Adventure Holidays to Morocco

Despite the triumph of tourism here, Morocco still manages to feel rooted in a different world with untouched landscapes, ancient cities, centuries-old customs and an inescapable air of being different. It’s hard to believe the UK is only a couple of hours away when you’re on an adventure holiday watching a snake charmer in the medina of Marrakech, climbing the dunes of the hot Sahara or absorbing the otherworldly beauty of the Atlas Mountains.

Activity Holiday Highlights: What Not To Miss In Morocco

1 The Djemaa el Fna of Marrakech
Stalls spill out everywhere, acrobats and jugglers rub shoulders with storytellers, the smoke of the food stalls competes in the air overhead and spectators fight for space to take it all in. The central square of Djemaa el Fna in Marrakech is the heart and soul of any adventure holiday in Morocco.

2 Getting Lost in the Medina of Fez
Look no further than the Medina of Fez if you want to plunge yourself into sensory overload. The ancient walls contain a labyrinth of alleyways and tiny craft shops overrun with hundreds of people, the smell of African spices, the distant whiff of the famous tanneries and a surprise around every corner.

3 Indulging in Atlantic Relaxation
Essaouira on the Atlantic Coast is a perfectly proportioned Portuguese fishing port complete with shuttered cottages, artisan’s workshops, seafood delicacies and whitewashed beauty. The perfect place to wind down on any activity holiday in Morocco.

4 Sleeping in a Bedouin camp
Adventure holidays are all about this; a two hour bumpy camel ride into a desert, refreshing yourself at the oasis, dining in a Bedouin camp, watching the dunes change colour as the sun sets and the stars begin to illuminate the unpolluted night skies.

5 Sunrise in the Sahara
Awaking in the dark and heading out into the chilly night for a climb up the sand dunes is worth the effort to see the spectacular sun rise over the golden sand of the Sahara. Click here to visit Sahara desert - Tunisia page.

6 Climbing the Atlas Mountains
If you love the mountains, then the extraordinary Atlas Mountains are an essential part of any adventure holiday in Morocco. Choose between quiet trails through fields of flowers and Berber villages or get your high altitude kicks mountain biking, peak bagging or ascending Mt Toubkal.

To find out more about this fascinating country see our Country Guide to Morocco.

The Observer - writes about Trekking with Berbers across the remote Jebel Sahro mountains in Morocco (30 November 2008).