If wanting to visit Morocco properly (or most countries for that matter) in a short period of time, I strongly recommend renting a vehicle (RV, car, motorbike, whatever!). It gives the leisure to stop and go as one likes, take whatever pictures one desires and enjoy the small, remote mountain village gems hidden in central and southern Morocco.
It was also the best (and sometimes only) way to get around the Anti-Atlas and the Haut-Atlas mountain chains that I had, until then, only read about in my grade 5 geography class. My ten day vacation in central Morocco was as follows:
Rabat – Essaouira
Catching the 6:00am train from Rabat to Marrakesh, I was able to rent a car at 370DH ($46 Canadian, which admittedly should have been better bargained for) for the day. Looking back on the experience now, the cost was worth it.
From Marakesh, the expensive rental went to Essaouira, my favourite city in Morocco where I indulged in two days of sightseeing, eating awesome tagines (especially at the restaurant Laayoune!!!), and best of all, my first camel ride!
Essaouira – Agadir
On the coastal road from Essaouira to Agadir, I passed villages lined with banana trees. Everything was closed due to Eid, which allowed lazy days spent playing in the water and resting on the sands of the beautiful resort beaches of Agadir. AND YES!!!! I did actually get to see the goats hanging out of the argan trees!
Agadir – Taroudant – Paradise Valley – Immouzzer des Ida Outanane
The drive was a lot more challenging leaving the coast and entering central Morocco, mostly due to the occurrence of torrential rain and thick fogs that ensued. Paradise Valley, despite the overcast sky, was stunning, as were the mountain views. Unfortunately, “les cascades d’Immouzzer” were completely dry! It was not the right season to visit the area. With few tourists at the falls, I was the target for the usual tourist scams and ended up shelling out far more cash than I would have liked. In one instance, which I found quite sad, a mute Berber villager with one tooth stripped down to his underwear and jumped off of the rocks into a sketchy pool below. I was then expected to pay the man for the show. I would have given him the money NOT to do it… but anyways….
The above – Marrakesh
Finally arriving to Marrakesh in the evening, it was really difficult to find a hotel. Settling into one above budget near the Sofitel, I tried to mentally prepare myself for Jmaa el Fna and its market madness. But oh wow does Marrakesh deliver: great shopping, really fancy restaurants and AMAZING local food (especially the couscous!). To see all the sites Marrakesh had to offer in only two days, I opted for a bus tour, which was very informative. Highlights include the Palais Badi and the Koutoubia.
A very awesome vacation overall!
Ten years ago I set a goal to visit 30 countries by my 30th birthday. With no plan or country list to fulfill this goal, I decided to let life take me where it wished.
“See Simi Travel Blog | Adventures of a travel snob“, is just that. The account of an ex-20-something year exploring the world, usually solo, and on a very limited budget.
Every other week I try to tell you a story about the friends, food, fun and fails I’ve had along the way.
