From golden sand dunes to the peaks of the High Atlas mountains, Morocco is an adventurer's dream. Epic landscapes carpet this slice of North Africa like the rugs you’ll lust after in the souqs.
On lower ground, windswept coastlines, waterfalls and caves are tucked into forested hills and verdant palm oases. Here are Morocco’s top 10 natural wonders.
Erg Chebbi
Shape-shifting over 17 miles from north to south and reaching heights of 525 feet, the great sand sea of Erg Chebbi is extraordinarily scenic.
The rose-gold dunes rise dramatically above a pancake-flat, grey hamada (hard-packed rocky desert) and turn stunning shades of orange, pink and purple as the sun sets.
High Atlas Mountains
Welcome to North Africa’s highest mountain range, known by Imazighen (Berbers) as “Idraren Draren” (Mountains of Mountains), and a trekker’s paradise from spring to autumn.
The range runs diagonally across Morocco for almost 625 miles, encircling Marrakesh to the south and east from the Atlantic Coast just north of Agadir to Khenifra in the northeast.
Its saw-toothed peaks act as a weather barrier between the mild, Mediterranean climate to the north and the Sahara to the south.
For rafters and kayakers, the valley is a green jewel where rafts whip between 8.3ft-wide limestone walls; for climbers and trekkers, the extreme topography and huge routes offer ridiculous views.
Cascades d’Ouzoud
The many-tiered Cascades d’Ouzoud are stunningly beautiful, with several distinct falls, the largest a massive 328ft drop.
The area is also one of the most popular day trips from Marrakesh, so be prepared to not have this natural idyll to yourself.
On summer weekends the cafe-lined paths that lead down to the falls are filled with local families and tourists browsing souvenir stalls and taking pictures.
To reach the falls, walk past the signs for Riad Cascades d’Ouzoud towards the precipice, where converging paths wind down towards the largest falls and beyond.