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Morocco

6

Reasons To
Visit Morocco

  • Berber Culture

    The Berbers are the indigenous people of Morocco. During the Arab conquest they retreated into their mountain strongholds and took refuge in the inhospitable deserts of the south. This is where their culture persists, based around fortified dwellings; a strong sense of community and an ability to cope with almost any hardship.

    Berber Culture

  • Desert

    The Sahara washes into Morocco at its western extremities, and the Erg Chebbi sand sea is the best place to see this. Passing first through dramatic ridges of blackened rock, the going becomes sandier and sandier, until you're eventually confronted with towering dunes and the best sunsets in Morocco.

    Desert

  • Kasbahs

    A kasbah is a fortified village, made from traditional pisé, or mud brick. Their distinctive towers, with ornate windows, are a dominant feature of the Moroccan landscape, none more so than along the Dades and Draa Valleys in the south: some have been converted into hotels, so you can even spend the night in your very own kasbah.

    Kasbahs

  • Medinas

    At the heart of any old Moroccan city will be the medina, the vital core encircled by walls punctuated by ornamental gates. It's in the medina that you'll nearly always find the souqs, and there will probably be a number of old palaces too: some of these are now hotels, some are museums, while others are abandoned and decaying gracefully.

    Medinas

  • Mountains

    The High Atlas are home to Jebel Toubkal, at over 4,100m the highest mountain in north Africa and a challenging climb. But the Atlas mountains also offer gentler hikes, perfect just to appreciate the scenery, the cool, clean air, and to enjoy Berber hospitality in remote villages.

    Mountains

  • Souqs & Shopping

    The souqs of Marrakesh are the most famous in the country, but almost every town has its souq. Those of Fez seem endless and labyrinthine, whilst those in Taroudant are much more compact and sell the simple goods that the local, rural population need. It's unlikely you'll escape from Morocco without doing a bit of shopping at some point!

    Souqs & Shopping

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Excursions in Morocco: Ait Benhaddou & Telouet Tour

Visit two of Morocco's most famous kasbahs, Ait Benhaddou and Telouet, on a tour through the country's stunning Ouarzazate Valley.

Ait Benhaddou, Morocco

Ait Benhaddou & Telouet Tour

Marrakesh, Morocco
  • Culture & History

The road southeast from Marrakesh towards Ouarzazate climbs the Tizi-n-Tichka, one of the most dramatic passes in Morocco. However the easiest route to Ouarzazate lies to the east of this modern road, a narrow, graded track suitable only for 4x4 vehicles. The story behind this is partly told in the two kasbahs you see today, Ait Benhaddou and Telouet. Linking these kasbahs is the Oued Mellah valley, once a major trading route.

In the first of the kasbahs you will visit, Telouet, there are but a few rooms that can still be seen, as much of the kasbah has been closed off by falling ceilings and unsafe walls. However, the tiled walls, fluted pillars, beautifully painted wooden ceilings and coloured glass windows of the reception rooms allow you to imagine what it must have been like in its prime.

At the other end of the valley, after a 4x4 drive past Berber villages terraced into impossible mountainsides, and centuries old troglodyte dwellings, is Ait Benhaddou, another Glaoui kasbah used to control the Oued Mellah trade route. This is the most famous of all Moroccan kasbahs, largely due to its appearance in numerous Hollywood films. Under the auspices of UNESCO, villagers have been encouraged and assisted to move back into the fortified dwellings, thus ensuring that they are maintained and repaired after each winter's rain. Thus it is one of the best preserved and most beautiful examples of Atlas fortified architecture.

Further reading:
MoroccoWhen to GoHighlightsItinerary IdeasPlaces to GoThings to DoAccommodationAbout MoroccoCountry Guides

Other countries in North Africa & the Middle East:
EgyptIranJordanLebanonLibyaOmanSyriaTunisia

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