Morocco’s Ancient Cities & Kasbahs

Your holiday begins at London Gatwick, where you meet the Tour Manager and fellow travellers for our flight to Marrakech, Morocco's first historical capital and imperial city. On arrival, we are transferred to our five-star hotel for two nights.

Set in a lush oasis on the edge of Marrakech's bustling Old City, you can stroll beneath palm trees, banana trees and bougainvillea or take a dip in the pool before we gather for our first dinner together.

• Dinner

After breakfast we embark on a guided tour of ancient Marrakech, at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains. We drive past the red sandstone ramparts of the city on wide roads used by everything from luxury limousines to mopeds, bicycles and donkey carts. We visit the 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque, with its prominent minaret visible from every corner of Marrakech. Here, we may be lucky enough to hear the muezzin's 'call to prayer' - a hypnotic sound that floats over the entire medina.

Later, we visit the 16th-century Ben Youssef Madrasa - an Islamic college -before exploring the winding alleys of the souks and stalls of Djemaa El Fna Square. The rest of the afternoon and evening is free to soak up the atmosphere of this square, the heartbeat of the city filled with street-food vendors, snake charmers, nomadic musicians and storytellers. When it comes to seeking out dinner, there's a good choice of restaurants in the medina or you could choose to dine at our hotel this evening.

• Breakfast

This morning after breakfast, we travel by train from Marrakech to the modern city of Casablanca, where we are transferred to our hotel.

After free time to enjoy lunch independently, we take a guided tour of Morocco's largest city. Our sightseeing includes a visit to the city's most iconic landmark, the Hassan II Mosque, where entrance is included with time to explore its intricate interiors and oceanside setting. We continue to Place Mohammed V, a popular shopping street known for its 1930s architecture and lively atmosphere, before heading to United Nations Square, designed by French architect Joseph Marrast. We also see the 1920s-built League of Arab States Park, a tranquil space with palm trees, pergolas and cafés with shady terraces.

Later, we return to the hotel with time to relax before enjoying dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We travel by coach along the shimmering coast to Rabat this morning, Morocco's political capital.

On arrival, we enjoy a guided tour of this city, beginning in the old Medina before exploring the picturesque Kasbah of the Udayas and its impressive gate facing the historic port of Salé - once home to Barbary pirates and now known for its heritage museums. We visit Hassan Tower and the Chellah, both built during the 12th and 13th centuries under the Marinid dynasty. We also step inside the Mohammed V Mausoleum, the final resting place of the current king's father, set across from the Royal Palace.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we board the train from Rabat to Fes, where we check in to our hotel for two nights and enjoy dinner later this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A full-day city tour of Fes awaits after breakfast this morning, the oldest of the four imperial cities.

Founded in 809AD, Fes is considered the spiritual and intellectual capital of Islam in the west. Our tour takes in the Borj Nord Arms museum, the great gateway of the Royal Palace, and the fortified Kasbah Cherarda. We visit the historic Karaouyine Mosque and the 14th-century university, along with the shrine of MoulayIdriss II, founder of Fes. We also stop at the Nejarine fountain and the Bab Boujloud gateway, before delving into the colourful spice market and souks of the Medina.

After sightseeing, your afternoon is free to continue exploring or to relax at the hotel. Dinner is not on our itinerary this evening so you are free to sample the local cuisine in the Medina of Fes, or perhaps book a table for dinner at our hotel.

• Breakfast

This morning, we travel south by coach, discovering fascinating Berber fortified mountain villages known as Ksars. Along the way, we make photo stops, including a visit to the pseudo-Swiss town of Ifrane, with its red-tiled roofs and cedar forest. We continue to Azrou, a fortress-like settlement in the Middle Atlas Mountains, before heading through the Oued Gigou Valley and into the High Atlas.

We stop for lunch at the ksar of Midelt, then journey through mountain passes with intriguing names such as 'Pass of the She-Camel' and into the dramatic Ziz Gorges. Arriving in the French-built garrison town of Errachidia, we continue across a stretch of red desert to the oasis town of Erfoud, where we get our first sense of the nearby Sahara.

We have dinner this evening and spend the night at our Kasbah hotel.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We begin the day with a short coach journey to the desert town of Rissani, once an important trading hub where gold, salt and sugar were traded between African and Berber merchants. Our guided tour takes us to the traditional Berber villages of Ksar Akbar and Ksar Oulad Abdelhalim, with a photo stop at the tomb of Moulay Ali Charif, founder of Morocco's Alaouite Dynasty.

After sightseeing, we travel the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi to the Saharan village of Merzouga. On arrival, we are greeted with a refreshing glass of mint tea, before continuing our journey into the flowing sea of golden dunes.

As the only true desert area in Morocco, this is a spectacular Saharan landscape familiar from countless films and images of turmeric-coloured waves of wind-blown sand. We spend the night at The Sandy Tents, a luxury campsite in the dunes. After settling in, there's the option to enjoy a sunset camel ride before a three-course dinner beneath the stars - a magical end to the day in this unforgettable setting.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Waking in this surreal desert landscape, we enjoy breakfast at our luxury camp before travelling by coach to the village of Tinghir, the gateway to the stunning Route of 1000 Kasbahs in the Dadès valley.

From Tinghir, we set out up the Oued Todra, a winding river valley that carves its way through towering canyon walls. We continue through rugged mountains to the mouth of the Todra Gorge, where cliffs rise up nearly 1,000 feet. Along the way, we pass traditional Berber villages and the ruins of fascinating kasbahs, before pausing for a light lunch at a local restaurant.

Later, we arrive at Boumalne Dadès, a small town set against the backdrop of rugged red rock formations. Here, we check in to our hotel for the night, with time to relax and take in the landscapes before dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we begin our return journey to Marrakech, travelling through some of southern Morocco's most evocative landscapes. Along the way, we stop at the striking ruins of El Glaoui Kasbah and a group of kasbahs set against twisted volcanic rock. We continue to Kalaat M'Gouna, known as the Rose Valley, where thousands of Damascene roses bloom each spring - a tradition introduced by French settlers.

Our route takes us through the city of Ouarzazate, where we visit the 18th-century Kasbah of Taourirt. We then explore the remarkable Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Morocco's most iconic fortified villages, with its maze of buildings and ancient ksour rising from the desert floor.

Crossing the High Atlas Mountains, we pause for photos at the scenic Tizi n'Tichka pass and stop briefly in the town of Ait Ourir. We then descend through the Glaoua Plains to Marrakech, checking into our original hotel. In the evening, we gather for the final dinner of our holiday, accompanied by a folklore show performed by different tribes from all over Morrocco.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The ancient cities and landscapes of Morocco have captivated us, from colourful souks and fortress towns to the sweeping golden dunes of the desert. We have explored the imperial cities of Marrakech, Fes and Rabat, journeyed through the historic Route of 1000 Kasbahs and spend a night under the stars in a luxury camp in the Sahara Desert.

This morning we are transferred to the airport for our flight back to London Gatwick. Arriving in London, your holiday reaches its conclusion and you are free to make your own way home.

• Breakfast