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2While we were in Morocco, we spent a lot of time off the grid. Whether we were riding camels in the Sahara, touring the old kasbah at Aït Benhaddou or checking out ancient Sub-Saharan trading routes we were often with limited Internet access. That said, our iPhones became the easiest way to quickly record and share our experiences while out and about.
Morocco is one of those rare places that lives up to its extraordinary reputation. The streets of Marrakech were teeming and busy, with Moroccan mint tea and the comfort of our quiet riad for respite (though getting to our riad was quite a challenge!). There seemed to be photo opportunities at every turn in the sprawling city.
During our two day excursion through the Atlas Mountains and into the Sahara, we also took more than our fair share of pics. Many of those were just quick snaps to record the moment, and share on Instagram, but we were so happy with how they turned out that we wanted to share them here too!
But maybe we’ll just let the photos tell you… All of these photos were taken on an iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4S.
Spices in the souks of Marakkesh
Fresh O.J. at stall 28 in Marrakesh
Color and chaos in the souks of Marrakech
Fresh dates at stall 26 in the souks of Marrakesh
The Koutoubia minaret standing over Marrakech
Peeking out into the narrow streets of the old medina in Marrakesh
Flowers in the fountain at our riad
Our 4x4s ready for a little off road action
A roadside market in Morocco
On the road in rural Morocco
Jordan and Daddy ready to ride
Our camp finally in sight after a long camel ride
The long trek to our tent camp for the night
Our comfy camp in the Sahara
Sunrise over the Sahara desert
Cole in the sands of the Sahara
The long walk back to camp
Looking down on the valley at Ait Benhaddou Morocco
Jordan and our guide Idir in the streets of Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, Morocco
This way to Timbuktu
Cole learning how to make argan oil from the experts
Our little man walking the streets of Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, Morocco
Do you use your phone camera way too much? Love sharing those impromptu shots while on the road? If you’re on Instagram, you can join the fun by following us here.
We took many of these photos during our two day, one night  tour with Sahara Desert Kingdom tours. You can contact Sahara Desert Kingdom through their webpage, on Facebook, and read reviews on TripAdvisor here.
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I Have always been SUPER intrigued by Morocco. I will Get there one day soon. It’s funny though cuz while backpacking around Europe my main camera was an Iphone 4, no complaints on the pictures it took. Looks Like Morocco was a blast. Cheer’s, and Happy New Year! All the best in 2014
Have been interested on visiting/living in Morocco. We have 2 young children as well and curious on your thoughts of safety. Were you ever worried about the safety of your kids? Would you recommend going to Morocco with young kids? Thank you.
Jeff, Morocco is a crazy, fast paced country however we enjoyed ourselves tremendously while we were there. We even took an overnight train from Tangiers down to Marrakech with the kids in tow and the tour of the Atlas mountains heading into the Sahara was awesome. We didn’t run into any trouble anywhere we stayed and we stayed in 4 different riads in Marrakech alone while we were there.
The only time we ever felt “unsafe” was walking back to our place very late one night in the Medina. We took a shortcut down some dark lanes with nothing but a few stray cats to keep us company. It only lasted a few minutes and we weren’t in any specific danger. It was just the classically dumb “maybe we should have stayed on the popular paths” moment most travelers occasionally find themselves in. We’d heard a few stories about people getting robbed in that situation however there aren’t a lot of violent clashes with travelers in the country so we weren’t overly worried. Needless to say though, we did pick up the kids and walked a little faster than usual right then. 😉
The people were generally super nice (especially when we were all together as a family versus going out on our own to pick something up) and our dollar went a long way when we bought food and items outside of the tourist zones. Some people can be a little pushy when selling their services (like “helping” you find your riad in the crazy complicated Medina’s then asking for an overly generous tip for walking you 50 feet) and when selling their wares in some of the markets however that can happen in almost any city.
We loved Morocco and the kids (then 4 and 7) enjoyed themselves there as well. It was definitely a great place to visit and I imagine we’ll make our way there again in the future however I’ll be honest. Most westerners tend to fly down for a week or so, soak up the ambiance, drink some wickedly delicious Moroccan tea, eat some fantastic couscous and tagines meals, enjoy a tour or two, enjoy the lively atmosphere of the Souks, Medinas, squares and markets and then fly back home. Living in Morocco is definitely not for everyone and their way of life is definitely their own.
Depending on how adventurous you and your family are and where in the country you end up you might find the country exactly as you imagined it or not to your taste. In any case I would strongly suggest you check it out for yourselves before deciding to make it your permanent home.
Hope that helps!
Charles,
Thanks so much for your detailed response. It was very helpful. I understand what you mean regarding a week or two visit versus a longer stay. I am just thinking about a 3 month stay since it is close to Europe and can only stay there for 3 months without visa. I could hop over to Morocco for 3 months and then back to Europe for 3 more months. Thanks again for your help. I enjoy following you and your family’s adventure.
Jeff, we had a similar dilemma and needed to get out of the Schengen Visa countries as well to extend our stay in that area of the world. Morocco helped however we also spent a good amount of time in Turkey. If you haven’t already considered it, I would definitely add Turkey to your list of countries to check out.
We totally loved the country and the people were super friendly as well. We could have easily spent 3 months in Turkey alone without a complaint. Istanbul is a busy place but there’s a ton to do and places like Goreme had such a relaxed vibe we could have easily put down roots for a few more months and been content.
Looks like a fantastic trip. Love all the markets, they are one of my favorite ways to explore a country/city.
Love love love these photos. I really want to get to Morocco this year. 🙂
Great iPhone photos! I have always been drawn to Morocco. I hope Michael and I make it there one day soon!
Great iPhotos! Tent camp trip looks like fun. 😉
WOW. If anyone needed persuading to go to Morocco, this article would do it. Amazing!
Morocco is my ultimate bucket list destination–love the images of the souk…..with all of the spices.
Fun photos! They go to show that the iPhone really can capture some nice pics… We hope to make it to Morocco some day :-).
I LOVE these photos! It is amazing what you can capture with a tiny little iPhone. Morocco is very close to the top of my list of places I’m dying to go.
Morocco is an amazing place where someone can spend their holidays especially Marrakech ,it is a lovely city that I can’t forget
I invite you to discover the magic of the Berber country and to see the desert through a window of authenticity. A trip like nothing else you have experienced
The images are amazing, thank you for sharing.
The Morocco offers great diversity of landscape and colors. This destination is the perfect place for photographers.
thank you
Your pictures are so beautiful! I’m based in Paris right now and am hoping to make a trip to Morocco soon. I’m wondering – how were women expected to dress? Was it the norm to dress more conservatively?
Hi Emma! Thanks so much for the kind words 🙂 Morocco is an incredibly photogenic country!
I followed the lead of the local women I saw in Morocco and dressed in long sleeves and a long skirt most of the time. I did wear a T-shirt and capris once or twice, and never felt uncomfortable, or as if I was being started at, but we did spend most of our time in Marrakech, where a lot of tourists are around.
Outstanding Photos!
Great pictures, thanks for sharing it with us!