Marrakech's souks fade into memory as the road climbs into the High Atlas, crossing the Tizi-n-Tichka pass at 2,260 metres before dropping into the desert provinces of the south. This five-day loop is the complete Sahara story: the earthen towers of Aït Ben Haddou, the palm-lined Drâa Valley, and four nights that end at the wild, 300-metre dunes of Erg Chegaga — reached by 4x4 piste, far from the crowds of more touristic dune fields.
What sets this route apart is the return journey: instead of retracing your steps, you'll follow the old Paris-Dakar rally track across the dry bed of Lake Iriqui and through Foum Zguid to Taznakht, the heartland of Berber carpet weaving, before climbing back over the Atlas to Marrakech.
Best travelled between October and May, when the desert heat gives way to warm days and starlit nights — this is the itinerary for travellers who want kasbahs, oases and dunes in one unforgettable loop.