15 DAY BEST OF MOROCCO

Depart for Rabat on the early train arriving late morning.

About Rabat: With a long and colourful history, Rabat hosted the Roman settlements, pirates and more recently the Moroccan parliament. It contains numerous fine Arab monuments, some dating from the 10th to 15th century Almohad and Merenid dynasties, and others that are far older. The earliest known settlement is Sala, occupying an area now known as the Chellah.
Continue to Meknes on a three-hour train.

About Meknes: The imperial city of Meknes was built when Sultan Moulay Ismail (a contemporary of Louis XIV) set out to create his own version of Versailles, using over 25,000 slaves to construct walls, gates and over 50 palaces. Overnight stay at hotel

This morning is free to explore Meknes. Later, board a private minibus and travel for one hour through rolling hills and olive groves to the archaeological site of Volubilis.

About Volubilis: A World Heritage-listed site, Volubilis was once a provincial Roman capital, a distant outpost of the empire, and the remains make an undeniably impressive sight.

Tour around the ruins with a local guide. Visit the Decumanus Maximus, and afterwards, make the two-hour drive to Fes. Fes is the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco; vibrant, noisy, fascinating and overwhelming – a visual and pungent feast for the senses – with a huge, well-preserved medieval old city that’s the mother of all medinas.

Walk in the old city, known locally as Fes el Bali alive with craftsmen, markets, tanneries and mosques. Visit the Medersa Bou Inania, one of the city’s most beautiful buildings, recently restored Visit the Belghazi Museum, Medresse el Attarine and the splendid Funduk Nejjarine, a beautifully restored 18th century inn. Visit the tannery and the ceramics factory. Dinner at a local traditional restaurant watching the sunset over the Medina

Depart the city and drive south though the scenic Middle Atlas Mountains. Pass through cedar forests which are home to Barbary apes, North Africa’s only monkey. Nestled in a valley, Midelt is a market town, originally built as a base for mining in the area, and surrounded by farmland and orchards. Visit Kasbah Myriam, an embroidery workshop run by Franciscan nuns.

Depart early morning and drive towards the Sahara Desert. Admire views of Kasbahs and palmeries along the way. With a backdrop of the orange-coloured Erg Chebbi sand dunes, is the charming isolated Saharan village of Merzouga. Sunset camel ride in the desert along the Erg Chebbi dunes. Overnight in a desert camp under the stars.

Depart after breakfast drive to Todra Gorge. The limestone stacks make a perfect area for trekking, and visit the oasis museum of El Khorbat and continue on to the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Overnight in a traditional Berber house.

Explore the Todra Valley and a guided hike through the gorge and over a nearby mountain pass or relax by the pool at the hotel

Travel south for Ait Benhaddou. Lunch in Ouarzazate.

About Ait Benhaddou: Centuries ago, this was an important stop for caravans carrying salt across the Sahara. Today its grand kasbah, a fine example of clay architecture, has been listed as a World Heritage site.

Late lunch after a cooking demonstration to learn the secrets behind Morocco’s most famous cuisine: couscous and tagine.

Depart the Sahara and journey over the spectacular Tizi n’Tichka Pass to Toubkal National Park photographing snow-dappled mountains and valleys in full flower along the way. Walk into traditional mountain village life with a one-hour trek up to the peaceful village of Aroumd, Spend the night in a family-run mountain home (gite) in Aroumd. Surrounded by the smell of woodstoves and bread, meet the host family and enjoy Berber hospitality and food.

Morning walk and afterwards drive along the Atlantic Coast to Essaouira, a city where the medina brushes up against the Atlantic Ocean. Stay in a restored riad, or Moroccan mansion, a traditional nobleman’s house unique to Morocco that’s a calming oasis.

Depart for Mrrakech, an ancient, exotic city wrapped in European modernity. Marrakech is famous for its alluring scents and brilliant colours of the spice markets, the sounds of the musicians, the rich folds of carpets, delectable foods, acrobats and perfumed gardens. Dinner at the famous Djemma el Fna, one of the largest public spaces in the world and unique to Marrakech.

• About Marrakech: Marrakech is a feast for the senses. Explore the Medina for some last-minute shopping, where every step brings a new smell, a new sight or a new gift to buy. In the seemingly endless mosaic of souqs, each is devoted to a separate trade: pottery, woodwork, copper, leather, carpets and spices. Watch skilled artisans perfect their craft, or take a break from the hustle to sip on tea or share a tajine, filled with the pure scent of Morocco.

  Visit the well-known Koutoubia Mosque and its 12th-century minaret, which was the famous prototype for the Giralda tower in Seville. Take a wander through the tropical gardens of the French painter Jacques Majorelle (now owned by Yves Saint Laurent). Also the Palais Bahia, a superb example of Muslim architecture, and the ruins of the Palais Badi, reputedly one of the most beautiful palaces in the world in its time. The Saadian tombs are a recently uncovered gem of the Medina.

Depart after breakfast and transfer to the airport for your flight

• Accommodation
• Guide
• Meals
• Transport
• Travel Insurance

• International Flights
• Extras and items of a personal nature
• Tips and gratuities