Family Holiday in Morocco

Best time to go: October Half Term, February Half Term, Easter, May Half Term
Best for: Adventure & Off-the-beaten track, Culture & Beach, Family Holidays

This private family holiday in Morocco is packed with experiences your children will adore. Morocco is the closest destination that will allow your children to immerse themselves in a different culture. You’ll combine time in bustling Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains, Agafay Desert and finally to kick-back on the laid-back beaches of Essaouira.

Begin in bustling Marrakech. This ancient city acted as a trading post between the deepest, darkest depths of the Sahara and the cosmopolitan ports on the Mediterranean, which supplied goods to Europe. Think Marrakech, and think of snake-charmers, colourful souks infused with the aroma of spices and the distant call-to-prayer from the many mosques in the city. We suggest staying just outside of the walled old town (Medina) where you find the souks. Your children will have expansive gardens to run around it and a large pool to enjoy. You can all then dive into the medina before retreating at night. 

Above all, the best way to experience the souks with the family is to have a private guide. We’ll not bore the children with walks around palaces or museums but showcase the living, breathing side of the city, which can only make them smile. We won’t plan anything on the day you arrive, as your children’s call-to-swim will be more desirable than finding out about the call-to-prayer emanating from the nearby mosque. 

The second day will start with a leisurely breakfast and more pool time before you head into the city. Firstly, begin at the Djemaa el Fna square. You’ll return here later, and now it’s time to delve into the narrow alleyways that make up the souqs. You’ll pass through a host of colourful stalls selling almost anything imaginable. Here, leatherworkers, slipper sellers, apothecaries, wool merchants, weavers and metalworkers all ply their trade. 

We’ll stop for a mint tea on a rooftop to get amazing views over the city. You’ll return to the Djemaa el Fna at dusk. Food stalls start emitting fabulous aromas, and the odd monkey arrives to find scraps. Storytellers appear, and henna painters get to work. Snake charmers even appear. The call-to-prayer begins, and now the children will ask what it all means. Luckily your guide is still on hand, handpicked to bring the magic of Marrakech to life for your children. 

It’s now time to head into the mountains. Drive-up in a comfortable 4×4 with a large vehicle and driver, and it generally only takes about an hour. Spend two nights in the mountains, and it’s a lot more relaxed than down in Marrakech. You’ll stay at Bab Ourika, which has some superb two-bedroom rooms and, most importantly, a glorious pool. In the Atlas Mountains, you find the Berber people. You won’t see them dressed in western clothes and live a far more traditional way of life.

Depending on the ages of your children, we can tailor an experience around how active your family wants to be. The highlight is visiting a local Berber home for a mint tea and seeing how they live. Should your children be old enough, we can arrange horse-riding or mountain biking. However you fill your days, the natural beauty of the stunning Atlas landscapes is always spellbinding.

Next, head to the Agafay Desert, located just outside of Marrakech. Here you find a barren, rocky landscape featuring rolling hills and rocky outcrops. It isn’t as sandy as the Sahara (some 9 hours drive away), but it gives you a desert experience under canvas. That night, the family will hop on camels for an evening stroll at sunset. Return to the camp for traditional Moroccan music and feast on traditional dishes under the starry Moroccan sky. 

The following day, you wake early for a hot-air balloon ride over the Agafay desert. You’ll get a dramatic view over the Atlas Mountains and small settlements below. Afterwards, drive to Essaouira (two hours). This laid-back, arty town is located on the Atlantic Ocean and makes for a fitting, relaxing conclusion to your family holiday in Morocco. You’ll stay at the beachside Sofitel, which comes with an array of smile-inducing facilities. We suggest three nights here, but you can extend should you do wish.  Finally, it’s time to head home, and you return to Marrakech Airport for your flight home.

Guide Pricing

Starting At

  • LOCATION:
  • £1500
    Price per person including all accommodation, private transfers, unique experiences and excluding international flights. We can arrange international flights should you wish.

    Highlights

    • Unquestionably a wonderful destination to give your children an immersive experience into a different culture
    • Both a chance to explore and experience the culture, and relax on the beach
    • Stay in amazing hotels, all with large swimming pools
    • Have your own private guide and also drivers throughout
    • Any element can be tweaked and tailored to each family
    Days Location Hotel
    Day 1-2 Marrakech Palmeraie Jnane Tamsna
    Day 3-4 Atlas Mountains Kasbah Bab Ourika
    Day 5 Agafay Desert Scarabeo Camp
    Day 6-8 Essaouira Sofitel Essaouira Mogador
    Day 9 Marrakech Airport Fly Home

    Suggested Hotels

    Day 1-2

    Jnane Tamsna

    $ $ $ $ $  

    Jnane Tamsna or ‘Big Garden’ is a stylish 24-room boutique hotel located in Marrakech’s Palmeraie. You are just a 20-minute drive to the Medina.  

    View hotel
    Day 3-4

    Kasbah Bab Ourika

    $ $ $ $ $  

    Kasbah Bab Ourika is a luxury boutique hotel located in the Ourika Valley in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains.   

    View hotel
    Day 5
    Scarabeo-Camp-Agafay-Desert-Marrakech-Luxury-Holidays-Morocco-Millis-Potter-Travel8

    Scarabeo Camp

    $ $ $ $ $  

    Scarabeo Camp is an idyllic luxury tented camp in the Agafay Desert, just an hour’s drive from Marrakech.  The views up to the Atlas Mountains are stunning.

    View hotel
    Day 6-8

    Sofitel Essaouira Mogador

    $ $ $ $ $  

    The Sofitel Essaouira Mogador is a luxury resort hotel located just outside of the Essaouira overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.  

    View hotel

    Customise Your Itinerary

    We can tweak and change any element of this itinerary and you can depart on any day you want, add nights here and there, and we can fully customise your day-to-day experiences depending on your interests. Here are just a few ideas of many that we can look at and discuss when we come to plan your tailor-made itinerary.

    Shorter Half Term Timings

    If you are wanting to travel to Morocco during Half Term, then we might need to shorten the itinerary. You could leave on a Saturday after the term ends, then could fly back the following Sunday, giving you 9 days (the length of this itinerary). If you can't take the full week, we can certainly adapt the itinerary accordingly. You might have longer, for instance over the Easter Holidays. In which case, we could possibly extend any element, or even take you down to the deep Sahara Desert on a longer adventure. Needless to say, it's worth speaking to us about your dates and we will construct your family holiday in Morocco around them.

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