8 days in Morocco: Things to do and to see

When you think of Morocco don’t you immediately have this beautiful picture of a mystic fairytale in front of your eyes? I for sure did when `I booked my first solo trip to Morocco! In this new blogpost I’ll take you with me, back to the my first solo trip to the wonderful country Morocco, starting in Marrakech.

It is truly amazing how much can actually be done in Morocco! You could say that 8 days is way too little, but I still believe I’ve seen quite a lot of this wonderful country! Of course I’d always have wished to stay longer but for now I’m really happy with everything I’ve seen during my short stay in Morocco.

If you’re interested in all the things I’ve done in 8 days Morocco, then read on! But I have to tell, it is quit a busy schedule which I had gotten myself into. Anyway, for those who want to see as much as possible during a short stay in Morocco, this is your perfect Itinerary!

1. Walk around in the Medina of Marrakech and drink a fresh juice on Djemaa El Fna

Djemaa El Fna is a square and market place in the old center (the Medina) of Marrakech. It remains the main square of Marrakesh which is used by locals and tourists.

I arrived at Marrakech in the evening and after I brought my bagage to my room in the Riad I did stay, I went to walk at Djemaa El Fna which was just a 3 minutes walk from my Riad. The Riad I stayed was named ‘Riad Aymane’. It was a very lovely Riad and the staff was extremely friendly.

The Djemaa El Fna is edged along by Souk of Marrakech. The souk is a traditional North African market where the locals go to for their daily needs and for the tourists there are many souvenirs to buy.

the squad is also Surrounded by hotels and gardens and cafe terraces. There are many narrow streets which are worth to walk trough.

2. Day trip Ouzoud waterfalls and playing with the monkeys

Ouzoud means "the act of grinding grain” in Berber language. The waterfalls are located in the province Azilal, 150km away from Marrakech. There are many possibilities to make a day trip from Marrakech to the Ouzoud waterfalls. In the early morning I went with a minibus from Marrakech to the Ouzoud waterfalls and once I arrived a guide was waiting me and my group to show us the beautiful waterfalls and the natura around.

Several restaurants are located near the waterfalls. The waterfalls are very spectacula. I’ve heard that this is especially during the spring, when the amount of water is higher because of the melting water from the mountains. But in my opinion the Ouzoud waterfalls are worth the visit any time of the year!

During the path down to the waterfall, you’ll walk trough a beautiful nature area and there are monkeys all around you. These monkeys aren’t shy; they’ll easily jump on your neck. This happened to me and to be honest, it is something i’ll never forget. I loved those monkeys!

3. Day trip Ourika Valley and camel ride

The Ourika Valley is a beautiful lush green valley and it is definitely one of the best preserved valleys in Morocco. The road from Marrakech to the Ourika Valley is about 64km long and very beautiful as well. Again I went early in the morning, hoping I’d arrive before most other tourists. I went per mini bus and the road was breathtaking beautiful. We came trough many tiny Berber villages and saw amazing sceneries.

The Ourika Valley itself is a very unique place to visit and I’d call it a completely different side of Morocco. There are 7 waterfalls in the Ourika Valley and in case you’ve booked a guide, you’ll hike with your guide to the first waterfall. This is what I did. I went in a little group and together with our guide we hiked to the first waterfall. It was great hike and the view was amazing!

During your Ourika day trip from Marrakech it will be possible for you to ride a camel deeper in the valley.

On the road back to Marrakech we made a stop to visit a traditional house of a Berber family who lived in the valley.

4. Visit the city named Ait Ben Haddou.

Ait Ben Haddou in Morocco! This is my personal favorite city in Morocco for sure! Ait Ben Haddou is such an amazing place to see in real! This city is on the route between the Sahara Desert and Marrakech. Most citizens here live in a village on the other side of the river but there are some families still living in the ancient village. Ait ben Haddou is very known because of the beautiful kasba's that has been built against a hill.

I went to Ait Ben Haddou when I was on my way to the Sahara desert. I started this travel in Marrakech and I decided to take a mini bus to the sahara since this option offered some great stops during the road as well which I was very interested in. We made different stops in several places including Ait Ben Haddou and the castle Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate.

Together with a very sweet girl which I met earlier, we climbed to the highest point of the Ait Ben Haddou where we had an amazing view over the city and the river. We met with the local families and they were very friendly and showed us the house they lived. It was a very interesting day in Ait Ben Haddou.

In Ait Ben Haddou I bought myself a scarf to protect my head for the sun because later that day we would arrive at the Sahara desert where we would spent the night in a tent camp.

5. Sleep in the Sahara Desert in a tent camp

much of the driving to the sahara Desert is over mountain passes and basic highway roads. Traveling from Marrakech to the Desert will take a full day of driving. (distance 550km)

To go to the desert, I took more days since I decided to take the mini bus which made stops in other places as well. I took two days to arrive at the Desert and I spent the first night in a hotel on the road.

The Sahara was the most beautiful experience of this travel, which I'll never forget. I spent a complete night in the Sahara desert of Morocco and I met wonderful people from all over the world here. We sat together around the campfire, people sang together and danced together and together with a few other people I climbed a 260 meters high sand hill in the middle of the night. At the top of this hill we watched the moon and the stars and told each other stories about the countries we came from. And after, we did run, jump and roll back down off the hill which was one of the most fun things I've ever done! This all together was such a magical experience...

The road back to Marrakech we started in the morning and we were back in the evening. The driver of the mini bus did bring me to my new Riad. This Riad looked like a true palace.

6. Visit an association of Berber women who produce argan oil

In Morocco there are many possibilities to visit associations of Berber woman producing organ oil.

The work of producing argan oil is done by these women and they are very friendly and open to tell you about the work they do and they will show you around trough their working place and store.

It is a very interesting place to visit during your stay in Morocco. When you book a day trip from Marrakech to Essaouira you’ll probably pass one of the associations and I’d say it is worth the stop.

Each bottle or product you buy in these associations will support the social and economic welfare of the local Berber.

7. Have a walk on the beach and walk trough the picturesque streets of Essaouira

Essaouira is a coastal city, located on the Atlantic Coast. The name of this city means "the little rampart", because of the fortress walls that still enclose part of the city.

The medina of Essaouira is a must-visit. All streets and alleys are characterized by white houses which all have beautiful wooden doors and If you want to buy souvenirs, you can visit the souk.

If you like beach walks, the beach of Essaouira is the perfect beach for you. there is a pretty strong wind here so people who like to swim commonly prefer to visit other beaches of Morocco.

Thank you so much for reading my blog! I really appreciate it and I hope my blog could inspire you when booking your next trip.

Love, Sanne