Morocco with Kids
Traveling in Morocco with children is great fun, especially because Moroccans adore kids. Locals usually warm to and greet travelers with kids more enthusiastically than they would the average tourist. However, at the same time, expect a few practical challenges along the way.
Choosing a Place to Stay
Choosing the right place depends largely on the ages of your children, the type of holiday you want, the regions you wish to visit, and your budget.
For a beach holiday with on-site kid's activities, a modern resort destination like Agadir is ideal. Here, there is Club Med or ClubHotel Riu Tikida Dunas. Farther up the coast, the beach at Essaouira offers lots of water sports, and Sofitel has a private beach and pool. There is a pretty coastal lagoon resort at Oualidia, too—popular with Moroccan vacationers—and the hotel La Sultana Oualidia is luxurious.
For rural activity holidays and trekking, most places are fairly simple mountain gîtes (self-catering apartments or homes), auberges (hostels), and maisons d’hôtes (essentially bed-and-breakfasts in private homes). For deluxe accommodation accessible by road try Kasbah Tamadot in Asni near Mt. Toubkal National Park, or La Pause Marrakech, a luxe desert-style camp near Marrakesh with outdoor activities including donkey and camel rides. The Xaluca hotel group also has family-friendly five-star hotels convenient for hiking trips to the Dadès Gorge and Sahara Desert in Erfoud and Merzouga.
Cities such as Fez, Meknès, and Marrakesh have the widest variety of accommodations. Although a traditional Moroccan riad or riad-style boutique hotel (traditional Moroccan homes or former palaces turned into guesthouses) offers atmosphere in the old medinas, it may be a less attractive option for families with younger kids. You may prefer a more modern hotel, but realize that not all have elevators, even newer ones. If you don’t fancy a hotel in the new town, and a riad doesn’t suit you, consider renting a villa or apartment, some of which provide a maid, cook, and babysitting services.
Top Experiences for Families
Morocco does not have many ready-made attractions such as zoos or theme parks, but if you like spectacular natural beauty, your family will be well served.
Sahara Desert. You can see the desert by foot, camel, or four-wheel-drive vehicle on short, hour-long rides into the dunes or on full-day treks through an oasis. You can also pack for a multiday trip deep into the Sahara with a nomad guide. Visit Erg Chebbi or Erg Chigaga to climb the highest sand dunes in Morocco, and then glide down on a sand board. Many hotels have their own desert camps, and there are countless agencies in Marrakesh, Ouarzazate, Zagora, Merzouga, and M’hamid, which can fix you up.
Water Sports and Beaches. Agadir has a large concentration of all-inclusive resorts, though few people would go all the way to Morocco for a beach vacation. Families with older children and teenagers should check out the coast between Sidi Ifni and Essaouira for some of the best spots for kite-surfing, windsurfing, and surf schools. In Marrakesh, Oasiria has two pools, waterslides, gardens, and restaurants for hungry kids and parents.
Mountain Trips. Mule trekking or hiking in the High Atlas Mountains near Mt. Toubkal is easily achievable for younger children, while toddlers can hop up in front of mom or dad on a mule. Families with smaller kids can stay in one place and take day hikes; if you have older children, you can travel with a guide, staying in mountain gîtes as you pass through neighboring valleys—or even attempt the summit. In the foothills near Marrakesh, Terres d’Amanar is an outdoor activity center with archery, climbing, zip lines, and crafts workshops. Near the Dadès Gorge, with the help of a guide, you can visit nomad families living in caves and old salt mines.
Film Studios. The Atlas Film Studios in Ouarzazate is an interesting stop on the way south. You can see some of the film sets used in major movies such as Kundun, Kingdom of Heaven, and The Mummy.
Markets and Bazaars. The ancient medinas of Fez and Marrakesh are full of exotic delights—the intricate architecture of palaces and mosques, colorful chaos of the souks, intoxicating smell of sizzling street food, and labyrinthine alleyways where tourists, shoppers, and traders intertwine. In Marrakesh, the bustling main square, place Djemâa el Fna, fascinates all ages with its daily cornucopia of musicians, snake charmers, henna artists, storytellers, and acrobats. At night, it is transformed into the biggest outdoor barbecue in the world.
History. Explore one of Morocco’s most famous historic sights, the ruined Roman city of Volubilis near Meknès, and the Rabat Archaeological Museum, which houses many relics from this site. In the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs, along the Drâa and Dadès valleys, be sure to see the kasbahs of Telouet, Aït Ben Haddou, and Taourirt. The museum at Ksar Tissergate near Zagora is also well worth visiting.
Wildlife. Walk in the beautiful cedar forests near Azrou and visit an 800-year-old tree as Barbary apes swoop overhead. See apes in the wild and take a boat trip under the waterfall at the Cascades d'Ouzoud.
Classes. Learning to shop for produce in the souks and cooking your own tagine is a great family activity. Cooking classes at Souk Cuisine in Marrakesh and Café Clock in Fez are good starting points.
Practical Considerations
Baby Care. There are almost no public changing facilities or high chairs in Morocco. You can buy disposable diapers in city supermarkets and they are often available individually in corner shops. The quality, however, despite the same branding, is often not the same as in Western countries, so you may want to bring your own. In rural areas you may struggle to find diapers, so stock up if touring. The same goes for formula, though any café or restaurant is happy to boil you water for mixing. The choice of foods for babies who are weaned, but not yet on adult food, is limited and often over-sweetened, so packing baby food might be a good idea. Breast-feeding should be done discreetly.
Traveling with Smaller Kids. Most car-rental agencies and tourist transport providers are able to supply a child seat (car seats are now a legal requirement, but check in advance). In taxis and buses there is rarely even a seat belt and car seats are not obligatory. If a child is small enough to sit on your lap, he or she usually travels for free on buses and taxis.
Walking. Sidewalks are rare, or else broken and narrow, which makes pushing a stroller difficult. It’s easier to carry small children.
Sun Care. Children are very prone to sunburn, dehydration, and sunstroke, so always have plenty of drinking water, strong sunscreen, and sun hats.
