Loren’s Experience Travelling Morocco with OWR Travel
Meet Loren!
She recently joined us on her 3rd OWR trip for a 9 day adventure in Morocco. Here you can read her personal perspective on what it’s really like to travel this fascinating North African country with us!
My Moroccan Odyssey
Morocco – what an adventure!!!
It started with some drama after our flight from the UK was cancelled – we ended up getting in about 8 hours later than planned so missed the first “extra” day in Casablanca… it was a shame but we saw the highlights as part of the OWR trip anyway.
Casablanca -> Fes
So, first on the agenda was the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca – it was absolutely stunning.
I’ve never been in a mosque before and naively assumed it was like any religious building… wrong.
First off, we were asked to take our shoes off on entry; strange concept but actually one which made the visit so much more memorable… the floor was warm, and feeling the softness in the carpet made you connect more with the tour than just “wandering around another building”.
It was a really lovely way to start the Morocco adventure.
Onto a bus then up to Rabat, where we didn’t spend too long which I thought was a shame. The city had nice vibes and I would have liked a few hours more there (I would have given up some of the time in Fes for it, but will explain that later).
After, we headed up to Volubilis which was lovely, but not what I had pictured as “Morocco”. It was like I’d stepped into Italy with the rolling hills and ancient preserved town.
Wandering around as the sun set was probably the highlight of the first day.
“THERE ARE HOTELS, THEN THERE’S THIS PLACE!”
Final bus session of the day took us to Fes and our riad – there are hotels, then there’s this place! The courtyard was just stunning; beautifully lit water fountains, plush sofas and glorious Moroccan tea on welcome. Lush!
The Sahara
Right, the summary of this chapter is: I never want to be on a mini-bus again… but would I have skipped essentially a 12 hour round trip for one evening in the desert?
Not a chance. I’d have gone even if it was a 24 hour round trip as that one evening is in my top 10 life highlights!
We set off from Fes well aware it was going to be a LONG day on the bus – we were driving deep into the country (almost the border of Algeria) to reach the sand dunes everyone thinks the whole desert looks like (spoiler: most of the desert is either rocky or an oasis! Those dunes are a very specific part of the Sahara).
Everyone was in good spirits on the bus and we stopped a lot so it wasn’t so bad, but my 30+ year old hips needed stretching that evening!
About an hour from sunset, we pull up to our camp for the night and we’re all giddy with excitement; right there in front of our tents (which I was staggered to see have showers/toilets/proper beds inside!!!), are our CAMELS!
Quick drop off of bags and we hop onto our new friends to ride deeper into the dunes to get to a good spot to watch the sun go down.
Then we got to the dune of choice, climbed up (or raced because, surprise, I’m a child!) and sat up on the hill, watching the most incredible sunset of my life.
The pictures don’t quite do the colours/peace/awe of that moment justice – it was one of those times where you sit there in quiet, entirely grateful for the life you lead and the things you get to experience.
“WE RODE ON CAMELS THEN LAY OUTSIDE GAZING AT ONE OF THE CLEAREST NIGHT SKIES I’VE EVER SEEN – ONE OF MY TOP 10 LIFE HIGHLIGHTS!”
Home we rode on our camels, had a lovely meal, then lay outside gazing at one of the clearest night skies I’ve ever seen.
I’m a lucky girl, I saw a beautiful sky full of stars (yes we played Coldplay..!) when I was in the Amazon, and this equalled that experience which I didn’t think anything ever could. As I said, an evening for the top 10 list, even with the bus ride!
We set off the next morning for the second leg of long bus journey back towards civilisation. We broke the journey up a bit, visiting the Todra Gorge but truthfully we needed more time OFF the bus… this day was draining as didn’t have the excitement on this leg of knowing the evening would be incredible.
I’d have liked to have spent more time at the Gorge, as it was impressive but we barely gave it a passing glance.
The final bit of the journey next day back to Marrakech was much better – we went quad biking in the morning!
Coming from a very safety conscious country, it was honestly liberating to get on the quad bike, and the only instruction we’re given is “here’s the accelerator, here’s the brake… keep a distance to the bike in front of you”!
OK then, let’s go!!! Great hour racing around the desert (rocky) giggling like a kid let loose!
We passed by some Kasbas which had been used as filming locations – truthfully this didn’t really rustle anything up in me as I was having too much fun racing about but the others seemed awed by it.
Maybe it’s because I never got into Game of Thrones…
Final stop on the way to Marrakesh was Ait Ben Haddou – an old town perfectly preserved on top of a hill.
My brain still can’t comprehend how this place was made of just mud, yet looked more stable than my own brick built house which is only 8 years old!
We walked through the old streets and climbed to the top of the town to look out over it – even with a lot of people up there, there was still something peaceful in it, sat on a wall watching the world go by.
Marrakech
I’d been to Marrakech once before so knew the energy the place had, especially in the evenings, but I still loved it.
We had a walking tour around the souks the first day… then we were let free!
“I HAVEN’T KNOWN WELCOMES LIKE IT – EVERYONE’S SO HOSPITABLE”
This was the first time really on this trip that we were free to do our own thing, so it was nice to split into smaller groups with people we really gelled with.
We had a cooking class with our Moroccan Mamma (her name for herself, but so apt!) which was absolutely wonderful – that’s one thing I will say for Morocco: everyone is so welcoming and hospitable.
I haven’t known welcomes like it, be it into someone’s home or in the riad.
Final day, and what a way to end it… we took a hot air balloon in the morning!
This has always been on my bucket list but wanted to do it somewhere special rather than just over the English Countryside (I know…. we never appreciate what we have on our doorstep).
So, we wake up in the country of eternal sunshine… to cloud! The 7 of us who wanted to take the Hot Air Balloon took a taxi to the meeting place, all secretly disappointed at the weather thinking we wouldn’t see anything but already committed.
“WE ROSE ABOVE THE CLOUDS TO THE MOST GLORIOUS VIEWS I’VE EVER SEEN… ANOTHER TOP 10 MOMENT IN LIFE!”
Oh how wrong we were – the conditions couldn’t have been better according to our pilot, Angel.
Up we went in our balloon and rose ABOVE the clouds to the most glorious views I’ve ever seen… another top 10 moment in life (Morocco now taking up 20% of spaces!).
Clear blue skies, bright sunshine, white fluffy clouds beneath us with the mountains rising above them, a crew of other colourful balloons sharing the experience with us, and the most apt playlist playing as we all stared awestruck around us (What a Wonderful World will always be associated with this moment now, like Coldplay’s Yellow will be with night skies).
It was truly a “pinch me” moment.
A couple of us finished our Moroccan adventure with a true Hamman experience – I’ve never felt so scrubbed, cleaned and relaxed in my life.
Utter bliss!
Then… the heavens opened.
There’s a joke in here somewhere about a Brit going to Africa and taking the rain with her! It’s not an experience many will get but I wouldn’t have traded it – walking the streets of Marrakech in the pouring rain laughing at the chances (and singing “I BLESSED THE RAINS DOWN IN AFRICAAAAA”)… the perfect send off to a great week.
If Loren’s story resonated and you wish to experience the same Moroccan adventure, check out our 9-day Morocco itinerary.