Hi there! My name is Skye and I travel around the world with my 12 year old daughter Riley.
We are from the East coast of the USA and we try to take about 2 trips a year. Since I am a single mother safety is super important to me, BUT I try hard to never let fear dictate our adventures. So while we have had lots of fun I am always researching obsessively before we go! My daughter has dubbed our journeys “cautiously adventurous” and I think that is a perfect description and we have made it safely through 9 countries so far!
So, I was determined to go to Marrakesh, Morocco! I had read a book a few years ago where the city was featured and I had my heart set on it ever since. However, as soon as I started saying that is where we were going to head I was told so many times how dangerous it was going to be and how two American females traveling alone couldn’t possibly make that trip safely.So I spent hours debating the trip. In the end I’m so glad we decided to go!
Many people over look Marrakesh in favor of Casablanca on the coast. While I understand why people would rather be near the water it is hard to get the full impact of Morocco without going to the desert! Flying in the city takes your breath away. It looks so tiny from the air with sand spread out for miles around it. Almost all the buildings in the city are painted the same color. And because no buildings are allowed to be taller than The Kasbah Mosque Tower (which was built almost 1,000 years ago!) the buildings are all low to the ground. They have super thick walls to keep out the heat. But the unassuming exteriors hide some incredibly beautiful mosaics on the interiors. Because it used to be the imperial city there are a fair amount of Riads (like the one we stayed in!) that are former homes of the wealthy court members.
One of things I did first was make sure we booked accommodations that included a ride to and from the airport. It might cost a little more that way but we witnessed a lot of confusion and language barrier issues with other visitors so I was glad we made a plan. It takes about 30 to 45 min to get from the airport into the city center. The real trick is that the cabs will only take you as far as the city center. The rest of the way is narrow alleys lined with vendors. Occasionally a scooter will try and cut through but be prepared to either walk with your bags or tip a local with a wagon to guide you which is what we did.
Marrakesh is home of world famous souks. Everything in there is bright and colorful and beautiful! The souks are also rather maze like so we decided to hire a guide for the day and he was great! i’m sure he took us to his friends stalls first but he also gave us a heads up on what was a fair price to pay for things and what we should avoid.
There are some aggressive salesmen but mostly a firm no is all that is needed. I think some people are uncomfortable with the bargaining, tough sales pitches, and tipping that is customary in Morocco. But we never met anybody who wasn’t respectful of our refusals and got lots of fun things at a fraction of the price. I think it’s just important to remember that this is how people feed their families and be respectful of the idea that you are participating in their culture, not the other way around. Have fun with the bargaining and walk away if you don’t want something. No harm done.
We also went to a traditional Berber pharmacy and the whole place smelled amazing! It was very fun to see and hear the pharmacist explain all the ins and outs of the place.
We went at the end of May in the beginning of June and it was so hot! At a few points it got up to 104°. We also accidentally went during Ramadan and we were so impressed with how hard everyone worked and how kind everyone was even in the midst of the heat. That being said afternoon siestas were definitely popular. It was very hard to find places to get lunch as many things closed down as they tried to stay in the shade for an hour or two. Once we got into the flow of it we started enjoying it too! We would have breakfast very early and then go exploring and get a fresh squeezed juice from one of the vendors. Then we would come back to our Riyadh and take a nap as well! Then we would sit by the pool and have an early dinner. It was pretty close to paradise.
We also took the opportunity to ride camels through the desert while we were there. If you’re sensitive about such things (like we are) it’s definitely worth researching a place that takes better care of their animals.there are also a ton of street cats that the locals don’t feed but do keep around to help keep the vermin out of their house. We definitely got a few strange looks as Riley walked around and fed the cats scraps of smuggled turkey.
Unlike Casablanca Marrakesh is an almost completely dry town. That didn’t bother us much but if you came feeling like you couldn’t wait to drink a beer by the pool you would be disappointed. We were told that there were only two bars in the whole city and that only men were allowed in them. However, being able to listen to the call to Prayer from the rooftop was such a fun experience.
We toured several of the Royal residences and saw several of the Royal Gardens.
All in all I really encourage you to go to Marrakesh if you have an opportunity. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip and there’s no other place quite like it!
You can follow more of Riley’s and my adventures on our Instagram @momarewelost
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By: Skye | Country: Maryland, USA
Professional Artist
Thank you for the tips and advice so helpful
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