Marrakech & The Sahara of Morocco - Discovery Holiday

Essential Information

Trip Profile

Travel by private mini or midibus and camel.

Accommodation

5 nights 3-star hotels, all en suite, some with a swimming pool.

The night spent in the desert is in large communal walk-in Bedouin tents with mattresses placed directly on the floor. Gite accommodation used is of a very simple standard and cleanliness and hot water cannot always be guaranteed.

The rooms are dormitory style with mattresses placed directly on the floor and are often mixed sex so you will be sharing with between 3-7 other people from your group. The term 'gite' in Morocco denotes simple rural accommodation, like a refuge or hostel, as opposed to the superior French definition.

Food

7 breakfasts and 3 dinners included.

Reality Check

This trip visits as much as possible in the space of a week. Due to the increase in tourism over the last few years, it should be noted that Zagora is not as small and secluded as it once was.

Please note accommodation standards are generally below that of Europe and more comparable to sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Tijhza where the gite is quite basic, although the warm Berber welcome makes up for this.

There are various walks available around the remote village of Tijhza and the leader will choose the best walk according to the weather and group ability. All hotels are in the new part of Marrakech, called Gueliz, which is a ten- to twenty-minute walk to Djemaa el Fna Square but only a five-minute walk from the bus station to take you to Essaouira should you choose to extend your holiday and include the Moroccan coast.

There are a couple of long journeys but we are certainly not confined to our vehicle, and there will be photo stops and opportunities to stretch your legs. Travelling conditions are generally comfortable as most roads in Morocco are reasonably good.

The temperatures range quite significantly throughout the year so be sure to choose a season that suits you. Although flight times are short, the flights are not direct.

There may be the option to fly into Marrakech and take a long transfer to Ouarzazate (4 hours) - contact us for more details.

Normal group size and age

Normally 6 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age 16.

Icons explained

The vast majority of Exodus adventures are adult group holidays. Groups are always small in size. We strongly believe that this adherence to small groups means a better experience for all; more time with your guide, less waiting around and a reduced impact on the communities and environments visited.
Each group is generally made up of like-minded travellers - with singles, couples and friends all joining in together. All these trips are suitable for single travellers, but if you prefer to travel with clients booking individually, please see our Solo Departures page.

In order to provide a more accurate grading system, where a trip falls between two grades we use an intermediate or split grade, for example Leisurely/Moderate. Occasionally, there are optional activities available en route, in this case the optional grade is indicated in brackets, for example Grade Challenging (climb Tough+). Clearly, conditions may differ from region-to-region or month-to-month and as such the information given on these pages is designed to act as a guide only. In all cases you should refer to the respective holiday's Trip Notes for further details.

Mixed Activities: Activities may range from the ordinary (for example walking, cycling or whitewater rafting) to the damn right extraordinary (including caving, camel riding or canyoning).

Culture: Let Exodus show you a different side to many of the world's greatest cultural attractions.

For those clients who wish to travel with a group of other solo/single travellers, on certain trips we have set aside departure dates that are specifically recommended for clients booking individually. Solo departures are aimed at taking away that concern that you may be the only solo traveller when you arrive overseas. Look out for the solo departures (marked with a grey icon's') by checking the notes in the dates and prices table.
However, please note that we inform any couples, or friends travelling together, who enquire about these dates that the trip is recommended for solos, but we do not refuse bookings from non-solo travellers, and we are therefore not able to guarantee that a solo departure will be exclusively made up of solo travellers.