sharbear84

Hello,
My husband and I booked a trip to Marrakech from Barcelona in late March - arriving Friday morning and leaving Tuesday mid-day. I have read a lot on this forum and elsewhere and am still having trouble figuring out what we can/should do in this amount of time. Obviously we want to do stuff in Marrakech, although I don't think we want to be in the city the entire time as it seems from reading other posts that it can get a bit overwhelming. We want to see the market, the main square (sorry for lack of actual names right now), see the Jewish sites, go to a hammam, and maybe take a cooking class.

Am also considering day/overnight trips. I think we've given up on the desert thing - it's just too far away and would take too much time (right?). We like to be physically active, so perhaps a trip to the Atlas mountains for a hike? Is this possible as a day trip? Is there anything else you would suggest?

Also does anyone know of tour companies that allow you to join onto a group tour/day trip, to help us keep costs down?

Thought about going to Essaouria either for a day or an overnight. It seems kind of a hassle to switch hotels and then come back to Marrakech again, but it also seems very rushed for a day trip. Some people rave about this city, but will it be warm enough in March to be worthwhile? And I'm not sure how we could fit in a mountain trip AND this.

Sorry for the scattered-ness. I am usually not so lost on planning a trip like this. Would appreciate any help.

thursdaysd

The easiest thing to do is indeed to take a bus to Essaouira, which is pretty and certainly worth an overnight. However, it's more Mediterranean than Moroccan, and you said you'd like to hike, so a better option would be Imlil, a trailhead for the High Atlas south of Marrakesh. There's a bunch of budget accommodation options, plus the higher end Kasbah du Toukbal. You should be able to get a bus or a grand taxi.

sharbear84

Is it possible to just do a day trip of hiking or needs to be an overnight? Thanks!

TravelinFeet

thursdaysd: Can't find your trip report on Morocco. Is it gone? I'm looking for car and driver/guide options, as well as dessert tent/homestay type option. (Will post separately once I make sure that no one else has done so)

thanks

TF

thursdaysd

Hi TravelinFeet - http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...can-medley.cfm

No one's commented on it in a long time, so it's slipped down the list.

sharbear84 - I suppose it depends on how much hiking you want to do. Aside from hiking and admiring the scenery there's nothing much to do in Imlil itself besides a bit of shopping. The itinerary from my Morocco tour says two hours from Imlil to Marrakesh, and I don't remember the road as being particularly bad, but getting in and out of Marrakesh itself can take a while. I'd likely plan to overnight if only for the contrast to Marrakesh.

TravelinFeet

Thanks so much. Wow, what a lot of information. Would love to hear a couple of bottom lines... where you would go back to (without the tour company lol) and where you would skip.

thanks again!

TF

thursdaysd

TF - well, Morocco made the "glad I went, don't need to go back list". If I were going back, I'd spend more time in Fez, and in the mountains. I rather liked Rabat, but could have skipped Casablanca. I suppose Marrakesh is a must-see, but I think it's over-hyped. If you've never ridden a camel or seen a desert this is a good place for it, but otherwise it's more of the same.

gatoratlarge

Checkout kasbah du toubkal in the high atlas...we stayed a night and enjoyed it...stunning location and scenery...nice way to Experience the Berber culture...

http://www.kasbahdutoubkal.com/home.html

I enjoyed a couple nights in marakesh a few years ago....some good food and a beautiful, exotic location...

gatoratlarge

Couple FB albums might give you some ideas...

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...3&l=d8dc7c3b1f

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...3&l=4c34a893a2

sharbear84

Thanks everyone! I have seen kasbah du toubkal and thought about staying there, but it's a bit pricey for us, we're really on a budget with this trip. Which is also making all the day trips/guides difficult... Since there's only two of us, maybe there will be other people at our riad who want to share the cost or something.