The Road of a Thousand Kasbahs is the stretch of the N10 highway that runs east from Ouarzazate through the Skoura oasis, the Valley of Roses at Kelaat M’Gouna and on to the Dades Valley. It takes its name from the earthen kasbahs and fortified villages (ksour) that line the palm groves and riverbeds along…
Morocco has nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and all nine are cultural: the medinas of Fez, Marrakech, Tetouan and Essaouira, the Ksar of Aït Benhaddou, the historic city of Meknes, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the Portuguese city of Mazagan (El Jadida), and Rabat. Fez was the first, inscribed in 1981, and Rabat the most…
The Zagora desert is the rocky, palm-fringed edge of the Sahara in southern Morocco’s Draa Valley, about 7–8 hours by road from Marrakech. Zagora town itself sits on stony desert, not on big sand dunes. The small Tinfou dunes are about 30 minutes south of town, and the large dunes of Erg Chegaga lie beyond…
The easiest way to combine Spain and Morocco is to spend the first part of your trip in southern Spain, cross the Strait of Gibraltar by ferry from Tarifa to Tangier (about one hour), then travel through Morocco by private driver and fly home from Marrakech or Casablanca. Most travelers need at least 12–14 days…
If ancient monuments are your main dream, visit EgyMorocco vs Egypt: Which Should You Visit First? If ancient monuments are your main dream, visit Egypt first. If you want the most variety in one trip (Sahara camps, mountain villages, medinas, great food and an easy road trip with your own driver), visit Morocco first. Both…
If you only have time for one city, choose Marrakech for energy, easy logistics, and quick access to the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara. Choose Fes for history, traditional crafts, and a medina that still works much as it did centuries ago. On a trip of 7 days or more, you don’t really have to…
The Agafay Desert is a rocky, stony desert about 40 km from Marrakech, reachable in under an hour, with no real sand dunes. The Sahara dunes of Merzouga (Erg Chebbi) and Erg Chegaga are 7 to 9 hours away by road, and they give you the golden dunes most people picture when they think of…
For most travelers frBest Airport to Fly Into Morocco from the US and Canada For most travelers from the US and Canada, the best airport to fly into Morocco is Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport (CMN), because it has the most nonstop flights from North America. If your trip focuses on Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains…
Driving in Morocco is legal and doable for confident drivers: you drive on the right, main highways are good, and most US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand licenses are accepted by rental companies. The harder parts are city traffic, mountain passes, long distances to the Sahara, frequent police speed checks, and roads with livestock, pedestrians…
Morocco driving distances are longer than most first-time visitors expect. Marrakech to the Sahara dunes at Merzouga is about 560 km (350 miles) and takes 9–10 hours of actual driving. Marrakech to Fes is about 530 km (330 miles). Casablanca to Marrakech is only about 240 km (150 miles), close to 3 hours on the…