MARRAKECH to MARRAKECH (5 days) Morocco Express

DAY 1: MARRAKECHWelcome to Morocco! After a short transfer from the airport, you will have a free day to explore this vibrant city. Tonight you will meet your fellow travellers at your pre-departure meeting at 6pm, organised at the joining hotel in the heart of town. (Dinner)Overnight: Hotel El Andalous (or similar)DAY 2: SAHARA DESERTToday we enjoy a stunning drive over the High Atlas en-route to Zagora. We pass through the Draa Valley, a green and lush land of palmeries and amazing vistas. It is then time to head towards the great desert, where we transfer to camels for a trek into the Sahara Desert for a night at our Berber Camp. We enjoy local food, music and an amazing night out under the Saharan stars. (Breakfast and Dinner)Overnight: Caravane du Sud (or similar)DAY 3: MARRAKECHLeaving the desert, we travel back to Marrakech stopping for lunch en-route. We arrive back in Marrakech, where we have dinner in Djemaa El Fna (the legendary Main Square). The name Marrakech conjures up images of an exotic city, of magic carpets, snake charmers and spices brought in by camel trains. Set within the rose-coloured walls of the medina lies a reality that is not that far removed from an exotic film set - a tangle of winding streets that open onto verdant gardens and dark alleyways that lead to bustling souks. You can explore the central square, the Djemâa-el-Fna, an extraordinary gathering and marketplace. It is full of colour, spicy aromas and traders. It is worth going to the marketplace in the evening when overflowing with food stalls, dancers, acrobats, fortune tellers, musicians and henna artists. Towering over all this is the Koutoubia mosque, the tallest building in the city, and a reminder of the importance of Islam to the lives of the city's residents. (Breakfast)Overnight: Hotel El Andalous (or similar)DAY 4: ESSAOUIRAWe leave Marrakech after breakfast and take a leisurely drive to Essaouira, on the Atlantic Coast, a colourful fishing town situated within 15th century Portuguese fortifications, where great beaches and surf beckon. You have the day to relax on the beach or alternatively explore the UNESCO-listed medina with its various souks and woodcarving workshops. Any city gate leads to the medina, so you’re unlikely to get lost. The beach is in front of the Medina and there are plenty of cafés with terraces, both ideal for relaxing for a few hours. Blue doors and window frames abound as do the artists shops – buy a carpet or Thuya wood carving or sit on the beach sipping a mint tea as the sun sets. There is the opportunity to do some optional activities, such as quad biking, surfing, horse trekking and wind surfing before relaxing for the evening. We spend the night in Essaouira. (Breakfast)Extra days can be organised in Essaouira if required. Please contact us for details.Overnight: Hotel Miramar (or similar)DAY 5: ESSAOUIRA TO MARRAKECHWe leave Essaouira after breakfast and travel back to Marrakech, arriving there at about lunch time. Alternatively, you can fly directly from Essaouira back to the UK. (Breakfast)The trip ends upon arrival back in Marrakech, we normally arrive in the early afternoon. For this reason, please do not book return flights from Marrakech any earlier than the evening of your trip finish date.Please note that this tour is run in conjunction with a local operator. Extra days can be organised in Marrakech if required. Please contact us for further details.