November 9-19, 2023.

Morocco. It is just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain and the rest of Europe. Although the shortest distance across the Strait is only 13 km, Morocco feels drastically different than everywhere in Europe. I visited for a long weekend while studying at SLU-Madrid on a group tour, which ultimately caused me to avoid group tours for years. There were over 40 people on the tour, and we were just bussed around. I knew that experience hadn’t done Morocco justice.

Over the past 10 years, I have learned a lot about travel, yet I still opted for a guided tour. This time, I chose Intrepid Travel because I trusted they would provide me with educational experiences and help me engage with a more authentic Morocco. Additionally, I prefer guided trips in countries where solo women travelers often encounter unwanted attention.

Fes was the old Morocco I envisioned. Tiny alleys in the Medina. Old beautiful madrassas. Lots of artisans. Palaces.

So many beautiful doorways with intricate tile work or engravings.

After Fes, we started driving into the desert but stopped in Midelt, a small market village. We walked through farmland and past shepherds before arriving at this lovely local house for Moroccan mint tea.

The sand dunes of the Sahara beckoned. We passed oasis towns with lush palm dates, before the dirt transitioned to sand. This experience was much better than my previous camel rides. We spent the night in tents in the desert, and a few nomads guided us on walks with the camels. It was so quiet. All we heard were the camel’s footsteps.

After leaving the desert, we drove past more palm date oasis towns before arriving in Todra Gorge. While the gorge was nice, the village at the mouth was even better. The area was lush with family farms, where almonds, fruits, and vegetables grew abundantly. The newer parts of the town were interspersed with old mud buildings. As I wandered around, I felt like an explorer. I got so engrossed in the sights that I accidentally fell into a 6-foot hole! Oops!

The last stop before returning to the city was Ait Benhaddou. This town is renowned for being the filming location of many movies. It is a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture. The Kasbah (fortified village) was built into a hill and had a beautiful lookout point at the top.

The trip ended with a few days in Marrakesh. We explored the vibrant markets and beautiful palaces and experienced a local hammam. I will always try the local bathhouse, and this one was lovely. It was a very local environment, with children playing while women scrubbed each other. The Morocco redemption tour finished, and I left feeling thoroughly satisfied. Thank you, Zak (tour guide) and Intrepid for a great trip!