If you love nature and enjoy doing trekking and discovering fascinating landscapes, this is your perfect itinerary to travel through Morocco.
On this trip we move away from the North part of the country to be able to enjoy some of the most interesting cities, to enjoy a bedouin experience in the Sahara desert and to do some trekking in one of the most wonderful gorges of the world.
Itinerary to discover Morocco in 14 days
Fez: 2 days
Fez is mainly known for its medina (Fes El Bali), a perfect place to get lost to discover its little alleys ending in small squares with fountains, spice shops, etc.
One of the most fascinating things of this city are the outdoors leather tanneries, where you’ll see numerous stone vessels filled with a vast range of dyes and various liquids spread out like a tray of watercolors where textiles are dyed the traditional way.
Tip: if you visit any of the tanneries it’s likely that some local will approach you with some mint. Don’t be scared – accept it and place the mint near your nose while you visit the tannery, it will help you during your visit, as some of the natural ingredients used to tan the leather is pigeon poo so the smell is not great! 😀
How do I get to Fez: there’s an international airport with frequent flights. From the airport you can take one of the many taxis awaiting at the main door to take you to your accommodation.
Chouara Tannery is one of the three tanneries in the city of Fez, Morocco. Built in the 11th century, it is the largest tannery in the city. It is located in the Fes el Bali, the oldest medina quarter of the city, near the Saffarin Madrasa along the river.
Todra Gorges: 2 days
The Todgha Gorges are a series of limestone river canyons, or wadi, in the eastern part of the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco, near the town of Tinerhir. Both the Todgha and neighbouring Dades Rivers are responsible for carving out these deep cliff-sided canyons, on their final 40 kilometres through the mountains.It is a top destination if you are into trekking or alpinism.
Tip: if you are going into the gorge or want to do any hike outside of the marked paths remember to hire a professional guide.
How to get here from Fez: the best way is to stop in Errachidia (you can get there by public bus), and then take another bus until Tinerhir/Boumalne (you can also do this section of the trip by shared taxi).
The best time to visit is in the morning, when the sunshine briefly illuminates the gorge in a golden moment of welcome. Souvenir vendors and tour buses clog the centre in afternoons, until it suddenly turns dark and bitterly cold. Through the gorge and 18km up the road is the Berber village of Tamtetoucht, with Imilchil some 95km beyond.
Sahara Desert / Merzouga: 3 days
The Sahara is a unique place in the world, and what better way to discover it than adventuring into the desert for a few days. I recommend you to join some excursion with the berbers to be able to travel in the desert by camel (or walking, after a few hours your bum will need a rest :D) and camping with them at some of their settlements with jaimas near some hidden water spot they are able to discover.
Ti: you can spend a night in Merzouga in a typical mud house (I spent the night in Chez Julia), and arrange directly from your accommodation some tour to spend a couple of days in the desert. Remember to negotiate so you get meals and water included in the price!
How to get here from Todra Gorge: the best option is by shared taxi. Ask in your accommodation where shared taxis normally stop and considering it’s a very popular route (passing by Tinghir and Erfoud) you won’t have any poblem.
Even on the hottest days, once the sun sets, the temperature drops considerably. Be prepared to layer up if you want to sleep under the stars. Even when sleeping in a tent, you’ll want an extra layer as night falls. A sunhat is a must as are strong UV sunglasses for the sunset or sunrise trek to and from the camp. Close-toed shoes are best for the camel trek while long pants are certainly advisable as well.
Essaouira: 2 days
After spending a few days in the desert, what a better way to change scenery than going to a coast city. Essaouira is idilic: fresh fish caught every day in the harbour, a small medina very open to foreigners, beautiful little guest houses…
Tip: don’t miss the sunset from the harbour.
How to get here from Merzouga: take the Supratours bus to Ouarzazate and a second bus from here to Essaouira. Alternatively you can do this by shared taxi). It is a long trip so you’ll spend a whole day traveling, enjoy the views!
The fish market at Essaouira is an amazing place. Muddy, chaotic, bustling, it is a wonderful assault on all your sense!. Countless species of fish and other marine creatures (sea urchins, oysters, sea snails, limpets, etc.) are brought in by the local fishermen fresh each day.
Marrakech: 3 days
Without doubt Jemaa el-Fnaa square is the most interesting thing in this city. You’ll find snake whisperers, acrobat monkeys, juice sellers, stalls to have something to eat… It is a vibrant place and pretty busy for dinner time. The medina of Marrakech deserves a day to be explored since it’s pretty big. You can do some last minute shopping here before taking your flight back home.
Tip: enjoy a coffee in the Cafe de France, from where you’ll be able to contemplate the busy life of the square from above.
How to get here from Essaouira: there are a couple of daily buses (around 7€), but you can also get here by shared taxi as the trip is only around two and a half hours.
