Agafay desert trip

If you only have 2 or 3 days in Morocco, you’d probably prefer to spend sometime in Marrakech and its surroundings instead of traveling long distances over multiple days to see the Sahara desert. If that is the case, Agafay desert would be the best alternative to get a glimpse of the desert.

Just 1h30 drive from Marrakech, the barren plateaus and hills of Agafay start, and off the beaten track we go. An arid landscape with a few green oases here and there for contrast and snow caped mighty mountains in the horizon. It is indeed a beautiful sight.

For mechanical sports lovers, Agafay Desert is a playground for quad bikers and buggy enthusiasts, the immense plateaus and the multitude of paths offer great opportunities for some machine rumbling and Adrenaline unleashing.

You can also try a 30 minutes camel ride if you’ve never experienced riding these beautiful, peaceful animals.

Agafay is a great backdrop for photos, so no wonder many ceremonies and action clips are taken there, many celebrities even held their weddings in one of the camps of Agafay. So make sure to bring your best camera along and take some unforgettable shots

Essaouira Mogador

If you spend a few days in Marrakech and finally get tired of the hustle and bustle, you can easily reach Essaouira – a small coastal town. Here the cool breeze, blue sky and serene atmosphere will make you relax and calm. This is a very small place that you will remember for a long time.

The beach of Essaouira is a long ribbon of around ten kilometers, usually full of surfers taking advantage of the constant windy weather. There is an invigorating sensation from the ocean breeze as soon as you set foot on the immaculate sand. Essaouira is a medieval city known for its annual festival of Gnaoua music. Essaouira is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

During summer long days, it is also possible to go to the nearby beach of Sidi Kaouki ( about 11 km from Essaouira ) to appreciate a wilder view of the beach and ocean. Sipping a cup of coffee at one of the café terraces is pure delight.

Marrakech Sightseeing

Discover the city of Marrakech in this enlightening full day tour. Immerse yourself into the history, art and culture of this magnificent walled pink city. Photograph the magnificent Koutoubia mosque with its great square tower and shining copper globes. Stroll along the bustling alleyways and see the mosques, traditional bakeries, old lodging houses and fountains carved of wood. Visit the Medrassa ben Yousef as one of the largest theological college in North Africa. Walk through the alleys of the Medina and visit the most interesting handicrafts quarters, see an enchanting display of arts and crafts in the colorful souks before you relive the atmosphere of a glorious age in the exquisite rooms.

Koutoubia mosque

Koutoubia mosque is one of the largest, most beautiful mosques in the western Muslim world. The tower is 69 m (221 ft) in height is a Hispano-Moresque masterpiece that is very similar to the Giralda of Seville, and has a lateral length of 12.8 m (41 ft). Six rooms (one above the other) constitute the interior; leading around them is a ramp by way of which the muezzin could ride up to the balcony. It is built in a traditional Almohad style and the tower is adorned with four copper globes.

El Bahia Palace

El Bahia Palace is a beautiful building and an excellent example of Eastern Architecture from the 19th century that represents trends and standards of the wealthy who lived at that time. It was built for Ahmed Ibn Moussa (or Ba Ahmed) between 1894 and 1900 in the Alawi style that was popular at the time. For seven years, around a thousand craftsmen from the Fez region worked on the palace. The only sections open to the public are the apartments of the sultan’s favorite concubine, the council chamber (with tiled walls and illuminated cedar wood ceiling) and the great central courtyard (paved with marble and decorated with zelliges and fountains).

The Saadian Tombs

The Saadian Tombs: in Marrakech date back from the time of the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur (1578-1603). The tombs were only recently discovered (in 1917) and were restored by the Beaux-arts service. The tombs have, because of the beauty of their decoration, been a major attraction for visitors of Marrakech with their delicate decorations and pure architectural lines are considered by many to be a beautiful feat of architecture. They were first built to house the tombs of the Saadian Sultan, Ahmed el Mansour. In 1591 the first “koubba” of this burial ground was built south of the Kasbahs.

Menara Gardens

Menara Gardens: Covering an area of 250 acres, they are full of olive trees surrounding a large central lake that dates back from the 12th century and is fed by a network of irrigation channels. At the water’s edge is a small Saadian pavilion. With the snow covered peaks behind it, this is a breathtaking sight in the evening when it catches the golden rays of the setting sun.

The Majorelle Garden

The Majorelle Garden is filled with colorful walkways, ponds, cactus and plants as well as a beautiful shop with hand-made goods. The Majorelle Gardens are a lush, garden estate designed by Jacques Majorelle and maintained by Yves Saint Laurent. The Majorelle Garden, previously the Jardin Bou Saf, bears its name from its original creator, Jacques Majorelle, the French expatriate artist who was born in Nance, France in 1886.

Djemaa El Fna

A traditional meeting place for peasants and merchants from the Sous region, the High atlas and the South has become the heart of Marrakech. In the mornings this large square is crowded with fruit and spice sellers, guerrab with their leather water bottles and metal drinking cups, basket sellers, ironmongers and Barbers. In the afternoons come the Gnaoua dancers descended from former Guinean slaves, musicians, story tellers, snake charmers and entertainers with performing monkeys!

Ouzoud Waterfalls

Within just a short journey from Marrakech, this Marrakech to Ouzoud Waterfalls day trip is a refreshing change from the vibrant and busy red city. It is a great opportunity to see some lovely Moroccan countryside. And in the summer it is noticeably cooler and fresher.
On this excursion to the Ouzoud Falls, you will have a long guided walk to explore the area, and go from the top of the waterfalls all the way to the base in beautiful tracks with vibrant green sides. You might encounter some funky macaque monkeys roaming around, since they live in the surrounding forests.

Ouzoud or Izid in some regions means “the act of grinding grain” in Berber. This seems to be confirmed by the frequent mills in the region, that were used to grind wheat for decades.

getting there

Your driver will pick you up from your accommodation at 08am and start your Marrakech day trip to the beautiful Ouzoud Waterfalls. The drive is about 2 hours and a half, with a possible 15 minutes stop to stretch and maybe have a coffee to fully wake up.

This day trip will give you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the beauty of the nature in Ouzoud Waterfalls. Take an adventurous hike through Olive groves to the source of the waterfall, take a swim and cool off at the base of the waterfalls.

 

In Ouzoud

Once arrived at Ouzoud village, we will leave the car at the parking, meet our local guide, and start the walking tour towards the waterfalls, at this point we are actually at the top of the waterfalls. You will descend through a beautiful and vibrant path, there are many small shops and restaurants scattered along the way, some of them have wonderful terrace views over the waterfalls, and you will have lunch in one of them.

The guide will take you all the way to the bottom of the waterfalls, there are many points where you can cross from one side of the valley to the other on small man made bridges. You can also try one of the small boats and spend some time on the water and take great perspective photos.

A swim maybe ?

Yes you can, and it is a very enjoyable experience during hot summer days, so make sure to take your swimming clothes and towels.

Lunch

You have many options for lunch in Ouzoud, you can choose between the different terraces, considering the view and the budget, as for the menus, they are quite similar. Some restaurants offer full menus, other offer meals ‘à la carte’ which means you can pick individual dishes.

Macaques

Ouzoud forests are also the home of the famous macaque monkeys, the naturally tail-less monkeys that you find performing in the main square in Marrakech. It is delightful to see them roaming free in their native habitat. Because Ouzoud is quite a touristic place, they got used to humans, so you might find one standing in your way without any fear.

If you intend to play with them, watch out for any loose things you are carrying (purse, sunglasses …etc.) because they like to snatch things and disapear lol.

Ait benhaddou

Ait Ben Haddou Kasbahs day trip will give you the chance to experience the best of the south, learn more about the Glaoui tribes and visit the most famous kasbahs of Morocco. Cross the Atlas Mountains and take the road to the Sahara Desert and the old caravan routes.

Ait benhaddou

there you continue for lunch at Ait Ben Haddou along the newly asphalted road. Once in the village, you will get a closer look at the Kasbah’s architecture with turrets on all the buildings, adorned with grilled windows and soft peach colored walls. These traditional houses are made of adobe, highly suitable for the climate conditions of the south and the summits of the mountains because it is an efficient temperature isolator and the building materials are abundant and require no transportation or significant transformation process.The afternoon is spent exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Benhaddou, This is the most famous of all Moroccan kasbahs, largely due to its appearance in many Hollywood blockbusters. It was one of the most important fortress strongholds on the old Salt Road caravan routes, where traders brought slaves, gold, ivory and salt from sub-Saharan Africa to Marrakech and beyond. Before leaving Ait Benhaddou, you will take one last glimpse of the village from a distant point offering a wonderful panoramic view, especially under clear blue skies.