Morocco is an amazing country in the north of the African continent, which is sure to be remembered by any traveler! A country of the most unusual contrasts: snow-capped mountains, green forests and hot Sahara desert, scorching sun and ski resorts, street vendors, fortune tellers, snake charmer and luxurious riads - have you ever seen it all in one trip?
If not, you need to go to Morocco now! That's the reason we decided to take a road trip through this amazing country where you can find literally everything!
Fes
This city was the first destination of our trip, where we spent a couple of days. Fez is a city of artisans and tanners with a thousand years of history. The medina, or historic center of the city, is by some estimates about 6 thousand streets, the exact figure no one knows yet! It is, by the way, one of the largest pedestrian zones in the world. You can wander there endlessly, and the navigator will not help you. The city is just teeming with street vendors and hustlers. If you cast a glance at something, they will come up to you and try to sell it.
Fez captivated us from the first second. You literally plunge into another world, walking through the streets among the spices and scattered fabrics - just like from the movie "Clone", remember that one?
Fes's famous dyehouses
Fez was once the capital of Morocco, and if the modern capital is Rabat, Fez would like to call the cultural capital of this country. Surprisingly, the Medina has not changed since the Middle Ages, which catches the eye.
There is a wide variety of riads (such hotels or guest houses) for all tastes and wallets, so it is not difficult to find accommodation. Also Fez is an ideal place to try the local cuisine. On the streets you will find many restaurants and cafes, where it is not afraid to try the food or drink tea.
The Blue City of Chefchaouen (Shaven)
The city of Chefchaouen is one of Morocco's most popular attractions and is known for the fact that its buildings are painted in various shades of blue and blue. It is located in the far northwest of the country. There are various legends as to why this city is blue.
Streets of Chefchaouen
One is that Andalusian Jews who fled Spain in 1492 began to paint their homes blue, a color similar to the sky. And then this tradition just continued. And the other story is that the very inhabitants of the city, who for years hosted waves of refugees, began to paint their buildings blue as a symbol of peace and tolerance. In any case, the city of Chefchaouen now welcomes hundreds of thousands of tourists precisely because of its unusual color and architecture, and we were no exception either.
Ziz River.
Another picturesque place for walks and photos. We found it quite by chance, just driving along the road and saw the sightseeing platform. We decided to take a look and was not mistaken! The view from the top of the river Ziz is breathtaking! Ziz River
The Alpine Village of Ifrane
While most foreign tourists are interested in seeing the dunes of the Sahara Desert or getting lost in the medinas of cities, Moroccans go on vacation to this curious village and call it the "Switzerland of Africa."
This is what Ifrane looks like in winter
Ifrane is located in the Middle Atlas of Morocco at an altitude of 1,713 meters above sea level. The city does resemble Europe, and all because it was built by the French. Ifrane is considered the best ski resort in Morocco, where local and tourists from other countries love to relax.
Todra Gorge
A famous attraction in Morocco, the Todra Canyon is located in the eastern part of the country in the High Atlas Mountains. The closest town to it is Tinghir, where you can also stay. The canyon is about 40 km long, but the most beautiful part of the gorge is the final 600 meters. The areas around the canyon belong to Berber tribes, who transport something on donkeys all day, live their lives, and sell souvenirs to tourists in their tents.
The road through the gorge.
In many places the walls are up to 400 meters high, so the Todra Gorge is very popular among climbers. Here you can stay overnight in hotels 2-3 stars. If you do not plan to spend the night, you can at least have a snack. To visit the canyon is better in the morning, when the sun illuminates the slopes of one of the walls of the gorge. In the evening, as soon as the sun begins to hide behind the rocks, it quickly gets cold here.
Merzouga and Erg chebbi
If one of the goals of your trip was to see the Sahara Desert, this is the place to go. Merzouga is right on the border where the desert begins. It is about 500 km from Fez. Merzouga is hot, dusty, and crowded. This is also the starting point for all camel and jeep tours, as well as for overnight stays of many travelers who cross the Sahara on their own by car or motorcycle.
The desert is particularly beautiful at sunset to get to the desert as other tourists, you can get the
3 days desert tour from Marrakech to Fes.
Erg Chebbi is a beautiful desert that changes shape every day because of the wind. The dunes can be as much as 150 meters high. It is especially beautiful during sunset.
We were going to stay overnight in tents in the desert in camel trips luxury camp , so we parked our car in Merzuga, waited for the camels, and went to look at the endless sands when the sun was already setting. The camels to the campsite in the Sahara
Sahara Desert.
The best part of traveling in Morocco would be an overnight stay in the desert! Have you ever spent a night in the Sahara Desert? And with all the comforts! This word alone reminds me of school geography textbooks or the Aladdin story. It's probably just impossible to describe in words, the excitement is off the scale! Dinner, dancing around the campfire and amazingly starry sky. This is the best experience we took away from Morocco and recommend everyone to try!
Our Camp in the desert
Everything is really well organized: very comfortable tents with hot water and toilets, great dinner and breakfast,
Sandboarding in Merzouga to ride the dunes and good company.
The campsite is about an hour's walk away.
You can either get there by camel or jeep, it's your choice. Or you can go there by camel and back by jeep, with music through the dunes! To be honest we even liked it better by jeep, but it depends on your driver if he wants to drive you around "with a breeze".
You can get sandbords at the campsite.
There are a lot of offers and different companies who organize such overnight stays, but don't skimp. Be sure to read the reviews and choose the best option. A deluxe tent with dinner and breakfast will cost you about $120 for two people. There are options for $20 as well, but with "backyard amenities" so to speak - the experience won't be the same.
The tent from the inside, camping in the Sahara
Trekking in the Atlas Mountains
If you love hiking, Morocco has a lot to offer! The Atlas Mountains are an important attraction, and they are endless. There are a huge number of hiking trails, from short trails to multi-day trails.
The Mid-Atlas Mountains.
Our favorite part turned out to be places in the High Atlas, where we stayed overnight with a local Berber family. They tipped us off to scenic spots where we could spend the day.
Berber tribes living in the High Atlas
Meknes
Meknes is one of the imperial cities of Morocco, located in the north of the country and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is often referred to as the "Moroccan Versailles," and there is much to see as well as to buy as a souvenir. Magnificent mosques and palaces, the Bab-El-Mansour Gate, as well as many other attractions await you in Meknes.
Bab-El-Mansour Gate
The city is divided into two parts: the old medina and the new part. In our opinion, the old town is much more interesting, so here we stayed overnight in a beautiful riad (guesthouse). In Meknes, there are many cafes and restaurants where you can find not only the traditional Moroccan cuisine, but also European food.
In the old town you are sure to find Berber silver, handmade carpets, and clothes and shoes. Be sure to haggle if you want to buy something - it's customary here!
Magoth monkeys in the cedar forests
Not far from the town of Ifrane in the Middle Atlas, there are cedar forests. Berber monkeys (or tailless macaques or magots) live there. So this is the only macaque that does not live in Asia.
The magot is a tailless macaque.
We just drove to this forest, left the car in the parking lot and went for a walk. We were lucky and there were no other tourists. So we had plenty of time to see whole families of macaques. They did not ask for food from us, and generally kept their distance. The forest itself is also very beautiful, and if you go in winter, you will find snow here.
Ait Ben Haddou and the town of Ouarzazate
Would you like to be on the set of such films as The Mummy, Gladiator or Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time? All these pictures and more were filmed in Ait-Ben Haddou. And in the city of Ouarzazate there is the famous Atlas Film Studio.
The famous fortified village of Ait-Ben-Haddou
The town or rather the fortified village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located on the left bank of the Ouarzazate River, which rises in the High Atlas and then loses itself in the sands of the Sahara Desert. In ancient times the caravan road used to pass here and weary travelers stopped there like in an oasis.
Nowadays the village attracts tourists with its unusual multi-tiered architecture and red-clay buildings. The narrow streets here are like a labyrinth. The town is open to visitors at any time.
Draa Valley
The Draa is the longest river in Morocco, it stretches from Ouarzazate to Zagora, also called the "gate of the desert". The Draa valley is a very picturesque place, because here, in addition to the lush vegetation of the oasis there are traditional Berber villages.
Oasis in the Draa valley
The land in this area is very fertile, so here traditionally grow vegetables, fruits and henna on agricultural terraces. The most beautiful part of the Draa valley is about in the middle. The upper part is too mountainous, while the latter is almost dry. If you are driving from Marrakech toward the Sahara Desert, the Draa River Valley is right on the way. Do not miss this beauty!
Marrakech
To drive through this city is to miss out on much of Morocco's culture. The city attracts crowds of tourists not only with its mosques, cathedrals and gardens, but also with another attraction, the central square of Djem El Fna. It is always noisy and bustling with people - street vendors and artists, acrobats and dancers, fortune tellers and stalls with street food - a very unusual atmosphere!
Market in Marrakech
Marrakech is worth setting aside at least one day to see the main sights. There is a large selection of hotels and riads for all tastes, as well as a huge number of restaurants, cafes and food stalls where you can try traditional Moroccan food.
Casablanca
This is the largest and most populous city in Morocco, located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The main attraction in Casablanca is the Mosque of Hassan II. It is the largest mosque in Morocco and one of the largest in the world. Its construction involved 2,500 builders and 10,000 artists and decorators.
Hassan II Mosque
Casablanca itself is the economic capital of Morocco, which even has a business center with skyscrapers and resembles European cities. Despite the fact that the influence of technology is felt here, the city has kept its traditions and annually attracts not only businessmen, but also tourists from all over the world.
In Morocco, it is impossible to cover everything you want in two weeks. We would have a rough itinerary of what we wanted to visit. In practice, however, we stopped constantly to see and photograph something! There are sights at every turn, from beautiful architecture and unusual ancient villages, to stunning canyons and mountains! This is a country where we will definitely come back...and more than once.
