Marrakech is all that gets talked about, and it deserves that recognition. The souks, the spice stalls and the Jemaa el-Fnaa square pull in millions of tourists every year. However, Morocco is quite an extensive country, and the areas outside of the cities have a lasting impact on visitors more than the medina itself does. With a good route, one would be able to travel from a waterfall that is 110 meters tall to a small colonial Spanish coastal town in a period of seven days without necessarily bypassing Marrakech.
If a traveler is looking for a tour that involves the sites and those that are rarely visited by visitors, then the Best Morocco Tour packages offer tours connecting Marrakech to other regions that first-time visitors rarely see. It is not about the sites but the rhythm of a guided tour that will allow travelers to have rest stops.
Marrakech surroundings change rapidly as soon as you move out of town. In about two to three hours, you will find yourself amidst the largest waterfall higher than any building, in a river valley covered with walnut trees, or on the lower part of the High Atlas mountain range. Such places are usually off the beaten track for the first-time visitor, but are truly stunning.
Ouzoud Waterfalls are located around 150 km northeast of Marrakech in the Middle Atlas Mountains, a distance of around two and a half to three hours drive. The waterfall drops for 110 meters in three steps and is the tallest waterfall in Morocco. Its name comes from a Berber word that refers to grinding grains, as the water was previously harnessed by mills for grinding olives and wheat.
It takes around 20-30 minutes to hike down to the bottom from the village, passing through olive plantations and endangered Barbary Macaques, who are native only to this part of Morocco and can be seen running through the tree tops. The locals provide transport to the bottom of the falls in the form of wooden boats for a cost of around $5-$10.
Ourika Valley is situated approximately 60 km south of Marrakech. The journey follows the Ourika River, which passes through terraced groves of walnut and willow trees. This valley rises to Setti Fatma, which is a Berber village. There are seven waterfalls located on top of the village, and access to these waterfalls can be gained by hiking for an hour to two hours, depending on which waterfalls you wish to visit. There are local stalls along the way that provide fresh juices and grilled corn, and these stalls give a feel of real life rather than a guided tour.
Morocco has a coastline that is more than 3,000 km long; however, tourists only get to see a tiny part of this coastline close to Casablanca and Agadir. The towns down south and those in the north live according to their fishing schedule and not tours.
Essaouira lies two and a half hours west of Marrakech and is situated on the Atlantic coast. Essaouira was established by Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah in 1764 and designed by French architect Theodor Cornut, hence the European-style military ramparts that enclose a Moroccan medina. The medina was recognized as a World Heritage Site in 2001 by UNESCO and the fortress cannon of Skala featured in the TV series Game of Thrones.
Famous artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Cat Stevens visited Essaouira in the 1960s and 1970s attracted by the same fierce wind that has since made it one of North Africa's best locations for windsurfing. Further south lies Sidi Ifni, a town with a very different past.
Spain controlled the town, formerly known as Santa Cruz de la Mar Pequeña, between 1476 and June 30, 1969 when it was reclaimed by Morocco in the Fez Agreement. Plaza de España, nowadays called Place Hassan II, still has the whitewashed Art Deco buildings which the Spanish left behind, including the Governor's house dating back to 1934 and a church which was built in 1938 and is now used as a courthouse.
There are a series of reddish rock formations on the beach south of Agadir called Legzira. One of the two original arches crumbled in 2016, but the one that still remains is sought after by photographers in the late afternoon, due to the fact that the sun causes the cliffs to turn an intense shade of orange. It is a relatively secluded spot when compared to the main beach area of Agadir.
There are many small villages within the High Atlas that have been overlooked by travel guides. The small villages exist in the thin mountain valleys, where day trippers cannot enter and thus continue to keep their centuries-old appearance.
Ouirgane is a village located in the valley south of Marrakesh, 60 kilometers away through the Tizi n'Test route. The village received electricity in some sections until 2007, and the roads remained very narrow and rough to the extent that even tour buses do not try to pass them. In guesthouses, tagines are prepared using vegetables which are cultivated around the village, including lamb and olive oil from the valley trees.
In case travelers wish to visit these destinations, as well as those which are more famous in Morocco, then Top Morocco Tours offer a vacation to experience the beauty of both mountains and other Moroccan locations, especially Marrakesh and the coastline.
The town is located in the Anti-Atlas Mountains and is situated approximately three hours south of the city of Marrakech. Tafraoute is distinguished from other towns by pink-colored granite rocks that change color depending on the position of the sun. Each February there is a bloom of almonds in the town attracting some tourists who visit the place specifically at that time of year. Traditional leather products and textiles are still made by local craftsmen using techniques handed over from one generation to another.
However, travel plans outside Marrakech should not be too difficult to organize. All of the above destinations are less than three to four hours away from the city, which means that you can include them into either a day-trip or an overnight stay without leaving much time unaccounted for within the city of your departure. While coastal towns such as Essaouira work well with the last day of your travels, mountain routes including Ouirgane would be suitable to start early in the morning.
In fact, Morocco is a place worth taking some additional time in your schedule for making detours. The real charm of this country is revealed through the small towns, wayside stops, and valleys between the famous sites rather than through the landmarks themselves.
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