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.

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.

Lonely Planet Morocco

I exchange a tentative glance with Charles, debating how much I should worry about our little girl’s sudden bond with a 1,000 pound animal. Mohammad, the camel’s handler is completely unfazed by Jordan’s enthusiasm, though I’m fairly sure that small girls with wild golden ringlets don’t fling themselves on top of his camels every day.

For all their size, the camels don’t look terribly imposing.

Sitting down, they’re as docile as sleepy kittens and lined up neatly, with their gangly legs tucked primly underneath their lumpy bodies. Every so often one of them lets out a disconcerting “nuuuuuurrrr” sound, a deep rumbling that’s something between a cat’s purr and an elephant’s trumpet.

Mohammad tousles Jordan’s hair with a smile, and motions Charles to climb up on the saddle behind her. Cole wiggles into position on another camel and I scramble awkwardly behind him.

After a series of commands, and a gentle tug on the lead by Mohammed, our camel’s front legs straighten, and Cole and I are suddenly tilting backwards, staring at the wide blue sky. As we adjust and hold on for dear life, Mohammed gets the camel to extend its back legs, and we’re quickly propelled forward. Now ten feet off the ground, we’re questioning our decision to get on in the first place.

It seems like a long way down from the top of a camel.

Before we have time to reconsider, all our small group is quickly saddled up and we’re off, with the patient Mohammed walking ahead. He leads the first camel into the desert, with the other camels tied into a neat line behind. Each of us are laughing at the others in our group as we all try to adjust riding a camel for the first time.

Though Mohommad, the handler, leads the camels, we’re traveling through Morocco with Idir, our soft spoken and unflappable guide. Idir, who speaks fluent English, French, Berber, Arabic and a smattering of Spanish, has carefully explained that these are dromedaries (sometimes called Arabian camels) as they have only one hump, and not two. Since they’re all from the same camel family, we tended to use the term interchangeably to his constant chagrin.

As Idir drives away in our comfy 4×4 to help set up our camp for the night, we follow Mohammed into the desert. As our hour long ride wears on, I’m starting to think Idir’s choice of the 4×4 is a very sensible choice.

It turns out that camel saddles aren’t especially comfortable, especially with a seven year old perched in front of you.

Our camels pick their way across the sand,with a lilting, rolling gait that resembles a slow motion horse’s gallop. Dromedaries just like these have been used for thousands of years, as pack animals that made trade through the expansive Sahara possible.

Here, in the fading light of the desert, I half close my eyes and imagine a caravan of dromedaries from Southern Africa making their way across this land a thousand, maybe two thousand years ago.

Time wavers, and disappears just for a second.

Suddenly, Cole bursts into a giggling fit. The camel in front of us has decided to pee. To a seven year old, this is the highest form of humor.

Behind us, the sun sinks slowly into the golden sand. The road, and the camel camp behind us have completely disappeared from view. There’s nothing here in the middle of desert but us; our little caravan plodding slowly through the sands near the desert oasis of Ouarzazate.

The camel in front is still peeing. It seems like it has been spent about a third of our ride relieving itself. I make a note to ask Idir, who seems to have an inexhaustible knowledge of all things Moroccan, about the mysterious toilet habits of camels.

The nomadic Bedouin tents where we’ll lay our heads for the night appear as we crest a tall dune. The camp has hot showers and electricity to charge our iPhones, but you’d never know it as it enters into sight. Other than the telltale row of solar panels, there’s nothing here but a wide expanse of sand and our tents.

And that’s it. As quickly as it started, we’re off our camels and deposited just outside the camp. We walk, bowlegged and stiff towards the comfy cushions set up between the tents, where a steaming pot of delicious Moroccan mint tea awaits.

Cole is still giggling and we’re all thankful to have tried it but glad to be out of the saddle. After a long day of driving and seeing the Moroccan countryside, that last hour has worn us out.

Jordan just bounds ahead, ringlets bouncing, eager for her next adventure.

Morocco Essentials

Our camel ride was part of a 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.

Where: We rode our camels on a one hour ride near the desert town oasis of Ouarzazate.

Cost: A two day tour, including meals, all transportation, a camel ride, and accommodation costs around $200 USD per adult, and children are typically half price. Tours are very customisable and can be lengthened to 3, 5, or 7 days and longer if you want to  see more of Morocco or go further into the Saharan Desert.

Where to stay: Our tour started and ended in Marrakech, Morocco. We stayed in one of Marrakech’s traditional Moroccan riads in the Medina of the Old City. Check out our post on how to find the perfect riad in the Marrakech Medina.

Marrakech’s Medina is everything every guidebook says it is: a vibrant, teeming and wild assault on the eyes, ears and nose. Hustlers, touts, tourists, merchants, locals, mopeds, cars, and donkeys pulling carts of fresh vegetables somehow make their way along the narrow alleyways, as Moroccan grandmothers totter along seemingly oblivious to the chaos around them.

It’s this chaos that makes Marrakech’s riads a perfect, calm place to escape. We stayed in three riads (in four different rooms) over the course of a week, and had a chance to visit another for a very late brupper (breakfast foods for supper) with friends.

The riads ranged from simple budget rooms (Ryad Laarrous) to suites complete with two separate bedrooms and a large living area (Riad Dar Ourika).

Click here for the latest prices and more information.

What’s a riad? Riads are traditional Moroccan houses that have been converted into hotels or bed and breakfasts. Some are small enough to have only two or three rooms, others have dozens, but most only have five or six suites. They’re always built around a central courtyard, with windows and doors usually facing the courtyard rather than the exterior. From the outside, riads are decidedly unassuming, and even entrance doors are usually simple affairs. The ground floor often holds the dining area, central courtyard and a common sitting room, with individual rooms on upper floors. Most riads also have large rooftop terraces that allow you to bask in the Moroccan sun and watch the sun set over the Medina.

How much does a riad cost?

Rates range from around $35 USD per night for a double room in a budget riad (like Ryad Laarrous, where we stayed three nights), right up into the thousands if your budget can handle it (check out the stunning Dar Anika). We didn’t stay at the Anika (though I really wish we had). Check prices here.

You can easily get a double room in a mid-range riad for around $60 USD/night, or a large family suite for around $110/night. You can often even rent an entire riad by contacting the owners directly (most riads have websites, though many are only in French).

Click here for the latest prices and more details.

Booking.com

Why is there always a water fountain in the central courtyard?

The water in the center courtyard is a form of natural air conditioning. When hot air in the courtyard flows over the fountain, it’s cooled almost instantly. Because hot air rises (and cool sinks), the cooled air stays within the riad’s open air central courtyard, cooling off the building and the rooms around it.

How the heck do I find my riad? These streets are crazy!

Finding your way to your riad is probably going to be the hardest part of your stay. The streets in Marrakech’s Medina look like they were designed by a honeybee strung out on a strong dose of espresso. This is especially true walking through the souks near the center.

Check out this video of the four of us navigating the narrow streets (which would be small for just a pedestrian walkway in North America) on our way to our stay at Riad Ourika in the old Medina. This was our third or fourth foray into the Medina from that riad, and notice that we still got turned around. Twice!

At least our riad had a name and address on the outside. Many are unmarked and often even the street numbers are missing. Google maps will only get you so close to where you need to be so don’t rely on them to get you exactly where you need to be.

So how can you find them? Many riads will have someone meet you at the airport or train station to guide you if you contact them before you get there. Alternatively, you can do what we did, and pick a random kid somewhere near your riad and pay them 10 dirham (about a USD) to guide you to the front door. Your mileage may vary with this approach, as Marrakech is legendary for its touts and hustlers. If you get lost, trust us that within a few minutes you will have someone willing to guide you. Most are very nice but occasionally they can get pushy. Just be firm and realize that for many of them this helpful guidance is in effect a full time job for them.

What kind of amenities do riads have?

Marrakech’s riads have a surprising number of amenities, including everything from swimming pools, Wi-Fi access, free breakfasts, dining rooms, rooftop loungers and restaurants to onsite massages, spas and hammams. Most will also help you set up tours of the surrounding areas and will hold your bag if you decide to head to the Atlas Mountains or decide to camp out in the Sahara desert for a night like we did.

Swimming pools in most riads are usually fairly small and not heated, making them much more suitable for a plunge after a hot day walking through the souks than swimming laps. Almost all riads offer a breakfast with the room rate and many will also make you a delicious custom Moroccan dinner on site in a private dining room if you set it up a day in advance. We’ve heard from numerous people that the supper they were served in their riad was easily the best Moroccan meal they had in Marrakesh. Of course this wholly depends on the riad you have chosen.

Most riads will also provide you with a welcome Moroccan tea on your arrival or a delicious glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. The Moroccan tea (usually a very sweet green tea with large mint leaves in it) is absolutely delicious and shouldn’t’ be missed.

What’s a hammam?

A hammam (hamam) is a traditional Turkish bath. Many riads have their own onsite hammam rooms and staff, or they can refer you to a hammam nearby. Traditionally, a hammam is a communal experience, meaning you’ll be getting naked in a large room with a bunch of strangers (generally strangers of the same sex, as hammams are usually male or female only). Riads, however, can arrange for couples hammams in their private rooms. The experience can include a massage, or simply a steam followed by a rough soaping by a same sex attendant.

WiFi. Can I get it?

Ah, Internet access, the bane of our travel blogging life. Unfortunately, we had problems with Wi-Fi access in all of the riads we stayed at in Marrakech, despite the riads all advertising Wi-Fi in the rooms. That said, the WiFi signal was strong in all of the riads’ main lounges, and we often resorted to hanging out on the common couches when we needed to connect. You’ll stand the best chance of the Wi-Fi signal reaching your room if you have a room that connects directly to the main area on the ground floor. Unfortunately, this may mean your room is a little bit louder, but it may be a small price to pay for good Internet.

Where can I find a good riad?

We booked all of our riads through Booking.com. They seemed to have the most reviews of all the search engines we looked at, and prices were more often cheaper than booking through the riads themselves.

Click here for the latest prices and to see more information.

What’s the difference between a dar and a riad?

In practical terms, none. From what we could uncover, a dar should be a townhouse with a courtyard, while a riad should have a garden. However, many riads in Marrakech don’t have a proper garden.

Where we stayed

Ryad Laarrous

Decidedly budget, the Laarous feels a bit like it’s falling apart a bit at the seams. Still, it was pretty, with a cozy central sitting area offering a decent breakfast, a small pool, flat screen TVs in the rooms and a helpful front desk staff. Good value for the money however make sure you get a room that faces the inside as road noise from the few rooms facing the street can get pretty loud at times.

Click here for the latest prices.

Riad Dar Ourika

My favorite of the riads we stayed at, the Riad Dar Ourika had a leafy sitting area and good breakfast.

Our room, the Royal Suite (around $116 USD/night was huge, with two bedrooms, an enormous private central sitting area with fireplace and couches, a 15 foot tiled ceiling with skylight, a bathroom straight out of the Arabian nights, and a private terrace to relax on.

Click here for prices and more information.

Riad Tizwa

Small, lovely, and best suited to couples or singles (rooms aren’t well set up for larger families), this is a charming riad. Our Canadian friends, who met us in Marrakech, stayed here and gave us a tour of their gorgeous room.

We arranged for a custom meal on the rooftop terrace, and the cook pulled out all the stops, including rose petals on the table, candlelight, and a delicious spread of fresh fruit, juices, coffee, granola, omelettes and fresh bread.

Read more and see the latest prices here.

Booking.com