Overview
Explore Morocco’s coastal trails and Berber villages and immerse yourself in local life in Essaouira and Marrakesh.
Morocco’s rugged Atlantic coastline is often neglected as a destination, but the beautiful long beaches, and rocky shoreline where Berber villages perch between desert and sea, offer delightful, easy winter trekking. Starting in Marrakesh you soon leave the bustling souks and palaces of the city medina behind and head west to the Atlantic coast near Essaouira. The weather here is always cooler and fresh but you are still under an African sun. Your trek begins at the former hippy village of Sidi Kakoui from where you trek southwards, following the coastline. The route takes you along pristine beaches and through the oak and argan forests that grow on the limestone cliffs nearby.
As the trekking is gentle and easy-paced you will have plenty of time and energy to enjoy the surrounding sights. On the trail you will see places commemorating local saints known as Marabouts; villages where you may be invited to take tea with a Berber family; fishing settlements with wooden, hand-built boats dragged up on the foreshore; and lots of birds and wildlife.
You are accompanied by camels on the trek, who carry your overnight essentials and luggage, and on the final day, you will have a chance to try your hand at riding them. A team of cooks prepare traditional Berber food for you to enjoy in picnic lunches and in the evening when you will eat your evening meal beside an open fire under the stars.
After the trek, you head north to Essaouira, a picturesque coastal town with ramparts, a busy medina, and a working harbor. Here you will experience the delights of a traditional hammam and have a little time for exploration. Finally, and hopefully fully relaxed after your immersion into Moroccan coastal life, you return inland to Marrakesh. A guided tour of the old medina and a final night out in this captivating ancient city bring your holiday to a close.
Highlights
- Wander picturesque coastal trails in a little-known area of Morocco
- Drink mint tea in traditional Berber villages and relax in a hammam steam bath
- Trek with camels and then take the reins and try riding them!
- Stay in delightful riads and explore charming seaside Essaouira and flamboyant Marrakesh