Morocco: Markets & Mountains

Land in Casablanca, drop your bags at the hotel, and meet the rest of the crew. The first night is about getting everyone together for a meet-up before heading out to a local spot. It’s a low-key way to kick things off before the real travel starts tomorrow.

It's a road trip day. The drive north from Casablanca follows the Atlantic coast for about 86 kilometres to Rabat before cutting inland for the 250-kilometre run on to Chefchaouen. You'll make a stop in Rabat, Morocco's capital, to stretch your legs and wander the old quarter's ramparts with views from the Kasbah des Oudaias. After grabbing lunch, the journey continues for a few more hours into the Rif Mountains.

You'll arrive in Chefchaouen, the famous 'Blue City,' in the late afternoon. A quick orientation walk through the blue-washed streets will help you get your bearings before you settle in for the night.

You have a full free day to explore Chefchaouen. The best plan is simply to get lost in the maze of blue alleys in the medina. If you want to get out of town, an optional hike into the surrounding Rif Mountains is a solid choice. For a classic sunset view over the city, make the short uphill walk to the Spanish Mosque on the edge of town.

Leave the mountains behind for the overland drive to Fès. After arriving and dropping your bags, you can head into the medina. This is your first chance to see the city's famous tanneries—just be prepared for the intense smell. It's also worth checking out a local Amazigh (Berber) pharmacy, which is a world away from a modern drugstore, filled with traditional spices, herbs, and oils.

Spend a full free day getting lost in the chaotic maze of the Fès medina. The artisan quarters are packed with workshops, and your best move is to just wander without a map and see where the alleys take you. Grab cheap lunch from the street carts as you explore. When the sensory overload hits, head back to Hotel Mounia Fes to regroup with the rest of the crew before finding a spot for dinner. It's a massive day on your feet, but this is the real Fès.

This is a pure travel day, so settle in for the long overland drive from Fès to Marrakech. The scenery changes from rolling hills to the plains surrounding the 'Red City'. You'll arrive in the evening, with enough time to check in, drop your bags, and head out for a first look at the electric atmosphere of the Djemaa el-Fna square at night.

A free day to get a handle on Marrakech. The Djemaa el-Fna square is the city's chaotic heart, shifting from a daytime market with snake charmers to a massive open-air food court after dark. New people may be joining the group today, so the evening plan is a big night out with the whole crew to get everyone acquainted before the next leg of the trip.

Leave the city behind and drive toward the desert, stopping at the green oasis of Skoura. This region is known as the 'Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs' for its historic mud-brick castles. A guided walk takes you through the palm groves to see these structures up close, with the Atlas Mountains in the distance. It's a much quieter side of Morocco. The transfer in is timed to leave free time for lunch on arrival before the guided walk begins. The day ends with a group dinner at the lodge, likely after a dip in the pool.

Today you push deep into the Sahara — a four-and-a-half-to-five-hour drive from Skoura, with a stop to walk through the dramatic Dades Gorge (max elevation around 1,400m above sea level). After a quick lunch break in Tinghir, the journey continues to the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga. Here, you'll trade the vehicle for a camel and ride into the desert to a traditional Berber camp. The main event is watching the sunset paint the dunes, followed by dinner and music around a campfire under a sky full of stars.

After breakfast at the camp, you'll ride back to the edge of the desert and check into a hotel. The day is packed with desert activities. A hands-on cooking class will teach you how to make medfouna, a stuffed local bread sometimes called 'Berber pizza'. Later, you'll hike up the highest dunes to try sandboarding as the sun goes down. In between, there's free time to opt for a 4x4 excursion or just cool off in the hotel pool.

It's back on the road, traveling along the 'Route of 1000 Kasbahs' to the famous fortified village of Aït Ben Haddou. You've seen this place on screen—it's a UNESCO World Heritage site used in Game of Thrones and Gladiator. The two-to-three-hour guided tour winds through its maze-like alleys, climbing to the top of the ksar for a wide-open view of the desert landscape at golden hour. For dinner, you can join an optional tagine cooking class.

The last big drive of the trip takes you back over the High Atlas Mountains and into Marrakech. You'll dive right back into the city with a guided tour of the medina, hitting specific landmarks you might have missed. The walk includes the intricately decorated Ben Youssef Madrasa, an old Islamic college, and the sprawling Bahia Palace. The tour ends back in Djemaa el-Fna, where the plan is to find a group dinner at the famous night market food stalls.

It's the final day. Pack your bags and head out whenever you need to. If you've booked a late flight, you can opt for a pre-booked hot air balloon ride at sunrise, but make sure you'll be back in time to get to the airport.