Trip in Morocco

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Morocco is such a fabulous place to visit. We found the people so welcoming and very hospitable. My husband and I spent one week touring Morocco with a guide that was referred to us by another friend.






We arrived in Marakech and our tour guide was there to meet us with a full itinerary that we made a few adjustments to accommodate our curiosity of Morocco.






Driving into the heart of Marakech was more of a modern version than we had expected. Driving on the main avenue gave us a view of the Hassan II where the city lights played on the horizon. Our guide decided to take us to our hotel, the Tichka. The room we had was large with 2 double beds (haha our honeymoon suite), a tv, clean, and thank goodness a regular toilet (kind that we are used to). We talked one of the hotel workers to serve us food in our room, after some coercing and a price. The food was prepared well and the serving quite big.






Later in the evening we walked over to the square of the Gemma Lafna, famous for all of its shops, food, and entertainment. We had a hard time walking away from some of the entertainers as we took photos of the square. Some of them wanted us to give them money because we captured some of them in the photos. Beware!(joking).






The next day our guide took us out of Marakech to Ouarzazate where we viewed Mt.Tichka ( the highest peak of the Atlas Mts.) Our guide was gracious enough to stop and allow us to take photos. Then we lunched at the kasbah Ait benhadou, which is under municipality protection. Lots of movies are made there. Our took us through the studios of cinema and there we were told that Lawrence of Arabia was made there... Whewwwwwww!






We stayed at the Berber Palace. Comfortable, clean, swimming pool and the staff very helpful and hospitable.






We drove to the Dades Gorges, which took our breath away. The road that led up to the gorges and looking into the valley was just spectacular. We took so many photos in this place. The gorges looked like rose buds and mounds of rich brownish red landscape captured our eyes. The road almost reminded me of a french countryside. The village in the gorges was amazingly upkept and well maintained. There were some B&B's that was newly built and some that resembled castles.






Merzougha was our next stop. Traveling brought us to the little town of Erfoud before entering into the heart of the Sahara. We walked around Erfoud and decided to go to a cyber to send home photos that we took of other places to our families back in Hawaii. We loved this close knit town where people were so friendly and many young men trying to sell us fossils, foot wear, clothes or just to get us into a shop to buy a carpet. The souk was full of vegetables, people bargaining, fruits, clothing, knick knacks , donkey and cart, etc. So much in this little town.






The guide took us on a road that led us down a road that looked well traveled , but with very little traffic. Passed by several fossil areas where one can go and dig their own or look at what the factories have in their gallery.






Entering the Sahara was so full of sand dunes surrounding us. The shape of the blown sand and the formation of dunes was miraculously beautiful. Few nomads were on the beaten path caring for thier camels, goats or sheep. We had the privilege to drink tea with some of the local people living along our path. We stayed at the Hotel Yasmina and found the place to be clean, king size bed, regular bathroom, hot water, and linens. The staff always made sure we were well cared for and always asked us, if there was anything they could do for us.






Later we took some camels with our guide to the oasis and spent the nite in the heart of the dunes. Someone came and played drums for us and we took out our bottles of wine and the guide took out his tea as we toasted to the newlyweds (us). We danced and laughed till the wee hours of the nite and decided to retire to our tent in the middle of the beautiful moonlit Sahara Desert.






Thanks to our wonderful guide Ali and his crew. We had so much fun and we are thinking of going back to celebrate our anniversary next year.


To contact our guide here is his email:[e-mail].


Good luck .

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