Salaam Alaikum! Welcome to Morocco. This adventure begins with an important welcome meeting at 6 pm at your hotel. After meeting your fellow travellers and the group leader, why not get to know each other while exploring the city’s main square – Djemaa el-Fna – or get lost exploring the city’s spice souks or bazaars. For dinner, maybe load up on some delicious street food, but be warned – the eggplant fritters are addictive and the barbeque smells around the city will be sure to make you hungry (even if you’ve just eaten!). Marrakech is also known as a great spot for trendy rooftop bars, so why not head to one of the local favourites with a view and grab a cocktail. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place. If you want more time to hang out in Marrakech, it might be a good idea to arrive a day early – just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.

After breakfast, you’ll make your way to Todra Gorge. This is a long travel day, so make sure you have a book handy. After a while, you’ll come across a bright tablecloth of green that might seem so out of place, you'll think you’re dreaming. This valley is pretty impressive, with all its palm trees and mud-brick villages. Arrive at your hotel at the top of the valley, and take some time to relax, recharge and chill out under the palms. Maybe head out for a brief stroll before enjoying an included dinner with your group. Settle in for the night and get a good night’s rest, ready for a beautiful hike tomorrow. Your travel time today will be approximately 10 hours.

After breakfast, take a hike through the shaded palms of the Todra Valley for a couple of hours, taking in the picturesque scenery of the gorge ahead. Be rewarded at the end of your adventure with a home-cooked lunch served in the backyard of a local family. You'll be treated to dates, nuts, tea and a delicious meal to refuel after your walk. Then, make your way to the Sahara. After a few hours of transit, get ready for a once-in-a-lifetime experience in a sun-kissed desert. The mode of transport? Camel, of course! Brace yourself for one heck of a sunset while you wind through the vast expanse of sand and loop back to your private camp for an overnight stay in the middle of the sandy dunes. In the camp, you'll have a thin mattress, blankets and sheets (and an auberge not so far away, just in case). Ensure you bring a sleeping sheet and warm jumper if it's winter (you'd be surprised how cold it can get). Sit under a blanket of stars tonight and have a mind-blowing 'I am so far from home' kind of moment. Your travel time today will be approximately 3.5 hours. The camel trek through the Sahara is a fantastic way to experience the desert, but it may be painful on your backside. If you'd prefer, it's possible to walk alongside the caravan on the sand for about an hour. Alternatively, it’s also possible to organise a 4WD drive. This can be organised directly with your tour leader and will cost approximately 600MAD per car.

Remember to set your alarm this morning because you'll get up well before dawn. Climb a nearby sand dune to catch the sunrise – this sight is worth the early rise – then head back to camp for breakfast, collect the rest of your gear and travel to Ait Benhaddou. Stop for the best mint tea in the world at the Tawesna Association. All profits here are devoted to the women’s projects in the village of Ait Benhaddou. This experience in the inclusive female teahouse is more than just a cuppa – it’s about discovering a culture and contributing to women’s economic inclusion and responsible tourism. Then, explore the medieval mud-brick town of Ait Benhaddou. If you’re wondering why it looks familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen it before on the silver screen. Walk the many old streets and climb up to the fortress for a view over the Old Town. You can also visit one of the most interesting old houses in the Kasbah for a small fee. You'll spend the night just outside the walls. Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours.

This morning, take a private transfer towards Imlil, high in the Atlas Mountains. Calling dibs on a window seat would be a smart move – the drive features some great scenery. Imlil is a little village that sits at the foot of North Africa’s highest peak, and when you arrive, you’ll head out for a scenic walk. On your way to the mountain village of Aroumd, take your time to explore the landscape, the rolling mountains and the bursts of green flora. Tonight’s stay is in a family-run gite (or mountain home) in the village. The Amazigh people here are famous for their hospitality, so make the most of this opportunity to sit down, break bread with the family and learn about their culture. Your travel time today will be approximately 5.5 hours. Today’s scenic walk will be approximately 40 minutes. Your main piece of luggage will remain with the vehicle in Imlil and you won’t have access to it again until Day 7. You will need a small bag for your two-night stay in Imlil. Facilities at the homestay are shared (both the bathroom and sleeping arrangements), but they’re cosy, comfortable and offer an experience that is so much more memorable than a hotel. WiFi and power sockets to charge devices are available.

After breakfast, enjoy a slow-paced morning in the mountains. Today, you’ll head through Imlil on a day hike, exploring the scenery of the surrounding peaks and villages. Traverse through bursts of green and stop to admire the Imlil waterfall, where you can get up close and personal with the cascades. Walk at your own pace, enjoying the seclusion of being far away from the tourist crowds of the main cities. Enjoy a picnic lunch along the way and return to your homestay accommodation for a relaxed and free afternoon and group dinner. Today’s hike will be approximately 4 hours or 10 km. This duration includes a one-hour lunch break. We recommend hiking shoes for this activity. In winter, you may take an alternative route if snow makes the regular path unsafe.

Say goodbye to the mountains and return to Marrakech. When you arrive, you have a free day to stroll through the bustling souks. If you like, explore the courtyards filled with the scent of orange blossom and the many salons and chambers that make up Bahia Palace. This mansion was built in 1866 for a former slave who rose to power within the government. Why not head out on a cycling trip, go quad-biking or indulge in a luxury hammam and spa. You might like to visit Le Jardin Secret too – a traditional medina garden revived for the 21st century. Once owned by a powerful local chief U-Bihi – who was poisoned by Mohammed IV – this historic riad has one of the most beautiful courtyards in Marrakech, combining exotic and traditional Islamic gardens that are fed by original khettara (an underground irrigation system). In the evening, you’ll no doubt be drawn back to Djemaa el-Fna for a final night out. Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.

Today is free to wander, rest or take part in a fun optional activity. Say goodbye to some of your trip mates, as others will be joining you for the next leg of the adventure. You will have another meeting at 4 pm today to meet them. As evening falls, you might want to grab dinner or explore the bustling nightlife of the city with your new travel buddies. Marrakech has some great rooftop bars – so find one with a view and order your favourite cocktail. As this is a combination trip, your group leader and the composition of your group will likely change here.

After breakfast this morning, travel to Taghazout. This cool, laidback fishing village has quickly gained a solid reputation as one of the country’s best surfing spots. The waters stay warm all year round, and the surf is top-notch for both rookies and adept wave riders (so there’s no excuse not to catch some rolling waves). After getting your fill of the beautiful local beaches, maybe ask your leader for the best spots for a seafood dinner, before spending the night at a local surf camp. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours. Accommodation in Taghazout is in multi-share dormitories. Here you won't be staying in twin share rooms, but rather cool hangouts with shared facilities. This means travellers on the same booking may be split between rooms due to the single gender dormitories.

Kick off your adventures in the sleepy town of Taghazout with an early morning yoga session to help you relieve any tension before diving into the water. Oddly enough, the skills required for surfing and yoga tend to complement each other, through concentration, flexibility and balance. Don’t know how to ride a board? No stress – today includes a half-day surfing course to teach you the basics, and if you already know the ropes, there’s always time to refine your skills in unfamiliar territory. Timings for today's included activities may change depending on the tides.

Get up early today if you want to catch the sunrise, then travel to the old fishing town of Essaouira. Along the way, stop by a female-led cooperative specialising in Argan production. Learn about how these women extract the Argan from the trees, watch the beans being roasted and pressed, then taste the Argan oil and paste, all made right here! Arrive at your destination – a place where the medina brushes up against the Atlantic Ocean. The name of the town translates to ‘little picture’ – so get your camera ready! It’s safe to say you’ll be taking lots of snaps during your time in this picturesque place. Join a local guide for a walking tour through the old medina, Jewish mullah, port and by the skala (sea wall). Then head out to taste some street food, you'll get to try harira (soup), mesman (flatbread), Moroccan sweets and sample olive oil and honey. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

Chat with locals on a shared bus ride back to Marrakech. With no activities planned after arriving, you’re free to leave at any time. Depart from the bus station or walk back to the hotel with your leader and depart from there. If you wish to extend your adventure, there are a range of optional activities to get to know the city better. Why not become a Moroccan MasterChef in an Urban Adventure’s cooking masterclass with a local guide? Journey through the souks of Marrakech and shop for the best ingredients before learning the insider tricks on how to whip up a deliciously authentic tagine in a classic riad setting while getting to know the family that lives there. To find out more about the Tajine Cookery Class, visit urbanadventures.com. If you need to organise additional accommodation tonight, just speak to your booking agent. Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours. It's best to book flights later than 4 pm this evening in case of any delays and to allow time to transfer to the airport.