Day 1

Apr 6 Sun

Welcome to Morocco

Private transfer from Essaouira Airport to the coastal hotel Madada Mogador, our favorite place in Essaouira, which we’ve bought out for our group
Welcome cocktails on the terrace with our hosts Anissa, Abderrahim (our local fixer-hero), plus Alejo from the League of Travelers
Easy, lovely first-night dinner at Il Mare, a little slice of relaxation overlooking the seawall and the Atlantic

Apr 7 Mon

Easy, smooth morning walking the village or just sleeping in
Shopping with chef Imad at the fish market and perusing Zakaria’s spices
Free time walking, shopping, tasting in Essaouira
Couscous lunch in a private home, with the famed Essaouira fish tagine from Chef Imad.
Afternoon siesta
Tapas, wine, light dinner of grilled fish on the terrace

Apr 8 Tue

Free time in the morning before packing up and leaving lovely Essaouira
Wine tasting on the way in the courtyard of Le Domaine du Val D’Argan winery
Private transfer to our Marrakesh riad Clos des Arts—one of those stately Moroccan homes centered around secluded courtyards—which we have bought out exclusively for our group
Welcome cocktails at the Riad with our gregarious riad hosts Georgina and Massimo
Easy, lovely dinner at La Taverne, a classic French-Moroccan bistro in the former colonial district

Apr 9 Wed

This is Chef Bana’s day, let’s go deeper into the medina
Join the Marrakesh icon for a day of preparing lamb Tanjiya, a deeply meaningful dish for Marrakshi people.
Shopping, prepping, then delivering the tanjiyas to the pitmasters be slowcooked for hours
Quick bite of whole cooked mechoui with Anissa’s friends just off of Jemaa el-Fnaa Square
Late lunch of Chef Bana’s tanjiya, accompanied by the classic feast music sang by Chef Bana himself
Quick siesta y’all
Private dinner back at the Riad with a cooking masterclass from Anissa Helou and friends

Apr 10 Thu

Wake up to the sound of songbirds and the muzzein (not the earliest call to prayer, please) for a morning of spice and cooking techniques with the charismatic Najlae el Rhazi
Shop the markets with Najlae, helping prepare a traditional Marrakshi lunch in her family’s home
Eat what we’ve cooked of course
Back to the riad for a siesta or hammam
Dinner of street food and street life in the whirling wonderland that is the Medina and Derb Dabachi

Apr 11 Fri

Up we go into the mountains. Check out of the Riad, private transfer into the Atlas Mountains
Check into the deeply elegant mountain retreat Olinto, which will be our Atlas base for the remainder of the trip
Lunch at Olinto
Cocktails poolside or a walk through the hills. Dealer’s choice.
Private piano recital with light bites on property

Apr 12 Sat

Wake to fresh, cool mountain air, as one does
Visit to an Amazigh market in Asni
Travel by 4×4 into the high Atlas village of Aroumd, in the shadow of Mt Toubkal, the highest peak in the Arabic-speaking world
Meet up with our man in Aroumd, Mustafa: local grandee, lamb whisperer
Traditional lamb slaughter and cookout overlooking the valleys
Walk off our sins and fullnesses in the mountain villages while Ahwach music plays in the half-distance