7 Great Adventures in Morocco
We all know Morocco has ancient medinas and souks, beautiful places where you can weave your way through narrow alleys to explore and go shopping. But did you know there’s a great outdoor adventure waiting for you too?
Here are seven great adventures that will take you away from crowded places and have you venture out and enjoy the ocean, mountains, sand dunes, and wildlife.
1. Surf in Morocco
There are so many surf options in
Morocco throughout the year. However, the best time to surf is from October to March. That’s when the Atlantic coast in Morocco gets powerful swells. Taghazout, located in the southwest of Morocco, is one of the top surfing destinations in the country and has the best surfs during this time of the year.
Fly into Casablanca and transfer to a local flight to
Agadir, a town about a 25-minute drive to
Taghazout. Beginners and advanced surfers have the option to join a surf and yoga retreat that include surf lessons, accommodation, meals, yoga, and nightlife. Check out SurfHolidays’ surf package in Taghazout.
Other popular Moroccan surfing destinations include:
- Essaouira - surrounded by forests and beautiful beaches. The medina and harbor in Essaouira are listed as UNESCO world heritage site.
- Imsouane - located about a 1.5-hour drive north of Taghazout.
- Sidi Kaouki - best for beginners.
2. Hike on the Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains stretch 1,500 miles from Morocco to Algeria and Tunisia. In Morocco, guided hiking tours are available through a few trekking companies. The Atlas Treks Shop offer hiking tours in four different regions of the Atlas Mountains:
- Western High Atlas
- Central High Atlas
- Eastern High Atlas
- The Anti-Atlas
All the long hikes include a guide, a cook, and mules carrying your essentials. Besides enjoying the magnificent mountain views and nature, hikers will pass through villages, kasbah ruins, terraced gardens, and more. A typical
five-day trek at the Western High Atlas starts from
Marrakech, through Berber villages, mountain passes to the top of Mount Toubkal.
3. Whitewater rafting on Ahansal River
If hiking is not your thing and you prefer the water, go for whitewater rafting on the Ahansal River.
Berber Rafting Adventures, a tour company that specializes in rafting trips, offers three rafting options - a 2 -ay, 3-day, and 5-day whitewater rafting trips from Marrakech.
The 2-day rafting trip on the Ahansal River takes you from Cathedral Rock, through pine forests to your overnight accommodation by the river. The next day, there’ll be more paddling before floating through Morocco’s “Grand Canyon” to a fishing boat for lunch and back to Marrakech.
4. Camp in the desert
Sleep under the stars or in the comfort of a real bed inside a tent in the Moroccan desert. There are many types of accommodation that cater to every traveler in Erg Chigaga or Erg Chebbi, near
Merzouga, a village in southeastern Morocco, close to the Algerian border.
5. Camel ride through scenic sand dunes
Join a camel ride with a guide to see the sunset over the fiery-orange sand dunes in Erg Chebbi and in the morning head out before sunrise with your camel to see the otherworldly views of the sky and the rising sun in the Sahara desert.
6. Bird watching
Morocco has over 450 species of birds. From marble duck and greater flamingo in the Sahara Desert to the Audouin’s Gulls and Northern Bald Ibis in the Atlantic Coast, Morocco is a birdwatcher’s paradise.
Birding Tours Morocco provides guided tours throughout the country. You can choose to see the desert, mountain, or coastal birds or combine or three regions during your trip.
Tours range from 3 to 15 days.
7. Join a hot air balloon tour
If you don’t have much time to spare but want to add a little adventure to your trip, you must take a five-hour tour that includes hot air ballooning with views of Mount Atlas and the valleys, a camel ride in the desert close to Marrakech and a traditional Berber breakfast.
