2 Weeks in Morocco

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Following our tour of Sri Lanka in 2017, Sarah and I eyed up other destinations that might also be suitable for in-country travels during a two week break from work.

After some deliberation we settled on Morocco. A diverse country with bustling, ancient cities, incredible mountain ranges and deserts, and a fascinating and welcoming culture.

We started in Marrakesh. Exploring the labyrinth of souks which form the old part of the city and dropping into attractions such as the Maison de la Photographie and Yves Saint Laurent's Jardin Majorelle.

A father sleeping at the entrance to his shop. Inside his children sit at a table
A man sits beside large bags of spices in a market
A photograph of a print of a photograph featuring a portrait of a Moroccan man looking out at the viewer
A man in a suit rides by on a motorbike. The background is blurred
Two kittens play through the gap in a motorbike wheel
A man in a market uses using a homemade lathe to create chess pieces. He uses one hand to turn the lathe, the other to hold the carving tool and his foot to guide it along the wood's surface
Some details of a water feature in the Jardin Majorelle. Blue plantpots and green plants reflected in the water
Sarah walking along a path in a garden

Atlas Mountains

Next it was off to the Atlas mountains for a spot of hill walking. A local guide kept us from getting lost as we trekked the hills around Imlil and experienced a different pace of life in the small villages where we stopped each night.


Sarah standing on a dusty hillside with mountains in the background
Sarah walking through a boulder field with the sun breaking over a hill in the distance
Different coloured layers of the Atlas mountains. Green, beige and red
Sarah stands at the foot of a waterfall
A river running through a gorge in the Atlas mountains
A young moroccan boy on a dusty path
A young moroccan boy holding a goat
Sarah relaxing on a balcony with mountains in the background
A young boy running past a house with mountains in the background
A group walking across a dusty hillside in the distance
A group of children crowd round a motorbike with mountains in the background
A goat silhouetted against the sky
The town of Imlil at sunset

Tangier

We made our way back to Marrakesh and from there boarded an overnight train to Tangier. The idea was that by travelling overnight we would avoid sacrificing a day to the long journey. We would wake up at our destination refreshed and ready to explore the city.

The reality was somewhat different.

The universe it seemed was conspiring against this plan, particularly the idea that I would get any sleep on the train. We boarded and clambered up to our top bunks to discover that the beds were about a foot shorter than I was. A very nice Korean couple entered the room to claim the beds below us. The husband quickly drifted off to sleep and, to the wife's embarrassment, began to snore at a volume which impressively dwarfed the clacking of the train along the tracks. It was at this point I found that the window at the bottom of my bed didn't shut. My feet grew cold, exposed to the rushing air as we hurtled across the countryside. Seeking comfort under my blanket was no use as, when the train pulled into the stations along the way, the temperature inside the carriage quickly rose above those found in most saunas.

So we spent a bleary eyed afternoon enjoying the views over the water from our roof terrace and, after a snooze, enjoyed exploring the city.


A boy smiles standing at a colourful fruit stall in a market
An older woman sits on the front step of a blue house
Sarah wearing a red dress, walking down some blue steps, while the wind blows her hair across her face
A boy on his phone at the foot of some colourful stairs

Chefchaouen

The blue pearl. Possibly our favourite city on route. The medina is a fantastic labyrinth to explore and less chaotic than the larger cities. The short walk up to the Spanish Mosque at sunset provides an incredible view over the city with the light flooding in from behind.


A woman in a blue dress walks down a blue painted street
A mother pokes out from a door to call to her daughter who is playing outside
A kitten with very blue eyes
A boy catching oranges which are being washed downstream
Looking out through some cacti over Chefchaouen at sunset
A young boy herds sheep above Chefchaouen at sunset
Sarah sitting on a balcony looking out over Chefchaouen at night

Fez

Next it was on to Fez. Home of the famous Chouara Tannery and every shop owner nearby trying to convince you that the view from their balcony is the best you'll get. The more courteous ones give out sprigs of mint to hold up to your nose as you look out over the sprawl of wells filled with pungent dye. The workers unfazed as they submerge themselves up to their waists.

Other than that the souks are not that different from those in Marrakesh so we ventured out of the medina to wander around quieter parts of the city and take in the sunsets from a nearby hillside.


A man working in an open air leather tannery.
A man working in an open air leather tannery.
A man working in an open air leather tannery.
Sarah holds mint to her nose while looking out over the tannery
A man is half submerged in a vat of dye while working in an open air leather tannery.
Three children are happy while being pushed along in a wheelbarrow
Two women walk past an old castle wall
A man on a motorbike is highlighted by the sun behind him
Two women look out over Fez at sunset
Sarah walking along a dirt road at sunset with hills in the background
A gap in an old building shows a motorbike silhouetted against an orange sky

Essaouira

Finally we made our way to Essaouira, the bohemian coastal town. This journey wasn't without it's excitement either. We boarded an early train from Fez and settled into our compartment for the journey. I'd downloaded a few films onto my phone to pass the time, one of which was the documentary Icarus in which the presenter seeks to find out how much he could increase his cycling endurance by taking performance enhancing drugs.

I don't particularly enjoy thinking about injections at the best of times, so the decision to watch a documentary in which they feature heavily, whilst on a hot train early in the morning, was somewhat of a lapse in judgement. A montage which showed the protagonist's repeated injections of the drugs into his thigh was enough to tip me over the edge. My vision narrowed and my hearing deafened and I could feel the pain au chocolat that I had just eaten begin to make its way north.

I got up and staggered down the carriage corridor, holding onto the guide rail for physical (and navigational) support. I found the toilet at the end of the carriage and waved goodbye to the pain au chocolat as it disappeared down the pan. It would be several months before I plucked up the courage to finish the documentary.

The rest of our time in Essaouira passed with less drama, I didn't even really make the effort to take a lot of photographs. We were content sitting on our rooftop and on the beach reading books and eating good food. A fantastic end to the trip.


A man working on his boat in Essaouira
A fisherman surrounded by seagulls

From Essaouira we made our way back for a final night in Marrakesh before flying home.

We had a great time exploring this incredible country. If I were to reflect on whether we would do anything differently I would probably say we erred on the side of too many stops but, given that two of our favourite places - Chefchaouen and Essaouira - were at opposite ends of the route, I'm not sure what we would change.

I'd love to head back out and explore some of the desert regions, or do some paragliding in the Atlas mountains, or some surfing down in Agadir.

A return visit someday seems inevitable.

If you enjoyed this post then you might also enjoy a similar write up of our trip to Sri Lanka

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