The Last Fire of the Year

The Gateway to the South

Early in the morning, we depart for «Makedonia» airport in Thessaloniki on an Aegean Airlines flight to Athens, followed by a short connection to the shared international flight to Marrakech. Arrival at 11:25, just before midday.

We do not explore the city just yet—we save it for the end. Instead, we head south immediately from the airport, where Morocco begins to change its rhythm, its light, and its colours.

Right ahead of us lies the High Atlas. The road climbs steadily as the scenery changes at every turn, and along the legendary Tizi n’Tichka Pass, we make our first stop for coffee, with the mountain range stretching out before us. It is the journey's first moment that truly takes us away from everyday life—a threshold, not simply a transfer.

The drive itself is the highlight of the first day. The Morocco of the cities fades behind us, while the South unfolds ahead: stone, light, earthen villages, mountains, and roads that gradually lead us towards the desert.

Arrival in Ouarzazate in the evening. Dinner at the hotel and our first night in Southern Morocco.

From Kasbahs to the Dunes

Morning departure for the great journey towards the desert. A brief stop at Atlas Studios, where Morocco has provided the backdrop for some of the world's most iconic films. We do not stay any longer than necessary. The day has a greater purpose.

We continue through the landscapes of Southern Morocco, with a relaxed lunch en route and carefully selected stops that keep the journey balanced without interrupting its flow. The scenery changes constantly: kasbahs, valleys, earthen villages, oases, stone and light.

Today has a single purpose: to reach the dunes of Erg Chebbi as the light begins to soften. The first glimpse of the Sahara in the golden light of late afternoon needs no description—we save that moment for the end of the day.

Arrival at Kasbah Yasmina, beside the dunes of Merzouga. Welcome tea, check-in, dinner, and overnight stay in the desert.

New Year's Eve in the Sahara

The highlight of the journey.

The day begins with the sunrise over the dunes. For a few minutes, the desert remains almost motionless: nothing but light, sand, and silence. This is not a compulsory climb or a hurried photo stop. It is the final morning of the year in the Sahara.

Return to Kasbah Yasmina for breakfast and time to relax.

Later, we set off in private 4x4 vehicles, exclusively for our group, on a journey into the heart of the desert. Panoramic viewpoints across Erg Chebbi, rocky landscapes, glimpses of the nomadic way of life, and a cultural encounter in the village of Khamlia, where Gnawa music keeps centuries-old traditions alive. The experience is presented with respect—not as a performance for tourists, but as a genuine encounter with the sounds, history, and people of the region.

In the afternoon, we head back to the dunes for the last sunset of the year. A small camel caravan crosses the line of the sand as the light begins to fade, and the desert becomes the setting for the year's final image. A simple desert tea moment is prepared with tea, dates, and soft music. Nothing unnecessary. Only sand, light, and silence.

In the evening, there will be a festive dinner and New Year's Eve celebration in the desert.. Shortly before midnight, we leave the kasbah and follow a softly illuminated pathway across the sand. Just a few steps away, the circle around the fire is already prepared: low seating, blankets, hot tea, and Gnawa music that begins softly, almost hypnotically.
The music grows stronger and then, just before midnight, falls silent. For a few seconds, there is only the desert. Those who wish may place a small card into the fire with a single word from the year that is ending—something they keep, something they leave behind, or something they wish for. And as the new year arrives, the drums erupt, the sparkling wine is uncorked, and above us stretches the clear sky of the Sahara.

It is not a spectacle. It is a moment created to be remembered. Those who wish may remain by the fire beneath the stars; those who feel the cold may return to the heated area inside the kasbah, just a few steps away, where the evening continues at its own gentle pace.

From the Sahara to the Valleys of the South

The first day of the year begins at a relaxed pace. We're having breakfast in the desert, spend some time for a few final moments in Merzouga, and depart without haste.

There is no need to rush through today's itinerary. Instead, we let the day unfold at a gentler rhythm, just as the first day of a new year should. The journey leads us once again through the valleys of Southern Morocco, where the landscape gradually changes from sand to stone, from desert to oases, from the silence of the Sahara to the quiet life of the valleys.

We stop at the Todra Gorges. We walk along the floor of the gorge, between towering red cliffs that rise dramatically above the narrow passage. It is a peaceful yet powerful image for the first day of the year.

Lunch en route, followed by a journey through oases, earthen villages, and landscapes that seem to belong to another era.

Before arriving in Ouarzazate, we make an atmospheric stop in Skoura, the palm grove of the kasbahs. Among palm trees and earthen towers, the return from the Sahara takes on a softer, almost cinematic rhythm.

Arrival in Ouarzazate. For those who wish, there is time for a relaxing hammam, or simply to unwind at the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay.

From the South back to Marrakech

Morning departure from Ouarzazate towards Ait Ben Haddou, the region's most iconic ksar and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We arrive early, before the site begins to fill with visitors. Crossing into the ancient settlement, we gradually make our way to the top, where the valley unfolds before us. The morning light on the earthen walls makes Ait Ben Haddou feel more like a film set than a village.

We are having coffee overlooking the ksar, followed by our journey to Marrakech, once again crossing the Atlas Mountains. The drive becomes a transition of its own: we leave behind the silence of the South and return to the city we deliberately saved for the end.

Arrival in the afternoon and check-in at Palm Plaza.

In the evening, we keep the pace relaxed: dinner at the hotel and, for those who wish, a first brief introduction to Jemaa el-Fna. Not a guided tour just yet—only the city's first breath.

The city behind the image

The day that reveals why Marrakech is far more than simply the city where our journey ends.

We begin with the great landmarks of the old city: Bahia Palace, Ben Youssef Madrasa and the narrow streets of the Medina. From there, we enter the souks—a world of aromas, textures, colours, metalwork, leather, spices, and light.

Our exploration takes place in smaller groups, accompanied by two guides, allowing the Medina's narrow streets to remain an experience rather than a procession. The goal is not simply to walk through the market, but to understand it: its workshops, materials, sounds, movements, and the everyday life hidden behind the shopfronts.

At midday, free time for lunch at a carefully selected location in the old city or, for those who wish, at a rooftop restaurant. Pausing above the Medina offers a different perspective of Marrakech: minarets, rooftopOs, light, and the rhythm of the city below.

In the afternoon, we return to the heart of the city and allow Jemaa el-Fna to reveal itself at exactly the right moment, when Marrakech begins to change its character. The light fades, the market stalls come alive, the aromas grow stronger, and the square becomes a stage.

Dinner at the hotel or, for those who wish, an optional dinner in an atmospheric riad.

The luxury of time

The day without an alarm clock.

After the long journeys, the desert, and a deeper discovery of the city, today we do not chase Marrakech. We let it find us.

A leisurely morning begins with a visit to the Majorelle Gardens,where blue, green, and light come together to create one of the world's most recognisable gardens. The visit is pre-booked, allowing the experience to flow without unnecessary waiting.

Afterwards, enjoy free time for a coffee, one last stroll through the Medina or an authentic hammam, depending on your own pace. Dar El Bacha may also be suggested as an optional visit, subject to time and availability.

The rest of the day remains open for a leisurely lunch, whether in a riad, on a rooftop, or at one of the carefully selected places recommended by your tour leader.
The afternoon is entirely yours—for shopping, wandering, relaxing, or simply enjoying Marrakech without a schedule. Those who wish can follow the tour leader's recommendations for concept stores, rooftops, hammams, tea spots, and hidden corners of the city.

Here, luxury is not another attraction. It is having the freedom to do nothing at all.

The journey home

One final, peaceful morning in Marrakech. Transfer to the airport and return flight departing at 12:25, arriving in Athens in the afternoon, followed by the connecting flight to Thessaloniki in the evening.

Southern Morocco, the Sahara, and New Year's Eve in the Sahara return home with you not only as photographs, but as a lasting feeling. Morocco does not end when you leave—it remains an experience that stays with you throughout the new year.