Morocco, as a tourist destination, offers visitors a mix of traditions and cultures, and gives much more than the beach vacations. British outlet “The Independent” highlighted, in an article published in its Travel Section on Sunday, ten Moroccan vacation spots to enjoy the experience at its fullest.
Toubkal Mountain, the highest peak in North Africa and Morocco, near Marrakech, is one of the top destinations for hikers and mountaineers in Morocco. Visitors can hike, go on a mule-trek, eat locally made food, or visit traditional Amazigh villages.
Todra Gorge is also a premium destination for hikers and climbers. With its 300-meter vertical burnt orange cliffs, the location offers an incredible climbing experience. Many adventure vacation companies offer a trekking or climbing visit to Todra combined with visits to nearby Saharan dune camps.
For surf lovers, Taghazout, near Agadir, is one of Morocco’s and world’s best and most well-known surfing spots for both beginners and experienced surfers. Lessons and courses are widely available, and the best waves come from October to April.
In Morocco’s southern backroads, cyclists may ride through diverse terrains such as smooth paved roads, mule-tracked mountain passes, and palm-fringed asphalt. Two-wheeled tours can take visitors past historic UNESCO-listed landmarks for hundreds of kilometers from the shadows of the Atlas Mountains to the dazzling Saharan sands.
Foodies can learn more about Morocco’s culinary history through traditional meals in any major city in Morocco, but The Independent recommends the city of Chefchaouen. Here, aspiring chefs can learn to make bastilla (a filo dough pastry filled either with chicken, almonds, and cinnamon or fish, Asian vermicelli, cilantro, and hot sauce) and stuffed m’dfouna (somewhat like a calzone, traditionally cooked in coals or buried under hot sand) at cooking classes. Chefchaouen is known for its vegetarian-friendly produce, including fresh local goat cheese, olive oil, orange juice, figs, and more.
One of the most unforgettable experiences that any tourist will have in Morocco is camping (or glamping) in the Sahara Desert. There are dozens of luxury resorts in the desert town of Merzouga on the Erg Chebbi that provide campfire feasts of tagine, tents with bed and plenty of blankets to keep warm in the chilly desert nights, and offer traditional Tamazight or Gnaoua campfire music to accompany a night stargazing beneath the Moroccan sky.
The South Road, Route de Sud in French, provides travelers with a distinctive route via historic red earth towns and desert plants, with views of the Atlantic Ocean, Atlas Mountains, and the Sahara. With a length of almost 1000 kilometers, this route passes through Agadir, Guelmim, Assa, Tata, Foum Zguid, and back up to Ouarzazate. Visitors can see argan trees, palm oases, and the low Anti-Atlas Mountains along the way.
Morocco’s vivid scenery has always provided ample inspiration to ambitious visual artists, with a rich color palette of ochre tones, olive greenery, snowy mountains, deep blue skies with vivid desert sunsets, and the rainbow of wares and spices available at tourist souqs. Marrakech and its surrounding regions are especially known for their vibrant landscapes and cityscapes. Famous for hosting artists from Jacques Majorelle to Henri Matisse, the Marrakech region provides a plethora of panoramic views for sketching, calligraphy, and oil painting throughout its kasbahs, medinas, and citadels.
Through a camera lens is one of the greatest ways to see Morocco’s vibrant views, whether city or rural scenery. In Fes, ancient landmarks collide with cosmopolitan city culture. Here, tourists can capture landscape photos of medieval Marinid buildings, the El Bali walled medina, and a maze of bustling alleyways.
Moroccan hammams are traditional bathhouses with beauty practices dating back thousands of years. Luxury hotels often play host to the best high-end hammams and offer a beautiful blend of relaxation treatments, exfoliants, and bathing.
The Independent presents these mesmerizing experiences with specific recommendations for the best travel agencies for British tourists to enjoy the travel to the kingdom.