Magical Morocco: From the Atlas Mountains to Agafay Desert

Touch down in Marrakech, ready to be catapulted into the spirit and magic of Morocco. Arrive before 4pm, where an airport transfer will whisk you to your art deco-style oasis hotel. Want to get right out there? Take a mooch around Djemaa el Fna square, a UNESCO Heritage Culture Center in the beating heart of Marrakech that’s alive with snake charmers, magicians, acrobats and hundreds of fabric and jewelry boutiques. Or, adjust more slowly as you freshen up and relax by the courtyard pool. In the early evening, meet up with your guide and newfound Flash Pack buddies for a Medina food safari through the maze of souks, gardens and food stalls piled high with enticing fresh spices. Soak in a riot of scents wafting through the air as you tuck into your first Moroccan feast and watch the chefs cooking up a storm right in front of you. Camel burger anyone?

Get set for some serious pampering today in one of the city’s finest private hammams. Make like the locals and get a proper scrub-down in this steamy bathing rite. Lose yourself in a tranquil maze of marbled pools and lantern-lit chillout spots, and grab a proper Hammam pummel-down to leave your skin tingling and fresh. Feeling revived and alive, spend the rest of the morning haggling your way around the streets of Marrakech. Once you’ve snapped up some handcrafted delights, the Majorelle Gardens are well worth a visit, with bold blue designs and the stunning Yves Saint Laurent memorial. This afternoon, we’ll leave the city behind for a 90-minute drive to the High Atlas mountains, with its green valleys and hazy foothills. We’re staying in a small, rural village, home to indigenous Berbers and breathtaking views. Wind down in your rustic guesthouse and enjoy fresh mint tea on the rooftop terrace.

After breakfast, breathe in the clear mountain air and prepare for an amazing day of hiking. With your experienced guide leading the way, meander your way through a tapestry of sun-dappled trails and pathways, strolling alongside rivers, alpine meadows and dramatic ravines speckled with pine and cedar trees. Pass by semi-nomadic shepherds with their goats and Berber villages, where you can chat to friendly locals. We’ll pause and savor a picnic lunch somewhere scenic, amid a vast stretch of undulating hills, before ambling our way back to the inn. Feeling pleasantly hiked out, the rest of the day is yours to relax in. Kick back with a book or grab a sweet mint tea and drink in those tranquil Atlas vibes. In the evening, we’ll gather together for dinner at the cosy guesthouse. Cheers your hiking crew in the remote and beautiful surroundings.

Today we swap the mountain heights for the vast plains of Agafay desert: a picturesque expanse of reddish rocks and gentle hills. Your home for the night looks straight out of a Hollywood film set. Step into a cinematic wonderland where oriental-inspired tents are dotted across the desert, with Mount Toubkal towering in the distance. Make yourselves comfortable in a clutch of luxurious white linen tents filled with glowing lanterns, Berber rugs and locally crafted artwork. After settling, your guide will take you on a short walk to explore Agafay’s mesmerising rust-red terrain. Later on, we’ll saddle up for a bucket-list experience: a sunset camel ride in the desert. With your face aglow from the last rays of sun disappearing into the horizon, rock and roll over the low-rising hills of northern Africa, your camel leading the way across the lunar-like landscape.

So far we’ve taken in city souks, the cool Atlas mountains and the enchanting Agafay desert. Now it’s time for another side of Morocco: the laid-back coast. After breakfasting at our magical desert glampsite, we’ll take a three-hour drive past goats in trees and argan oil farms to reach the handsome fishing town of Essaouira. Sitting pretty on the south-west coastline of Morocco, here you’ll find amazing wood carvings, a beautiful whitewashed medina and an awesome beach to the south. Enjoy winding your way through the streets of this Game of Thrones filming location on an afternoon walkabout. Mosey around charming souks and barter for a few more artisan Moroccan goodies. Come evening, savor a few sunset drinks overlooking the ocean before hitting up the city’s live music scene. A one-time favorite hangout of Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley, Essaouira is a great place for you and your fellow Flashpackers to let your hair down.

Spend the morning relaxing, exploring, shopping or doing whatever your Flash Pack self fancies in Essaouira. This afternoon we’ll cut a dash to the surfing paradise of Taghazout, with its powerful Atlantic waves and laid-back atmosphere. Our new home is one of Morocco’s leading surf and yoga retreats that perches on a white beach between the Atlas mountains and the Atlantic ocean. Wander the picturesque tropical gardens, kick back in the serene spa or take your pew at the sea-facing yoga pavilions. Or, you can ramp things up by heading out onto some of the best waves in Europe, accompanied by instructors. Whether you’re a beginner surfer or a seasoned pro, there’ll be the tuition to meet your needs here. With a delicious restaurant on your doorstep, enjoy dinner with your fellow Flashpackers and gloat in the prospect of two days of luxury ahead.

Wake up to sunny ocean views and grab breakfast overlooking the sea, settling in nicely to your sublime beach setting. Later, we’ll rev up the action with a two-hour morning surf lesson, geared to both beginners and expert wave riders. With excellent instructors giving you individual attention to pinpoint your surfing needs, get to know your ‘ground swell’ from your ‘sandbar’ on some of the best waves in the region. And when ‘noodle arms’ set in, kick back on the beach or bask by the pool before your afternoon yoga class. Watch the rippling waves wash up on the shore as you stretch out and breathe in the fresh Atlantic air, channelling your inner zen. Then it’s time for another delicious Moroccan supper with your fellow yoga-lovin’ surfers.

Wallow in a long lazy lie-in before another exhilarating day by the Moroccan ocean. After breakfast, your transition to a surf pro continues with a morning lesson on the deep blue waves. Your experienced instructor will coach you on your technique, so you’ll be confidently swooshing across the crests in no time (every second you stay upright counts, right?) After lunch, the afternoon is yours to jump back on your board and practise what you’ve learned. Or, the hotel’s enormous turquoise pool may have your name on. Alternatively, the spa may beckon with a fleet of indulgent treatments. Decisions, decisions: the choice is yours. Tonight spells your last evening in this beguiling country, so gather together for a farewell dinner before hitting the bar with your Flash Pack crew of adventurers. You’ve conquered mountains, deserts, cities and coastal surfs together; the packing can wait.

Today we say farewell to Morocco – but what an adventure it’s been! You’ve set your senses alight with a food safari around Marrakech media before retreating to a Berber guesthouse, high in the Atlas Mountains. You’ve hiked through the mountain foothills and glamped in the Agafay desert, with a sunset camel ride over the rust-red terrain. You’ve haggled for hand-crafted gems in the picturesque town of Essaouira and kicked back in a luxurious beachfront hotel. With the help of expert tutors, you’ve developed your surf skills over the North Africa horizon and worked a few lotus moves in a spectacular beachfront yoga class. Return home with your batteries recharged and full of zest for this mesmerising country. Book your taxi to the airport before spiralling away into the skies with a huge bank of captivating memories. Or you could just stay on in Morocco and develop your career as a surf yogi instead. Who’s judging?