- Experience Morocco in two parts, the hustle and bustle of Marrakech and then the silence of the desert
- Your accommodation: a riad in the heart of the medina and a lodge in the middle of white dunes
- Visit to the medina in Marrakech; a desert hike - it's all included
- Airport priority pass, our smartphone app and on-site Concierge, plus all our usual additional services
Contact one of our Morocco specialists + 44 (0) 20 3958 6120
MOROCCAN DUO
Included in the itinerary - Something to discover every day.
YOUR ACCOMMODATION
At each stage you're booked into amazing accommodation. First a riad, in Marrakech. A patio bathed in light, multi-coloured zellige tiles and secret staircases bring charm and authenticity. Beyond the doorstep, the hustle and bustle of the souqs seems far away - only the murmur of a fountain breaks through. You then reach a camp in the middle of the beautiful Agafay desert, with its rocky dunes. There are a dozen Moorish tents, decked out in discreet luxury and with an intimate atmosphere. Inside: Berber carpets, lanterns and candles, shabby chic objects, produce brought in from neighbouring villages... The place feels perfectly in harmony with nature.THINGS TO DO IN MOROCCO...
In Marrakech, have breakfast on the riad's roof terrace - relax in the warmth of the hammam or during a massage - get lost in the colours and smells of the souqs - reach Djemaa el-Fna Square at night and let yourself be caught up in street shows - climb Agafay's dunes and desert hills - in the afternoon, take a break for mint tea and read in the shade of the tent - in the evening, gather around the fire, under the stars...Route
Flight to Marrakech
Fast track immigration formalities at the airport and private transfer to the medina. A thick wooden door studded with nails discreetly opens. Welcome to your riad - a small hotel that is the many great reasons for staying in Marrakech. The rooms open onto tree-lined patios and showcase the finest oriental craftsmanship.
Marrakech
Included in the itinerary - A tour of the medina, with a private guide. A lively neighbourhood of narrow alleyways bustling with village life: small shops, a traditional oven where locals come to bake their bread, a market on the ground. Market gardeners' stalls piled high with fresh coriander surround secret architectural treasures such as Sidi Bel Abbes' Zaouia. Stop for a while in the vast paved courtyard dominated by a brick minaret, complete with a beautiful fountain.
What to do and see - Stroll around Djemaa el-Fna Square, lively all day, magical by night - get lost in the maze of souqs, between stalls selling handicrafts and spices of all colours - admire the Koutoubia Mosque's immense minaret and the Ben Youssef Madrassa's Moorish architecture - stroll through the Bahia Palace's inner courtyards - become enchanted by the blue of the Jardin Majorelle and the magic of the Yves Saint-Laurent Museum...
Optional - An encounter with Islam.
Marrakech - Agafay Desert
Private transfer about 20 miles south of Marrakech (one hour's drive) to reach the Agafay Desert. Civilisation is gradually left behind, in the far distance the Atlas Mountain peaks are coming into view and the camp where you'll spend two nights is there in the heart of the rocky desert. A tough - but comfortable - nomad experience, in a camp with ten white cotton Moorish tents. Local craftsmanship, shabby-chic furniture, traditional beds and dinner under the stars. Water is used sparingly and there are candles for lighting. It all makes for an unforgettable back-to-basics experience.
Optional - Desert camel ride.
Agafay Desert
Included in the itinerary - A desert hike with a private guide. White dunes stretch as far as the eye can see. Take a dip in the wadi, an enchanted oasis home to amazing wildlife - frogs and turtles quietly live here. Lost in the desert hills, there are still some Berber villages in the heart of this austere but sublime natural landscape. After walking through this moonscape, you stop for a traditional lunch with locals.
Agafay Desert - Marrakech - Return flight
Private transfer to the airport to catch your flight home.
A la carte
ABOUT ISLAM
Western perception of Islam is often prone to misunderstanding. Yet it is a religion which, throughout its history, has accompanied the development of Arab culture, and its art and its sciences, which have had, in turn, a huge influence on our European cultures. To break the ice, what could be more spontaneous and accessible than discussing it with a person practicing Islam on a daily basis? Hakim specialises in cultural encounters, the teaching of subjects related to cultural heritage and is also part of the circle of storytellers who perpetuate the oral tradition of storytelling in Morocco. This meeting is neither a theological course nor a doctrinal study, but an exchange, an insight into 'what it means to be Muslim'. In the symbolic setting of a madrassa, a school where the Koran has been studied since the Middle Ages, you will discuss common practices, spiritual references and cultural heritage.
Optional
A CAMEL RIDE IN THE DESERT
At the measured pace of the camel, it's easy to dream about the time not so very long ago when nomads travelled thousands of miles with their caravans carrying precious cargoes. Away from the noise of 4x4s, the trip - accompanied by a camel handler - moves along at just the right speed to see the desert at its best.
Optional
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