There is something about Morocco that kept me staring out the window of our van for the entire journey. It was a country we knew very little about but was suggested to us as a way of spending time together and sharing an adventure in a place we had never been.
Having only a week available for travel, naturally we wanted to see as much as possible. This meant basically, a very lengthy road trip. It was similar to watching a long, beautiful documentary film, from the viewpoint of our very comfy luxury vehicle, accompanied by very knowledgeable local guides telling a story of the history, culture and astonishing beauty of this very intriguing country. This is what most surprised me and if there is one way to spend time with family, it is on a road trip, in a van, leaving ample room for the chatter, laughter and camaraderie to flourish. It allowed time to listen to the stories, stop to take pictures and experience local food, as well as take in the striking landscapes along the way.
Having only a week available for travel, naturally we wanted to see as much as possible. This meant basically, a very lengthy road trip. It was similar to watching a long, beautiful documentary film, from the viewpoint of our very comfy luxury vehicle, accompanied by very knowledgeable local guides telling a story of the history, culture and astonishing beauty of this very intriguing country. This is what most surprised me and if there is one way to spend time with family, it is on a road trip, in a van, leaving ample room for the chatter, laughter and camaraderie to flourish. It allowed time to listen to the stories, stop to take pictures and experience local food, as well as take in the striking landscapes along the way.
Our journey took us from Casablanca to Fez, a day trip up to Chechaouene and back, through the countryside to Merzouga for a traditional overnight desert safari stay to celebrate a family birthday, through mountains and lush landscapes to Ouarzazate and then onto Marrakesh where we spent several days before departing.
The trip was a perfectly planned combination of culture, adventure and serenity, from the stunning blue city of Chechaouene, although a long day trip, turned out to be a favourite of our young adult travellers. The food, shopping and visual cultural beauty left us exhausted at the end of the day but it was well worth the trip. Other highlights were the overnight stay in a deluxe tented camp beyond Erfoud in the desert where we were entertained by local musicians, served delicious food and danced under the stars to ‘Happy Birthday’ with our son and his partner. An early morning camel ride to witness the sun rise and glide down sand dunes left us exhausted and filthy! But not to worry, those luxury tents come with toilets and showers...who knew??? A local cooking class lead by a traditional chef was a lot of fun and naturally turned into a competition to determine which one tasted the best and was most visually appealing. Nest we raced to the medina to find the most beautiful tajines, spices and other ceramic wares to take home afterwards. Our bags were full! I can’t express how unique the shopping was in Morocco, probably a highlight for our young woman companion, who surprisingly, was an ‘expert’ in bargaining with the locals. The rest of us timidly just paid full price!
The final highlight, immensely enjoyed by all was an early morning hot air balloon ride, preceded by a traditional Moroccan breakfast. It literally topped off our trip with the perfect views of mountains, valleys, farms and stunning skies beyond Marrakesh. Morocco will definitely see us again!
— The Quinn Family
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