One of the most cultural trips I’ve done so far has been to Morocco. I joined a group tour and travelled from Cassablanca to Marrakesh emersing myself in the culture and getting involved with the locals along the way!
Day 1: Casablanca to Fes
Having arrived in Cassablanca late on the previous evening, I missed my chance of exploring the city. However, I was excited to get travelling.
Volubilis
An early start to the day, we took a scenic route through the rolling hills to Volubilis to see the Roman ruins. The history of the ruins was fascinating and it was amazing to see the architecture that had survived so many centuries.
Fes
After a long journey, we made it to Fes and got a beautiful view of the city! We then met our local tour guide who took us into the medina to explore the artisan quarters. A visit to a leather shop gave us the opportunity to view a famous Fes tannery. We were given our “gas masks” on the way in, in preparation for the smell…the so called gas masks were a sprig of mint plant!
Day 2: Fes
We met our tour guide early this morning for a cultural walk around the medina. The hustle and bustle of the city was insane as we walked down the narrow streets.
After a delicious lunch, we went for a tour of a traditional Moroccan tayloring pshop. This gave us an opportunity to buy a head scarf which we could wear on our trek through the Sahara.
We spent the evening relaxing in a traditional Hamam before heading out to a converted riad for a night of food, music and belly dancing! We got to indulge in a traditional Moroccan dish; B’stilla. It wasn’t my favourite meal, but still tasty.
Day 3: Merzouga
A beautiful scenic drive through the atlas mountains led us to Merzouga, at the edge of the Sahara desert.
Welcomed with a mint tea, we were given a lesson in turban tieing in prerpation for our trek. After meeting our camels, we set off deep into the dunes for a night under the stars.
When we finally reached our accommodation; a traditional berber camp, we had a fascinating night ahead. Our hosts cooked us a meal and shared stories about the region and the berber lifestyle. We then got to listen to them playing traditional music on the drums before joining in on the fun!
Day 3: Merzouga to Todra Gorge
After an early start to the day to view the sunrise over the sand dunes, our trusty camels trekked us back to civilization. We continued our travels through the desert via bus to Todra Gorge; where the oasis lies.
We arrived at our destination and went on a hike through the local village farmlands to explore Todra Gorge. It was a surreal experience, surrounded by palm trees with nothing but desert to see in the distance.
After a long day, we settled in for an early night.
Day 4: AĂŻt Ben Haddou
This fortress was one of the coolest places we visited on the trip, plus it’s a filming location for Game of Thrones. We spent a couple of hours exploring and learning about its history.
We then headed to a cookery class to learn about the quintessential Moroccan dish; the tagine.
Days 5-7: Marrakesh
As soon as we arrived in Marrakesh we were eager to get into the maze of tiny streets and alleyways of the ancient medina to really get a taste of everyday life in Marrakech.
The Djemaa el Fna Market Square is a must! We saw storytellers, magicians and a selection of animals. When the sun sets, the square filled with dozens of food stalls, and packed with locals and tourists, entertaining chefs, and waiters.
We shopped to our heart’s content in the souks. The winding streets had something different to offer around every corner from spices, traditional jalabas and slippers, and famous Moroccan lanterns. I enjoyed bargain with the locals for the best deals – it’s definitely part of the fun! I bought myself some beautiful silver jewellery which will always remind me of my trip.
Ffion's Travel Diaries 