ESSENTIAL MOROCCO

Day 1 Arrive in Marrakech

On arrival in Marrakech, you will be met and transferred to your charming riad in the heart of Marrakech. Spend the evening at leisure with perhaps a short stroll to get your bearings. Located on the edge of the old medina you are within walking distance of the oldest parts of the city and a short drive from Jemaa el Fna Square and its bustling evening food market. While retaining the style and atmosphere of a traditional riad, La Maison Arabe is large enough to offer a choice of three restaurants and a piano bar as well as an excellent spa complete with traditional hammam. Many of the 12 rooms and 14 suites enjoy cosy fireplaces and private terraces and all have luxurious bathrooms made from Moroccan marble and granite.

Option: Enjoy a workshop at Maison Arabe's famous cookery school, expertly guided by a dada (traditional Moroccan cook) or one of the chefs from the hotel's own kitchen. In small groups of up to 10 people you will typically prepare a three-course Moroccan meal.

Overnight: Riad La Maison Arabe

Day 2 Marrakech

Meet your private guide and begin your half day Marrakech orientation with a tour of the city's ramparts, culminating in a visit to the iconic Koutoubia Mosque. Then head to the fashionable shopping district of Gueliz before finishing at the vibrant Jemaa el Fna Square. This central space comes to life each evening as food stall holders and open-air cafés are joined by a multitude of street entertainers, who perform here daily. The afternoon is at leisure to further explore on foot or by taxi. Perhaps venture into the souks of the medina where a treasure trove of locally-crafted goods awaits and haggling is expected.

Overnight: Riad La Maison Arabe

Day 3 Marrakech

Set off this morning in a vintage sidecar, heading through the frenzy of the medina and out into the relative peace of the mythical Palmeraie with stunning views of the mountains that surround Marrakech. Return to Gueliz with its fascinating art deco buildings offering a reminder of glamourous 1930s Marrakech and leading to Yves St Laurent's Majorelle Gardens. Here you have time for a stroll in the beautiful grounds created by the orientalist painter Jacques Majorelle in the 1920s. Exotic plants flourish amidst elegant ornamental ponds and an Art Deco villa displays the bold cobalt 'Majorelle blue' named after the artist. Also in the grounds, the Berber Museum showcases original Berber clothing, jewellery and antiques while the Yves St Laurent Museum (a short walk away) is home to a vast collection of the designer's creations and was inaugurated at the same time as the YSL Museum in Paris. The remainder of the day is at leisure

Overnight: Riad La Maison Arabe

Day 4 Marrakech - Atlas Mountains

Leave Marrakech behind today and head out towards the Atlas Mountains. En-route, stop to discover and explore the extraordinary ANIMA Gardens, an inspiring and eclectic outdoor space created by multimedia artist André Heller. Shady pathways lead to sunken gardens and mystical clearings populated by surprising sculptures. Water features spring from unexpected places and trees are carved with exotic symbols. A mirrored house makes you feel you have stumbled into a fairy tale. Continue from here into the Atlas Mountains and Kasbah Bab Ourika. The kasbah is a wonderfully secluded mountain hideaway, tucked away in the Ourika Valley. Refreshingly unpretentious, its stunning position offers unrivalled views over traditional Berber villages and the lush river valley below. With its wonderfully friendly staff, cosy atmosphere and delicious food (much of which is grown in their organic garden) it's the perfect base from which to relax and explore. All 26 rooms are individually decorated and enjoy excellent views of the breath-taking scenery all around.

Overnight: Kasbah Bab Ourika

Day 5 Atlas Mountains

Meet your mountain guide after breakfast and begin walking alongside a stream and through a shady pine forest followed by a rough track leading to the pretty Berber village of Tagadirte, arriving around 11am. You'll be introduced to a friendly Berber family and learn something of the life of a rural mountain community before enjoying a traditional lunch with your hosts. After lunch walk onward past the salt vats, a key economic resource, and down a gentle footpath through the valley and back to the hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Overnight: Kasbah Bab Ourika

Day 6 Atlas Mountains - Skoura

Depart once more and follow the old tribal pass over the Atlas Mountains that formed part of the ancient caravan trading route. Stop en-route at Ait Benhaddou, beloved of modern filmmakers for its romantic fortifications dramatically set on a hill. Take a walk into the old village and meet some of the Berber villagers still living there. No doubt you will recognise the set of Kingdom of Heaven and Gladiator. Continue to Skoura and check in at your hotel. Les Jardins de Skoura lies in the heart of the Skoura palm grove, renowned for its many kasbahs. Surrounded by lovely, fragrant gardens it has just five good-sized bedrooms and three suites, a succession of terraces, a pool under the olive trees and a really good restaurant. This makes a lovely base from which to explore the local area and in which to relax before the journey back over the mountains.

Overnight: Les Jardins de Skoura

Day 7 Skoura

Enjoy more walking today with your local guide, who will help you reach the peaks of Skoura. Learn about the irrigation system in the area, vital to the flower production for which it is famed, and see several stunning kasbahs. Return to the hotel for lunch and then head to Ouarzazate this afternoon for a thrilling quad biking excursion. Return to Skoura for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Les Jardins de Skoura

Day 8 Skoura - Marrakech

Enjoy some time at leisure before being transferred back to Ouarzazate for your late afternoon flight to Marrakech. This evening, enjoy a meal at Comptoir Darna, renowned for its exotic belly-dancing show and serving Moroccan and international cuisine.

Overnight: Riad La Maison Arabe

Day 9 Depart

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home.