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From ancient cities to Saharan dunes, Morocco is one of those destinations that truly captures your imagination; a dizzying diversity awaits travelers whether you’re interested in trekking in the desert, shopping in the maze of medinas, or simply people watching.

With vivid images of lyrical landscapes, richly colored souks, exotic culture and a diverse geography, this is a bucket-list destination if there ever was one, and there is so much to see and do.

Morocco is captivating, dazzling, and seductive. It is a country that will fascinate, bewitch and beguile you. It is exotic in the true sense of the word, and has hundreds of faces, sounds, smells, and stories just waiting to be uncovered.

Whether you’re browsing Morocco vacation packages, or organizing the trip yourself, the following are epic things to do in Morocco.

Epic Adventures You Can Have in Morocco

Take a Camel Through the Sahara Desert

Morocco Sahara Desert Camel

It’s the largest hot desert in the world, engulfing most of North Africa, and one of the harshest environments on the planet; but also one of the most spectacular.

There’s nothing more adventurous or authentic than experiencing the magic of the Sahara on camel back. You’ll trek through the Sahara desert as vast golden sand dunes stretch out as far as the eye can see. You’ll lose yourself in the silence as you watch the sand change color at sunset.

You’ll spend the night in nomadic tents as you gaze up at a vast clear sky, filled with millions of bright stars. With zero light pollution, the sky absolutely erupts once night falls, and the silence you’ll experience has an emotionally charged, soul stirring effect.

The dunes of Erg Chebbi are the best for a camel trek; a two-day drive from Marrakech, these are the highest and most spectacular sand dunes in Morocco, often reaching 50 meters above the desert floor.

Let’s be honest, camel trekking isn’t exactly the most comfortable mode of transport, but it is undoubtedly the most authentic way to experience the way the Berber nomads of the Sahara traveled; a true Arabian adventure!

Get Lost in the World’s Largest Medina

Fes Medina

A medina is the old, historic part of a North African town; typically walled to keep out invading armies, and a maze of narrow streets and tiny alleyways where you’ll stumble across fountains, palaces, markets, shops and historic mosques.

Almost every city in Morocco boasts their own medina, each with its own unique history and story to tell, though the medina in Fez is the largest in the world; and you will get lost!

Over 1,200 years old and now a UNESCO World Heritgae Site, wander through the labyrinth of streets that is Fez Medina and ready your senses. A rich tapestry of color, sights, smells, and tastes will reveal itself as you make your way through the crooked streets.

Image by wingpix (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr

Look For the Tree Climbing Goats

Tree Climbing Goats Morocco

Yes, that’s right, we said tree climbing goats!

It may be one of the most bizarre sights you’ll ever see, but while in southwestern Morocco, look out for goats perched on the branches of Argania spinosa trees (the Argan tree).

Goats in Morocco have been known to to scramble up these trees in search of fresh produce, and will happily munch on the fruit while their hooves are firmly planted on high branches of the tree. Though taking a photo isn’t free.

Local farmers have turned this bizarre feeding ritual into a tourist attraction, and if you want to take a photo you’ll have to have money on hand to tip them.

Unfortunately, the profit to be made means that con artists do also operate, and will tie goats to the trees in the hot sun all day. If you see goats physically tied to the trees, it’s important that you leave immediately.  As travelers we should never condone animal cruelty.

Image by François Bianco (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Flickr

Barter in the Markets

Things to do in Istanbul

Morocco is a shopper’s paradise. Colorful markets packed full of all sorts of locally made goods line the streets; shady and narrow side alleys burst with a tempting variety of places to relax with a glass of mint tea; and rich, exotic colors and scents of spices flood crowded souks.

But Moroccan souks are not for the fainthearted. In a country where the price is never fixed and haggling is expected, shopping is a thrilling and exhilarating experience, and has never been closer to a sport!

When shopping in a Moroccan souk, the price you’re originally quoted is likely to be colossally inflated from what they’re actually willing to accept. And unlike other parts of the world, it’s actually offensive not to engage in a heated exchange to beat the price down.

A good gauge is to aim for around 30% of the asking price. But remember that this is a game, so your offers should be incremental. The back-and-forth nature here is all part of the game; this does mean that shopping in Morocco is a slow sport, so make sure you have plenty of time!

Walk Through the Blue Village of Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen Morocco

An artsy, blue washed mountain village with bright blue buildings and narrow lanes, Chefchaouen is one of the prettiest and most unique places to visit in Morocco.

While most travel here for it’s insta-worthy blue town-scape, there is an authenticity here that doesn’t exist anywhere else in Morocco. Largely unchanged since the Middle Ages, walking through the village feels as though you’ve truly stepped back in time.

Traditional Moroccan culture has retained a strong presence here, and the village is ‘a rich cultural tapestry of Berber tribespeople, Muslims and Jews, along with descendants of the Moorish exiles from Spain who lived there in the 1400s.’

You’ll also find incredible food. Don’t miss out on the town’s signature tagine.

Photo credit: Just Booked A Trip (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr

See Snow in the Desert

Snow in the desert

Morocco conjures images of vast golden deserts, and palm trees fringing a dramatic coast. But snow?

Whenever a harsh winter weather system affects Europe, it typically affects Northern Africa. And snow in Morocco is not unusual. In fact, there are two ski resorts in the Atlas Mountains that experience snowfall during January and February each year.

But previously rare events like snow in the Sahara desert have started to occur, and snow fell well below the Atlas Mountains earlier this year. That’s right. It snowed in the hottest place on earth, and the golden sands of the Sahara were transformed into a frozen, icy white.

Witnessing snowfall in the Sahara is a rarity; when it happened in January it was only the third time in 40 years. But it would be far less fun is everything on your bucket-list was easy to cross off!

OUR FAV MOROCCO TRAVEL GUIDES: CLICK TO AMAZON↓

 

Fodor’s Essential Morocco

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Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind Waking Up Wild; an online magazine dedicated to opening your eyes to the wonders of the wild & natural world.

Having visited 50+ countries across all seven continents, Megan’s travels focus on cultural immersion, authentic discovery and incredible journeys. She has a strong passion for ecotourism, and aims to promote responsible travel experiences.

    

    32 Comments

  1. I have never seen snow in the desert- that would be cool. But, not if I had to ride a camel to see it. (Not fond memories.)
    And, you reminded me about shuk-buying….. ’nuff said.

    • Haha yes camel rides can definitely be hit or miss! They’re not the friendliest of creatures and it’s usually very bumpy!

      I hope the trip overall has fond memories for you though :)

  2. I’m planning a trip to Morocco and will try to do everything on this list! (Wish me luck with finding snow in the desert!) As always, your articles are amazing. Thank you!

    • Have a fabulous time April! Glad we could catch you with some ideas before you head off. Have an epic time!

  3. Awesome post Megan and yes, Marocco is an incredible country. I had the best meal of my life there.

    • Thanks Paula! So glad you enjoyed your time in Morocco – the food really is just incredible isn’t it!

  4. I’m on my way in a few days! Thanks so much for this article (such perfect timing I felt like you wrote it for me, lol).

    • Have a fabulous trip! So glad we could help our before you went – hopefully beef up the itinerary :D

  5. I just returned from Marrakech!

    • Did you love it?! :)

    • Mapping Megan My mind wa stretched in 10 different directions!

  6. You’re welcome when you want to discover this beautiful country

    • You have a beautiful country indeed!

  7. Yezzzzzz

    • Yes it does tend to garner that reaction!

  8. Just booked- perfect timing!

    • YAY!! You’ll have such a fabulous time! :)

  9. Seems like an interesting place.. and friendly to westerners.. which is nice when compared to plenty of other regional choices..

    • Absolutely :)

  10. #lovethisplace

    • I haven’t met anyone who’s not fallen completely in love with Morocco :)

  11. Very high on our wish list. Frank’s mom was born there.

    • Perfect excuse to plan a trip!

  12. I have been there twice. I Love that place.

    • Definitely one of those places that demands return trips! :D

  13. Awesome Megan Claire Jerrard! Will come in handy:)

    • I seriously love this country! I hope you have a fabulous time! :)

    • Thanks Meg! It´s still a while off, but I can´t wait:)

  14. Thanks for amazing article with some great information about Morocco.

    • You’re welcome, thanks for reading :)

  15. Thanks for this amazing writing about desert trip….
    my boyfriend worked in tourist camps before corona, also with camels… these 2-3 day tours in the desert are often offered very cheaply in a complete package, which unfortunately also means that the employees who take care of the tourists comprehensively, absolutely are underpaid, so my boyfriend had a daily salary for 12 hours of work (with the camels) of 5.00 !!!! Euro. Most of the time he didn’t get a tip… Everyone who works in and around the camps would definitely be happy about a little gift.
    Best wishes and lots of fun in the desert, I can only recommend it to everyone…
    the tourism industry needs the tourists ❣️Claudi

    • Hi Claudi, thank you so much for reading, and for providing information into the workers salaries, it breaks my heart to hear that the workers who make an experience so special are compensated so little.

      As an Australian, I was not bought up in a country which has a tipping culture, but after much exposure to how other countries work, I’ve since realized that a fair wage is not always offered, so I do now make an effort to tip, or leave special gifts like you say.

      Thank you for sharing and adding context for people to know :)

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