Further Afield
Ourika Valley
Ourika Valley is the nearest of the preferred destinations. Just 60 minutes from town, you will find a completely different way of life, mainly inhabited by Berbers, this valley is a delight to see. Stop at a roadside café and eat a Berber tagine by the riverside, or lunch in Ourika’s best restaurant Le Ramuncho. Alternatively, enjoy the spectacular views and excellent restaurant at Kasbah Bab Ourika. The option of climbing to the SettiFatma waterfalls is available for those who feel fit and adventurous.
Asni and the Ouirgane Valley
About 90 minutes from Marrakech, this is a beautiful area to visit and probably my favourite. You will pass different types of mountain terrain, visit a Berber village and lunch in one of the area’s many delightful guesthouses, Chez Mou Mou, Au Sanglier Qui Fume or for those of you with deep pockets the ‘Kasbah Tamadot’, Richard Bransons place (I used to go there when it was owned by Luciano, a lovely Italian Antiques dealer) We can arrange guided walking tours into the hills and lunch in a berber house.
There are Berber markets on Tuesdays and Saturdays which are worth a visit.
Jbel Toubkal
The highest mountain in the High Atlas range. Enjoy a truly scenic drive through the mountains and visit the ‘Kasbah du Toubkal’ with its 360 degree view of the mountains. Lunch can be arranged at the Kasbah and for the adventurous among you, trekking can also be organised. This is an amazing day out and not to be missed.
Telout, Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate
Not for the faint hearted, this trip is quite epic in proportions but so worth it if you can take the long car journey.
Climb (by car of course) the High Atlas Mountains, pass the Tichka pass, (the highest in North Africa) then a sharp turn off to the left to descend into the valley to visit the old Glaoui Kasbah in Telouet. It is in ruins, but has some amazing interior architecture in a small part of it and I simply loved it when I visited in January of 2012. There are a couple of nice cafes if you would like to have lunch and then continue on to Ait ben Haddou, (a World Heritage site). Simply stunning, and then on to the town of Ouarzazate to visit one of the town’s Kasbah’s. Ourzazate is well known for it’s international film studios and is known as the ‘Gateway of the Sahara’. Please be aware though, that the nearest Dunes are another four hours from this town. The return journey takes a different route until you reach the Tichka Pass, where you rejoin the route from earlier in the day. Amazing scenery and I have to say one of my favourite ‘epic’ days out.
Essaouira
This pretty little fishing village on the Atlantic Coast was built by the Portugese and is sometimes known as ‘the Windy City’. It is well known amongst the surf boarding community. It still has the old fort and the people have a wonderful laid-back approach to life. The dulcet tones of Bob Marley can be heard on many a street corner. This is a great place to shop for local art, musical instruments and Thuya wood.
About 2.5 hours from Marrakech, it is great for a beach day trip, sit in a beach side restaurant eating the local ‘catch of the day’ with a glass of crisp white wine and then taking a stroll around their medina.
All tours are chauffeur driven without guide unless specified. 4×4 tours can be arranged if you are looking to see a more rugged side of these destinations and leave the regular tourist track. We are happy to arrange private tours in the south of Morocco to visit the desert. Please contact us for more information.