This dream came true one morning as I stood overlooking the Sahara Desert and marveled at the rhythmic, undulating dunes of the desert. That night, I rode my camel to where I could gaze at a million stars, and I smiled at the fact that I was finally thousands of miles away under the same star I had dreamed of.
For two weeks, I traveled across the country, wolfing down steamed couscous, drinking my weight in mint tea, hiking, and absorbing the sights and sounds of Morocco.
Morocco was an incredible and rewarding experience. It hits your senses and is full of surprises. If you are looking for a reason to go, here are some of the highlights of my trip:
1. Sahara camel trekking
Covering the horizon with red sand dunes in the Moroccan desert
Although I wish you could still take the old camel caravan from Morocco to Egypt, I stayed under the stars for one night. It turned out to be an uncomfortable hour on camels, but seeing the beautiful colors of the desert up close and in person, camping with the Bedouins, and gazing at a million stars without light pollution made it all worth it. When the wind stops, there is an eerie silence in the desert and you feel a sense of calm, just sitting there, in the middle of nature.
Fun fact: It rained while I was in the desert. There was a crazy lightning storm – one of the most intense storms I’ve ever seen. The roaring thunder was like a million bombs going off, and the lightning turned the night into day. It hadn’t rained all year, but that night the skies suddenly cleared, letting out all her anger. Surrealism.
2. Hiking in the Atlas Mountains
A small house on the side of a mountain in Morocco
The Atlas Mountains cover most of Morocco and we spent a lot of time in the lower, middle and higher parts of the mountains (it was hard not to). My favorite part was when we crossed the High Atlas Mountains and climbed for an hour to reach a small farmhouse where we spent the night with a local family (who cooked us the most delicious taji pot dinner and Berber omelet of the trip).
3. Eat at Café Clock
Travelers drink tea from above at Cafe Clock in Fez
Recommended to me by many, this Western-influenced cafe has locations in Marrakech and Fez and is known for its huge and delicious camel burgers (which taste a lot like spicy shawarma). The food is great: the burgers, green smoothies and melt-in-your-mouth steamed pumpernickel with buttered chicken are so satisfying that I ate here twice.
And, in the madness and chaos of every city’s medina, the cafe offers an oasis of calm where you can recharge, use Wi-Fi and cool off with air conditioning. They also offer cooking classes and host regular events at each location!
4. Get lost in the medina
Travel through the twists and turns of Morocco’s bustling medina
The medina is the historic center of every Moroccan city: part residential area, part shopping center, part food market. Here you will find winding streets where stores, restaurants, markets and houses are arranged in streets where the buildings seem too close together and too old to stay for long.
