Morocco
Morocco is an amazing country. Its one of the most wonderful places I’ve ever been to, and a travel destination I will always go until no more roads and villages are left to be discovered. I love Morocco and all it has to offer, either you’re looking for high touristy places or lonely villages in the middle of the mountains, this is the place to be.
I first traveled to Morocco back in 2000 and since then I’ve visited the country more than 25 times. Ever little time I have spare from my work in Portugal I try to head South and enjoy a whole different culture, food, landscapes and of course the thrill of it all: The Sahara Desert which is quite special and unique, not by its greatness (although the biggest sand dune of North Africa is here located) but indeed for its special energy and relaxing ambiance.
I have the idea that usually many people search for cultural shock or cultural differences to enjoy the most of a trip, and put on their mind to buy a faraway ticket somewhere thousands of kilometres away. No need. At least for me, Morocco stays precisely 520 kilometres (323 miles) from my city to the border of Bab Sebta or Tangier. As the country’s already keeps records of being one of the most visited countries in all Africa, still many places need to be visited and apart from big cities and fancy touristy spots, there is a lot to be found and experienced.
I discovered that driving to Morocco is quite more easy than taking public transportation as the countries conditions are very much ok to enjoy a trip with your car without worries. This is the way you can take more advantage of the country and explore unexplored villages or mountains that usually Agencies or buses don’t go. This way you can also experience Moroccan extreme sense of good hosts and receive you with great hospitality, which you can but not as often find in big cities.
It’s not normal for me going to Morocco without taking my own car. As I prefer less known destinations, I try to reach them by personal transportation, makes the whole trip much easier. Each time I drive on a trip to Morocco I make at least a good 4000km ( +-2480 miles ). Round trip journey. the maximum I drove in a trip to morocco was 8000km ( +- 5000 miles ).
Morocco is one of the safest places to travel I know. People usually think that since the country is Muslim, things will get ugly and that you have chances of getting kidnapped, you wife being taken by camel traders etc. No, nothing of this exists and they are nothing but ancient stories, long ago forgotten by Moroccans but that still remain in the European brain. If we westerners compare the crime rate existing in our own countries and in Morocco, you’ll find a pretty much safer country there.
On this blog I help you travel in the country either by you either by getting specialized Travel Agencies, Tour Operators or transportation companies. Also I’ll tell you about a few Hotels, Desert Inns, Luxury Riads or a simple camel ride in Sahara Desert that you might want to try.
Apart from all the nice tips, comment and personal thoughts, I will add several possible itineraries you can do, either for experience travellers or to beginners.
Great places to visit in Morocco are:
Merzouga’s Erg Chebbi Sahara Dunes
Marrakesh the Red Chaotic City
Bou Iblane Mountains and surrounding villages
Gorges du Todra and all the next Berber villages until Imilchil
Draa Valley and Tinfou Sand Dunes near Zagora
Ait Ben-Haddou Kasbah UNESCO village
Chefchaouen Blue painted city on the mountains
Fès a great Medieval ancient town
Imilchil and Agoudal the amazing Berber village on the Atlas Mountains
El Jadida and the interesting Old Portuguese Town with the 16th century Cistern
Fint Oasis, a Berber Village on the Mountains just 14km from Ouarzazate
October 20, 2006 at 10:56 am
I’m 15 and going to Marrakech at the end of the year for Christmas. Have you ever been there at that time? Do you know what the weather will be like? It sounds like Morocco is an amazing place, I can’t wait to go.
October 31, 2006 at 5:00 am
A great site with good information on Morocco. I too am a bit of a Morocco addict, but unfortunately I live much further away and so only have been twice (in the past year).
Check out some of the archives at http://frijoles265.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_frijoles265_archive.html
Good luck in your future travels!
Chris
December 18, 2006 at 5:49 pm
Hello, i love moroccotraveldiaries.wordpress.com! Let me in, please
January 14, 2007 at 11:53 pm
Hi there…I’ve got a pretty random question. My wife and I are thinking about heading off to Morocco. It would be our first time visiting and we’re pretty excited about it. We’re planning on flying into Marrakech but we generally like to travel around and see a bit…however, my wife is six months pregnant and i’m not sure how much we’ll be able to do. Do you have any recomendations for day trips or overnight places to visit outside of Marrakech?
Also do you think we’ll get bored if we stay in the city for the whole time?
Thanks!
March 13, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Hi: Excellent information. Myself and my wife and our daughter are planning a trip in the first wk of June to attend the Fes festival. My wife has been invited to present a concert in this year’s festival. After the concert, we have about 4/5 days and would like to look around some key places before we move to Paris. Kindly do let me know what we can achieve in 4 /5 days and which are places that we should visit after Fez?
Would appreciate your inputs on this.
Regards: Badri
March 13, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Hello,
sarhra camel treking!… can anyone suggest any good places to start? Any advice would be greatly appreciated
March 30, 2007 at 9:14 pm
Hi there João,
Tomorrow by this time my friends and I should be having dinner at Algeciras. We’re leaving from Lisbon in the morning and we’ll spend the next 10 days exploring the area in our rented 9 person van.
I’ve read your entire blog so as I could improve some stuff about (not only) the country. Thanks for all the travel tips, you bet we’ll check them. I’m pretty curious about Essaouira and the desert. Let’s see…
You have a great, non boring and easy-to-use blog!
We’ll let you know when we return.
Sofia
April 14, 2007 at 12:40 pm
WE ARE THINKING OF MOROCCO IN AUG/SEPT? TO HOT?
June 11, 2007 at 10:31 am
Hey, I thought that I would leave you another comment. I am back in Morocco, after far too long away. I am spending most of this trip just outside of the town of Rachidia (a bit outside of the Sahara). Thanks for all of the referrals!
August 5, 2007 at 9:42 pm
We are couple who lives in Morocco, and we need a cheap European car to travel around, if anybody have one, please let us know, then we contact you as soon as possible, thank you .
August 10, 2007 at 10:13 am
hi i was wondering if i can travel to morocco cross the boarder going to senegal do you think i can travel by car? coa im pretty afraid of fly or by ship,just i want to know.
many thanks.
ALLAH bless all
November 20, 2007 at 11:55 pm
IM IN LOVE WITH MOROCO, ITS THE MOST BEAUTIFULL AND ROMANTIC COUNTRY IN THE WHOLE WORLD. BEEN THERE 10 TIMES IN 15 MONTHS, AND READY TO GO AGAIN,
February 1, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Hello,
I’m travelling to morocco for the third time in March this year.
This time travelling alone.
i’d like to go more up South. maybe even go to the sahara. Do you have any recomandations according to publictransportation? I’m guessing it might be a bit dangerous to rent a car since i’m a woman alone?!
what do you think?
February 22, 2008 at 9:24 pm
hello,
I am an asian & I would like to know that if i come from taneria,morocco to algerecia,spain by a ferry do i need a visa. what sort of check is done in taneria while boarding in the ferry from taneria and what are the checks in algerecia port of Spain? And is there any easy route that you would suggest.
April 4, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Hello!
My friend and I are thinking of flying in to Marrakesh, renting a car and making our way to the coast travelling north, then back inland to Fes. Is there any information you could offer that may be beneficial to me on this journey. Also, how easy is it to Navigate Morocco without speaking the native tounge?
Thanks for your time
May 14, 2008 at 5:09 am
Hi Very interesting article about Morocco my home country, am just so amazed at how much useful information i found online about my home country and my Moroccan roots.
Thanks,
Abe,
May 14, 2008 at 5:12 am
Thanks for the great site, very detailed information that is worth sharing over the web, please post more articles as they come along.
Thank You.
May 23, 2008 at 2:21 pm
i’m going to morocco,i’m looking for a driver from uk to marrakech, because i will bring moroccan crafts,if there is some who would like to drive, in morocco i will offer him 7 days trip in the atlas mountain, if there is any one interesterd call me on my number
07894709592
abdel
June 15, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Hello,
I found this wonderful site with a lot information about wonderfull Morocco that I’ll visit later this year.
I but a link of this site on my dutch weblog if thats allright?
My dutch weblog is: http://essepes77.wordpress.com
Do I need to know things about Morocco before I leave, I got also my study is Amsterdam for Photography. Is it possible to go alone as a woman or is it to dangerous to making some photo’s ?
??
Please let me know, thank you, and whre should I go
Keep on going with this lovely site and good work..
I must say, some pictures are not working, did you know?
Thanks.
With regards,
Esh.
June 26, 2008 at 8:17 am
Morocco is a fascinating country and a top tourist destination. The diversity of terrain, ancient history, rich culture and warm, friendly people attract tourists from around the world. The ongoing increase in tourist activity has resulted in a number of new developments taking place in Morocco. The latest of these developments is the proposed new Ouarzazate Lake City and the new Radisson Resort at Saidia.
July 4, 2008 at 8:12 am
Vous cherchez un riad marrakech, villa marrakech ou une location de villa luxe marrakech en vue d’un
séjour au Maroc une chanbre d’hôtes a Marrakech