# I'm going to Morocco for Two Weeks **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 9, 2023, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-morocco-for-two-weeks/977937 "2023-01-09T19:57:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2023, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-morocco-for-two-weeks/977937/41 "2023-02-24T15:41:25Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > It can be very dangerous if you are seen as a foreigner alone, especially an American. Good thing I’m Canadian then. I’m sure any ne’er-do-well will accept my explanation that that’s _totally_ different. 😉 FWIW, I’m not thinking of anything the guides wouldn’t recommend (“sneaking off” was a bit facetious) but there are definitely “free time” periods built into the schedule to be filled at will. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2023, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-morocco-for-two-weeks/977937/42 "2023-02-24T15:49:02Z")
Got 'cha! I guess I took the “sneaking off” too literally, and it set off a few bells. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2023, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-morocco-for-two-weeks/977937/43 "2023-02-24T17:44:08Z")
We have neighbors who go to Morocco, and one of their favorite things to do is to walk the back streets and outer neighborhoods of Marrakech. They look American, though could pass for Scandinavian. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2023, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-morocco-for-two-weeks/977937/44 "2023-02-24T17:48:57Z")
> [@digs](#): > > They look american, though could pass for scandinavian. I’ve had very good sushi and French food in the “new city” quarter of Marrakech. The YSL Museum there has one of the most beautiful gardens I’ve ever been to. Succulents and palm species from all over the world. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-morocco-for-two-weeks/977937/45 "2023-03-04T16:27:13Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > FWIW, I’m not thinking of anything the guides wouldn’t recommend (“sneaking off” was a bit facetious) but there are definitely “free time” periods built into the schedule to be filled at will. Just to follow up mid-trip. Based on the limited experiences I’ve had at this point of being separated from the group, the ne’er-do-wells, are much more likely to be offering me drugs than anything else. And their persistence was not overstated - these are the pushy drug dealers from 1980s drug PSAs finally showing up IRL. Much more “annoying” than “dangerous” though. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2024, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-morocco-for-two-weeks/977937/46 "2024-09-14T02:08:50Z")
Bumping this as we’re planning a very similar tour for April 2025. We only have 10 days, so unfortunately we’re not going up to Chefchaouen. We’re spending a night in Rabat, 2 in Fes, 1 at a desert camp, 2 nights in Boumalne Dades, and 3 nights in Marrekech. We plan on hiking after our desert night and as a day trip from Marrakech. How was the night at the desert camp? How was the drive from Fes to Merzouga? What did you see in Fes and Marrakech that stood out? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2024, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-morocco-for-two-weeks/977937/47 "2024-09-14T06:00:32Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > How was the drive from Fes to Merzouga? It’s been 14 years since I drove all over Morocco, so things may have changed. But if I had just one piece of advice for traveling by car in that country, it would be to make all your fuel, rest, and snack stops at Afriquia gas stations. They were the only ones with free, clean, and modern toilet facilities. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2024, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-morocco-for-two-weeks/977937/48 "2024-09-14T13:59:55Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > We only have 10 days, so unfortunately we’re not going up to Chefchaouen. Honestly, that’s too bad. Chefchaouen was among my favourite parts of the tour. > [@Telemark](#): > > How was the night at the desert camp? It was kind of a “tourist experience” thing. Get on the camels, ride to the camp, get a tent as a room – very glamping – where a pickup truck has delivered your bags already. Not a bad experience per se, but clearly “there for the tourists, not for the locals”. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2024, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-morocco-for-two-weeks/977937/49 "2024-09-14T17:30:47Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > It was kind of a “tourist experience” thing. We are under no illusions about it, but we’re still willing to give it a go. In our past travels we’ve not done some fun but touristy things and came to regret it. So we’ll embrace our inner tourist and enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2024, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-morocco-for-two-weeks/977937/50 "2024-09-14T20:23:45Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > So we’ll embrace our inner tourist and enjoy it. Oh, I mean certainly go. It’s a tourist experience, but it’s definitely an experience. Some people (not our group) brought snowboards to slide down the dunes. (Just looking over my photos to get some highlights). The “iconic” bits of Fes and Marakesh, weren’t, in my mind at least, the stars of the show. Busy narrow streets with exotic goods for sale is certainly something to see, but it’s really more “atmosphere”. Definitely if you want spices, get some, though. I liked Volubilis for Roman ruins. Stop at Ait Benhaddou if you can – I think it is likely on your Dades → Marrakech route. We got a cooking lesson at a farm just outside of Marrakech which was very nice (although my tagine at home is still not great compared to even the worst tagine we had there). Jardin Majorelle was a nice treat in Marrakech. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2024, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-morocco-for-two-weeks/977937/51 "2024-09-14T20:39:51Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > We got a cooking lesson at a farm just outside of Marrakech which was very nice (although my tagine at home is still not great compared to even the worst tagine we had there). When we were in Morocco, we learned the secret to tagine cooking…use a pressure cooker. The tagine is just for serving. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2024, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-morocco-for-two-weeks/977937/52 "2024-09-14T21:26:08Z")
We’re planning Volubilis and Ait Benhaddou. We’ll be spending a few nights in the Dades Valley hiking and seeing some local color, as well as hiking in the Ourika Valley as a day trip from Marrakech. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-going-to-morocco-for-two-weeks/977937.md?page=2)