Where to go in Morocco | A Solo Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga | Morocco Travel Itinerary: Part 1

Описание: What is it like to solo travel in Morocco? Where are the best places to go and what should you do if you have anything from a one week to a one month itinerary to explore this beautiful country of contrasts on the edge of the Sahara? Can you handle the haggling in Marrakech? Are Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou worth all the fuss? Should you go the easier to reach dunes of the Merzouga Desert and Erg Chebbi or the more isolated Erg Chigaga?

This travel montage and itinerary guide shows off some key highlights, sights and landmarks from my first few days solo budget backpacking in Morocco and features the busy medina of Marrakech, a stunning pass over the Atlas Mountains, the popular filming location of Ouarzazate, the Ait Benhaddou kasbah, Fint Oasis, Dades Gorge and the dunes of Erg Chebbi in the Merzouga Desert.

This is part 1 of a 3 part Morocco Travel Guide and covers the first week and a half of a one month solo travel itinerary, although this first route from Marrakech to the edge of the Sahara is usually done in about 3-7 days.

Travelling from Marrakech to Merzouga is a popular route to take when visiting Morocco and there are many paid "Sahara" tours one can choose from, but I opted to do my own self-guided tour using the public bus system. I'd certainly recommend this approach if you are the solo travelling sort, as the public transportation system in Morocco is pretty good and it gave me the freedom to wander as I please, without crushing my budget or being tied to a specific schedule.

All in all, Morocco is a stunning budget friendly travel destination, it is a great option for solo travellers and is one of the most interesting countries I've visited.

5 HONEST REVIEWS & SOME USEFUL TIPS FOR TRAVELLING IN MOROCCO ALONG THE MARRAKECH TO MERZOUGA ROUTE:

1. The markets and medinas of Marrakech are well worth visiting, but can be quite overwhelming with all the crowds and persistent haggling going on. Even if one is quite firm, it is difficult to avoid the hagglers, so I wouldn't recommend spending too much of your precious travel time here.

2. The popular kasbah of Ait Benhaddou, which has been used as a set for films like Gladiator is similarly one of these historical locations which is quite interesting to see, but has largely lost it's charm since it is now more of a tourist destination than an actual berber settlement. It is rather well preserved so it's worth seeing, but if you have vehicle access there are apparently some less touristy kasbahs you can visit in the area, which still serve as a genuine home for local berber families.

3. Fint Oasis on the otherhand is simply delightful and a little more off the beaten track. It lies in the arid desert wastes around Ouarzazate and I reached it by hiking and hitchhiking through the desert. Upon arrival, I was greeted by a local berber man who kindly showed me around his home and invited me to sip on some berber tea or "whiskey berber" as he called it. Making my way to this lesser known location was certainly a highlight of my time in Morocco.

4. After Ouarzazate, I spent just one night in Dades Gorge and found it to be quite a lovely spot for going on short hikes surrounded by epic scenery and otherwordly rock formations. When I set out for a sunset hike that evening, I bumped into a group of kids who I played a quick game of football with and then they guided me along some interesting paths through the gorge.

5. ERG CHEBBI VS ERG CHIGAGA

The final frontier of the first section of my Morocco travel itinerary is the small desert town of Merzouga and the dune sea of Erg Chebbi. Most tour companies advertise this as being a trip to the Sahara Desert, although in reality there is some debate as to where the actual Sahara really starts.

There are just two proper ergs (dune seas) in Morocco and many travellers seem to struggle deciding which one they should visit. Erg Chebbi is certainly the easier to access of the two, so it is a good option if one is strapped for time and money, but due to this ease of access many sections are quite spoilt with loads of footprints and tyre tracks. Many refer to Merzouga and Erg Chebbi as "the Coca-Cola desert" due to it's popularity.

A journey to the harder to reach Erg Chigaga is more of an adventure and requires more time and money, but I'd say it is well worth the experience of feeling truly isolated in the desert; miles away from any towns, villages or lights. In part 3 I'll be sharing an epic montage from my trip to Erg Chigaga, which will be the last video from my 20 months of solo travelling abroad, so stay tuned!

Next up on the Morocco itinerary, we head to Chefchaouen, Essaouira, Imlil and M'hamid.

Check out this playlist if want to see more from my solo travel montage series:    • My last 9 months of solo travels  

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