[All content and prices updated August 2013]
Why you should add Morocco to your Indie/RTW trip
Morocco packs a lot of exotic into an easy to get to and manageable package. Many people choose to explore Tangier on a day trip from Spain or Gibraltar and that’s definitely a fascinating day, but if you can push on even a little further your effort will be rewarded.
- Morocco has a fascinating culture to explore.
- The Atlas Mountains are a popular destination that offers a completely different experience.
- These mountain ranges are great for group guided adventure tours where you can balance incredible natural scenery with an insightful look at culture and traditions in small villages and settlements.
- The amazing architecture of Tangier.
- Cliché or not, a camel safari is a good way to get to know the dunes and a cool experience to have in Morocco.
- You can spend some time on the beach. Agadir is a very good destination if you have sun and sand on your mind.
- You can go skiing or snowboarding should you visit Morocco in the winter.
- Learn about the amazing Moroccan cuisine by taking a cooking class .
Indie travel tips for Morocco
- If you arrive in Tangier, get yourself to the train station and go to Rabat as a great introduction to the country without all the hassles. It’s a compact and polite version of some of the other cities and it only takes a few hours by train to get there.
- Spend your time checking out the souks in Marrakech.
- Casablanca is usually a short stop on anyone’s itinerary, but allow some time to visit the Hassan II Mosque in the city.
- Visit the tanneries in Fes. And check out the rest of the city, too. After all, it is the world’s largest medieval Islamic settlement.
- Take a walk on the blue streets of Chefchaouen. You can find them in medina.
- Visit the fishing village of Essaouira. Try your luck at surfing or just admire the city walls.
- Use Marrakech as a base and plan to do some trekking in the Atlas Mountains.
- Volubilis and Lixus are two ancient Roman sites easily reachable from the capital Rabat. The latter is way off the beaten path.
Transportation
Many people will arrive in Morocco by ferry from Spain or Gibraltar. Tarifa is the closest and by far the best place from which to leave Spain as it’s a small and charming town on its own. If you are coming from anywhere but Spain you’ll want to book flight into Marrakech.
Accommodation
There are hostels in various Moroccan cities, including Fez and Marrakech, but prices tend to be fairly low in hotels as well, so a private room may be worth getting.