DURATION
5 nights
LOCATION
Morocco
ANNUAL LEAVE
4 days off work
SEASON
Year-round
GROUP SIZE
Up to 14 people
MEETING POINT
Menara Airport, Marrakech
ACCOMMODATION
Classic
Riad · Hotel · Campsite
DIFFICULTY
Easy
More of a cultural adventure than a physical one. All hiking optional and the camel riding just involves holding on!
Wander the winding streets of ancient, walled kasbahs and through the pathways of dramatic deep gorges
Spend a night at a traditional Berber camp and sleep under the huge desert sky spotting shooting stars
Experience the best of Moroccan culture and nature as you soak up vast landscapes, sleep in riads and learn about ancient traditions
Day 1
Welcome to Marrakech
Your host will meet you at the airport and take you to your traditional riad accommodation in Marrakech’s historic medina. You'll then get the chance to spend the day exploring the city’s colourful souks, wander the UNESCO-listed main square and indulge in some amazing Moroccan food.
Day 2
From Marrakech to Ait Benhaddou
Driving
3-4hrs
You will be picked up in a modern 4x4 or minibus before setting off on a journey that will take you up and over the Atlas Mountains before descending to the desert on the other side. Along the way you'll stop at a high mountain pass, a 17th Century kasbah, and an oasis where you'll learn a bit about Berber folklore and grab lunch. The day ends in Ait Benhaddou, a red clay city where films and shows like Gladiator and Game of Thrones have been filmed. Relax with dinner and sunset in this picturesque walled city.
Day 3
Draa River Valley and Camel Trekking in Merzouga
Driving
5hrs
Heading to the scenic Draa River Valley today you'll check out the area’s numerous kasbahs and oases. Calm water backed by the snowy Atlas Mountains makes this valley particularly beautiful. Later in the day you will arrive in Merzouga to meet your camels and gear up for a night in the desert. The 1.5-hour sunset camel trek will end at a traditional Berber camp in the dunes. Enjoy hot mint tea and fresh dinner around the fire, and sleep under the stars or in a comfortable Berber tent.
Day 4
Dades Valley and Todra Gorge
Driving
3hrs
After a leisurely breakfast in the camp (and a incredible sunrise if you're early enough) you’ll be picked up by your driver and taken to Todra Gorge, an impressive canyon with sheer 160m cliff walls. Hike around to check out the views, and when you’re done exploring continue the drive through the Dades Valley to your hotel. Known as the 'Valley a Thousand Kasbahs', this rose red landscape is spectacular.
Day 5
Ouarzazate to Marrakech
Driving
5hrs
This morning’s drive will take you along the Rose Valley to Skoura Oasis, a surprisingly verdant village in the desert. Continue onto Ouarzazate to have lunch at a kasbah, then finish the trip with a leisurely drive back over the Atlas Mountains to Marrakech for a final night in the old town.
Day 6
Time to go home. Quite the long weekend!
Relax over your last Moroccan breakfast, explore the town some more if you have time, then transfer to the airport to catch your flight home.
Included
Guides
Expert, English-speaking local guides
Accommodation
2 nights in a riad, 2 nights in a hotel and 1 night in a Berber camp
Meals
5 breakfasts and 3 dinners
Transfers
Airport transfers and all travel on the trip
Not Included
Flights to and from the meeting point
Travel insurance
Some meals as described
Visas where required
Day 1
Riad · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3
Campsite · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4
Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 5
Riad · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 6
Departure day
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Moroccan food has a unique blend of sweet and savoury flavours. Local specialities include tajines (a stew cooked in an earthenware pot), couscous, and pastilles (flaky pastries stuffed with meat and dusted with cinnamon and sugar). Food is often spiced with cumin, turmeric and ginger.
The food is fresh and healthy. Example meals: Breakfast: Jam, bread, cookies, fruit, juice, butter, coffee, milk Lunch: Salad, tomatoes, carrots, lentils, beans, rice or pasta, fish, seasonal fruit Dinner: Soup, classic Moroccan tajine, couscous, olives, nuts, fruit
Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for - please just request on your passenger info form
What is the accommodation like?
Marrakech
In Marrakech, you'll stay in a beautiful riad - traditional Moroccan houses with an interior garden or courtyard. The exact riad you stay in will be confirmed nearer the time based on availability and group size. All are chosen for their excellent reputation, location, beautiful decor and welcoming service.
Ait Benhaddou and Dades Valley
On Day 1 and Day 3 you'll sleep in small local hotels both featuring private rooms with unique decor and ensuite bathrooms.
Berber Camp
The Berber camp provides permanent carpeted tents with beds, or, if you prefer, blankets for sleeping under the stars.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room and tent can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Marrakech Airport (RAK)
Arrive anytime on Day 1
Ends
Marrakech Airport (RAK)
Depart anytime on Day 6
Transfers
Private transfers between the airport and your Riad are included for any time (and day) you choose to arrive or depart.
Travel options
There are daily flights to Marrakech from major airports across the UK and Europe.
Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear
In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.
What's provided?
- Bedding for the night in the camp
What do I need to bring?
- Good walking shoes
- Light-weight long-sleeve shirts and trousers
- A warm jacket for night
- Sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunblock)
- Camera
- Medium sized rucksack for easy transportation and storage of your belongings
Pre/Post Trip Accommodation Double/Twin Room
Payable Before Departure
Pre/Post Trip Accommodation Double/Twin Room
… Per Night
Pre/Post Trip Accommodation Single Room
Payable Before Departure
Pre/Post Trip Accommodation Single Room
… Per Night
Optional Private Room Upgrade
Payable Before Departure
Optional Private Room Upgrade
…
I loved my trip to Morocco. I travelled with my mum and we both had a brilliant time, seeing parts of Morocco you would find it difficult to see unless on a tour. The food was a highlight for me, with everything being freshly cooked and freshly grown. I would recommend going in December/January as the temperatures weren't too hot and it was lovely to get some winter sunshine!
Group dynamic was good. Content of trip great. However there was not enough time in the day between sunrise and sunset for the itinerary which left us rushing to the camels and leaving things until the next day. Very long drives and on the way to merzouga we did a detour to the north road with a significantly longer drive in total, apparently to visit a scarf shop but with each scarf costing 200 dirhams and not very good quality and then arriving late at the desert we could have gone to a cheaper scarf shop on the way.
A fabulous trip with excellent value for money! This is the first MBA trip I have done where we were not straight off on the adventure. It was actually really lovely to have a day to explore Marrakech and do our own thing. The owners of the first Riad were very helpful and informative and recommended some excellent places to eat Including beautiful roof top terraces that had excellent views of the Medina at sunset. The adventure part was good but involves a lot of driving. A lot more than I was expecting. You spend most of the time in the minibus getting to your next destination. This was absolutely fine as the views and culture at the stops was fantastic. Everything from stunning, panoramic views to historic kasbahs to incredible art and everything in-between. We were totally blown away by it all and loved visiting filming locations. The camel based trek into the sahara was awesome! Scenery straight out of a David Attenborough documentary! We even got caught up in a sand storm which felt very authentic. The camp in the sahara blew me away. Better than any glamping I have ever seen in the UK. Each tent has it's own fully functioning bathroom, including toilet and shower. The traditional music and dancing into the night was really good fun too and they offer free sand-boarding. It was, however, incredibly hot and most of us didn't get much sleep. But we did also go in August. I would highly recommend getting up early to watch the sunrise from the dunes. The drives and short walk through the gorges were also excellent and each hotel we stayed in was fantastic and really beautiful. We also got more food than expected. Dinner and breakfast were included nearly everyday. All the food was of excellent quality however as a vegan/veggie there was very little variety. I sadly had to eat the same thing everyday which was no issue for me it just got a little bland and boring near the end. Such a shame when everyone else is offered multiple dishes of really lovely looking traditional Moroccan food. But that is the culture out there and I can be flexible. If you are a strict vegan, this is probably not the trip for you. Our guide, Radwan, was brilliant. A fountain of knowledge and kept us well sheltered from any locals being too pushy. We felt in safe hands the whole time and he never steered us wrong, recommending great places to eat and making great suggestions for the kasbahs. Also, be aware that entry in to the kasbahs is not included in the trip price. It is never expensive, usually 20DH per person which is less than £2 but it was a cost none of us had expected. I would recommend paying for a couple as getting to walk round them and enjoy the architecture was a real highlight for me and my friends.
All in all a really fabulous trip. Not strenuous in any way (you could easily do the whole thing in sandals) so a perfect intro adventure for anyone who is considering and MBA trip but is unsure on how it works.
Th Sahara was amazing, definitely exceeded expectations!! The camp was also a lot nicer than anticipated - definitely the most luxury camping I’ve ever done!! There was a shower and toilet in each tent. The group and guide were great. There was quite a bit more drive time than the itinerary suggests (about 2hrs more per day), so would be prepared for that.
Awesome trip!
Exceptional value for money. The Sahara is a once in a lifetime experience, with wonderful local guides and fantastic accommodation and food throughout. Expect long periods of driving and pack for the extreme sunshine!
A really good tour - thoroughly enjoyed it. Highlight was the camel ride and staying in the Sahara - loved it. The food at every mealtime was great - really good value for money. Everywhere we stayed was clean and service was very good. We travelled a lot and saw lots of the country. Some stunning scenery.
It was a well organised trip that covers some beautiful parts of Marocco. One of the highlights was the camel trek in the Sahara which was a bit of a bumpy ride ;) be prepared though for long hours on the road driving to the different places.
The Sahara and camp are the highlight of this trip, an experience you won't forget. There is a lot of driving every day. I would have preferred a day in the middle where we didn't spend quite so many hours in the van.
A lovely chance to see Morocco's countryside. The Sahara camp was amazing, and we absolutely loved our walk through Todhra Gorge. The drives are quite long due to the expanse of the country, but our host was brilliant and we had some lovely stops for photos and refreshments.
We've crunched the numbers to work out the total carbon footprint of this trip, and plant enough trees to suck 2x as much back out the atmosphere.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 296kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal for 2022 to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. For every person booked with us since 2016 we’re planting enough trees to suck at least 2x more carbon out the atmosphere than is emitted by their trips. All native trees, as part of amazing projects that are re-foresting degraded land, tackling the biodiversity crisis and supporting local communities at the same time. We go further than that too, also funding re-wilding projects worldwide to help protect important keystone species from extinction. See the reforestation and re-wilding schemes we support. See our carbon action plan.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
This is a relaxed trip that is mostly cultural exploration with a dash of activity. The camel trek, though a little uncomfortable, is easy and fun for most travellers. Any other hiking is optional and entirely up to whether you want to join or not.
Sure can! Over 50% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
The desert can get quite hot, with daytime temperatures averaging 15 - 40°C from March to October, and 5 - 20°C from November to February. As much as 10mm of rain can fall in any month, particularly from October to January, but generally the desert is dry and weather isn’t an issue.
Sure can. If you would like to leave anything in Marrakech, your host will look after this for you.
We recommend checking out the country specific information here and also talking to a travel nurse.
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/
For current advice about travelling in Morocco, have a read of the UK Foreign Office pages here.
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/morocco/entry-requirements
Ramadan will take place from 22nd March to 20th April 2023 and 10th March to 8th April 2024. The national holiday of Eid ul-Fitr will follow for 2-3 days. Ramadan is an Islamic festival where the religious do not eat or drink during daylight hours. While this is a really interesting time to travel, especially to witness celebrations where the fast is broken in the evenings, you can expect some business hours will be shortened, alcohol is not permitted during daylight hours and some restaurants will be closed during this festival period. Activities for local people tend to be limited during the day and the nights are very active in cities with lots of different foods being sold and consumed. Ramadan will not affect the inclusions on your trip although you should be aware that dinners will be served after locals break their fast in the evenings.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our adventures. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure.
Your insurance policy should also include specific Covid-19 cover, including cancellation and curtailment cover if you, your travel companion or a close relative are diagnosed with Covid-19.
We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're in good company. Our adventures are typically made up of a mix of solo travellers and small groups of two or three friends who simply love adventure, pushing themselves and meeting awesome like-minded people. See here for more info about our lovely bunch of Much Better Adventurers.
Want to book a private trip? Just tap ‘Private Group’ in the dates and prices tab.
Your trip is led by carefully curated local hosts and expert guides. See here for more info about the guides we work with.
Full Financial Protection
Your money is safe. Every booking is fully financially protected.
Pay In Installments
You can choose to pay for this trip in as many installments as you like, with no interest or fees.
