Desert Tour or Chefchaouen?
#1
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Desert Tour or Chefchaouen?
I'm a little short on travel time and I'm trying to decide if I should skip either the Desert Trek Tour or Chefchaouen. I have traveled quite a bit, and really love charming villages, enjoying nice lunches and dinners at beautiful cafes, walking around taking pictures, seeing the sites, a little luxury, a little roughing it, and of course adding in a little adventure, etc. The idea of riding a camel and camping in the deserts of Morocco sounds pretty fun. Although, I've been to the large sand dunes here in Southern California quite often with my kids who go four-wheeling a lot...but I realize that's probably not the same as the Sahara and staying in a tent. But both locations seem to take quite a bit of travel time, and I hate sitting in the car for too long. And I don't really love mountain driving either...and I worry that the stress of that will far outweigh the fun of camel riding. Is there anywhere near Marrakesh or Fes to ride camels that doesn't require such a long drive? Even the drive to Chefchaouen is a bit far. I know I would stay at least one night, but is half day enough to do it justice and make the drive worthwhile? Or would I need two nights to give myself 1.5 days? Or is the Desert experience more memorable? Especially since its a well established route from Marrakesh to Fes, and I'd get to see other towns along the way. I don't love the idea of spending a couple of nights in one hotel in Fes, to one night in Chefchaouen, then back to another hotel in Fes before flying out to Madrid for our flight home to LAX. Right now, it appears the flights out of Fes leave around noon so trying to drive back from Chefchaouen in the early morning seems too hectic so that seems to be my only option.
Any advice or opinions?
Any advice or opinions?
#5
I suggest then, with only 6 full days, that you simply divide your time between the 2 cities and take day trips as the spirit moves you if you decide you have the time to leave town. No need to decide or book in advance. Don't succumb to a hard sell to book any trips in advance. I've arrived at busier times of the year and it was never a problem. Accommodations always have drivers at short notice.
For instance, a drive to Volubilis by grand taxi is a nice day out from Fes, as is Meknes, nearby and easy by train. Marrakech has more than enough to fill 3 days.
I suggest you plan to fly into one city and back from the other to save travel time and bring warm things to wear as it can be chilly in winter, pretty much the same as in southern Europe. For that reason, as well as because your trip is so short, I wouldn't plan to camp and another reason to skip the mountains. If you try to squeeze more in, especially in winter, I think it'll be a less satisfying visit than if you stick to the cities where you can opt for indoor activities in case of inclement weather.
Also keep in mind few accommodations are heated, or heated enough. I spent quite a miserable March in Marrakech in the cold and damp. The mountains obviously can be worse.
For instance, a drive to Volubilis by grand taxi is a nice day out from Fes, as is Meknes, nearby and easy by train. Marrakech has more than enough to fill 3 days.
I suggest you plan to fly into one city and back from the other to save travel time and bring warm things to wear as it can be chilly in winter, pretty much the same as in southern Europe. For that reason, as well as because your trip is so short, I wouldn't plan to camp and another reason to skip the mountains. If you try to squeeze more in, especially in winter, I think it'll be a less satisfying visit than if you stick to the cities where you can opt for indoor activities in case of inclement weather.
Also keep in mind few accommodations are heated, or heated enough. I spent quite a miserable March in Marrakech in the cold and damp. The mountains obviously can be worse.
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Thanks for your advice. Actually, it looks like I will have 8 full days in Morocco...
I just talked to someone who went this past February and they said they were fine in jeans and t-shirt most of the time, and a light jacket only in the evenings....even in the desert. But I would imagine February weather can be all over the place from year to year.
Good to know that I don't need to book any day trips in advance! But having 8 full days, should I add the desert trek or Chefchaouen?
I just talked to someone who went this past February and they said they were fine in jeans and t-shirt most of the time, and a light jacket only in the evenings....even in the desert. But I would imagine February weather can be all over the place from year to year.
Good to know that I don't need to book any day trips in advance! But having 8 full days, should I add the desert trek or Chefchaouen?
#7
Do you have 9 nights now? If it's still 7 nights, and travel days prior to night 1 after night 7, it's 6 full days. That includes the time you'll use to get from 1 city to another, thereby reducing your time for non-travel activities even further. Don't trick yourself into thinking you have more time than you actually do, giving yourself a false sense of the possibilities.
Plot it out on a calendar so you can see what you've actually got. I wouldn't recommend you go either of the other places with so few days. Stick to the 2 cities you've already planned and enjoy them.
If you decide you might prefer Fes to Marrakech then drop Marrakech and add Chefchaouen, along with day trips mentioned.
Plot it out on a calendar so you can see what you've actually got. I wouldn't recommend you go either of the other places with so few days. Stick to the 2 cities you've already planned and enjoy them.
If you decide you might prefer Fes to Marrakech then drop Marrakech and add Chefchaouen, along with day trips mentioned.
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Yes, I have 9 nights, 8 days...although I am looking at a possible afternoon flight on the 8th day back to Madrid to fly home.
Sorry, I was kinda guessing at first but I checked my calendar to get the actual dates.
Sorry, I was kinda guessing at first but I checked my calendar to get the actual dates.
#11
I agree more or less with Bedar, with some variation. I think a fine trip would be north (Fes, Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Meknes). OR, Marrakech & Essaouira. I actually prefer Rabat to Meknes, the advantage of the latter being proximity to Fes. But Rabat is easy if taking the train between Fes & Marrakech. Just get off the train partway and spend a night or 2. I like the setting of Rabat on the water and it's an elegant city.
But I come back to the limited time frame and the fact of life that more travel between locations means experiencing less, not more (though I've had some interesting encounters on trains).
But I come back to the limited time frame and the fact of life that more travel between locations means experiencing less, not more (though I've had some interesting encounters on trains).
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Yep, those are the sand dunes here in Southern California...most California people refer to them as Glamis Dunes.
So...you say choose between Marrakesh and Fes?? Are they too similar to do both? We do prefer smaller quaint towns normally, but the liveliness of Marrakesh seems a hard one to miss. I also wonder if being at the coast will be exciting enough for us since we will be on the coast in Portugal for a few days, AND we live at the beach in California. I mean I get it, who doesn't want to go to the beach for vacation...but my life sometimes feels like a vacation, lol.
I must admit, Volubilis doesn't appeal to me or my husband. We don't like "looking at stuff", we're not really museum people. If its a quick convenient stop we usually go for it, but we wouldn't normally make a special trip to go see ruins. We prefer to DO things...like climbing up the Acropolis in Athens...it was a 2-fer, we got to do and see . The looking that brings back wonderful memories of Athens was sitting at a rooftop bar with cocktails at the end of the long day seeing it all lit up off in the distance . We would love to walk around Chefchaouen though. I'm an artist, and love color, so that town looks quaint and I'm excited to take some pictures and just absorb the charm. I AM struggling with whether to go to Essaouira only because of the long drive out there, but the available stops along the way look interesting...and we love a good fish market and eating seafood.
You've certainly given me some things to think about and I thank you for that. If I gave up Marrakesh, it opens up more time for some other interesting places...which I like. But if we do keep Marrakesh and Fes, I'm considering the night train to Tangier, then a 2 hour bus ride to Chefchaouen for one night, before taking another bus to Fes for the next few nights, where I would then fly back to Madrid from. So yeah, I'd like your opinions on whether to skip Marrakesh and opt for only Fes along with some northern towns instead...
So...you say choose between Marrakesh and Fes?? Are they too similar to do both? We do prefer smaller quaint towns normally, but the liveliness of Marrakesh seems a hard one to miss. I also wonder if being at the coast will be exciting enough for us since we will be on the coast in Portugal for a few days, AND we live at the beach in California. I mean I get it, who doesn't want to go to the beach for vacation...but my life sometimes feels like a vacation, lol.
I must admit, Volubilis doesn't appeal to me or my husband. We don't like "looking at stuff", we're not really museum people. If its a quick convenient stop we usually go for it, but we wouldn't normally make a special trip to go see ruins. We prefer to DO things...like climbing up the Acropolis in Athens...it was a 2-fer, we got to do and see . The looking that brings back wonderful memories of Athens was sitting at a rooftop bar with cocktails at the end of the long day seeing it all lit up off in the distance . We would love to walk around Chefchaouen though. I'm an artist, and love color, so that town looks quaint and I'm excited to take some pictures and just absorb the charm. I AM struggling with whether to go to Essaouira only because of the long drive out there, but the available stops along the way look interesting...and we love a good fish market and eating seafood.
You've certainly given me some things to think about and I thank you for that. If I gave up Marrakesh, it opens up more time for some other interesting places...which I like. But if we do keep Marrakesh and Fes, I'm considering the night train to Tangier, then a 2 hour bus ride to Chefchaouen for one night, before taking another bus to Fes for the next few nights, where I would then fly back to Madrid from. So yeah, I'd like your opinions on whether to skip Marrakesh and opt for only Fes along with some northern towns instead...
#13
Regarding Fes vs Marrakech, there's simply no way to know which you'll like better. There are people on both sides, seems most have a preference but which one you'll prefer is a mystery only you can solve. I've had extended stays in both and prefer Marrakech, in part because I also like Essaouira (more than Chefchaouen). But also because I've found there's more to do in Marrakech than in Fes.
If you take a grand taxi from Fes to Chefchaouen it's easy to make a stop in Volubilis, if only to stretch your legs.
I always wonder when people compare, saying they live near the water so may find a Moroccan town on the water less interesting. Essaouira, for instance, has little in common with a town on the water anyplace else because it's a Moroccan town. Yes, with water alongside but there the similarity ends.
If you take a grand taxi from Fes to Chefchaouen it's easy to make a stop in Volubilis, if only to stretch your legs.
I always wonder when people compare, saying they live near the water so may find a Moroccan town on the water less interesting. Essaouira, for instance, has little in common with a town on the water anyplace else because it's a Moroccan town. Yes, with water alongside but there the similarity ends.
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Yes, I totally understand about the coastal towns. They are all different. I guess I just mean I don't need a beach vacation. Maybe that's why Essaouira sounded interesting, it didn't seem so much like a beach vacation, but rather an interesting coastal destination. Well poo, I'm all over the place
#15
Think of Essaouira as a fishing port, rather than a beach. Yes, there's a beach but not particularly attractive and windy. If you windsurf, it's good for that. The town, though, is inside walls, cozy & friendly, a lot of life packed into a relatively small space. Good food, shopping, interesting food market, and I find the town & its setting particularly beautiful. There's also a good range of places to stay.
Chefchaouen is nice, went once for several days but I likely won't go back, whereas I go to Essaouira every trip to Marrakech. For that matter, I probably won't go back to Fes either, 3 times (if I recall correctly), is more than enough for me. But I could live in Marrakech.
Chefchaouen is nice, went once for several days but I likely won't go back, whereas I go to Essaouira every trip to Marrakech. For that matter, I probably won't go back to Fes either, 3 times (if I recall correctly), is more than enough for me. But I could live in Marrakech.
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Thank you for that lovely description. That does sound like something I'd like. I love when you come home and say "I could live in (blank)". I felt that way about Barcelona, Seville, and Munich...and even about Port de Soller on Mallorca and Bar Harbor in Maine...all quite different, lol.
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I really loved Chefchaouen, even with the 7 hour bus ride from Casa and then 2 days later, the 4 hour bus ride to Fes. It was one of the highlights of my trip last spring and as long as one spends 2 nights there so as to ensure one full day, I recommend it wholeheartedly.
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Oh dear. Here I was resigning myself to 7 days in Marrakech with a day trip to Essaouria (or other nearby places), and giving an extra day to our Portugal portion of our trip...instead of 4 days in Marrakech, 1 day in Chefchaouen, and 3 days in Fes....just to avoid all that travel time. :/
#20
I'm going to suggest something - that you go where the logistics are easiest. Since it's your first visit and you have nothing with which to compare, you'll love anyplace you choose. If you try to do too much you'll just be frazzled and unable to enjoy yourself. So pick 2 places in proximity to one another and easy to get to and leave it at that. You'll have a good time and won't know what you've missed, in this case, a good thing.