Camel riding in the Sahara Desert near Merzouga, Morocco

Why Morocco?

In 2013 I decided to go on my first solo trip out of the country. Ten years earlier I’d been to Europe as part of a student group from my high school. We’d spent 23 days in England, France, Switzerland, and Italy. Ever since then I’d been dreaming of exploring the world again, but didn’t have enough money or time off to do so. But in 2013 I’d started a steady freelance job where several of my coworkers regularly took one or two week trips out of the country on vacation, and when I realized I could do the same I decided to seize the opportunity. Since I’d already seen some of Europe I decided I wanted to try something else, somewhere more exotic.

I’d always had a love of Islamic art and architecture, but being both an American and a woman, there are unfortunately a limited number of places where I could safely travel solo while seeing those things. So I narrowed it down to either Morocco or Turkey and started my research. I ended up settling on Morocco largely because the cost of the flight was about $300US less than the flights to Turkey. I planned the trip for October, when the weather was supposed to be less hot and humid, and the crowds would be thinner. I wanted to see as much of the country as possible, so I decided to hit a variety of places. I would begin and end with stops in Casablanca, then go to Rabat, Meknes, Fes, Merzouga and the Saharan desert, Chefchaouen, Essaouira, and Marrakesh.

Camel riding in the Sahara Desert near Merzouga, Morocco

Camel riding in the Sahara Desert near Merzouga, Morocco

 

Read My Trip Reports From Morocco

CASABLANCA, Morocco: The Beginning of the Trip + Hassan II Mosque + Getting Lost In The Medina
RABAT: Part 2 of My Trip to Morocco + Kasbah Des Oudayas + Mausoleum of Mohammed V + Chellah Necropolis
MEKNES: Part 3 of My Trip to Morocco + Medersa Bou Inania + Place El Hedim + Dar Jamai
FES: Part 4 of My Trip to Morocco
FES: Second Day In Fes + Things Start Looking Up
MERZOUGA + THE SAHARA: Part 5 of My Trip to Morocco
FES: Part 6 of My Trip to Morocco
CHEFCHAOUEN: Part 7 of My Trip to Morocco
ESSAOUIRA: Part 8 of My Trip to Morocco
MARRAKESH: Part 9 of My Trip to Morocco
MARRAKESH: Part 10 of My Trip to Morocco
MARRAKESH: Part 11 of My Trip to Morocco, Food Poisoning Strikes
CASABLANCA: Part 12, The End of My Trip to Morocco

Information About Sights In Morocco

CASABLANCA: Hassan II Mosque
CASABLANCA: Sacre Coeur Cathedral
RABAT: Kasbah of the Udayas + Andalusian Gardens (Kasbah des Oudaias)
RABAT: Hassan Tower (Tour Hassan صومعة حسان‎‎) + Mohammed V Mausoleum
RABAT: Chellah Necropolis (شالة)
MEKNES: Madrasa Bou Inania (المدرسة البوعنانية)
MEKNES: Place El Hedim (ساحة الهديم) + Bab Mansour + Dar Jamai Museum (Musée Dar Eljamîi)
FES: Medersa el Attarine (Al-Attarine Madrasa)
FES: Jardin Jnane S’bile (Jardins de Boujeloud) + Musee Dar Batha (متحف دار البطحاء)
FES: Medersa Bou Inania (Bu Inaniya المدرسة أبو عنانية بفاس)
MARRAKESH: Koutoubia Minaret (Kutubiyya Minaret جامع الكتبية)
MARRAKESH: Dar Si Said (Museum of Moroccan Arts)
MARRAKESH: El Bahia Palace (Palais El Bahia)
MARRAKESH: El Badi Palace (Palais El Badi قصر البديع)
MARRAKESH: Saadian Tombs (Tombaux Saadiens)
MARRAKESH: Marrakech Museum (Museo de Marrakech)
MARRAKESH: Medersa Ben Youssef
MARRAKESH: Jemaa el Fna (ساحة جامع الفناء)
MARRAKESH: Majorelle Garden (Jardin Majorelle)

Planning Your Own Trip To Morocco

Trip Planning + Where To Stay + Getting Around + Transportation + Money + Electricity
Language + What To Wear + Security Concerns + Touts + Advice For Single Women
What To Eat + What To Buy + Shopping In The Souks