Morocco has always been a destination on my mind, but early on I've already heard stories that discouraged me from making any plans of going on my own. Even when I already lived in a country so close, I never really thought I would end up going there as one of my solo travels. Fast forward to today, I have to say that if I had one regret in how my recent trip to Morocco went, it would be that I wasted time thinking that I couldn't go alone.
Admittedly, a lot of thought went into going or not going, and I guess when a friend I talked with about it told me that he knew that I would never be one to put myself in a situation that compromises my safety or do anything stupid, it helped fully convince me that I could. For the record, I'm not saying that people should go and solo travel there right now. I think when it comes to safety, you shouldn't do something that you wouldn't feel comfortable with, and that applies in this case as well. I went, yes, but that also meant making sure that I would ensure my own safety and comfort and happiness and all.
Now on to the trip itself - I decided on flying to and from Fez, and only doing half of the major destinations based on that, plus the fact that I only had a week. So the route was more or less a circular route that would take me to 2 out of the 4 Imperial Cities, and of course, the Sahara Desert, which I knew I wouldn't dare miss!
Day 1: Hello, Fez!
On my first day, I explored mainly the Fez Medina. There are a couple of highlights, which include the Dyers Souk, where you'll find hanging textiles such as wool dyed in different colors. The tanneries in Fez, such as the Chouara Tannery, are where they do the traditional process of softening, tanning and dyeing leather, which involves flowers and plants for natural color, but also some animal urine and poop! Note that this also means that there will be a certain smell to it that is not pleasant at all! Finally, there is also the Blue Gate, which is blue only from the outside, but from the inside, it's actually green in color.
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Day 2-4: Sahara Desert via Merzouga
It was a really long drive from Fez to Merzouga where you can kick off your camel trek to your Berber tent in the Sahara Desert. There's not really much I could say here except that the Sahara Desert experience was the main reason why this trip is part of my top ones so far! Regarding accommodation in the desert, I stayed at Sahara Sunny Luxury Camp - you can check out some photos of it below as well, but basically, it went way beyond my expectations!
Day 5: Ifrane - Meknes - Volubilis
This drive has a quick stop at the town of Ifrane, which is more popular during winter since it is known as little Switzerland. From there, we were able to get to the Imperial City of Meknes. The city also has its own medina, but is quite smaller than the one in Fez. Close to Meknes, the last stop for the day is the Roman Ruins of Volubilis. It takes around an hour to an hour and a half to get around the entire archeological site, so be prepared for it, especially if you end up going during the summer months!
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| Ifrane |
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| Meknes |
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| Volubilis |
Day 6: Chefchaouen
Everything was blue! Also known as the Blue Pearl, Chefchaouen is one of the most popular stops in Morocco, and for a pretty good and beautiful reason. The entire town is painted in hues of blue, and personally, I love these quaint little towns, so I enjoyed my visit a lot! I noticed that some spots in the city have become extremely popular that they stage it and charge a fee to take photos, but I guess I just don't understand that much because I feel like all the streets were great for photos anyway. So with that being said, check out a few photos below!
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Day 7: Goodbye, Fez!
