My Moroccan Adventure

Morocco is a country like no other. Though it may be located in Northern Africa next to the Sahara desert and close to other African nations in turmoil, Morocco is a very safe place to visit and has warm weather. Morocco has many destinations that are well-known for tourism. Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to cover the entire country when I previously visited. On this trip, I visited the city of Marrakesh, the Atlas Mountains, and a camping lodge outside of the Sahara. I also visited Casablanca briefly, but I will write about that separately as I did not enjoy that portion as much as the rest of the trip.

In this review, I will summarize everything I did on this trip and whether or not I would recommend it.

How to get to Morocco

I flew to Morocco via Casablanca. This is the busiest airport in the country. If you are coming from anywhere in North America, this is the only airport in Morocco that flies there nonstop. If you are visiting from Europe or anywhere else in the Arab World you should be able to fly nonstop to any of the major cities in Morocco.

How to get around Morocco

Morocco is a fairly large country, and most popular destinations are not close to each other. Though the country has a national highway network I found the roads in the country to be not well maintained thus, if you live in an area with developed roads I would not recommend renting a car and driving around. I would say hire a driver to drive you and whoever you may be traveling with, or take the train. I did a mix of both when visiting the country.

Although private drivers may not speak the best English if you prebook the trip with a driving company they will already know you're location so language should not be as big of an issue.

As far as train travel in Morocco, it is operated by a national railway company called ONCF. I found the experience of riding the train to be very good, considering it is in a developing country. The train cars were fairly new when I rode them, and the rails are well maintained so it doesn't get bumpy. Though the signage on the train isn't written in English, the staff spoke it fine so if you just ask them they will come to your'e seat to remind you when you get off.

Marrakesh

I started off my trip by spending 4 days in Marrakesh. Overall Marrakesh is a great city worth visiting if you have the chance. Many great attractions, places to stay, restaurants, and shops exist.

Where to stay?

When I visited Marrakesh I stayed in Riad. This is a house that was built of traditional Moroccan architecture. Typically it is a three-storey building with a pool or garden centered in the building. Many of these hotels can be found throughout the medina(the old town) of most cities in Morocco. These are both cheap and offer a historical experience of old Morocco.

If you are looking to go all out on hotels in Marrakesh, the city has lots of other historic hotels, These include historic palaces that have been converted into luxury hotels. Though they are not cheap to stay at, it is certainly an experience unlike anything else.

What to do?

Marrakesh has lots of attractions. Though they can be found throughout the city my family and I decided to stay primarily in the Medina area.

Marrakesh's most well-known attraction would be the Jemaa el-Fnaa Square. This public square is both a marketplace and a spot where performers can be found. Though many may recommend this as a place worth visiting, I would consider it to be none other than a tourist trap. The square is crowded and most of the market booths serve food you can buy in different parts of the Medina.

One attraction I visited that I enjoyed was the Bahia Palace. This is a palace built in the 18th century by the sultan of Morocco. This is an interesting attraction because it displays traditional Islamic architecture and various plant species only found in that region.

Marrakesh is also well known for its numerous gardens. I visited one known as the Secret Garden. This garden displays many different plant species only found in Morocco. I would highly recommend this if you want to go somewhere relaxing and take a break from the rush of the Medina. The streets in the medina are very crowded, but once you get inside this garden you will forget where you are.

While you walk around, stop in some of the local stores. Although some may contain counterfeit goods, others contain local Moroccan food and jewelry handcrafted by the store owners.

Other attractions I visited in Marrakesh include the House of Photography, the Museum of Marrakesh, and the tannery, which is a place where animal skins are turned into leather.

Where to eat?

Finding a good eat in Marrakesh is a tough one. Though there are restaurants in almost every corner they are mostly low-quality food. There are restaurants in the medina that are high quality but sparsely located. After doing some research, I discovered several fine dining restaurants within the medina.

Two of these restaurants happen to be sister restaurants. They are located beside the spice market. One restaurant, Cafe des Espices is quick and easy to go to if you want something fast. The other restaurant, Nomad is more pricey but has a rooftop view of the surrounding area including the Atlas Mountains. Both of these restaurants serve some Moroccan cuisine as well as French cuisine.

Another restaurant I visited is called Le Jardin. This restaurant is located in the courtyard of a riad that serves traditional Moroccan cuisine. The food is very high quality and the restaurant itself is in a stunning location to make the dining experience unforgettable.

The Atlas Mountains

For the next two days of my trip, I stayed in the Atlas Mountains region of Morocco.

This mountain range is located between the Sahara desert and the Atlantic Ocean. My family and I stayed at an old fortress known as a Kasbah. This is a historic fortress that is usually located on a hilltop.

I won't mention the one I stayed at in this reviewsince most of them are fairly similar. Instead, I will focus on the attractions in the area.

The biggest attraction is to hike in the mountains. I did several hikes throughout the region and found all the scenery to be spectacular. From mountains to fields, the Atlas Mountains will take your breath away. You can hike to the summit of certain mountains in the area but I did not have time for that. I still found the hikes to be spectacular regardless.

Another interesting site in this area is the historic Berber villages like the one pictured above. These are communities, that upon first site look abandoned. You will learn from your tour guide that these villages are used by an ethnic indigenous group native to North Africa called the Berber. Though some of these villages are not meant to be accessed by outsiders they can be seen from surrounding roads and trails making it a neat sight.

Desert Camping

My family and I camped in the desert for the final portion of my trip. Throughout Morocco, you can find places known as camping lodges. These are hotels that are designed to look like camping sites. Although each room is an individual structure designed like a tent, they each have beds, a toilet, and light fixtures. The one I stayed at also had a pool, a restaurant, and a bar.

These hotels are a truly unforgettable experience to get to spend a night in the desert. Most hotels like this offer Dromedary rides which are a must-do if you visit Morocco. It is also a great spot to watch the sunset and the stars at night.

Overall Morocco is a very interesting country with lots to offer. So far I have only been to the places that I mentioned in this article but I sure hope to revisit the country someday and see more of it. As far as the places I have been, everywhere I visited is a must-do if you are going to Morocco. Marrakesh is a stunningly picturesque city, the Atlas Mountains offer stunning views, and the desert makes you feel like you are in a whole new world.