Suggestions please! Dec 17 ~24 Morocco Trip Itinerary
Replies: 31 - Last Post: Dec 4, 2012 10:55 AM Last Post By: stephaniec6
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Suggestions please! Dec 17 ~24 Morocco Trip Itinerary
Hi all,I booked my round ticket to Casablanca, but haven't finalized detailed itinerary. Please give me some suggestions about my plan as below.
Mon 12/17/2012 Arrival in Casablanca
Tue 12/18/2012 Casablanca to Marrakech
Wed 12/19/2012 Marrakech
Thu 12/20/2012 Desert Trip
Fri 12/21/2012 Desert Trip
Sat 12/22/2012 Desert Trip to Fez
Sun 12/23/2012 Fez to Chefchaouen
Mon 12/24/2012 Chefchaouen to Casablanca
Tue 12/25/2012 Departure from Casablanca
Marrakesh and Desert trip are must-goes for me. I would pick Fez or Chefchaouen if time does not allow both.
Thanks！
1
Hi,I live in Ifrane an hour south of Fes, over the last year we have done a few trips around the country, including Marrakesh and surrounds, desert tour, Ouzazatte and Dades Gorge etc, Fes and driving up through Chefchouen.
One thing I have learnt is no matter what happens travel takes longer and is more stressful than you would hope or expect. If you are driving (which would be easiest), then you need to add about 2 hours onto most long journeys. Driving the back way from Marrakesh along the desert and on to Fes area we did in 4 days to make sure we had time to stop and see the gorges (we didn't do a desert trip that time). Even allowing 4 days we felt like we were driving all the time.
Your itinery has a huge amount of travel in it, I worry that you will go home feeling exhausted having only really seen the country from the car.
For more info and ideas of places to go, check out
Marrakesh to Fes -
http://tkbreeze.blogspot.com/2012/04/planes-trains-and-auto-mobiles.html
http://tkbreeze.blogspot.com/2012/04/river-deep-mountain-high_08.html
desert trip
http://tkbreeze.blogspot.com/2011/11/snow-sand-sun-and-farting-camels.html
http://tkbreeze.blogspot.com/2011/11/snow-sun-and-farting-camels-part-2.html
There should be some helpful info about our trips in there, there's also info about Kasbah life and staying in riads in there if you are interested.
Hope this is helpful, let me know if you have more questions.
2
You can do your trip by your self also. From Casa to Marrakech take a train, it is interesting and comfortable too.From Marrakech to Fez via Erg Chebbi you can either rent a car or take the bus. By car you are more flexible, but by bus it is OK. Supratours buses are good, comfortable and keep almost the time. Check http://www.oncf.ma
If you go self you are much more flexible, can choose everything self and are not pressed of the time, to follow "rules" in the tour company. And you get a perfect experience and feeling too.
You say that "Marrakesh and Desert trip are must-goes for me", so skip Chefchaoun and enjoy more of your trip: It would be anyway rushing only to go to Chefchaouen.
Thu 12/20/2012 - Marrakech to Ouarzazate with visiting Ait BenHaddou and after that to Boumalne visiting Todra Dades
Fri 12/21/2012 - at morning visiting Todra Gorge, after lunch to Erg Chebbi
Sat 12/22/2012 - Desert Trip
Sun 12/23/2012 - Desert Trip - to Fes (if you go by bus, you can take a night bus)
Mon 12/24/2012 - Fes to Casablanca
Tue 12/25/2012 - Departure from Casablanca
It will be a little tight anyway but you can manage your trip and enjoy it.
3
I agree with cutting out Chefchaouen, it's really beautiful but would make your travelling tough.Don't forget to leave yourself some time to explore the medinas of either Fes or Marrakesh if you have never been there.
The desert experience is amazing, you are right to have it as a must.
5
Nice photos, Tanya. Azrou and Ifrane are my favourite area in Morocco.6
Thanks Tim, you wouldn't like it right now, it's been bucketing it down for 40 hours non-stop. Great for the land, drove by one of the dried up lakes today and its starting to fill, not so great for our top floor apartment that has water streaming down the walls!!http://www.tkbreeze.blogspot.com/
8
That's what we went to check out today. Wettest we've seen it in 18 months.Stephanie, bring lots of layers, our family did Marrakesh and Fes a few weeks ago and were completely unprepared for the cold. Most places don't have the best heating and it can be mighty cold.
Another thought... if your not going to Chefchaouen and are getting the medina experience in Marrakesh, then you may have no need to go all that way. You can do everything around the Marrakesh area. The riads and kasbahs in Marrakesh are much better value for money and booking.com always has amazing deals. If you stay in that area you have more time to relax and expore the amazing things down there... Ourika vally, Todra Gourge, Dades Gorge, Ait Benhadou, as well as getting time to do the desert properly as well at Erg Chjigaga.
Lots to think about...
http://www.tkbreeze.blogspot.com/
9
Tanya, I was looking a little on your blog with label Sahara and find it a little unclear, or how to tell. You write about Erg Chebbi, but refers to la Grande dune 200m high at least, which is not, however, in Erg Chebbi. The highest sand dune in Erg Chebbi is around 150m. La Grande dune is in Erg Chigaga. And it is not in all cases 200m, it is max 120m.So your blog is a bit fuzzy, I think, and misleading for those who do not know much about Morocco and the bit of the desert.
Edited by: khamlia
11
Thank you all! Your tips are really helpful! I'm now thinking to cut the places to go and spend more time on each places.As far as Chefchaouen, I really like the blue color of the town. I'm always fascinated about small mountain towns. Is there any other places near Marrakesh or Fez like Chefchaouen? I did hear that Chefchaouen is similar to some Greek town. I'd cut it for now if it's true as Greece is one of the top destinations on my list :)
12
Hi all,sorry for any misleading info in the blog, not intentional... when researching facts on the internet I encountered countless disagreement over the actual heights, including from people who have apparently measured them with altimeters, I just referred back to what I was told by the guide...
Apologies if I've mislead anyone. I haven't been to Er Chigaga, most people say the dunes are smaller, but some say they have measured them and they are higher... take from that what you will!!
Tanya
Morocco and beyond...
14
No marocfan, do you forgot now that not so long ago, we talked about this and Tim really confirmed that Erg Chebbi is higher than that la grande dune of Erg Chigaga. I tried to find the thread where we talked about it, but can not find it, of course. Stupid I am, that I did not bookmarked there, but will continue to look for.Maybe Tim will read this and will remember where we wrote about it. Hope so. And thanks in advance :)
