Morocco travel guide

There are many surf spots between Agadir and Essaouira. The next one from Essaouira (when you go south) is Sidi Kaouki. There are a few hotels and a popular camping site, which seems to attract "van life" from all walks of life. The surf spot is along a rocky dirt track south of the long sandy beach.

In the flat desert with the Atlas mountains as backdrop lies Skoura, an immense oasis with a deep history. It’s a huge labyrinth of palm groves, fruit trees (almond, walnut, fig, olive, apricot, and more) and vegetable gardens. There several villages within the oasis along with many old kasbahs (fortified mud houses), some falling apart while others have been neatly restored. For centuries Skoura was an important stop on the north-south trading route linking Sahara with the Mediterranean. Today, the oasis makes a fine stop for anyone coming from Marrakech and going east. It’s totally fine to explore the oasis on your own, either on foot, bicycled or car, but it will be easier to find the interesting areas and kasbahs with a guide. Some guides like to point out that the oasis is UNESCO protected, but that is not the case.

From one of the old town squares (Place des Ferblantiers), and especially from the square's rooftop terraces, you have a great view of a somewhat unusual sight - a long row of stork nests. The white storks are lined up on the ancient Palais El Badii overlooking the town, and it is pretty amazing to see the giant birds nesting and fly right over your head. And you cannot help thinking that there must be a truckload of babies delivered to Marrakech with that many storks around...

Tafraoute is a cute oasis town close to the Painted Rocks. It's beautifully nested in a valley with panoramic views of the Anti-Atlas mountains. The spectacular winding journey to get here is half the adventure. And though it's hard to reach, a steady stream of campervans find their way here, meaning there are plenty of cafes, hotels and camping.

You might not believe it, but Morocco is actually home to some world-class surfing. Most surfers head to the coast north of Agadir, where the small village of Taghazout has become the epicenter. Around are numerous spots, generally breaking right over flat rock and sand. And all are easily accessible from the coastal road. The most prominent points include Anchor Point, Killers, and Panoramas. Most accommodation is clustered in Taghazout, where surf shops, rentals, and repairs are literally on every corner. The season runs from mid-September to mid-April – the beginning and end of the season will be ideal for any potential surfers who want to try out smaller waves. The village is set over a small sandy beach, which will make it an enjoyable stop, even for the non-surfing crowd.

The road trip from Marrakech over the Atlas mountains along N9 is one pretty journey. At first it's all flat farmland and monotone villages, but with snowcapped mountains in the horizon. Eventually, you wind your way through hairpin bends up the Atlas mountains with new panoramic views at almost every turn. The road is in excellent condition and stand in sharp contrast to the mostly scruffy villages you pass on the way. There will be plenty of crystal sellers showing their goods along the way. The road trip literally peaks at Morocco's highest road pass, Tizi N'Tichka at 2260 m. From that point it's just down hill through more spectacular sceneries before it smooth out in the stony desert. The road will eventually lead to great sights as Ait Benhaddou and further afield Todra Gorge, Zizi Gorges, and the sand dunes at Zagora (small ones), Merzouga (bigger ones), or M'Hamid (biggest ones).

Todra Gorge is a spectacular narrow gorge in orange limestone. Some sections are so narrow that it looks like the tall gorge walls close in above your head. The gorge is popular with both rock climbers and hikers, but the road trip through (and return) is equally rewarding. A sealed road follows the river bed at the bottom all the way through the gorge and beyond. At about 35 km from Tinghir the gorge ends and the arid landscape opens up and becomes mountainous with snow-covered peaks (in winter). Villages from this point are Berber and mostly made up by adobe houses. This part of the Todra Gorge road trip isn't any less spectacular than the first part through the gorge, just very different with elevated mountain roads and wide views. Along with Dades Gorge, Todra Gorge is one of the best road trips (for 2WD) in whole Morocco - and that tells you something.

In the dry southern Morocco, domesticated goats have developed the skills to climb the branches of argan trees to munch on the fruit. It's a sight to behold.
An interesting fact is, the goats eat the whole fruit, but don't digest the nuts. Those are then collected afterwards to make the very sought after argan oil, which is used in expensive cosmetics or as a delicacy.
Along the road frequented by tourist vehicles between Marrakech and Essaouira, opportunistic farmers have set up fake tree climbing goats to charge for photos. Don't be disappointed because the real ones do exist in Morocco.

Only an hour's drive outside Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains are located. The mountain range extends over 2500 km of North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria) and is over 4000 m at its highest point. There is ample opportunity for a day trek, but there may be very uneven terrain, so it is a good idea to bring real hiking boots. There are lots of little tacky souvenir stalls and "coffee shops" at the beginning of the trek, but when you get past them, there are several beautiful waterfalls in the mountains and a beautiful view of both small Berber villages and snowy peaks.

The Ziz Gorge is another spectacular gorge in Morocco. Ziz river flows at the bottom, while palm oasis and villages dot the riverbank.
Ziz Gorge is traversed by the smooth and wide N13, which unfortunately will take you through the beautiful gorge too fast. There aren't too many official viewpoints along the road, but there are spaces to park a car/motorcycle here and there.