Tinghir , in the heart of the Todra Valley, between the High Atlas and the Jebel Sahro, extends the magnificent palmeraie of Tinghir. The city, an old French garrison, is built around a rock outcrop and dominated by the ruins of the ancient Glaoui palace. When travelling in the Todra region you must stop Tinghir to walk along its flowered gardens, ksours and Kasbahs.

Ouarzazate is a city south of Morocco’s High Atlas mountains, known as a gateway to the Sahara Desert. Its huge Taourirt Kasbah, home to a 19th-century palace, has views over the rugged local landscape, which features in several films. Northwest is the fortified red-earth city of Aït Ben Haddou. Northeast is the rocky Todra Gorge. A road winds southeast through the Draa Valley’s lush palm groves to the desert.

The Ait Benhaddou, a group of earthen buildings surrounded by high walls, is a traditional pre-Saharan habitat. The houses crowd together within the defensive walls, which are reinforced by corner. towers. Ait-Ben-Haddou, in Ouarzazate province, is a striking example of the architecture of southern Morocco.