Africa · Touring guide
Cities, coast and mountains with a strong sense of place close to Europe.
Is it right for you?
A strong fit for
Couples, culture and short-haul adventure.
We would think twice for
Travellers who dislike being sold to, because the souks are theatre with a transaction at the end, and enjoying Marrakech means playing the game with good humour.
What we would want you to know
A medina stay and a resort hotel are very different trips.
We’ve been here
We saw in the New Year in Marrakech, with a dawn balloon flight over the plain and a day out to the Atlas, and that trip is why we are frank with clients about distance. The great dunes are a long way from Marrakech, so a desert night belongs on a longer route with a good driver, never squeezed into a short break.
From our trips
Filmed by us on the trip itself and shown without sound. No stock footage.
The route
Nights 1 to 3
Settle into a riad, walk the souks with a guide on the first morning, see the Bahia Palace and Majorelle, and eat at the Jemaa el-Fnaa stalls at dusk.
Nights 4 and 5
Drive up into the mountains for guided walks between Berber villages and mint tea on a terrace looking up at Toubkal.
Nights 6 and 7
Cross the argan country to the coast, stopping at a women's cooperative, then wander the ramparts and eat grilled fish at the port before heading back for the flight home.
An idea to react to, not a fixed package. We shape the real thing around your dates, your pace and what the flights are doing that season.
Map and stops
The medina is the main event: riads built around hidden courtyards, the souks, and Jemaa el-Fnaa's nightly theatre. It is noisy and intense, and cars cannot reach most riads, so porters wheel your luggage in. For pools and space, hotels in Hivernage or the Palmeraie sit a taxi ride from the action.
A mountain village below Toubkal, surrounded by walnut groves, terraced fields and Berber villages linked by mule tracks. The area was hit hard by the 2023 earthquake, and visitors help the recovery. Nights are cool even in summer and cold in winter, so it suits walkers more than anyone after a pool.
A walled Atlantic port of blue fishing boats and whitewashed lanes, far gentler than Marrakech. The wind that makes it a kitesurfing town also makes the long beach chilly for lounging, so it suits wanderers rather than sunbathers. Fish grilled at the harbour is reason enough to stay for lunch.
Morocco's purpose-built beach resort, rebuilt after the 1960 earthquake, with a long sandy bay, a promenade and big hotels. Winter sun is reliable and the Atlantic is cool. It lacks the old-town character of the rest of the country, which is exactly why some families prefer it.
The village on the edge of the orange dunes of Erg Chebbi, where camel treks set out for desert camps. The drive from Marrakech is long and usually broken with a night in the gorges, so it suits trips of a week or more. Camps range from simple tents to heated suites with their own bathrooms.
An ancient imperial city with a medieval medina of countless lanes, leather tanneries, mosques and carved madrasas. It feels more traditional and less touristy than Marrakech, and it is far harder to navigate, so a guide on the first day is money well spent.
Weather and seasons
Marrakech runs hot and dry. July averages 39°C, when the medina's lanes trap the heat and the sensible escape is Essaouira, where the Atlantic breeze keeps the coast far cooler. Spring and autumn are the touring seasons, with Marrakech around 27°C in April and the Atlas green and clear. Winter days are bright at about 21°C, but nights drop to around 6°C, and many riads are chilly, so ask about heating before booking. Snow occasionally closes the high pass over the Atlas in winter. Ramadan moves each year: daytime is quieter, evenings are lively, and restaurants for visitors stay open.
Worth timing a trip around
Daytime slows down and some cafés close, then the medinas come alive after sunset. The Eid holiday at the end brings family gatherings and busier roads.
The Valley of Roses celebrates the harvest of its damask roses with music, markets and garlands in the south of the Atlas.
Performers from many faiths and traditions play in palace courtyards and gardens across Fes. Rooms in the medina go early.
Essaouira's squares and beach fill with Gnaoua musicians and international guests for several days of free concerts. The town is packed that week.
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21°C | 6°C | 13 mm |
| February | 22°C | 8°C | 12 mm |
| March | 24°C | 10°C | 35 mm |
| April | 27°C | 13°C | 14 mm |
| May | 32°C | 16°C | 1 mm |
| June | 34°C | 18°C | 0 mm |
| July | 39°C | 21°C | 1 mm |
| August | 39°C | 22°C | 1 mm |
| September | 34°C | 19°C | 1 mm |
| October | 30°C | 17°C | 9 mm |
| November | 25°C | 11°C | 2 mm |
| December | 22°C | 8°C | 8 mm |
Temperatures are 2015 to 2024 averages from NOAA records for Menara, 5 km away at 468 m. Rainfall is from Menara, 5 km away and shows the typical (median) month, so one freak storm does not skew it.
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20°C | 5°C | 0 mm |
| February | 22°C | 8°C | 0 mm |
| March | 26°C | 12°C | 13 mm |
| April | 30°C | 17°C | 0 mm |
| May | 34°C | 21°C | 1 mm |
| June | 39°C | 25°C | 0 mm |
| July | 43°C | 29°C | 0 mm |
| August | 42°C | 29°C | 6 mm |
| September | 36°C | 23°C | 26 mm |
| October | 31°C | 18°C | 2 mm |
| November | 25°C | 11°C | 10 mm |
| December | 21°C | 7°C | 1 mm |
Temperatures are 2015 to 2024 averages from NOAA records for Moulay Ali Cherif, 101 km away at 1045 m, adjusted for the 347 m difference in altitude. Rainfall is from the GPCC rain-gauge analysis (Deutscher Wetterdienst) for 2010 to 2019 and shows the typical (median) month, so one freak storm does not skew it.
Things to do
The square fills with storytellers, musicians and smoking food stalls as the sun goes down. Performers expect a tip if you photograph them, and it is kinder to skip the animal acts.
A cobalt-blue villa and cactus garden once owned by Yves Saint Laurent, with his museum next door. Queues build quickly, so book a timed ticket online and go first thing.
A nineteenth-century palace of painted cedar ceilings, zellige tiles and shaded courtyards. It is at its best early in the morning, before the tour groups arrive.
Steam, black soap and a vigorous scrub are a Moroccan weekly ritual. Local public hammams are basic and very cheap, while riad and hotel spas offer a gentler version.
A fortified mud-brick village climbing a hill beside a river, on the old caravan route over the Atlas and a familiar film location. The climb to the granary at the top is steep and uneven underfoot.
Ride out to a desert camp at sunset, then climb a dune at dawn. Desert nights are cold outside high summer, so pack a warm layer even when the days are hot.
Women's cooperatives on the road to Essaouira show how argan oil is cracked and pressed by hand. Prices are fixed, which makes a welcome change from the souks.
Shop for spices and vegetables in the market with a local cook, then learn to make a tagine and salads. A good choice for a hot afternoon or a family with teenagers.
A green valley in the Atlas foothills with riverside cafés and waterfalls above the village of Setti Fatma. Weekends are crowded with visitors from Marrakech, so go midweek.
Food and drink
Stews slow-cooked in a conical clay pot, such as chicken with preserved lemon and olives or lamb with prunes and almonds.
Steamed semolina piled with vegetables and meat, traditionally the family meal after Friday prayers, so look for it on menus that day.
A flaky pie of pigeon or chicken with almonds and cinnamon, dusted with icing sugar. Sweet and savoury at once, and a speciality of Fes.
A thick tomato soup with lentils, chickpeas and herbs, eaten with dates to break the fast each evening during Ramadan.
Marrakech's own dish: beef or lamb sealed in a clay urn with spices and slow-cooked in the embers of a hammam furnace.
Green tea brewed with fresh mint and plenty of sugar, poured from a height to raise a froth. Ask for less sugar if you prefer.
Money
Morocco runs from simple guesthouses to palaces, and a well-chosen riad gives more character for the money than almost any hotel we sell. A licensed guide for your first morning in the medina pays for itself in saved wrong turns and fended-off touts. The desert is where budgets stretch, because reaching the dunes takes days of driving, and a private driver and a good camp are worth every dirham. In the souks, haggling is expected, while the fixed-price cooperatives are the calmer alternative.
Flights and transfers
Direct flights run from Manchester and London to Marrakech in a little over three hours, which is the whole trick: this is the nearest place to Britain that feels a world away. Agadir, for the beach version, is served on similar routes.
Flights from UK airports
Route check September 2026. Some routes are seasonal and schedules change, so we confirm the live options when we quote.
Practical details
1 hour ahead of the UK in winter, 0 hours in summer
Moroccan dirham (MAD); it can only be obtained in Morocco
Arabic and Amazigh (Berber); French is widely spoken
Type C and E, 220V
On the right
Not recommended; drink bottled or filtered water
Expected; around 10 percent in restaurants and small tips for guides, drivers and porters
Entry for British passport holders
Visa. No visa needed for tourist stays of up to 90 days.
Passport. Valid for at least 3 months after you arrive, and undamaged. Travellers with damaged passports have been refused entry.
Summarised from the FCDO travel advice on gov.uk, checked 29 September 2026. Rules change: read the current entry requirements and the full travel advice before you go.
Questions we get asked
Yes, and serious crime against visitors is rare. The irritations are hustle rather than danger: men insisting a street is closed so they can guide you, henna sellers grabbing hands, and overpriced taxis. A firm, friendly "la, shukran" (no, thank you) works, and a guide on the first morning helps you find your feet.
In the medinas and villages, clothes that cover shoulders and knees attract far less attention and are respectful. Loose, light layers are the most comfortable in the heat. Swimwear is fine at hotel pools and on the beach at Agadir, but not in town.
A riad in the medina gives atmosphere, courtyards and rooftop breakfasts, but expect narrow lanes, steep stairs, no lifts and some street noise. Resort-style hotels outside the walls give pools, space and easy car access. We often suggest splitting the stay between the two.
Further than most people think. The big dunes at Merzouga are a full day's drive or more, usually split over two days via Aït Benhaddou and the gorges, so allow at least three nights for the round trip. The Agafay desert near Marrakech is rocky rather than sandy, but makes an easy taster.
Yes, in licensed hotels, restaurants and bars, although most cafés in the medina are alcohol-free. Drinking in public is frowned upon, and availability tightens during Ramadan, so check with your riad if a glass of wine with dinner matters.
About 3 hours 40 minutes from Manchester. Morocco is on the same time as the UK or one hour ahead, depending on the time of year, so there is no jet lag to speak of.
Photographs
Also worth a look
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Tell us roughly what you have in mind. We will compare the flights, hotels, routes and operators, explain the trade-offs and build the version that works for you.
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