If you’re staying in Marrakesh, chances are you’re staying in its fabled medina.
Yet, scintillating as it all is, a few days in it can start to feel a little intense, especially if you’re visiting during high season. Fortunately, there are plenty of escapes within easy striking distance of the Red City that offer fresh air and a fresh perspective on Moroccan life.
From bucolic mountain trails to desert camps and breezy beachside getaways, art-filled gardens to organic cooking classes, exploring further afield is a great way to get to know the country on a more intimate level. Here are five of our favorite day trips from Marrakesh. And here’s a grand taxi fare calculator to help you get an idea of what you should be paying per trip.
Travel time: 45 minutes
If time doesn’t allow for a trip to the Sahara, an excursion to the stone desert of Agafay, a mere 30km (19 miles) south of Marrakesh may be just the ticket. Characterized by undulating rocky terrain that has formed into solid dunes framing semi-arid plains, stark valleys, occasional oases and scattered Berber villages, it invites exploration and adventure.
From horseback riding, camel caravans and buggy tours, to gentle hikes and serene picnics, there are plenty of ways to enjoy this rugged beauty through companies like Marrakech Desert Trips. If you want to make a bigger trip out of it and catch the sunset, stay overnight in one of several camps that dot this terrain. They come with a variety of treats, from campfire dining and stargazing with professional telescopes at Scarabeo Camp, to a day at the pool and lunch at the White Camel.
How to get to Agafay from Marrakesh: If you’ve booked a tour, or an overnight stay somewhere, return transportation from your riad will often be provided from around 500 MAD. If you’re heading out for the day on your own, the best way to do it is via grand taxi, departing Bab Doukkala in Marrakesh, from 250 MAD one way. Remember to book your driver to take you home again.
Travel time: 45 minutes
André Heller’s whimsical, art-filled Anima Gardens provide an Alice-in-Wonderland moment loved by kids and adults alike. Spread over several acres, the lushly planted gardens incorporate mirrored glades, giant beaded heads like those you see in the souks, gleaming nazars (an amulet against the evil eye) inset into bougainvillea bushes, all interspersed between towering, flowering shrubs and trees, like a Mad Hatter’s Garden of Eden. It’s a delightful, engaging and blessedly peaceful way of escaping the frenetic energy of the medina.
When you finish exploring, stop for lunch at the onsite Paul Bowles Cafe for a seasonally changing menu built on ingredients from local farms in the Ourika Valley. You get a sensational view of
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Working at a travel publication can be dizzying—in a year, we go so many places, write so many stories, and publish a lot of content. At times, it can feel like we've run out of world to cover: If you've been there, we've probably done that. But that's of course not the case, and certain stories are an especially powerful reminder of the many stones that remain unturned; that there are many ways to take a trip, either to a familiar place or somewhere markedly overlooked, and tell a completely new story about it.
Prepare to be wowed: Djemaa El Fna is the dazzling heart of Marrakesh, with hordes of people all day long and into the night. It’s an exciting place to be, with shops, restaurants, herbalists, cats, kids going to school, drummers, fruit-juice carts, motorbikes, groups of tourists, bugle-players, women going shopping, and the odd snake.
With so much to see in Rome, you’d be forgiven for never making it outside the city limits, but the wealth of attractions doesn’t end with the Colosseum or the Vatican. If you choose to explore the region of Lazio, of which Rome is the capital, you’ll be richly rewarded.
With its expansive views, vast national parks and small towns that offer a glimpse into local life and culture, Kenya is the perfect place to take a road trip.
Cairo is a magnet for travelers on a budget, and many of the capital’s attractions are free or cheap to visit – paying just $11 gets you entry to the Pyramids of Giza, the only surviving wonder of the ancient world.
Supporting Black-owned and local businesses may take slightly more effort than sticking to the same big-box stores and online giants we often find ourselves turning to by default, but it’s well worth it to know we are contributing to individuals in our communities and supporting a diverse array of businesses. For your gifting needs this holiday season, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite chic and useful travel products made by Black-owned businesses, from luggage and comfortable shoes to toiletries, to add to your arsenal—as gifts for others or for yourself. Load up your virtual shopping carts this holiday season with presents that cater to your giftee’s needs and interests—candle sets from Bright Black, a satin-lined hat from Kin Apparel, or travel blankets from E Marie. Read on for our complete list of travel-friendly gift ideas from Black-owned businesses we love, and find even more gifting ideas here.
It’s true you don’t have to spend the earth to have a good time in Marrakesh: search out reasonably priced places to stay and eat well cheaply at medina pavement cafes and street stalls.
Every year since 2009, the World’s 50 Best Bars has released its list of top tipple temples from across the globe. Not once has a single bar from Africa ever qualified for that list. It actually remains the only habitable continent on earth to be denied such a spot. And it’s not for lack of trying. There are countless candidates from Morocco all the way down to Cape Town befitting of the merit. None are knocking on the door quite so loudly as Hero Bar in the heart of Nairobi, Kenya.