Over30Experiences Morocco Trip Report

In 2022, I was fortunate to join the first ever Under30Experiences Morocco trip. The culture and the landscapes of Morocco left me wanting more. Over the years, as we continued to operate this itinerary, our travelers frequently commented that they wanted to see more of this beautiful country. 

Though our 8-day itinerary has continued to be a success, we wanted to offer an extended version of this trip to provide more time in Morocco and see more of the country. At first, this extended itinerary was designed for our Over30Experiences community, but now the itinerary has departure dates for Under30Experiences, too!

My Day-by-Day Morocco Trip Review

Welcome to Tangier!

This 11-day Morocco adventure begins in Tangier, a unique city bearing multicultural heritage. Located on the northern tip of Africa and across the Gibraltar Strait from Europe, Tangier is often overshadowed by Morocco’s other cities, such as Fez, Chefchaouen, and Marrakech. However, what makes Tangier unique is that it offers a bit of both European and African vibes. 

After picking up the group at the airport and checking into our hotel, our Trip Leader led us on a brief orientation talk to the historic quarter and its bustling medina. Like all Moroccan bazaars, Tangier’s Medina is home to narrow streets filled with shops and street vendors selling various crafts. There are also plenty of little cafés to pop into for a coffee or mint tea when you need a break from the hustle and bustle. These cafés are a great place to grab a street-side table and observe the goings of everyday life.

Youseff, our Trip Leader, helped us acclimate to the layout of Tangier’s historic center on a brief walking tour. He pointed out a few restaurants, the main streets of the medina, and explained the basics of bargaining. Afterward, a few of us had our first Moroccan tagine at a local restaurant while others explored the streets of the medina, practicing those bargaining skills.. Later that evening, we all went out for our first group meal and learned more about one another and what the next eleven days of our trip entailed.

Morocco Tip: If you are having difficulty finding a good flight route into Tangier, you can also fly into Casablanca and then take the express train to Tangier, which is about a 2.5-hour journey.

Further reading: Morocco's Marvels, Surprises at Morocco's Marvels, Surprises at Every Turn for a solo female traveler perspective on Morocco.

Tangier Immersion and Chefchaouen

Today, our group was joined by a local guide who took us around to see the main highlights of Tangier. These highlights included Perdicaris Park, where we took in the view of the Gibraltar Strait and were able to see the continent of Europe off in the distance. After getting our group picture at the overlook, we continued our drive to the Cap of Spartel, which is home to a historic lighthouse and more beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean. What’s pretty cool is that the lighthouse is featured on the Moroccan currency. Don’t forget to be the ultimate tourist and take a picture of the currency with the lighthouse in the background!

Next up, we took a short walk through the Caves of Hercules, where legend has it that Hercules rested here after separating the continents of Europe and Africa. Though it’s a brief excursion into the caves, it was cool to walk in and see the Atlantic Ocean through openings along the cliff walls. The caves are quite big, so no need to worry about claustrophobia. 

At this point, you may be thinking that's a lot to do in one morning! Yes, it was a lot of on and off of our private van, but the views and learning about these different areas of Tangier were all worth it. Most travelers come to Tangier only to visit the historic quarter, so seeing more of what Tangier has to offer was great. But speaking of the historic quarter, before saying goodbye to Tangier and our local guide, we returned to the inner city and were led on a walking tour of the Kasbah, one of the oldest parts of the city. Along the tour, we walked the city’s walls and old alleyways and learned a little more about the history of Tangier.

Morocco Tip: Our itinerary offered only a short time in this beautiful city, so if you want to experience more of Tangier or have time to recover from jetlag before your trip starts, I suggest arriving early in Morocco.

After a jammed-packed morning exploring the sights of Tangier, we loaded into our private van and began our journey to Chefchaouen, stopping for lunch along the way.

Upon arriving at Chefchaouen, we checked into our hotel and had time to rest and unwind. A few of us walked up to a local café for coffee and mint tea before rejoining our Trip Leader, Youseff, who led us up the hill to the Spanish Mosque to enjoy a beautiful sunset.

We ended the day with a home-cooked meal at a local home that included fresh goat cheese, chicken tajine, steamed vegetables, and hot mint tea. It was great eating alongside our host and learning more about the people and customs of the Rif mountains directly from him.

Chefchaouen, the Blue City

As I explained earlier, after operating our Under30Experiences 8-day Morocco trip for a few years, many of our travelers have asked to see more of Morocco. One of the main cities that kept coming up in those conversations was the city of Chefchaouen, commonly known as the Blue City. I’m sure most of you have seen a photo or two of the famous blue-washed buildings in Chefchaoen’s old town. If not, I highly recommend you look it up now and check out the photo below!

You can read my article on Chefchaouen, the Blue City.

Though there is a bit of history to Chefchaouen and its strategic location to help defend the mainland of Morocco during wartime, modern visitors travel to Chefchaouen for photos! It is a beautiful, artsy city with so many nooks and crannies to get those idyllic Instagram shots or make those TikTok clips. Our local guide, who took us on a walking tour of the city, embraced exactly that. I can’t tell you how often he took one of our cameras and positioned us to capture the most photogenic pose possible. It was not his first time doing these pics for his groups, and he knew the best spots in the city.

Besides taking photos, the old city of Chefchaouen is filled with boutique shops selling arts and crafts, handmade hats, plenty of clothing, and Moroccan rugs. Like most other medinas, you can grab coffee or tea at a café and people-watch. A few of us checked out the Ethnographic Museum of Chefchaouen, which is located right in the main square of the Kasbah.

Volubilis Archeological Site

Leaving Chefchaouen behind, we began making our way to Fes. But first, we stopped at the Ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis, which dates back to the 1st century. Although nature and thievery have eroded what was once a beautiful city, there’s still plenty that remains of Volubilis, and, amongst the ruins, there are lots of different things to see. The Triumphal Arch still spans the main street showcasing a worn-down image of the Roman emperor with a chariot of horses. There are well-preserved oil presses and mosaics scattered throughout the archeological site. 

After we toured the ruins, we continued our drive to the city of Fes and had a bit of downtime at our riad, a traditional Moroccan house or palace with an indoor garden and courtyard that have been converted into accommodations throughout most of Morocco. This evening, we had a pastilla cooking demonstration that we were very excited about. This experience was hosted at another beautiful riad where we watched a woman demonstrate the technique of making pastilla, savory chicken pie made with crispy, flaky phyllo dough and a tender shredded chicken filling, seasoned with warm North African flavors including Ras El Hanout, ginger, and cinnamon. After the host's demonstration, a few of us got our hands in the action and tried the process ourselves. We then dined on this delicious delicacy that is most famous in the city of Fes.

Exploring the Medina of Fes

Fes’ main attraction is the medina, North Africa’s oldest and largest, which dates back to the 9th century! We were led through the maze-like alleyways by a local guide who made it clear that if you lose the group, it's best to stop where you are because it’s easier for her or another guide to find you than for you to make your way out on your own. And trust me when I say you don’t want to lose your group because the medina is chaotic!

That said, with our trusty guide to take us around, we got to see a lot. Among those were a workshop specializing in mosaics, the largest and oldest leather tannery in Africa, the University of Al-Quaraouiyine, and Souk El Attarine, the market of perfume and spice. Again, the medina is a chaotic place to be, but don’t be overwhelmed; pay attention to where your guide is leading you and take in the sights as you move around.

After about 30 minutes of riding the camels, we stopped for a break to explore the surrounding dunes and take in the sunset. Cameras were broken out for selfies and group pics, shoes were kicked off to feel the sand between our toes, and a few of us even took to rolling down the dunes like 5-year-olds at the beach. 

After watching the sunset, we returned to our camels and rode another 15 minutes or so to our desert camp. Now, if you are thinking that we came up on a nylon tarp fastened up to a few aluminum poles, think again. We were welcomed to a picturesque oasis of canvas tents, rugged-laid walkways, and solar-powered lights guiding us through the camp, all the way to the lounge, where our hosts welcomed us with hot mint tea and damp towels to clean our faces. This was not your pitch-a-tent-in-the-backyard type of experience; we were glamping in the Sahara, where we had hot showers, air-conditioned rooms, and a delicious fresh-cooked meal.

Late that night, after our meal, we gathered for a bonfire and listened to our hosts play traditional drumbeat music while dancing around and having a good time. Once the party settled, we walked out to the dunes and lay in the sand, looking up at a canopy of stars and enjoying a bit of desert silence.

Todgha Gorge

Most of us got up early to watch the sunrise in the Sahara and even attempted to sandboard down one of the smaller dunes. Then, we feasted on a buffet-style breakfast of breads, cheeses, jams, and eggs that our camp hosts provided. 

After breakfast, we met our desert guides and embarked on another camel ride out of the camp and through the dunes. Today, we would be leaving the Sahara behind.

Our main destination of the day was the Todgha Gorges, a series of limestone river canyons in the eastern part of the High Atlas Mountains. These are some of Morocco’s top attractions, hosting climbers, bikers, hikers, and photographers, all coming to experience these epic canyon walls.

On our way to the Todgha Gorges, we first stopped off at a local's home who welcomed us in for another home-cooked meal. This lunch was organized by Youseff, our Trip Leader, who has multiple friends in the region. These experiences are designed to bring additional income to the families in the areas where we travel. This is a special aspect of the Under30Experiences trips, for we incorporate ways to support local communities that often get overshadowed by the main attractions. The meal was delicious, the home was beautiful, and our hosts, a husband and wife were amazing. 

Later that afternoon, after settling into our accommodation, we went for a gentle 90-minute walk through the gardens, palm groves, and farmlands nestled along the river leading to the Todgha Gorge. We learned about the local flora and fauna from a local guide from one of the nearby communities and ended our walk by entering the canyon and being awed by the sheer cliffs on both sides. We all then understood what makes this geological area one of Morocco’s top attractions.

Ait Benhaddou

On the way to Ait Benhaddou, we stopped in the town of Ouarzazateto to join the optional activity of visiting the Atlas Film Studios. Though I had been here before, I was still excited because it was a special experience. I was also surprised to learn that a few new movies and TV shows have been shot here since I last visited in 2022. Among the movies and shows filmed here over the years are Lawrence of Arabia, Black Hawk Down, Gladiator, and Game of Thrones.

After having some fun at the film studio, it was time to continue to the day’s main destination, Ait Behhaddou. This charming little town is home to one of the most spectacular ksars in Morocco and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ksars are a group of earthen buildings surrounded by high walls, which is a traditional pre-Saharan habitat. The houses crowd together within the defensive walls, which are reinforced by corner towers.

We were led through this ancient village, which is still home to a few families, by a local guide whose family is originally from the town. Once an important center for trade and commerce along the caravan routes, Ait Benhaddou now receives all of its commerce from tourism. We walked through the old alleyways and went in and out of local houses to see how the buildings were constructed. 

After walking around the village and climbing to the highest peak to see the spectacular 360-degree view, we visited a women’s cooperative specializing in making Moroccan rugs. Here, we received a brief demonstration of how the women make the rugs and learned more about the process and designs of the rugs by one of the ladies who manages the co-op. These rugs are beautiful, and before leaving the co-op, several of our travelers purchased some rugs to support the cause and decorate their rooms back home.

Arrival to Marrakech

Our journey to Marrakech involved driving through the High Atlas Mountains and crossing Tizi N’ Tichka, one of Morocco’s highest mountain passes. The views along this drive are amazing. However, if you easily get motion sick, it’s highly recommended that you bring some meds for this drive.

Upon arriving in Marrakech, we checked into a beautiful riad just outside the medina. Once we all settled into our rooms and drank our mint tea, which was provided as a welcome drink, we headed to the medina to explore and shop. Our Trip Leader informed us that Marrakech was the best place to shop and where we would find the best bargains. And he wasn’t lying! The alleyways of Marrakech’s medina are littered with arts, crafts, clothes, leather goods, ceramics, teapots, etc, etc. Pretty much anything and everything you can think of can be found in Marrakech’s medina. And, of course, a few of us got some ice cream as we walked the streets.

That evening, our Trip Leader led us around the medina on a walking food tour where we sampled Moroccan fried dough, pastries, soup, olives, and fresh fruit smoothies. Our walking tour concluded in the famous Jemaa el Fna square. Jemaa el Fna square is a large public space in the heart of the medina, full of activities ranging from vendors selling crafts, musical performances, dancing, snake charmers, various food vendors, and many people. It’s got wild energy, and as the sun sets and the night takes over, the atmosphere becomes more energetic. Just be mindful of your surroundings because you never know if a vendor is going to place a monkey on your shoulder, ask you to hold a snake, or grab your hand in an attempt to give you a henna tattoo!  

Marrakech City Tour

I left early on this day because I was catching a flight to join the Under30Experiences Portugal trip. Though I was upset to say goodbye to such a great group, I wasn’t too bummed about missing out on time in Marrakech because I had already spent several days in Marrakech on my first trip to Morocco in 2022. Plus, I was coming back to Marrakech again in a few weeks. By the way, combining Morocco and Portugal is a great way to see two countries in the region!

While I was meeting a new group in Portugal, our Morocco group explored more of Marrakech on a walking tour of the medina, which included visits to the Bahia Palace and the Koutoubia Mosque, two must-see attractions in Marrakech.  

During the afternoon, most of the group visited the Jardin Majorelle Gardens, while others pampered themselves with a massage and spa service. That evening, the group gathered for one final dinner in Morocco and reflected on their journey through this amazing country.

Bye, Bye Morocco

Though it was tough to say goodbye to the group and not be with them for the final full day, I can honestly say that I was genuinely grateful to share this experience with them. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to travel with on my first-ever Over30Experiences trip. We enjoyed plenty of laughter, ate lots of delicious food, encountered the beautiful cultures of Morocco’s various regions, and shared experiences that will keep us bonded forever. It's the simple joy that comes with traveling among like-minded people.