with some wonderful memories.