31 Days | See the Champs-Elysee, sample sangria and sleep in the Sahara
Hop on a train and watch the incredible landscape of France and Spain roll past, exploring country highlights like Paris, Nimes, Barcelona and Madrid. Sip champagne, taste flaky croissants and share tapas and jugs of sangria before heading into Portugal, where you’ll be relaxing on the pristine coast of the Algarve and exploring delightful towns and villages. Hop on a ferry and cross the Gibraltar Strait into Northern Africa, where your Moroccan adventure begins. Explore the medinas of Marrakech, buy a fes in Fes, hike the High Atlas Mountains and trek through scenic Amazigh villages. Join a camel caravan into the Sahara and sleep under the stars in a desert camp. There will be something for everyone on this mammoth month through Southern Europe and Morocco.
Trip overview
- Start
- Paris, France
- Finish
- Marrakech, Morocco
- Theme
- Explorer
- Destinations
- France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Original
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 12
- Trip code
- BMSPC
- Wander the streets beloved by centuries of artists and wander the home of the Bohemian art movement in Montmartre. Through Paris, you can see the Moulin Rouge and walk up to the Sacre Coeur – they call it the City of Love for a reason!
- Explore Portugal’s pristine coast along the Algarve, soaking up the sun on the sand, traversing rocky cliff tops, discovering hidden coves and watching the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.
- Indulge in buttery croissants in France, share a plate of tapas in Madrid, take a sip (or two, or three) of port in Lisbon and tuck into a tajine in Marrakech.
- Hike the High Atlas Mountains and trek through Amazigh villages, exploring the region and getting a glimpse of local life in the mountainous region.
- Catch a camel ride out into the Sahara, where you’ll trade stories around a campfire with your travel buddies and the local Bedouin people, then sleep under the stars among the sand dunes.
- If you love avoiding airport queues this is the trip for you however as public transport is the predominant form of transport on this trip we highly recommend packing as lightly as possible as you will be expected to carry your own bags of buses, trains, etc. as well as to and from your accommodation.
- If travelling to Paris from London we highly recommend using the fast Eurostar train from London's St Pancras station. At under 2.5 hours travel time and with no airport queues, this is by far the most convenient and carbon friendly travel option.
- The European part of this trip will be led by a European leader, while the Moroccan part will be led by a Moroccan leader. The changeover will take place upon arrival at the port of Tangier in Morocco with your European leader returning to Spain after you meet your Moroccan leader.
- This trip covers a lot of ground and the majority of travel is done by trains, ferries and public buses. It's a good time to sit back, relax and let the scenery roll past your window. Please read the Itinerary carefully for travel time estimates.
- We recommend packing light and smart for this trip as you'll be required to carry your own luggage between train stations and hotels, which can include going up and down multiple flights of stairs, and across cobblestones. Train stations often don’t have lifts available.
- Summer temperatures can be extreme in this region (over 40C/104F). It’s important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat, and drink plenty of water. Many hotels in Europe and Morocco have fans, not air conditioning. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.
- Space is at a premium in Europe and Morocco and your hotel is no exception. Rooms are often small, but usually the central location makes up for that. For those travelling as a duo, hotels often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together.
- We've sourced our accommodation very carefully and picked the best possible hotels in line with the Intrepid style of travel, but please note that service and accommodation in Morocco may differ from standards at home.
- Ramadan is an annual month-long festival, during which travel can be a rewarding cultural experience, however some regular services may not be available during the day, such as restaurants or cafes, and occasionally travel can be disrupted by events. Your leader will adjust the itinerary accordingly, but please consider this when selecting your travel dates. You’ll find dates and further information in the ‘Climate and seasonal information’ section of the Essential Trip Information.
Itinerary
Inclusions
24 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners
Train, Ferry, Metro, Private vehicle, Public bus, Taxi
Camp site (1 night), Gite (1 night), Hotel (25 nights), Riad (3 nights)
- Paris - Hidden Montmartre Urban Adventure
- Visit Pont du Gard (Museum, Bridge and Swimming Time and Free Time for Lunch)
- Sagrada Familia Admission
- Churros Stop
- Coimbra - Evening Fado Performance
- Lisbon - Sao Jorge Castle
- Algarve - Island Day Trip by Boat
- Chefchaouen - Walking Tour with Local Guide
- Fes - Medina walking tour
- Aroumd - High Atlas Mountains guided hike
- Ait Benhaddou - Leader-led ksar walk
- Tamegroute - Ancient Library
- Tamegroute - Underground kasbah guided tour
- Tamegroute - Medfouna lunch (Amazigh pizza)
- Sahara Desert - Sunset Camel Ride
- Taroudant – Argan oil women coop visit
- Essaouira - Guided walking tour
- Essaouira – Local fisherman visit
- Paris - Palace of Versailles - EUR20
- Paris - Louvre Museum (must be prebooked in advance) - EUR22
- Paris - Arc de Triomphe - EUR16
- Paris - Musee d'Orsay - EUR16
- Paris - Rodin Museum - EUR14
- Paris - Napoleon's Tomb & Les Invalides Army Museum - EUR15
- Paris - Eiffel Tower (from - must be prebooked in advance) - EUR23
- Paris - Da Vinci Code Walking Tour - EUR25
- La Maison Carrée (Roman Temple) - EUR6
- Roman Amphitheatre of Nîmes - EUR10
- Pont du Gard Kayaking - EUR13
- Barcelona - National Art Museum of Catalonia - EUR12
- Barcelona - Museum of Gaudi - EUR6
- Barcelona - Museum of City History - EUR7
- Barcelona - Picasso Museum - EUR15
- Barcelona - Barcelona Cathedral - EUR11
- Barcelona - Ethnological and World Cultures - EUR5
- Barcelona - Contemporary Art Museum - EUR12
- Barcelona - Casa Batllo (advance booking required) - EUR29
- Barcelona - Guell Palace - EUR12
- Madrid - Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza - EUR13
- Madrid - Museo del Prado - EUR15
- Madrid - Real Jardín Botánico - EUR6
- Madrid - Museo Reina Sofia - EUR10
- Madrid - Royal Palace - EUR14
- Madrid - Tapas Urban Adventure - EUR99
- Salamanca - Art Nouveau & Art Deco Museum - EUR5
- Salamanca - Unamuno House Museum - EUR4
- Salamanca - New Cathedral - EUR5
- Salamanca - Old Cathedral - EUR5
- Salamanca - University of Salamanca - EUR10
- Salamanca - Casa de Las Conchas - Free
- Coimbra - Mondego River Boat Trip - EUR10
- Coimbra - Cathedrals - EUR5
- Coimbra - Conimbriga Ruins - EUR10
- Coimbra - Portugal Dos Pequenitos - EUR15
- Coimbra - Joanine University Library - EUR14
- Sintra - Palacio Nacional - EUR13
- Sintra - Palacio da Pena - EUR20
- Sintra - Day Trip - EUR10
- Sintra - Castelo dos Mouros - EUR12
- Lisbon - Experience Lisbon Walk Urban Adventure - EUR45
- Lisbon - Naval Museum - EUR7
- Lisbon - Oceanarium - EUR25
- Lisbon - Fado Show with Dinner - EUR50
- Lisbon - Gulbenkian Museum - EUR10
- Lisbon - Folk Art Museum - EUR5
- Lisbon - National Art Museum - EUR6
- Lisbon - Puppet Museum - EUR5
- Algarve - Birdwatching Tour - EUR35
- Algarve - Marine Wildlife Watching Tour - EUR45
- Algarve - Boat Trip Rio Formosa - EUR30
- Algarve - Fishing Trip - EUR40
- Seville - Real Alcazar - EUR14
- Chefchaouen - Hammam (public baths) - MAD150
- Chefchaouen - Henna Tattoo - MAD50
- Marrakech - Saadian Tombs - MAD70
- Marrakech - Palais Badi - MAD70
- Marrakech - Palais Bahia - MAD70
- Marrakech - Hamam (public baths) - MAD250
- Marrakech - Marjorelle Gardens - MAD165
- Marrakech - Medersa Ben Youssef - MAD40
- Marrakech - Museum of Marrakech - MAD40
- Marrakech - Photography Museum - MAD40
- Ait Benhaddou - Cooking Demonstration & Dinner - MAD313
- Ait Benhaddou - Henna Tattoo - MAD50
- Ouarazate - Atlas Movie Studios - MAD80
- Ouarzazate - Kasbah Taourirt - MAD20
- Essaouira - Hamam (public baths) - MAD200
- Essaouira - Amazigh Massage - MAD400
- Essaouira - Horse Riding - MAD300
- Essaouira - Seafood Market Lunch - MAD100
- Marrakech - A Taste Of Marrakech: Inside the Medina Urban Adventure - MAD605
- Marrakech - Tajine Cookery Class Urban Adventure. - MAD640
- Marrakech - Cascades d'Ouzoud Day Tour - MAD2207
- Marrakech - Hot Air Balloon Ride - MAD2090
- Marrakech - Luxury Spa Hammam & Massage - MAD750
- Marrakech - Heart of the Atlas Mountains cycling day trip with lunch - MAD2000
- Marrakech - Medina, Palaces & Tombs Urban Adventure - MAD650
- Marrakech - Palmery Cycling Tour - MAD540
- Marrakech - Magical Marrakech City Cycling Tour - MAD438
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A Single Supplement is bookable on this trip, subject to availability at the time of booking. The price of the single supplement does not include Days 16, 23 & 26, where a single room does not form part of the package. If you would like to book a single supplement and enquire about availability please speak to your booking agent.
2. In order for our local operator to be able to buy ferry tickets we need your passport details. Please advise these at least 45 days prior to the trip's departure.
3.The receipt of commissions or kickbacks in exchange for recommending particular shops, services or activities is ingrained in the culture of the Moroccan tourism industry. In an effort to best control and monitor shopping and activities with an aim for the best experience possible, Intrepid has established a system of carefully selected shopping experiences and activities based on positive feedback from our previous travellers. On occasion these will be as part of included walking tours or outside of included activities in free time. Please note that if you feel that you do not wish to join in on these shopping experiences we assure you there is no obligation and if you indicate your desire to not partake your group leader will help to facilitate a suitable alternative during this time. Intrepid have set up a centralised system of receiving payments from these recommended suppliers, which are then distributed towards local Responsible Travel projects (such as 'say no to plastic' cotton bags for our travellers and drinking water refilling stations), traveller information packs, and leader bonuses. Further details of these arrangements can be provided by your group leader on request. While Intrepid endeavors to ensure that these suppliers and services maintain reasonable levels of quality, please note recommended suppliers are chosen based on past travellers feedback and experiences and Intrepid cannot explicitly guarantee the quality of the product. A priority in establishing this fund is that the experience of you our traveller is not compromised in any way. Please let us know via the feedback after your trip if we are successfully meeting this objective.
4.Please note that the European part of the trip will be led by a European leader, while the Moroccan part will be led by one of our experienced local Moroccan leaders. The changeover will take place upon arrival at the port of Tangier in Morocco from where the European leader will return to Spain. Additionally, as this is a combination of two trips, your leader and the composition of your group may change in Marrakech.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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