Morning departure from your hotel/riad in Marrakesh at 8am and cross the High Atlas Mountains over Tizi-n-Tichka, the highest mountain pass in Africa: elevation of 2,260 metres (7,415 ft). We continue to the Dades Gorge, a gorge carved by the Dades River separating the High Atlas and Low Atlas mountains. Stopping at the picturesque Oasis of Skoura and visiting the stunning Kasbah Amridil. From here we travel through Kela’a M’gouna, the Valley of Roses, where we stop to see a women’s cooperative of the rose perfumed cosmetics locally-made from the valley’s abundant roses. These products are well-known throughout Morocco and are highly valued. You stop in the Dades gorge in a hotel by the river for the night.

After breakfast, there is time to walk by the river before continuing to the next gorge Todra where we will stop for lunch and some sight seeing. We then continue on to our bivouac at the Erg Chebbi dunes via the Ziz Valley, and the towns of Erfoud and Rissani, which is where the Moroccan king’s family originates. In the afternoon after a welcoming glass of tea, you can take a two-hour camel ride in the Sahara. The sunset from the top of the dunes (250m) is spectacular and afterwards there is dinner and the night in a nomad tent at the foot of the dunes.

Early birds can watch the spectacle of the majestic sunrise where the colour of the dunes and the play of shadows are an awesome sight. After breakfast we drive back east towards the Dra’a Valley via the villages of Tazzarine (featured in the film ‘Babel’) and stopping at N’Kob for lunch. We then drive to Tanasikht, along the track of the ancient caravan route, reaching the Dra’a valley, full of large palm trees and ancient Kasbahs. We return to Marrakesh again over the High Atlas by the end of the afternoon.