Sahara Desert from Casablanca — 4 Days / 3 Nights

Pick-up from your hotel or Riad in Casablanca, then heading towards Azrou — a beautiful mountain village often referred to as the Switzerland of Morocco — and on to Midelt. During this journey you'll experience breathtaking glimpses of the Middle and High Atlas Mountains. We stop in Azrou, a Berber village nestled in the heart of Morocco's largest cedar forest, where you may well spot Barbary apes. Lunch on the way, then your journey continues to Midelt along the magnificent hills and mountain ranges of the Atlas. Dinner and overnight in hotel.

After breakfast we leave Midelt, travelling through the fascinating Tizi Ntalghamt pass and the spectacular Ziz Gorges, taking in views of the High Atlas plateau as the scenery shifts to reveal hints of the desert. We arrive in Errachidia for lunch, then travel along the lush Ziz Valley with panoramic views all the way to Erfoud, where we visit a fossilized marble factory before reaching Merzouga in the afternoon. You'll be welcomed with mint tea before mounting your camel, guided by an experienced camelman deep into the golden sea of Erg Chebbi dunes. Dinner in front of the tent where you will spend the night under the stars.

Wake up early for a spectacular desert sunrise from the top of a high dune, then return to the camp by camel for a hearty breakfast. We leave the desert via Rissani — one of the oldest cities in Morocco and ancestral capital of the Alaoui dynasty — visiting the lively local market (open Tue, Thu, Sat), then continue to Erfoud's fossilized marble workshops. Through the palm groves of Touroug and Tinjdad we reach the Todra Gorges, where the river has carved a magnificent cliff-sided canyon popular with climbers. Lunch and a walk through the gorges. In the afternoon, the scenic Dades Valley, the Valley of Roses and the Skoura palm grove lead us to Ouarzazate, where we visit the Taourirt Kasbah — former residence of the Glaoui Pasha. Dinner and overnight in Riad/hotel.

After breakfast, enjoy the best views of the valley from a strategic mountain lookout, then continue past the cinema studios to Aït Ben Haddou — a UNESCO World Heritage ksar (fortified village) famous for blockbusters including Gladiator, Obelix, The Mummy, The Jewel of the Nile and Game of Thrones. Visit the Kasbah and enjoy lunch in town. In the afternoon, road to Marrakech through the High Atlas via the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260m), with scenic photo stops along the way. From Marrakech, highway to Casablanca — drop-off at your hotel and end of our services.