Marrakech & the Sahara

I’ve traveled far and wide, Morocco being my 58th country. But this trip wasn’t just travel - it was transformation, standing apart as one of the most enriching, moving, and unforgettable adventures of my life. From the sweeping dunes of the Sahara to the winding alleys of the ancient Medina and the energy of Marrakesh, the poetic beauty of the Atlas Mountains, and the Kasbahs, villages, markets, homes — each day was filled with wonder, beauty, and genuine connection—with the land, its people, and with myself. As someone who prefers traveling spontaneously and on my own, rather than in coordinated groups, two friends and I decided to try it this time, and joined strangers on this organized trip. A huge part of what elevated this journey well beyond expectations was our extraordinary guide, Mohamed. His deep knowledge, thoughtful storytelling, and sincere care brought the history, culture, nature, and spirit of Morocco to life in unforgettable ways. He didn’t just show us Morocco—he shared it with us. With his passion, and genuine kindness, he didn't just lead us—he welcomed us into his culture with warmth and generosity. From shared laughters to heartfelt stories, he made Morocco come alive in ways no brochure or solo travel ever could. The experience was poetry for all senses. Equally important was our driver, Abdoul, whose calm, confident presence made every journey feel completely safe, no matter how winding the road or how chaos-like the road. His skill behind the wheel allowed us to trust, relax, and truly take in the shifting landscapes. The itinerary struck a perfect balance between adventure and rest, busy and quiet, and the thoughtfully selected accommodations—including the magical desert camp and the rustic charm gite —created an atmosphere of authenticity and comfort. And the food! Every meal was a sensory delight, and I found myself not just tasting Moroccan food and tea but truly savoring it as a cultural expression. Oh, and I will never forget surrendering to the traditional —non-touristy — hammam with the local ladies in Thigza at 6400ft altitude. I felt cleansed not just on my skin, but deep scrubbed from years of inner hurts. And the most beautiful part of this trip? The unexpected connections—with locals and with moments of quiet awe. This was more than a vacation. It was a passage into wonder. I have returned transformed and with a yearning to return. I'm deeply grateful to Mohamed and Abdoul, and to all the people along the way, who welcomed us, shared their homes, shared their knowledge, and the love of their country, for taking us far beyond the surface. If you’re looking not just to see Morocco, but to feel it, live it, and carry it home in your soul, I can’t recommend this journey with Exodus highly enough.

Food wasn’t amazing but other than that, everything was great. Amazing scenery and culture, friendly people, and no doubt you’ll have amazing people sharing the trip with you.

The tour was absolutely amazing. Marrakesh was intriguing and beautiful, the mountain views during the drive to Ait Benhaddou were breath-taking, the Sahara and the camel ride were amazing and the Tighza location extremely picturesque. The whole trip was fabulous!

What a beautiful, welcoming country. There were so many magical moments on this trip – taking a camel into the Sahara, watching shooting stars from our desert camp, walking through the mountains – that it's hard to pick out a favourite. What I do know is that the experience was enhanced by a lovely group and a knowledgeable, friendly guide. I felt like I really got under the skin of Morocco and saw much more than I would have done solo.

From busy Marrakech through the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara desert, this trip covers three very distinct areas of Morocco, all well worth visiting! Marrakech old town - beautiful and plenty of opportunities to haggle for bargains and immerse yourself in local life. Ait Benhaddou was great, and the Berber camp - fantastic. Good facilities even in the desert, lovely home-cooked food (and fresh watermelon) and the opportunity to sleep under the stars on a warm night. Tijhza is a great experience, it's an authentic Berber mountain village where you can get a sense of how Moroccans live. We had a lovely group and great guide and really bonded over the week.

This was an excellent good value tour. The guide was brilliant and the trip was varied, well planned and brilliantly executed. I loved every minute.

At 72 l was a bit worried if l would be a stumbling block with the other travelers. None of it. lt was the most amazing trip l've ever had. We were looked after from the word go and l never felt the odd one out. lf l did have a hic cup, my friends would help me. They called me the tough old bird!!!

The holiday was fantastic from start to finish. We started from Marrakech and headed to Ait Ben Haddou, a fantastic historic city used as the backdrop to loads of famous films. The following day we picked up our camels and headed out into the Sahara dessert, staying in a bedouin camp. This was the highlight of the trip, the camels were placid and, although the rocking motion takes a little getting used to, it was a generally comfortable ride. This was followed by a night in a gite up in a village in the mountains, the Hamaam was a great bonding experience and the village women were really friendly. Marrakech itself was interesting and steeped in history. The tombs and palace buildings were beautiful and the souks were vibrant and fun for trying to grab a bargain! The food throughout was excellent, although it is slightly repetitive. Tagine is on most menus, the meat was always lovely and tender with an array of veg. Other favourite was the chicken pastilla. Whoever combined shredded chicken and almonds with filo pastry, icing sugar and cinnamon is a genius! The trip had variety in its hotels and stops. Sometimes it felt like we were on the minibus for agaes, but the destinations were always worth it!

This trip was a great way to see varied parts of Morocco, from city life in Marrakesh to the desert and up to the High Atlas Mountains, where there was a good amount of snow. This meant that there was quite a lot of time spent on the minibus, but there was some impressive terrain to see. In February, the nights and mornings were cold and dramatically different to the temperature in the mid-late afternoon. There were local crafts to visit (rug making, pottery, argan oil production, spice and incense stores) with retail opportunities, the camel ride into the desert, the steam baths and some down time. I really enjoyed the week, and if this is your first visit to an Arabic country, it's a tough call between Morocco and Jordan, as the latter has the Lost City of Petra, a great sight / site, which Morocco doesn't have.

Spent a memorable Christmas in a beautiful country with some wonderful people. The trip give you a great taste of what this wonderful has to offer

Although there was a lot of travel in the week, it meant we saw, and experienced much more of Morocco - a special country. It was such an enjoyable holiday, and I truly relaxed! The itinerary was well planned so that we did not get caught up in the big tour groups at busy times of day.

This was a great trip as a taster for what Morocco offers. There was a lot of travelling in the minibus but it was worth it for the variety of experiences we had.

It is an adventurous trip which offers an interesting overview of the country. The tour was generally well organised and ran smoothly, the driving was safe, the only criticise is about the comfort of the vehicle: the group of 16 people tried to be fitted in the small van, and one of tourists had to share the seat between driver and the guide in the front… The group leader Lahcen Hamyouy was very knowledgeable guide, friendly and responsible person. The best day of the journey was camel riding through Sahara desert and star gazing in bedouin camp. Also the Atlas mountains scenery was magnificent while driving and walking as well. One of the highlights was visiting kasbah  Ait-Ben-Haddou, in Ouarzazate province, after seeing this ghost town you understand why this place has attracted a lot of directors and writers of various film industries to shoot movies such as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, ‘The Mummy’, ‘Gladiator’ etc. Tour organisers should consider to spend more time in this beautiful place rather than wasting it in the remote village in Atlas mountains in freezing prison cell-like plain rooms. That guest house was very uncomfortable to stay in and needs a lot of improvements (little mobile heaters can make big difference). The food was good overall BUT hygiene and sanitation was very poor I am afraid (most of places with non-working flush toilets, missing toilets paper and open rubbish bins). The last part of the trip - visiting Marrakesh - was not that much exciting than others. Central square with its chaotic market is really dangerous place to walk because of annoying street hasslers and pickpocketers. One Italian restaurant “Portofino” recommended by the group leader was very decent place to have a meal…

An enjoyable adventure with a friendly group of fellow rptravellers of different ages and backgrounds, ably looked after by our guide and driver.

A fantastic introduction to this beautiful country. You pack a huge amount into a short space of time and I left feeling that I wanted to come back and see more. From camel-trekking through a sandstorm to drinking mint tea in our guide's family home, this trip was full of memorable experiences. The people of Morocco were so friendly and welcoming and lots of fun. The scenery was spectacular, especially up in the mountains. I think the view from the gite might be a little slice of heaven!

This trip offers an interesting overview as to what Morocco has to offer. It gives the visitor a brief but rewarding experience of the desert region to the south, the High Atlas region and a glimpse of city life in Marrakech. With this aim in mind I think it succeeds. You should be prepared for some long drives, the longest being around six hours. However these are broken up by lunch breaks, short stops at scenic locations and visits to historical sites which are quite interesting. The food and lodgings on this trip exceeded my expectations, the standard was much higher than expected. I would recommend this trip for those who want an introduction to Morocco.

Overall an excellent adventure. A full week filled with a variety of different experiences.

An excellent trip with a great variety of scenery and experiences which I would recommend.

The most amazing and varied holiday! From the Desert, the camel trip, the High Atlas Mountains, the history, the scenery, the people, the colours, the culture...so much to absorb

From riding camels into the desert, to walking in the mountains; from experiencing the excitement and chaos of Marrakesh to the unspoilt villages - this was a true taste of Morocco made special by an exceptional group of travellers and a thoughtful and engaging local guide, Lahcen Azilal.