For many travellers, it's the fantasy of riding camels through the Sahara Desert, the sun setting behind the sand dunes and a scarf fluttering lightly around their head, that draws them to Morocco. As spectacular as the desert may be, though, it's only a small part of what makes this North African country so special. Morocco is all about losing yourself in the intoxicating chaos of the souks as you barter for col[...]
Once a sleepy town nestled between the beautiful Rif Mountains in Morocco's north, Chefchaoeun has grown to be one of the most well-known destinations in the region. There's a rich and vibrant history to be discovered in the narrow, winding streets or by climbing the ancient kasbah above the main square, a decidedly slower-paced friendliness among locals than you'll find in Marrakech or Fes, and a sense of authentic[...]
Following the most incredible adventures in Chefchaouen, Morocco’s Blue City, and in Akchour, home to magical green pools and sparkling waterfalls, my wonderful local friend, Hind, is taking me to spend time at the beach in Oued Laou with her extended family. My travels are nearing their conclusion and some family time is exactly what I need to top off what has already been the trip of a lifetime. Plus, I’m incr[...]
After exploring the incredible Blue City with the best tour guide possible, Hind, an exchange student from Chefchaouen who lived with me and mum the summer I was 15, we are all off to Akchour for a more outdoorsy adventure. Hind says it's one of the most beautiful spots in Morocco, and, after splashing around in the emerald green pools and hiking beneath the natural rock bridges myself, I can honestly say that it's[...]
In addition to being an absolutely gorgeous, much-instagrammed city of vibrant blue in northern Morocco that has most travellers in fits of wanderlust, Chefchaouen is a particularly special place for me to be visiting. I grew up in Issaquah, a suburb just outside of Seattle, and Chefchaouen is surprisingly our sister city! (How Issaquah managed this, I will never know.) Among other things, there is a fairly active e[...]
Dreams of Morocco almost always include a camel-back trip through the Sahara Desert, retiring at the end of each hot day to sip tea on thick rugs and sleep under the stars surrounded by the impressive Erg Chebbi dunes. Thankfully, there are dozens of companies that all run variations of this exact experience from either Marrakech or Fes, and quite inexpensively as well, meaning it's not hard to tick this incredible[...]
Following an incredible 3 day tour from Marrakech to the Sahara Desert, my friend Katy and I find ourselves in Merzouga with no real plans for getting up to Fes, our next destination in Morocco. Luckily, it proves incredibly easy to organise transport and we soon find ourselves the only passengers in a 4x4, northbound for Fes. For 20€ a person, it feels almost too good to be true! As with most things, it does t[...]
Even before I finalised plans to visit Morocco this August, I was dreaming of riding camels through the Sahara Desert and sleeping in the dunes― the quintessential Moroccan experience. I did extensive research on desert tour companies in Morocco that would take us from Marrakech to Fes via the desert in Erg Chebbi, but we ended up waiting to book until we actually arrived in the hopes that it would be cheaper. It[...]
Touching down in Marrakech, I am instantly aware that I'm not in Europe anymore. The stifling heat, the noise, the intricate mosaic patterns covering the floors, the way everyone interprets road rules as a mere suggestion, the endless parade of stray animals, the unwanted attention of older men who propose to you with the promise of camels... It’s pure magic, even if it is a bit rougher around the edges than[...]