Last updated on September 12th, 2024
With the aid of our drivers (thank you Rashid and Hamou) and the staff at Morocco Explored that fine-tuned our itinerary and handled our reservations, we spent two weeks touring central Morocco in spring of 2013.
The following outlines our Morocco two-week itinerary with links to additional photos, stories, and travel information. Even more can be found on the Exploring Morocco travel guide.
You can travel with me virtually too!
Rabat to Meknès
Our flight arrives in Rabat two hours late, but our driver is waiting and soon we are on the road to Meknes.
I knew Morocco had a lot of different ecosystems and that there were agricultural areas, but, I didn’t expect to find a landscape literally glowing green in the late day sun.
Besides assuring that the hillsides remain emerald green, the occasional downpour along the way provides a few rainbows!
Who knew that Morocco would look like Ireland?
Meknès
Meknès isn’t included on a lot of Morocco itineraries, but it should be it. It has a few spectacular sites and the small medina serves as a good introduction to the country and it’s culture. We ended up with just one morning for sightseeing, which let us see the highlights. But two nights here would have been a nice way to begin our trip.
A satisfactory end to hotel confusion
When we finally arrive (during rush hour, but also during a break in the rain) at the lovely-looking Riad Yacout, we discover there is no reservation for us.
[showhide type=”confustion” more_text=”Show more…” less_text=”Show less…”]
This is when using a travel company with our own driver becomes an advantage – this was not our problem! (Although, in theory, using a tour company should guarantee that this won’t happen. Hmm. . . )
We are directed to wait in a lovely public room with plenty of hot mint tea to stew relax while others figure out what to do. Soon enough we are informed that we have been booked into a sister property – the Riad d’Or – just “a few steps” away.
That “few steps” turn out to be a good way into the medina, but the rain has mostly quit, the evening air is soft and warm, and our driver and staff from the riad were handling the larger pieces of luggage. Despite the lack of time to stop and really take a look, this brief trip through the narrow twisting streets provides an enticing glimpse of life in the medina.
Best of all, there is a large, comfortable room awaiting us when we arrive!
Since the evening is rainy and we (literally) have no idea where we are, we eat at the riad. Oddly enough, doing so requires that we exit the building and re-enter just down the street! Our first lesson on how buildings can grow and merge in interesting ways in the medina.
(We discover later that you can get to the restaurant without leaving the building, but it involves going up and down quite a number of not-particularly-well-lit stairs. Apparently the riad has expanded over time.)
Inside the restaurant the small dining room that is warm and welcoming with a crackling fire fed by painted lumber.
I have a pleasant Moroccan red wine along with what will turn out to be one of very best meals of the trip: A lovely lamb tagine with almonds, honey, and dates. It is the perfect end to the day. On the other hand, Lane is unnerved by the unpredictable sparks and smell from the burning paint. (The smoke IS pretty bad). In addition, he has what will turn out to be one of his worst meals of the entire trip — a reminder that sometimes the difference between a great meal and a lousy one is simply lucky ordering.
[/showhide]
Morning at the Riad d’Or and a Review of the Riad d’Or
We begin the day with a tour of our Riad.
Meknès, Morocco: Home of a few imperial gems
As one of Morocco’s imperial cities, Meknès is a great introduction to Morocco.
The Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail
One of the city’s architectural highlights is the gorgeous tomb of Moulay Ismail.
A glimpse of Meknès
Too soon we are headed out of Meknès and on to Fes.
On the way to Fes
It is only about 40 miles between Meknès and Fès. We are mostly traveling through rural areas on major roads, but there is still plenty to see.
Fes
Once in Fes, we head straight to the medina. Fortunately, we have a wonderful guide to guide us through the enormous maze that is the Medina of Fes. It’s also another UNESCO World Heritage Site.
For our second day in Fes we have asked our guide to join us again. Today and we begin with a visit to the mellah and a return trip to the tannery (when the light is good) followed by a panoramic view of the city.
On our own, we visit a nearby museum, but leave plenty of time for relaxing in our beautiful riad.
- The Mellah
- Fes from Afar
- Pottery and Zellij
- The Tannery
- Donkey Traffic
- The Riad El Yacout
Through the mountains to the Sahara
We leave Fes under grey skies that render the mountains nearly invisible almost until we reach Ifrane. From that point on, we travel through the Middle Atlas Mountains and on to Erg Chebbi and the edge of the Sahara under brilliant sunshine.
- Fog
- The High Atlas
- Ape Break
Around Erg Chebbi
We are up at dawn to watch the sunrise over the dunes at this far edge of the Sahara and then off on a circle tour of the area around the dunes.
We end the day by climbing aboard our camels and setting off into the desert for a night in a Berber tent – our timing turns out to be superb, as we ride to the camp under clear blue skies and are settled in with our mint tea just as a sandstorm sweeps through.
Deserts, markets, and more in Morocco
We leave the desert today to head into Kasbah country. Along the way we visit the fabulous local market in Rissani.
Traveling through the Saghro Massif
Today is our major off-road driving day as we travel through a very remote area of Morocco. The roads are rugged, although our driver tells us they are much improved since the last time he was through here about three months ago.
I can see why few tourists venture here, as it is very far from anywhere, but the landscape is amazing.
Around Tinehir
We have the whole day to explore the Todra Gorge, the palmery and the area around the old kasbahs.
Tinehir to Ait Benhaddou
Today we have another long day on the road with lots to see! We travel through the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs, the Dades Gorge, and the Valley of the Roses on our way to Ait Benhaddou. Along the way we pass many kasbahs, weird rock formations, strange flowers, and green oasis.
Kasbahs, Mountain Passes, and Tumbling Waters
We begin the day exploring the Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou. Rising early, we are rewarded by the sight of the ksar’s mud walls glowing orange in the rising sun. It’s cool at this time of day, with the river and groves below the ksar still slumbering in the shade. And it’s quiet inside the ksar, as the day trippers have yet to arrive, while the shop owners are just beginning to set out their wares for the day. Breakfast can wait. It’s the perfect time to explore.
Read more about visiting the Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou on WorldHeritageSites.net
After breakfast, a bit of cross-country driving takes us past more ksars and kasbahs, including the Glaoui kasbah at Telouet where a few splendid rooms remain amid the ruins.
The dramatic Tizi n’Tichka pass is followed by green fields ablaze with flowers and a challenging hike through a natural bridge just as the swallows head home for the day.
- Tourism and Tradition Along the Road in Morocco
- The Most Beautiful Route (On the Road to Demnate)
- The Ride Home
- Into the Bat Cave (Imi n Ifri)
Ouzoud Falls
We spend a large chunk of the afternoon parked at a table in a café with an excellent view of the falls.
Day One in Marrakech
There are poppies all along the road as we leave Ouzoud.
Our hotel in Marrakech is lovely, but not as lovely as Majorelle Gardens!
- Magical Majorelle Garden
- Photo Thursday: An Otherworldly Garden (Majorelle)
Touring Marrakech
This is a lazier day than it should be. We spend a few hours touring the city with our guide and then head back to our hotel during the heat of the day.
A short walk at the end of the day leads to a fabulous dinner of roasted lamb.
Marrakesh and Essaouira
We have just enough time in the morning to run down the street and be the first ones through the doors at the Bahia Palace – by racing through the first courtyard we actually have a reasonable amount of time to absorb and photograph these beautiful rooms in peace!
Then we are back in the car on our way to the sea and the old Portuguese port city of Essaouira.
Dawn to Dusk in Essaouira
They say that Alfred Hitchcock got the idea for The Birds here. It’s easy to see how that could be, as there are seagulls almost everywhere – I’m surprised not see any of them haggling over merchandise in the medina!
- Photo Roulette #66 – At the Essaouira fish market
- Blue Boats
- The Fishing Fleet in Essaouira
- The Christian Cemetery
- The Danish Consulate
- Sunset from the Rooftop
- The Doors of Essaouira
- The Birds of Essaouira
Along the Atlantic Coast
Our final day in Morocco includes a lot of driving, but also some great scenery, a fabulous fried fish lunch where the locals eat, and a quick tour of the Chellah in Rabat before settling into our riad for the final night of the trip.
