Morocco Day 1: Arrival in Marrakech & pre-departure meeting Your tour starts and ends in the amazing city of Marrakech. On day one you will meet your guide for a pre-departure meeting in your hotel at 6pm. This evening you will have a chance to get to know your guide and your fellow travelers. In ancient times Marrakech was called ' Morocco City ' and sometimes referred to as the ' Pearl of the South'. The colour of Marrakech is most remarkable: a reddish-brown describes it best. The city walls, the houses and the soil are all the same shade and even the new French-style quarter contains houses tinted to the some colour. Marrakech has approximately 20kms of walls enclosing gardens and lakes. Its great pride and landmark, visible from many miles, is the Koutoubia Tower, sister to the Tower of Hassan in Rabat and the Giralda Tower in Sevillle. It is said that after the third of these was completed, the cruel sultan had the eyes of his architect put out, lest he should build another more beautiful tower elsewhere. One of the most striking features of Marrakech is the huge open souk, which for the past eight centuries has been the scene of parades, executions and entertainment, as well as the centre for buying and selling for hundreds of miles around. You will have more time at the end of the tour to explore Marrakech.

Morocco Day 2 Marrakech - Aït Benhaddou - Gorge du Dades Departing the colourful chaos of Marrakech, we head to Aït Benhaddou, a fortified city, situated along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech. It is situated on a hill along the Ouarzazate River and boasts some beautiful examples of kasbahs, some of which remain inhabited. Granted UNESCO World Heritage listing, the site had been the setting for many films including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator. Continuing, we drive through the Gorges du Dades, an awesome valley which extends from the High Atlas to the Jebel Saghrou range in the south. Berbers built many kasbahs in the vicinity of gorges for defence purposes. These many kasbahs combined with the stunning natural beauty make this a beautiful region through which to travel.

Morocco Day 3 Gorge du Dades We spend the morning exploring by foot Dades Gorge and sampling some Berber tea en-route. After lunch we travel to Todra Gorge, where we can spend the afternoon either exploring or relaxing in this 1000ft high gorge. We are hemmed in on all sides by its shear vertical limestone cliffs. Todra is also known as Moroccos Grand Canyon.

Morocco Day 4 Desert Trek We cross the Jebel Saghrou and head down to Erg Chebbi sand dunes, which signify the commencement of the mighty Sahara Desert. Transferring to camels, we trek into the desert to a berber camp, enjoying local food and a night under the Saharan stars.

Morocco Day 5 Quarzazate Leaving the desert, we travel through the verdant Draa valley, along the route of 1000 Kasbahs, a beautiful landscape. We continue on to Ouarzazate, which African traders once used on their journeys up to Europe. It has also been used as a film set, for Alexander the Great, The Last Temptation of Christ and The Living Daylights.

Morocco Day 6 Aït Benhaddou We head to Aït Benhaddou, a ‘fortified city', situated along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech. It is situated on a hill along the Ouarzazate River and boasts some beautiful examples of kasbahs, some of which remain inhabited. Granted UNESCO World Heritage listing, the site had been the setting for many films including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator.We then travel over the high atlas mountains on our way to Marrakech.

Morocco Day 7 Marrakech Glowing red, like a welcoming campfire, against the snowcapped High Atlas Mountains, the very name Marrakech conjures up images of an exotic, distant city, of magic carpets and snake charmers and of frankincense and myrrh brought in by camel trains. Set within the rose-coloured walls of the medina lies a reality that is not that far removed from an exotic film set a tangle of winding streets that open onto verdant gardens and dark alleyways that lead to bustling souks. The focal point is the central square, the Djemâa-el-Fna, an extraordinary gathering and market place. Full of colour, spicy aromas and traders. It is best seen in the evening when overflowing with food stalls, dancers, acrobats, fortune tellers, musicians and henna artists. A good place to practice your bargaining skills. And towering over all this is the Koutoubia mosque, the tallest building in the city, and a reminder of the importance of Islam to the lives of the citys residents. Try a traditional hamman, a steam bath followed by an exfoliating massage - its the ideal end to the day.

Morocco Day 8: Tour ends after breakfast Your tour finishes after breakfast on day 8. You are now free to continue your travels or return home, hopefully feeling that you have experienced a little of the wonder of Morocco.