Introducing Independent Trips: An adventure through Morocco

There are not many places in the world where one day you can be winding through the streets of an ancient North African city, the next drinking mint tea with local Berber people in a mountain village, and the third sleeping under the stars in the desert. Which is why Independent Travel has chosen Morocco for our first Independent Trip. The combination of exploring stunning natural landscapes, engaging with local communities and absorbing a unique culture is something that we’d love to share with our readers – and we’re doing so by creating a bespoke small group trip that’s been carefully put together by our travel journalists to show our favourite parts of this beautiful country in seven days.

Travellers will be led by a local guide who will take them from the souks of Marrakech to the villages of the Atlas Mountains and into the Agafay Desert, sharing his or her unique insights into life in this remarkable part of the world. Travelling with a small group of like-minded individuals, over the course of the trip you’ll cook with local families, walk long mountain trails and ride camels through the desert, as well as shopping at cooperatives and discovering hidden corners of the city. The Independent’s global travel editor Annabel Grossman will join the trip for the full seven days, and will share her own experiences of travelling in North Africa and around the world with evening talks, as well as informal chats over dinner and during all the daily activities. She will also lead a hike in the Atlas Mountains to show how she prepares, plans and executes her own solo adventures.

We’ve chosen to partner with Intrepid Travel for our trips as the company shares the same values as Independent Travel: a passion to explore the world, enjoy meaningful experiences that go beyond the typical tourist trail, and a belief that travel can create positive change.

All that book through Independent Trips will also receive an Independent Travel Starter pack for their adventure.

Itinerary

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OCTOBER 19

Day 1: Marrakech

Welcome to Morocco! You’ll be met by your group leader at Marrakech airport and taken to your accommodation in the heart of the bustling, colourful city. You’ll be staying at a traditional riad with rooms around an open courtyard; it’s an oasis in the midst of lively Marrakech. Take some time to explore the neighbourhood or relax with a sweet mint tea before the welcome meeting where you’ll meet your local guide, fellow travellers and the Independent Travel editor who will accompany you on your Moroccan adventure. In the evening, head out together for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant, where you’ll enjoy your first taste of Moroccan cuisine - perhaps a fragrant tagine or a hearty couscous dish.

INCLUDED

• Accommodation: Palais Andara (or similar)
• Meals: Dinner
• Activities: Welcome meeting, arrival transfer (group basis)

OCTOBER 20

Day 2: Marrakech

Today you will explore the enchanting city of Marrakech, including popular tourist sites and lesser-known local gems. The day will start with a walking tour to the bustling medina and through the maze of souks led by a local guide who will share their insider knowledge as you explore everything from handwoven carpets to intricate lanterns. This will be followed by a visit to the stunning Bahia Palace, a 19th-century masterpiece of Moroccan architecture, before venturing into the artisan quarters where tradition thrives beyond the tourist trail. After lunch at a local restaurant in Jemaa El Fna square, you will continue on to the mysterious Majorelle Garden and visit the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in the legendary designer's former haute couture house.

INCLUDED

• Accommodation: Palais Andara (or similar)
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Activities: Medina and souks guided tour, Bahia Palace, Majorelle Garden and Yves Saint Laurent museum

OCTOBER 21

Day 3: Ouirgane

It’s time to leave the city streets behind and head to the mountains. You will be picked up at your hotel and driven along winding roads among pretty villages and olive groves to the serene foothills of the Atlas mountains. On the way, the group will stop at Education for All, an Intrepid Foundation partner that helps girls from some of the most remote and underserved communities in the country to access secondary education. Then stretch your legs with a short yet beautiful hike with a local mountain guide through terraced fields and red mountain paths. The evening will be spent at a mountain lodge with a traditional dinner: think sizzling tagines and sweet mint tea.

INCLUDED

• Accommodation: Ksar Sharma (or similar)
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Activities: Visit to Education for All, Ouirgane guided hike

OCTOBER 22

Day 4: Imlil

You should now be relaxing into the rhythms of life in the mountains and the day will start with a bread-making session where you’ll learn traditional techniques from local women who’ve perfected the art over generations – before tasting your own loaf. You’ll then head up into the hills with a guided hike to Aroumd, a traditional Amazigh village in the Ait Mizane Valley. You’ll follow trails that wind through walnut groves, along irrigation channels, and past stone-built homes, offering panoramic views of the valley and the stunning Mount Toubkal in the distance. Your local guide will share stories of Amazigh culture and the region’s deep connection to the land. In Aroumd, you’ll be welcomed into a local family’s home for lunch, where you’ll enjoy a hearty, home-cooked meal, before heading to the mountain village of Imlil to relax for the evening.

INCLUDED

• Accommodation: Jnane Imlil (or similar)
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Activities: Imlil guided hike, bread-making, lunch with local family

OCTOBER 23

Day 5: Agafay

As you wake to one final morning of crisp mountain air, you’ll bid farewell to the Atlas and head to the lunar-like landscapes of the Agafay Desert. It’s a scenic transfer watching red mountains give way to a rocky expanse of desert and on arriving at your desert camp nestled you’ll enjoy a relaxed lunch and settle into your new home. As the afternoon fades, you’ll meet your camel for a sunset ride across the golden terrain. Then gather beneath a canopy of stars for a traditional Moroccan dinner, often accompanied by live music or storytelling from your hosts, followed by a cosy night in a desert tent that offers both rustic charm and modern comfort.

INCLUDED

• Accommodation: Camp Emraud
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Activities: Sunset camel ride

OCTOBER 24

Day 6: Marrakech

After breakfast in the desert, it’s back to Marrakech where you’ll be met by some of the women from Amal Association, an Intrepid Fountain partner, where you’ll take part in a cooking class. The non-profit empowers women through culinary training and employment, and from its members you’ll learn to prepare traditional Moroccan dishes like tagine. Then the afternoon is yours to soak up a few more hours of Marrakech before gathering for a farewell dinner at a restaurant in the Medina to celebrate the journey that you’ve just shared.

INCLUDED

• Accommodation: Palais Andara (or similar)
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Activities: Cooking class at Amal Association, evening farewell dinner at Dardar rooftop restaurant (or similar)

OCTOBER 25

Day 7: Departure from Marrakech

And that’s goodbye to Morocco! You will say farewell to your group and be dropped at Marrakech Airport as part of a group transfer depending on your flight time. Standard checkout time will apply.

INCLUDED

• Meals: Breakfast
• Activities: Group transfer to Marrakech airport

What you need to know

Trip length: 7 days / 6 nights

Trip dates: 19 October 2026 - 25 October 2026

Start and end location: Marrakech

Price per person: £1,699

Single supplement: £317

Deposit: £200

Minimum age: 15

Group size: 8-16

Accommodation: Hotel 2 nights, Riad 3 nights, Camp 1 night

Included Meals: Breakfast x 6, Lunch x 5, Dinner x 5

Transport: Air-conditioned vehicle transfers throughout.

Airport Transfers: Arrival and departure transfers are included on a group basis

Support: 24-hour support from Intrepid’s local office

Time with an Independent Travel editor. The Independent editor will be travelling with the group to share their thoughts, experiences and unique insight into travelling through Morocco.

Excluded

• Flights
• Any visas required
• Services not mentioned in the itinerary
• Late check out at hotels
• Meals and drinks not mentioned in the itinerary
• Drinks with included lunches and dinners
• Tips for leaders, guide and driver
• Expenditure of personal nature
• Personal Insurance
• Optional activities

How to book

Contact an expert to book or discuss this tour on +44 (0)203 308 9763 . Alternatively, complete the enquiry form below and a member of the Intrepid team will contact you via email.