Morocco

Morocco has its roots in Africa and its face towards Europe. This is a country of beautiful and contrasting regions with ever-changing light and colours, yet it is, astonishingly, only a three and a half hour flight away.

From the deserts and oases of the Saharan south, to the northern forests of the Rif; from the snowy peaks of the High Atlas Mountains to the long beaches of the Atlantic coast, Morocco is a country of exotic diversity. Eagles, kites, falcon, storks and ibis can be seen here, as can jackals, apes, gazelle, wild boar and Barbary sheep.

The colourful and ornate Imperial Cities of Rabat, Marrakech and Fès each have a labyrinthine Medina at their heart. In their narrow lanes the sights, noises and scents, and the timeless trades of an ancient way of life are quite unlike anything found in Europe. By contrast, the fresh and pretty white and blue-painted houses of Essaouira, cluster by the sea and near beaches ideal for water sports or horse or camel-riding along the sands.