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The Atlantic Week
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8 Days / 7 Nights

The Atlantic Week

Marrakech — Atlas foothills — Essaouira

One night in Marrakech, two at a working family house in the Atlas foothills walking the argan-tree country, four nights in Essaouira proper — the medina at the speed of the wind, the working port at six, an afternoon learning thuya woodwork.

Private Tour Luxury Stays Expert Local Guide 24/7 Concierge Unhurried Pace

About This Tour

One night in Marrakech, two at a working family house in the Atlas foothills walking the argan-tree country, four nights in Essaouira proper — the medina at the speed of the wind, the working port at six, an afternoon learning thuya woodwork.

Highlights
  • Two nights at a working Atlas family house, walking argan-tree country
  • Four nights in Essaouira proper, the medina at the speed of the wind
  • The working port at six, when the night’s catch comes in
  • An afternoon learning thuya woodwork from a Berber craftsman
Itinerary Overview
  • Day 1
    Arrive Marrakech

    Met at Marrakech Menara airport (RAK) and transferred to a riad inside the medina (about 20 minutes). Settle in. Early-evening walk to Djemaa el-Fna as the daytime market gives way to the food stalls and storytellers. Welcome dinner on a roof terrace overlooking the square.

    HotelDinner
  • Day 2
    Marrakech to High Atlas foothills

    Drive south (about 1 hour to Ourika, or 1 hour 30 minutes to Asni) to the foothills. Settle in at a family house. Afternoon walk through the argan and olive groves with the host. Dinner with the family.

    HotelBreakfastDinner
  • Day 3
    Argan day

    Morning at an argan oil women's cooperative — fair-trade certification visible. Walking through the village in the afternoon. Dinner with the host family.

    HotelBreakfastDinner
  • Day 4
    Foothills to Essaouira

    Drive west to Essaouira via the Marrakech ring-road (about 3 hours from Ourika, about 3 hours 30 minutes from Asni). Settle in at a riad inside the medina. Late-afternoon walk to the port for the fish auction (weather permitting). Dinner at the riad.

    HotelBreakfastDinner
  • Day 5
    Essaouira — port and medina

    Early at the working port — boats coming in, the auction, the gulls, the wind. Coffee afterwards. Walking tour of the medina with a local guide — the kasbah, the Skala (Portuguese-era ramparts), the Mellah. Lunch at a fish grill on the quay. Dinner at a small place in the medina.

    HotelBreakfastLunchDinner
  • Day 6
    Thuya workshop day

    Morning with a thuya woodwork family the brand has worked with for years. The session is hands-on (a small box or board to take home), not a demonstration. Afternoon at leisure — the ramparts, a hammam, a walk on the beach. Dinner at the riad.

    HotelBreakfastDinner
  • Day 7
    Essaouira — day in your hand

    No fixed programme. Walk the ramparts at sunset, an optional surf lesson, a hammam, or a horse ride on the beach south of town. Final dinner overlooking the Atlantic.

    HotelBreakfastDinner
  • Day 8
    Until you leave Essaouira

    A morning in your own hand — a final walk on the ramparts, breakfast on the riad terrace, perhaps the hammam before checkout. The driver makes the airport transfer at a time chosen by the guests — to Marrakech Menara airport (RAK, about 2 hours 30 minutes) for the international flight.

    Breakfast
  • Day 9
    New day

    Describe what happens on this day.

Inclusions
  • Seven nights — one in a Marrakech riad on the way in, two in an Atlas foothills family house at Ourika or Asni, four in a riad inside…
  • The lead guide for the duration of the trip, plus the Atlas foothills host family, the argan oil women's cooperative, and the…
  • All breakfasts and dinners, plus one signature lunch on us — a hosted lunch at the fish grill on the Essaouira quay
  • A private vehicle and driver for the road sections — Marrakech to the foothills, foothills to Essaouira, Essaouira to the airport — and…
  • Onboard WiFi in the tour vehicle, available throughout the road days.
  • Airport pick-up on arrival and airport drop-off on departure, at a time of the household's choosing.
  • The argan day at the women's cooperative, the early-morning fish auction at the Essaouira port, and the hands-on thuya woodwork session…
  • All entrance fees to the monuments, museums and archaeological sites named in the day-by-day.
  • A 24-hour support number, answered by a person who knows your trip, for the whole time you are in Morocco.
Exclusions
  • International flights to and from Morocco. We can recommend agents in the UK, EU, and US.
  • Travel insurance — required for every guest, sourced separately. We can suggest providers.
  • Visa fees, where applicable. Most passports from the UK, EU, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand do not need one for stays under ninety days.
  • Lunches not specifically named in the day-by-day itinerary, so the days have room to drift.
  • Alcoholic beverages and premium drinks. Mint tea and table water are throughout.
  • Gratuities for the lead guide, driver, and regional guides — discretionary, at the end of the trip.
  • Personal expenses — laundry, phone charges, gifts, and anything you choose to buy on the road.
  • Optional activities and upgrades suggested along the way. Always pre-quoted, never assumed.
Departures
Private journeys on your dates, year-round.

Every Sarah Discoveries trip is a private departure for your party — twelve guests at most, the same regional guides, the same standards. Tell us when you would travel and who is coming, and we will reply within twenty-four hours with availability and a draft itinerary.

Group size
Twelve at most
Best months
Mar – May, Sep – Nov
Reply time
Within 24 hours

Traveler Reviews

5.0
Based on traveller feedback
Sophie L.
United States

An unforgettable experience! The guides were knowledgeable, the hotels were stunning, and every detail was perfectly organized. Highly recommend!

James R.
United Kingdom

From start to finish, everything was exceptional. Morocco is incredible!

Emily T.
Australia

Luxury, authenticity, and warm hospitality. We can't wait to come back!

Browse all journeys
Twelve guests at most
Every group, every trip
Founded 1994
Thirty years, one country
Named regional guides
You’ll meet by email first
One country, deeply
Morocco only, since the beginning
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Tell us your dates and who’s coming.

We’ll write back the same day with a route worth reading. Twelve guests at most. The brief is yours.

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