Our Morocco trip in January 2020 was an experience that surpassed all of our expectations. We highly recommend traveling here, keeping in mind the magic of Morocco really lies beyond the big cities. The kindness of the people and beauty of the country will not disappoint you. (Please see Natalie’s full Morocco Trip Reflection for more details). Here are the top 3 Morocco experiences we recommend.
FYI: This post is based on a trip taken in early January
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1. Camping in the Sahara
This experience was hands-down the coolest experience we had on our Morocco trip. To get to our campsite at the Erg Chigaga Sand Dunes in the Sahara, we rode in 4×4 vehicles for 2 hours before riding camels for about an hour. After this journey, we arrived at a permanent Nomad camp that was serene and secluded. Here, we watched the sunset over the endless horizon of the Sahara, raced up and down the sand dunes, ate traditional Moroccan meals and sang around a campfire. This camp was truly a once in a lifetime experience.
2. Hike/Stay in High Atlas Mountains
Staying in a traditional Berber Village in the High Atlas Mountains is another must in Morocco. We stayed in the village of Aroumd which required about an hour hike into the village while mules carried our packs. For our accommodations, we stayed at a Gite, a very basic mountain house with no heat or warm water. Since we were in Morocco during the winter, the simplicity of this mountain home certainly made us very grateful for the central heat and hot water we take for granted at home. During our time in Aroumd, we hiked further into the Atlas mountains and enjoyed rooftop meals with gorgeous views. These mountain views were in sharp contrast from our views in the Sahara but equally as astounding.
3. Ait Ben Haddaou
Not to be missed while traveling in Morocco is the ancient fortified city of Ait Ben Haddou. It is very interesting to see this city as it was built in the 11th century but is still so well preserved. It is also where many film/TV productions have been filmed (Game of Thrones, Lawrence of Arabia, etc.) so you may recognize it. We most enjoyed watching the sunrise over the Kasbah. Beyond the views, the kindness of the people in this village was overwhelming. Even though cakes are a rarity in this area (fruit is the main dessert), the village members all came together, each bringing whatever ingredients they had, to make Sam a very special birthday cake at our accommodations–such a sweet gesture!
We explored Morocco with Intrepid and highly recommend using this company. Their sustainable small group tour travel model is one we fully support. Intrepid offers many different Morocco tour options and the one we took was South Morocco Discovery trip. Explore trips offered by Intrepid using this link!
We hope this post helps give you some ideas as you plan your trip to Morocco. Any activities you would add to our list of the top things to do in Morocco? We would love to hear your feedback. Please leave us a comment!
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