Top Marrakech excursions and Morocco travel destinations today? This morning we enjoy an excursion by 4×4 exploring the Agafay Desert. We will also drive to Lake Takerkoust in the foothills of the Atlas mountains, and up to the Kik Plateau for amazing panoramic views of the Agafay Desert and beyond. Try and spot Nkhila Lodge on the east side of the desert! We return to Nkhila for a late lunch and have the afternoon free to relax. If you are feeling active, there is an option to join a quad-bike adventure and ride desert tracks over rolling hills in another area of Agafay Desert. Depending on when you stay, the lodge may be illuminated at night by the moon or experience an amazing dark sky full of stars. Try out one of Nkhila’s telescopes and enjoy some stargazing. Lunch and dinner is included today. See additional information on Marrakech desert tours.
This large square at the entry to the medina is the center of Marrakesh life. The Djemaa El Fna (assembly place of the nobodies) is a vibrant hub of bric-a-brac stalls, musicians, storytellers, fortune-tellers, and snake charmers that never seems to rest. Here, the entire spectrum of Moroccan life enfolds before you. If being down among the thrum becomes too much, it’s also easy to escape to one of the many surrounding rooftop cafés and restaurants, where you can survey the crazy scene from above. The Koutoubia Mosque is Marrakesh’s most famous landmark with its striking, 70-meter-tall minaret visible for miles in every direction. Local Marrakesh legend tells that when first built, the muezzin (man who calls the faithful to pray) for this mosque had to be blind, as the minaret was so tall, it overlooked the ruler’s harem. The mosque was built in 1162 and is one of the great achievements of Almohad architecture. Non-Muslims are not allowed into the mosque itself.
The scenic Ourika Valley is popular with both locals and tourists. There are several walking routes through the valley, along the river, and in the mountains, though for many, the seven-level waterfalls are the highlight of a trip. Climbing the lower levels requires a bit of a scramble up rocks, but the track to the upper levels is less challenging. In addition to lovely views, visitors can also experience Berber life, go rafting, and take a dip in the refreshing water. Within the Middle Atlas Mountains, Ifrane is often referred to as the Switzerland of Morocco. The charming city, with its Swiss-style chalets, is a prime gateway to the nearby Ifrane National Park. Hiking opportunities through cedar forests abound, and you may spot Barbary macaques.
Fez possesses everything you need out of a 1,200-year-old Maghreb city in the Middle Eastern deserts. It’s among the most exciting places in Morocco where you’ll find a Fès el-Bali, which happens to be the historic heart of this city with a deep and mysterious labyrinth of lanes and staircases set amidst colorful tanneries and cottages will blow your mind. Another great attraction of this place is the elegant boulevards of Ville Nouvelle where the French had created stunning palm-fringed avenues and refreshing fountains alongside lavish hotels and Parisian-flavoured streets.
Ait Benhaddou is one of Ouarzazate’s fortified cities along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech. Inside the high mud walls are 6 kasbahs and a small number of homes. Most of the town’s inhabitants now live in a more modern village at the other side of the river although a few families still live within the city walls. Aït Benhaddou has appeared in several movies, including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator.
Quality Marrakech excursions : Casablanca’s major point of interest and landmark building, the Hassan II Mosque is a lavish symbol not only of the city, but also of Morocco itself. This modern mosque (finished in 1993) doesn’t do things by halves. The decoration detail covering every centimeter of the mammoth two-hectare site took 10,000 artisans to complete. Intricately carved marble pieces, vibrant mosaics, and zellige tile details all pay tribute to traditional Islamic architecture ideals and the mastery of Moroccan craftsmanship and yet, at the same time, still manage to feel contemporary.
