Many think of Morocco as a country filled with desert sand dunes, where people ride camels and tuk-tuks to get around everywhere. When I told my friends and family I was going to Morocco, they were deeply concerned for my safety. Now, after traveling across the Morocco, I found it to be one of my favorite places I’ve ever visited. The country is filled with the most hospitable, welcoming people I’ve ever encountered on a trip, and I was fascinated by their beautiful mixing pot culture that fuses several different influences from all over the world.
The Moroccan landscape surprised me — with most of the country being covered in lush, green valleys and awe-inspiring mountain ranges. Throughout my time in Morocco, I felt more safe in that country than anywhere I traveled in Europe. I had a truly unforgettable experience in Morocco, so I’m delighted to recount my travels here.
Touring Tangier
We landed in Casablanca, the largest city in Morocco located on its western coast, where we were greeted by our friendly tour guide Mohamed, who would be with us the rest of the trip. After many hours of travel, we were greeted with many hours more! We took the “Train à Grande Vitesse” (TGV) bullet train to the northern coastal city of Tangier.
We toured the city, and I was fascinated by the architecture. Morocco is a country with deep history, with structures dating back to the Romans, but it is also a developing nation. In Tangier, there were modern structures standing beside buildings that were centuries old. The breeze was refreshing for us during our walking tour as we took in the view of the beautiful coastline in the Strait of Gibraltar.
From Tangier, we had a great view of the Southern tip of Spain; it surprised me how close this city was to the Iberian Peninsula. After our tour, we hopped on a shuttle for even more travel to the mountain village of Chefchaouen, where we spent the night.
The Blue City
The next day, we explored Chefchaouen, coined as “The Blue City,” as the whole Medina (town center) was painted blue. Morocco thrives on the tourism sector of their economy, and Chefchaouen embraces this. In the early 2000s, residents collectively started painting their houses and shops a distinct color of blue to attract more tourists.
Over the years, this small village became world famous for its picturesque aesthetic, and many call it, “The Most Instagrammable Place on Earth.”
We explored one of the Chefchaouen’s public ovens, where merchants and residents leave their pre-baked goods in the morning to bake throughout the day in exchange for a nominal fee. In addition to the unique, blue aesthetic of the village, observing the way of life of the people in Chefchaouen was a highlight of my trip.
The Lesson Learned: Chefchaouen was my favorite place we visited because it gave me perspective on the deep sense of community that Moroccan people have for one another. Locals within the village actively support one another in various ways, such as neighboring shopkeepers exchanging change with one another to best support their customers and hosting a true weekly farmer’s market, where the whole village ensures to buy goods from the farmers.
The Holy City of Moulay Idriss
In the morning, we set off to the most holy city in Morocco, Moulay Idriss. The city was named after the founder of the first Islamic royal dynasty in ancient Morocco, Idris I (“Moulay” translating to “holy man”). Alongside our travel in Moulay Idriss, we visited the old Roman ruins of Volubilis.
While exploring these ruins, it was amazing to see the influence of the Romans stretching across the Mediterranean to Western Africa. Walking along the old roads and ruined shops, one can only imagine what life was like in their time. It was here where I learned much about the early foundations of modern-day Morocco, and the history of the Idrisid dynasty fascinated me. It states that Idris I, a descendant of the Prophet Muhammed, arrived in Volubilis in the 8th century to find a bustling city mixed with different cultures from Roman Christians to the Native Amazigh (commonly known as “Berber”) people. Idris I united all the people under Islam and ruled over them together, where they lived in peace with one another.
The Lesson Learned: I was fascinated learning this as the history I’ve known relating to colonialism was marred with inquisition and bloodshed. In early Moroccan history, their colonizers united and embraced the different cultures of the native people forming a mixing pot culture. I observed the effects of this not only in Moulay Idriss, but all throughout Morocco with its abundant Amazigh culture being showcased in their iconic, handmade goods such as jewelry, carpets, and clothing.
Onward to Fes
After Volubilis, we had a quick stop in the city of Meknes, before setting off to Morocco’s oldest city, Fes. The highlight of Fes was the city’s Medina, the oldest historic city center in all of Morocco dating back 1200 years and the world’s largest pedestrian-only zone. This Medina was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in my life which I’d describe as beautifully chaotic yet effective. The walkways were filled with tourists, residents, street vendors, shopkeepers, restaurants, and anything that one would need in a city.
Around every corner was a view of a long-winding walkway full of new sights, tastes, and smells. In the Medina, no cars are allowed, so the people use donkeys and mules with carts to lug around their goods. A common warning we heard were men yelling “BALAK!” in Moroccan Arabic, which translates to, “Watch Out!”Those donkeys don’t stop for anyone, so we learned if you don’t balak in the Medina, then you will get balak-ed.
In Fes, the buildings in the medina are old so they can look weathered and even run down, but don’t let that fool you! We had a great dinner in a family restaurant owned for generations in one of these structures in the Medina.
Inside this old building, in addition to amazing Moroccan cuisine, was a beautiful restaurant filled with centuries old mosaics and fine Moroccan furniture making the interior feel like a palace. Another highlight of our tour of Fes was being able to see University of Al Quaraouiyine, the oldest university in the world founded by a woman, Fatima al-Fihri. Unfortunately, as non-Muslims, we weren’t permitted to enter.
The Lesson Learned: It was awe-inspiring to be in this historic place where algebra was first developed and taught in the world. As a history-enthusiast, I loved the bustling, ancient city of Fes.
From the Mountains to the Desert
Our next destinations were the Todra Gorge and the Sahara Desert to the east. Our group took a long travel period by train to Marrakech, spending the night there, then taking a shuttle through the winding roads of the high Atlas Mountains to the Todra Gorge.
We spent the night in Tinerhir, a nearby village. The next day, we explored the village and walked through the local farmlands and learning about the different crops that were grown by the residents there. We also learned that many of the village inhabitants were of Amazigh descent, and their families have lived in this village for thousands of years in peace. At the end of our walk, we set our eyes upon the towering Todra Gorge, a narrow canyon passageway, which is a famed destination for active rock climbers. The picturesque steepness of the gorge reminded a lot of us of the familiar Grand Canyon, concentrated only in one narrow passage. After the Todra Gorge, we ventured to a camp at the edge of the Sahara.
Our group got to explore the desert on camelback in a caravan across the dunes. The Sahara was surreal and its vastness of dry nothingness was unlike anything I’ve seen. I dressed in a traditional white Moroccan Kaftan with a royal blue headscarf, popular for reflecting the sun and keeping one’s head shaded in the Sahara. Surprisingly amids the desert heat, the traditional clothing kept me relatively cool.
After our desert adventure, we returned to base camp, and a few members of my group and I decided to sleep outside on the dunes. We slept wrapped in Amazigh rugs under the stars, until massive winds of sand knocked us around forcing us to spend the rest of the night in our tents.
Moving on to Marrakech
Our final destination was Marrakech. With a long shuttle ride ahead of us, we took a pit stop and spent the night in Ait Benhaddou, a famous ancient village with the oldest kasbah (fort) in all of Morocco. This location was fun for me because I’m a big fan of the TV series Game of Thrones, and a famous scene from the show was filmed in this city. I was also very excited for this pit stop because Ait Benhaddou is near large silver mines in Morocco, so the city has many vendors and government cooperatives selling Amazigh silver crafts.
I purchased many souvenirs in Morocco, but my favorites of them all were the Amazigh silver bracelet and necklace from Ait Benhaddou. We concluded our trip with a few days in Marrakech, the cultural capital of Morocco.
The Lesson Learned: Marrakech was a modern city with many old ancient influences, similar to Tangier. Exploring Marrakech was similar to exploring any city. We ate great food, went to a Moroccan hammam (spa), and toured the city’s sites, all while enjoying the best of Moroccan hospitality.
Applying the Lessons Learned
All in all, my journey through Morocco was nothing short of extraordinary. Each experience and place we visited revealed the rich culture, history, and unparalleled hospitality of the Moroccan people. This trip not only shattered my preconceived notions but also left me with memories and lessons that I will cherish forever. I will definitely return to Morocco, and I highly recommend anyone considering travel destinations to put Morocco on the map.
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