Delve Deep: Morocco 2022-23

Touch down along Morocco’s Atlantic Coast. Ready to experience the new and exotic? This is the place to start. Spot your Topdeck Rep at the airport (hint: they’re holding a placard with your name on it), then brace yourself for Casablanca’s mix of sparkling waters, palm-fringed avenues, street art and colonial buildings. Yep you’re finally here. Dump your stuff at the hotel, meet your fellow explorers and get pumped for our first group dinner. Name a better way to start the trip.

Swap glittering blue coasts for bluer-than-blue cities – we’re rolling onto Chefchaouen. Nestled between the looming peaks of the Rif Mountains, this enchanting city is totally out of this world. Brilliant blue buildings. A maze of narrow alleyways. And authentic local vibes. We’ll get our bearings on a stroll with our Trip Leader, then choose to tuck into dinner at a local restaurant with the gang or head off and do your own spontaneous this-is-what-I-came-for thing. It’s 100% up to you.

You wanted freedom to explore. So here’s 24 hours to just do you. Our suggestion? Kick things off with a city tour. Your local guide will give you low-down on the city’s historic past, point out all the hidden gems and tick off the ‘Blue City’ must-sees. Check out the Spanish Mosque. Stock up on souvenirs in the medina. Relax at a local hammam. Or strap on the Nikes and head out into the mountains for some incredible waterfalls and panoramic views – there’s some of the best hiking trails in Africa here, just sayin’. Then, get the gang together for some delish street food at the city square. This is living!

Glue your face to the coach window as we take the scenic route to Morocco’s sacred heart: Moulay Idriss. This place is considered to be so holy, it was pretty much inaccessible for non-Muslims until 2005. Meaning? It's the definition of off-the-beaten-track. Take in the relaxed local vibe on an orientation walk – before we tuck into a DE-licious home-cooked lunch with a local family. Then: put on your archaeology hat, ‘cos we’re off to Volubilis to check out the Roman ruins with a local guide. Want more history? Good! Tonight we’ll be heading deep into the heart of old Morocco on our journey to Fes.

Mausoleums, mosques and medinas are on the cards today as we hit the streets on a full-day whip around the city with a local guide. The 9,000 narrow cobbled streets in Fes el-Bali are lined with spices, food stalls and tanneries, so don’t waste a second – get exploring! Visit a local tannery (hint: say yes to the mint, you’re gonna need it). Head over to the Ruined Garden for Moroccan tapas in an awesome setting. Hike up Mount Zalagh for all the views. Or hunt down a hammam for a body shine and polish. It’s a tough life. Tonight, tuck into a camel burger (or chicken couscous if that’s not your jam) at Café Clock.

Truth bomb alert: you’ve got a bit of a drive from Fes to Erfoud today. Plug in the AUX cord and glue your face to the window as we wind our way through acres of cedar forests and stunning scenery. We’ll stop in Ifrane (Morocco’s take on Switzerland) and Midelt for some breathtaking views of the High Atlas Mountains. Then, it’s time to adjust to the altitude in alpine-fresh Erfoud: the ‘Door to the Desert’. Dinner tonight is on us, but you gotta try madfouna: authentic wood-fired Berber ‘pizza’.

Endless stretches of blazing red dunes. A kaleidoscope of burning colours at sunset. Vast clear skies filled with dazzling stars. Welcome to the Sahara Desert. After a free morning in Erfoud, we’ll make our way into the sandy abyss – stopping at the dunes of Erg Chebbi before reaching our isolated desert camp*. Merzouga looks as if it might be engulfed by the surrounding dunes at any moment – so sit back and enjoy the view. Later, you can jump aboard Alice the camel for a sunset joy ride to remember. Tonight, we’ll gather round the campfire and dig into a traditional dinner with the gang. This is what you came for. *Reality check: we’ll be staying in modest tents whilst in the Sahara. And no, there’s no aircon or power plugs for your hairdryers – you’re in the middle of the largest hot desert in the world after all...

Step into your own Roadrunner cartoon today as we make our way to Aït Benhaddou. First up? Todra Gorge. With a 3D landscape of imposing orange sandstone peaks, trickling streams and the odd camel playing outside your window, this place will take your breath away. Then: yell lights, camera, action as we roll into ‘Ouallywood’. The sprawling Taourirt Kasbah of Ouarzazate has played backdrop for plenty of big-budget blockbusters – try and name them as we walk around with our in-the-know Trip Leader. Later, hunt down some tagine in ancient Aït Benhaddou – the maze of clay buildings in this ksar (aka fortified village) is just waiting to be explored.

Gladiator. Lawrence of Arabia. Game of Thrones. The thousand-year-old Aït Benhaddou has a few famous friends – and we’ll take in allllll the otherworldly vibes on a walking tour of the UNESCO protected kasbah with our Trip Leader. Afterwards, we’ll wind our way through the spine-tingling Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass to Marrakech. Then? The rest is up to you. Head to Jemaa el-Fnaa square for all the night-stall craziness. Wander the narrow streets of the medina. Or head to Gueliz for stylish restaurants and live music. This is your chance to embrace it all.

Ok, nobody panic: this is our last full day. So, don't waste a second! We’ll kick things off with a locally guided walking tour. Stroll through the old medina, past vibrant stalls of buzzing souks, check out the famous Koutoubia Mosque minaret, and wriggle past the snake charmers in Jemaa el-Fnaa square. Then make the most of your free time with an optional lunch at the Amal Association restaurant: empowering disadvantaged local women with training and job placement. Or don your chef hat at a tagine cooking class. Want to delve a little deeper? Get on your bike and explore the palm groves on the outskirts of the city. Relax and unwind with a massage and hammam experience at a local spa. Or escape the city chaos with afternoon tea in the riad of Le Jardin Secret. Tonight, we’ll swap stories over our last group meal. What. A. Trip.

Just like that, it’s all over. Get down to breakfast and swap those Insta handles – you’re going to need them for next year’s reunion trip. Where to next? Asia? Africa? Europe? All the above? HECK YES!