Tag: Atlas

This fascinating North African state is shaped by cultural influences of Berbers, Arabs and Europeans. Chris and Carsten Stricker wanted to explore it on their own. For their obligatory end-of-the-year-trip they grabbed a rentail car and drove 2.800 kilometers overland. Since there is a another long-distance trip looming in a couple of weeks (watch this space…) we didn’t go for a long-distance destination in 2019, but went for a medium haul. Four hours from Berlin to Marrakesh, followed by two weeks and a half and 2,800 kilometers by car. Over and around the majestic Atlas Mountains, to the west coast and back to this fascinating metropolis. All this “self-drive” – what is normal for us is by no means the standard in this region. Most of the tourists travel the country by coach or in small groups with a driver/guide – or (mostly) just stay in Agadir or Marrakech. But we find it more exciting to look around the country and follow our own travel plan. We like to decide spontaneously how long we want to stay in one place and where to go next. Morocco makes this very easy: The roads are – thanks to an ongoing governmental road construction program – pretty amazing. Hotels, riads and guesthouses are available at short notice – and this in most price categories and via the “usual suspects like booking.com, IEscape, SecretEscapes etc.. This northe african travel destination offers real “value for money” and exactly that mix of relaxation, exoticism and adventure which we are looking for. Here are our highlights at the four main locations of our trip as well as some tips. Marrakesh – between haste and silence To experience Marrakech by car can be a bit of a kick start. Especially when your alarm has woken you up at four in the morning. And when the flight took almost six hours instead of the planned four – thanks to a strike by French air traffic controllers. So off we go and jump in the (slightly run-down) rental car and out into hostile life – more precisely into the inner city traffic of Marrakech. Roundabouts non-stop, road marks don’t count and traffic rules are merely rough recommendations for moped drivers, battered taxis and donkey carts. The only thing you can do is go with the flow, keep your eyes open and of course: honk! as they all do. After only 30 minutes we arrive at our first domicile, the wonderful boutique hotel Dar Zemora.… weiterlesen