Doing a Moroccon loop
Hi,We will be travelling Morocco form 13-29 July (and yes, i know there's Ramadan but i consider that part of the culture and rather interesting) Arriving in Rabat and flying out from Marrakesh.
This is our plan:
Rabat -> Fez -> Meknes -> Chefchouen and then down into Erg Chebbi, Atlas and/or the Gorges (an overnight Camel desert trip somewhere?)
Have a few days at the beach (Sidi Ifni?) and then heading to Marrakesh for the last 2 days and fly out.
Research showed that Rabat and the Imperial cities can be easily travelled by train. And then take a bus upwards to Chefchouen.
But then what? I heard it's best to rent a car from here and drive the eastern part and the gorges up to the coast and then up to Marrakesh. Can we rent a car in Chefchouen?
What do you guys think? Is this itinary do-able? Or should we first go to Chefchouen from Rabat and then see the Imperial cities?
And go down the country (by car) from there?
Are there definite must-sees i haven't mentioned yet?
Thanks for your help!
1
You have 16 days for your trip so it is doable if you not try to do many detours. Map your routes and along the way choose to look at it as can interest you most.I did never this route from Chefchouen to Fes, but if I would do that, I maybe would rent the car in Chefchouen and drive via Ouezzane to Fes.
I think Ouezzane can be worth the visit, it seems quite interesting place. Or drive via RIF mountain to Fes can be good too if you are interested of the mountain. After that I would go the whole way down to south and try to leave the car in Marrakech if it would be possible.
3
Thanks so far.But what i really do need to know is this:
I would love to fit in Chefchaouen. But what is the best option? Go there from Rabat (i can't find how to get from Rabat to Chefchaouen) and then down by bus to Fes, take the train to Meknes and rent a car there and go to Merzouga/Erg Chebbi.
Or, Rabat to Meknes, to Fes and up to Chefchaouen and rent a car there. I can't find any car rentals in Chefchaouen and the drive from there to Merzouga is much further than from Meknes.
Moroccon traveler, i would love to hear what you have to say!
4
...... its too hot for the Desert, too uncomfortable and given its Summer and Ramadan a step too far.Read back through recent posts and form a plan from the information posted and research a good guide book like LP or Cadogan guide. Summer heat and Ramadan will influence and impact every itinerary you come up with, so keep is simple and short.
5
Best bet is to go to Chefchaouen first, then start working your way south to Fez and beyond.Get the train north from Rabat and on the way to Tanger it diverts inland to Ksar-el-Kebir. This is the closest the train line gets to Chefchaouen, so get a shared grand taxi from there travelling along the R410. Your guidebook should tell you what to do.
I enjoyed a couple of nights in Chefchaouen recently at Riad Baraka, you'll find my review here
