Marrakesh is a busy city and fun to explore. It has a diverse set of activities for all tastes and pockets! From the souks, museums, restaurants, cafes to the parks, horse carriage rides, cooking class, hammam spas, etc. However it can also be overwhelming. Hence, if you are staying for several days, scheduling some day trips from Marrakesh, is a good options. These are popular and there are many options. Below are several options. These can be booked through a tour company (there are many to pick from) or, as we did, have a rental car and go independently.

• Imlil: This is a pleasant 1 1/2 hour drive south from Marrakesh that takes you through small towns and windy roads. Imlil is popular as it is where many start the hike to the summit of Toubkal mountain. Toubkal is the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains and in North Africa. However you can also explore this cute town for a couple of hours and do a short hike in the surrounding mountains. We parked our car in the town’s center and did a 4 mile loop that took us through apple groves (and where you can buy freshly picked apples from local farmers), walnut trees and Berber towns. The views of the surrounding mountains and Toubkal are beautiful. We went in the fall, and unexpectedly, we discovered that there are fall leave changes in Morocco and it was breathtaking. Imlil is in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains and higher in elevation, it does get chilly so bring layers! There are many restaurants that offer lunch or snacks and it’s a great stop before heading back to Marrakesh. Arrive early, as it does get very busy and in town parking is limited. On your way back to Marrakesh you can make the slight detour and see the amazing work from Jarjeer Donkey Refugee. Send them a message and they will receive you with open arms (and a very educational and fun experience for all ages!) don’t forget to leave them a donation (and you can bring some fresh apples for the donkeys, they’ll appreciate it!!). You can read more about their incredible work HERE!

• Ouzoud Waterfalls: another pleasant windy road up into the mountains and through Berber towns. This is a 2 1/2 hr drive north east from Marrakesh. Once you arrive in the town of Ouzoud, park your car for 20dh in a secure parking near the falls. (We parked near the Cafe Restaurant Camping Amalou) The usual and most popular hike takes you from the top of the waterfalls, counter clockwise down and then steep stairs back up to where you started. It is about 2 1/2 miles and does require some effort due to the steep stairs at the end. You can hire a local guide for about 100dh/person. They will show you the way and point out interesting facts. As we wanted to do a longer hike, we decided to explore ourselves, which is very doable! To extend your hike you make a right when going down to the base of the waterfalls and continuing on a path near the river until this river merges with a bigger one. This hike was about 5 miles, not very busy or strenuous and absolutely beautiful. (You can see the map of my hike on my Strava - HERE). We are avid hikers, so it might be harder if you are not used to climbing and longer hikes (there is even some fun, mild bouldering options during that hike that the kids loved!) We went during the fall, and there weren’t many other hikers on that path. During the summer there might be many camping options along this hike but they were all closed when we went in November. You finish the same way as the shorter hike, crossing the river at the bottom of the waterfall and going up the steep long stairs back to the top. Here you will find many vendors, restaurants and snack bars. You can enjoy a meal with the beautiful views of the waterfalls. We opted to have lunch near where we parked the car and it was delicious local food at a very affordable price! On the drive home, stop to get some fresh pomegranates!

• Ouarzazate: This is a very windy 3 1/2 hour drive south east from Marrakesh. It is know as the gateway to the Sahara dessert and a stop before heading to merzouga and the dessert (see 2 - 3 day trips from marrakesh below). This town is home to a 19th century palace and it’s surrounding rugged landscape have been featured in many well known movies such as “The mummy”, “Gladiator” and “the Pope”. This seem to be their many touristy attraction and many locals are proud to have taken part in the production of these movies throughout the years. The other main attraction nearby is Ait-Ben-Haddou, this is another UNESCO world heritage site is known as the red clay town and stunning.

• Essaouira: we stayed in Essaouira for a week before coming to Marrakesh, but it is a popular day trip from Marrakesh as it is <3hr drive. The road is very good and you can see the famous argon oil goats in the trees (although this has become more of a tourist attraction and goats seemed to be forced to stay up in the tree for tourists to take the perfect picture, and you are expected to pay the goat herder). Essaouira is a cute fisherman town that has a fun (and much smaller) Médina. It can easily be explored in an afternoon. I would start with a fresh fish meal by the port followed by a stroll in the Medina and surrounding Medina walls, which offer beautiful ocean views. If you have more time, there are camel and horse back rides available on the beach.

• Casablanca: also a great day trip from Marrakesh and about a 3 hour drive north west. We spent 3 days in Casablanca. As you can read in our other blog post HERE, Casablanca is a big, busy city but 100% worth visiting just to see the Hassan II mosque. (Or, if it is your thing, visit the biggest mall in Africa: Morocco Mall.)

And these are some 2 - 3 day trips from Marrakesh:

• Todra River: This is another popular and beautiful area to visit in Morocco. Many tours offer 3 day trips from Marrakesh, which include Ouarzazate, Todra Gorge and Merzouga. We did not do this trip but would love to explore the eastern part of Morocco.

• Merzouga dessert: well known for glamping in the Sahara dessert and very popular with instagramers due to it’s beauty and popularity. There are many attractions here from camel riding and 4x4 driving in the dessert, sunsets over the sand dunes, sand dune surfing, etc etc Accommodations can be from simple and cheap to very glamorous and chique!

• Hiking Toubkal mountain (the tallest mountain in Morocco). This hike starts from Imlil and to summit the mountains, most trekking tours recommend 2 - 3 days. It is highly recommend to get a local tour company/guide. They will take all your gear up and make it a pleasant experience (when we were in Imlil we saw several locals with donkeys hauling up supplies for climbers!)

As mentioned above, there are many tour operators and ensure to get recommendations, look for reviews or feedback from other travelers before making any payment. Or, if you have the time, rent a car! We rented a car of a month and can attest that the roads are easy to navigate, safe and, generally, in good condition. When possible, use the toll road, even if it is a longer route in mileage (like from Marrakesh to Fes), the cost is not high and the condition of the road is world class! Also make sure to brush up on your french skills or download a translate app such as Google translate. Not many people speak english (although they do love Americans)!