Exploring Morocco: Imperial Cities, the Sahara & the Valley of Roses

Day 1

Heading north

After landing in Casablanca, the road climbs toward the Rif and the blue pearl. Check-in at a guesthouse with indigo walls, then a first hammam to shake off the journey before a quiet evening, lulled by the sound of a fountain in the courtyard.

Day 3

Volubilis and arrival in Fez

On the way to Fez, a stop at the Roman ruins of Volubilis, mosaics still intact under the wide sky of the Middle Atlas, then Moulay Idriss, a holy town perched across two hills. A picnic along the way before arriving, late afternoon, at a riad in the heart of the Fez medina.

Day 5

Sefrou, Bhalil and downtime

An excursion to the villages of Sefrou and Bhalil, known for their cave houses and a craft tradition kept largely untouched by mass tourism. Back at the riad by mid-afternoon to enjoy the courtyard and the pool — the pace slows, deliberately, before the road turns toward the desert.

Day 6

A night in the Erg Chebbi

The road crosses the Middle Atlas, then the Ziz Gorges, before reaching the desert's edge. Late afternoon, a camel transfer to a private camp tucked among the dunes — a traditional dinner under canvas, then a silence only the desert can offer, beneath a sky thick with Saharan stars.

Day 7

Sunrise over the dunes

Waking before dawn to climb one last dune and watch the sun rise over the Erg Chebbi. The road to Skoura then follows the Todra Gorges, red rock walls that narrow at points to barely ten metres wide, before opening onto the palm grove and its kasbahs.

Day 9

The road via Aït Ben Haddou

A scenic road to Marrakech, with a stop at Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO-listed earthen ksar that has served as the backdrop for numerous films and TV series. Check-in later in the day at a riad in the heart of the medina, a flower-filled courtyard and a fountain for background music.

Day 11

Balloon flight and a cooking class

Waking before dawn for a hot-air balloon flight over the Haouz plain, the snow-capped Atlas in the background, followed by breakfast served on landing. In the afternoon, a market visit with a chef, then a private Moroccan cooking class — the best way to bring a little of Morocco back home.

Day 12

Imlil and the suspended villages

A 4x4 ride up to Imlil, the mountain village where most Toubkal treks begin. A walk with a Berber guide crosses apple orchards and villages clinging to the slope, with a traditional lunch at a local home before checking into a mountain lodge for the night.