Morocco travel guide
2 minute summary
tagine-like. The flat hot base is the desert, the conical dome Mount Toubkal. And it’s packed with hot, spicy surprises.
for those who like to stick to rules or maps. It’s all a bit off kilter, in a good way.
What we rate & what we don't
Our best & worst of Morocco vacations
Underrated




Family vacations
It’s hot, there are riads with gorgeous pools, kasbahs that are like something out of a fairy tale, snowmelt rivers to raft down, an ocean to surf in, and dunes to climb and clamber over on camels. Best of all, our specialists know when to swap a long walk for a mule ride or a hotel for a family-run mountain gite.
Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains have been on the expert explorers’ radar for a long time, but lovers of Moroccan souks and seaside are now starting to embark on journeys up to these magnificent peaks. Hardcore hikers head for the High Atlas’ Mount Toubkal, but there is superb walking to be had in the lower Atlas range too, with welcoming Berber people at remote mountain villages along the way.
Cycling
With dirt roads, mountains and plenty of heat, Morocco has breath-taking biking. You can go mountain biking from the Atlas Mountains to the desert, with the omnipresent snowcapped mountains an exhilarating backdrop as you take on the ups and downs of Atlas ascents and desert descents. With an ever expanding network of quiet tarmac roads, road cycling is growing in the Morocco too.
Fez
If Marrakech is the lion, Fez is the tiger. The one that doesn’t need to roar about how beautiful it is, and long admired for its innate elegance. It has a superbly preserved ancient Islamic heritage, with Attarine Madrassa, Moulay Idriss mausoleum and Karaouine Mosque as highlights. Its heart is the labyrinthine, car-free Fez el-Bali medina. The Fez Festival of Sacred Music in June is a fab event too.
Rated




Meeting the Berbers
The indigenous people of Morocco, and traditionally nomadic, most Berbers are now in settled communities around the lower and High Atlas Mountains, and Rif Mountains. Stay with a Berber family in the Sahara, trek with them into the High Atlas as they bring their livestock up to summer pastures, or take a traditional guided trek into the mountains with donkeys or camels.
Chefchaouen
This beautiful blue painted town appears in the slopes of the Rif Mountains like a sapphire glinting through a rock face. Perhaps inspired by its aesthetic, it has also become a center for quality artists and artisan crafts people. And with the mountains and Talassemtane National Park as a backdrop, the artist’s palette is replete.
Using a guide
Not only does it make negotiating your way around the souks, Sahara, mountains or medinas much easier, but it’s also a vital source of income in a country that is very dependent on tourism. Moroccans have a great sense of humour, are beyond welcoming and very proud of their country. Responsible tour operators always engage a local guide to accompany you – meaning your trip will be made all the more memorable and fun.
Mount Toubkal
The highest peak in North Africa at 4,167m, Mount Toubkal is for hikers who have trained for the climb, the challenges increasing with each contour change. Most treks start in the village of Imlil in the heart of Toubkal National Park, where the smell of juniper, cedar and Aleppo pine abound. Then you hit the colder arid steppe, where nature turns a little more hostile to hikers. A serious trek, so only do it with an expert mountain guide. But do it.
Overrated




Agadir
In 1960, Agadir was hit by an earthquake which destroyed everything including the ancient Kasbah. And now tourism seems intent on destroying the new city. With all-inclusive resorts, bars and casinos standing alongside mosques, a seedy nightlife scene in some parts, and tacky tourist tat, it is an all-round beacon of irresponsible tourism.
Chez Ali
Coachloads of tourists are shipped out of Marrakech to experience the dinner spectacular at Chez Ali and eat mountainous tajines and couscous at large round tables in a huge Caidal tent. With displays of regional costumes, dance and fantasia horsemanship. Get a good local guide and seek out the real spectacles instead. Morocco is falling down with moussems, or festivals, that honour marabouts, or local saints.
Golf courses
There are over 20 golf courses in Morocco, with development of new ones – along with the accompanying water usage and infrastructure – happening as quickly as you can say, “Fore!” And with only five courses GEO certified, the international standard for eco courses, golf really is becoming the bogeyman of Moroccan tourism.
Develop or die
It has been like the Arab Spring of tourism in Morocco – a revolution of revellers as hordes of vacationmakers are dropped in by budget airlines. With the 5.5 million visitors in 2005 more than doubling to 13 million in 2019, the development of multinational golf, hotel and ski resorts has gone ballistic. Little of the money stays with local people, who have to put up with congestion, water shortages and social unrest.
Food, shopping & people
Travel like a local on your Morocco vacation
Eating & drinking in Morocco
People & language
French is also widely spoken among older people, with smatterings of Spanish and English among younger people. Although at least 80 percent of the population is Berber, the language has only been taught in schools since 2009.
Thank you is ake issrebeh moulana in Berber and
shukran in Moroccan Arabic.
Hello is manzakine or salam in Berber and ahlan in Moroccan Arabic.
Gifts & shopping
Rose products make the sweetest gifts. Check out cooperatives along the Dades valley in particular.
It’s a shame for those with nut allergies as the almonds and walnuts are amazing. You can always find them a date, though.
Genuine handmade Berber carpets can be purchased and shipped direct from the artisans’ workshops. Go into small villages, such as in the province of Ouarzazate, to see them at work. Make sure to bring your measurements on vacation with you.
Fast facts
How much does it cost?
Pigeon pastille: £10
Tagine in small local restaurant: £3
One way train ticket Tangiers to Fez: £9
Large bag of nuts and dates: £3
A brief history of Morocco
Luxury trekking vacation in the Atlas Mountains
Stay at the Kasbah and trek in style
Morocco vacation, Marrakech to the Sahara
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Kasbah du Toubkal in the Atlas Mountains
Peace and quiet only 40 miles from Marrakech
Mount Toubkal climb in Morocco
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Stay at Kasbah du Toubkal to trek in style then in Marrakech
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Stray from the beaten path in Morocco on an all-female trip