Image credit: Anatolian Sky
Have twice as much fun with a twin-centre stay, suggests Katie McGonagle
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Life is all about making tough choices, but holidays shouldn’t be – this is the time when you get to have your cake and eat it too, and without the slightest twinge of guilt about over-indulging.
That’s where North Africa’s greatest asset – its diversity – comes in handy. Fancy a high-octane adventure with a side order of shopping in the souks? Easy. Or a lazy beach stay complemented by awe-inspiring history? No problem.
Here, we offer up a handful of ideas to satisfy even the greediest guests looking for second helpings.
Morocco: Marrakech plus Atlas Mountains
As North Africa’s top city-break destination, Marrakech is an easy draw – with its wealth of low-cost flights from the UK’s regional airports and the allure of those exotic souks tempting travellers to visit, it’s an obvious starting point for a twin-centre stay.
But for those who have been to the city before, or simply want to venture farther than Djemaa el Fna, the Atlas Mountains offer an easy escape.
Day trips are possible for those with little time to spare. Attraction World has a one-day Ourika Valley Tour for a glimpse of the foothills (£44 per adult, £22 per child) or, for something more active, Do Something Different offers a private half-day hike through the valley from £45.
Staying in one of the boutique hotels scattered around the mountains, though, is a far more worthwhile way to experience the region, whether guests want to summit Mount Toubkal, go hiking or cycling along mountain trails, get to grips with Berber culture in Unesco World Heritage-listed Ait Benhaddou, or simply sit back and soak in the tranquillity of the mountains.
Book it: Anatolian Sky Holidays offers a seven-night tailor made trip staying two nights at Marrakech riad Les Borjs de la Kasbah and four nights at either Kasbah Angour or L’Oliveraie, both in the High Atlas Mountains. Prices start at £599 for departures throughout the year, on a bed-and-breakfast basis and including flights and transfers.
anatoliansky.co.uk | 0844 273 0656
Or try: Have a go at haggling in the souks of Marrakech, then head to laid-back surf towns Agadir or Essaouira for time by the beach.
Tunisia: Tunis plus Hammamet
Image credit: Ethel Davies
Better-known as a budget-friendly beach destination, Tunisia packs a punch in the historical stakes too. Home to the ancient city of Carthage, which spawned famous military commander Hannibal before becoming a hub for the Roman Empire in Africa, it also boasts other sites of Roman settlement such as the ruins at Dougga and the third-largest amphitheatre in the ancient world at El Djem. Tunis is the best base to visit Carthage and Dougga, and has the added advantages of being home to one of the most hassle-free medinas in the region and within 20 minutes of artists’ haven Sidi bou Said, known for its pretty blue-and-white architecture.
After a good dose of culture and some shopping on the side, most clients will be ready to kick back on one of Tunisia’s many sandy beaches. There are plenty of resorts to choose from, though Hammamet is the easiest to pair up with Tunis as it’s only a 45-minute drive from the capital.
Book it: Cyplon offers a seven-night Highlights of Tunisia tour pairing three nights’ B&B at Movenpick Hotel Gammarth with four nights’ half-board at the Radisson Blu Hammamet. Prices start at £1,159 including flights from Gatwick departing on May 3, private transport with a driver and English-speaking guides and entrance fees, plus a full-day Tunis area excursion visiting the ruins of Carthage, Sidi bou Said, the Bardo Museum and Tunis medina, and another excursion to Roman ruins at Dougga and Thuburbo Majus.
cyplon.co.uk | 0800 074 8888
Or try: Star Wars fans should head south to find settings used in the films – notably Tatouine, which doubled for Luke Skywalker’s home planet, and the troglodyte dwellings of Matmata – before enjoying beach time on the island of Djerba.
Egypt: Cairo plus Sharm el Sheikh
If Egypt’s steadily growing visitor numbers are anything to go by, the British public seems to have accepted the message that the country is safe to visit. But the revival in tourism is overwhelmingly concentrated on the Red Sea resorts – which were never the subject of any Foreign & Commonwealth Office restrictions – while the endlessly fascinating capital and nearby Giza remain woefully overlooked.
In fact, the lack of crowds makes this the ideal time to visit Cairo – forget queueing to see the artefacts in the Egyptian Museum or elbowing past other tourists to get a good look at the Great Pyramid – as the relative peace at these sites makes them easier to navigate. Specialist operator Discover Egypt even recommends a hotel, the Mercure Le Sphinx, just a stone’s throw from the famous Giza monuments, for unrivalled access to this ancient site; pair three nights’ B&B with five nights’ all-inclusive at the Tiran Island Hotel in Sharm El Sheikh, from £899 in May or June, including flights.
Reassure clients who are still wary of the region by offering a guided excursion: Travelcube has options ranging from a half-day city tour of Cairo or half-day trip to see the Sphinx and the Pyramids (both from £52.50) to a two-day sightseeing package from £181 (not including accommodation). Red Sea Holidays can also accommodate those who would rather stay by the sea: a one-day excursion by plane from Sharm El Sheikh to Cairo starts at £180, with guidance from an English-speaking Egyptologist.
Book it: Classic Collection Holidays can arrange three nights at the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza plus eight nights at Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh from £2,199, based on two sharing Superior rooms on a B&B basis, with flights from Heathrow, return Cairo-Sharm flights and private transfers.
classic-collection.co.uk | 0800 008 7288
Or try: Don’t fancy a city break? Nile cruises have rebounded in popularity since the relaxation of restrictions on travel to Luxor and Aswan. Pair it up with a blissful beach stay and you’ve got the best of Egypt for both culture and leisure.
Image credit: Classic Collection
