Magnificent Morocco! by Craig Doser

Have you ever wanted to wander in the dunes of the Sahara Desert? How about haggling for spices in the markets at the medina of Marrakech? Or bringing out your inner desert nomad on the back of a Camel? Perhaps you have envisioned wandering the streets of Casablanca while thinking of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman? Possibly dreamed of seeing the snows of N. Africa in the high Atlas Mountains, or maybe visiting the setting of Game of Thrones? Morocco is a country of staggering vistas, ancient history, spectacular food, and friendly people. The list above just begins to scratch the surface of why you should go to Morocco. My G Adventures National Geographics Journeys trip to Morocco was an 8-day whirlwind of sights, sounds, tastes and smells. After a late evening arrival into Casablanca and a quick night of sleep, we headed out to see the country.

First, there is the architecture. The Moorish architecture with arches and mosaics are awesome; but it does not end there. There are ancient city walls, palaces, mosques, minarets, ancient fortresses, kasbahs, and medinas, to mention a few. When you think of North Africa, these very structures are the things that come to your mind’s eye. Not only are the big picture items cool, but there are subtleties. For instance, the Ottoman Empire never made it to Morocco. Because of this, the minarets are not the round shapes you see in Turkey or Dubai, but instead have square sides.  

And as you might expect, the Romans were here. Of course they were! Volubilis is a well-preserved Roman ruin and a UNESCO World Heritage site situated on a hillside with beautiful fields and mountains surrounding it. The ruins of arches, temples, bathhouses and cathedrals are intermixed with the massive living quarters of the wealthy families. The ingenuity and engineering of the Romans never fails to impress. A white stork family had elected to nest on one of the towering marble pillars at the site, adding new life to this slumbering city. But the Berbers were in Morocco before those other groups, and the Berbers remain a huge ethnic group within the country. They sport their own language, customs, foods, arts and more. A trip to Morocco by its very nature has to take in the Berber people and culture; both past and present.  

I am fond of traveling to places for the food. In that, Morocco is no disappointment! The evolution of Moroccan food in parts tells the history of the country, with the influence of Berber, French, Spanish, Jewish and Arabic cuisine. Just think of the spices involved in all of that! Yum!

If for no other reason, head to Morocco for the tagine, couscous, pastilla and the zaalouk. But I suppose I should get to some of the basics. Morocco is slightly larger than the state of California. It borders the Mediterranean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the rest of Africa to the south and east. The result of that is huge geographic diversity. The Mediterranean coastline with rolling hills and olive orchards could easily be mistaken for Greece. The Atlantic coast has pristine beaches. The Sahara Desert - well, you know what the Sahara looks like with its flowing dunes. There are also other gorgeous desert areas that bear an uncanny resemblance to Utah and Nevada. But then you have the Atlas Mountains reaching up to 13,600 feet with snow on them even in May when I visited. We even drove past a ski resort! In Africa, I thought? The scenery is stunning! If you are fond of landscape photography, as I am, this is a great place to work your shutter finger as you watch the moving shadows cross the landscape carving out images of canyons, plateaus, mountains, dunes and seascapes.

Towns range from small nomad tents to the 4 million people living at Casablanca. Fes, a UNESCO world heritage city, boasts being the longest continuously occupied city in the world. Minarets back up against mountains, and kasbahs cozy up to canyons. The eye candy scenery from a trip to Morocco leaves you hungry for more. Getting a taste of the Moroccan urban experience has to include medinas and souks. Knowing that this same market experience has been going on for over a millennium gives a certain magic to it. The medinas are the old city centers with high walls, narrow streets and alleys. They are made up of a labyrinth of narrow passages snaking their way chaotically through the old cities. Within the medina is typically a mosque, bathhouse, and a madrasa; and often a community fountain and bread oven. The souks located within the medina are the individual markets, and are often divided into sections such as food markets, spice sellers, herbalists, clothing, metal workers, tanneries, etc. Cloaked women and religious men in pious clothing join motorbike riders in bright colors, all jammed into tight pathways crowded with displays of turmeric, lavender, luxuriant fabrics, and copper kettles. The cacophony of colors and contrast is fascinating! It would be easy to intentionally get lost in the medinas for days while shopping and people watching.

All of that said, my biggest highlight was the Sahara desert. Perhaps that was about Lawrence of Arabia. Or perhaps all of the romantic images stored in my head of camel trains crossing the desert. In any event, seeing the dunes that went on forever and watching the camel trains being led across them was breathtaking and beautiful. And yes, of course I had to ride a camel. I am told that it is a 52-day camel trek from Marrakech to Timbuktu. In my personal opinion, that would be a really long time to be on a camel! It’s not a bad ride, and I do recommend it; but 52 days would be a bit much.

The common languages spoken in Morocco are Moroccan Arabic and Berber language. However, since both French and Spanish were colonial languages in Morocco, they are also widely spoken. The largest group of tourists to Morocco come from Spain, and I personally had good luck speaking Spanish there when English failed. That said, English was much more available for use than I had anticipated.

Morocco is a modern destination with an ancient past. It has modern highways and airports. It’s clean. ATMs are plentiful. Our hotels felt safe and pleasant. Train and air services are good. It’s a country that welcomes tourism. By chance, my trip there coincided with Ramadan. Nonetheless, we were warmly received. The people of Morocco genuinely were happy to have us visiting their country. And if you are interested in getting some sunshine, it did not disappoint during my trip.

It is a country that should make your A-list of places to visit. It offers the unparalleled combination of welcoming people, modern infrastructure, ancient history, exquisite cuisine, diverse cultures, and stunning geography. Try to err on the side of making your trip longer instead of shorter. You would not try to see every corner of California in a week, and you should not try to do it in Morocco either.  

Getting there: The easiest way to get to Morocco is by air. Many major European carriers fly there, as well as discount carriers such as RyanAir or Air Arabia Maroc. There is a ferry service from Spain to Tangier as an alternative. Dates to travel depend upon your chosen activity. It can be 125 F in the Sahara in the summer, but the roads over the Atlas Mountains can be covered in feet of snow in the winter. Spring and autumn are best for most visitors. Adventures for Alaskans would be happy to help you plan your vacation to Morocco. Please contact us! My thanks to G Adventures for allowing me to participate in their 8-day National Geographic Journeys trip to Morocco. It was a fabulous introduction to a fantastic country.