Trekking Around Berkane and Saidia

Trekking Around Berkane and Saidia

Traveling to Morocco presents you with a number of different tours to take advantage of.  While planning your trip, you might consider what you are hoping for in a Morocco vacation or holiday. Here, we’ll talk about our active itineraries. Some questions we might ask you before venturing to Morocco include: Are you going trekking?  How long do you want to trek for each day?  Do you want to see forests or mountain summits? And, how many hours per day is right for you? You see, Morocco is full of all kinds of varied landscapes and topography. It’s best to have an idea of what and where you’d like to trek before going on a Morocco holiday.

The Rif Mountains are one of the most popular destinations in Morocco because they border the coastline near Chefchaouen.  You are able to visit the mountains while spending some of your days lying on a beach.  Two top cities in the Rifs are Nador and Oujda.  You can travel along the road between these two cities visiting various sites, getting some nice hikes in all along the way.

Taking a detour into Berkane–the birthplace of world famous and gold medalist miler Hicham El Guerrouj–will bring you to the Zegzel Gorge.  This gorge is built from limestone.  It’s not just any type of limestone, but a dark limestone that lies on a fault.  This fault is part of the Beni Snassen Mountains, which branch from the Rifs.  From Berkane you are able to reach Saidia which is a seaside resort town.  In the town you can enjoy many restaurants, beaches, and culture after you have trekked around the Rif Mountains.

Berkane is a small market town that sits just outside of the gorge.  There are orchards and vineyards creating some excellent wine for you to enjoy.  Hotels are also located in Berkane if you wish to spend the day there before moving on to Saidia.

Part of the gorge you will be trekking in Morocco is the Oued Zegzel, which formed due to the Moulouoya tributary.  The tributary runs south along Berkane and used to act as a limit for the Shereefian Empire.  If you are walking along this path it will be quite steep, but you may also travel to the trails in the gorge by car.

Before you reach the gorge on your custom Morocco holidays, Taforalt will await you.  Taforalt is a smaller village in the Rif Mountains.  It is a gearing up point for the trek to the gorge and Grotte du Chameau.  The Grotte du Chameau is a local cave of the area with quite a history.

You will hike 10 kilometers from Taforalt to reach the cavern which is filled with stalactites.  Many of them look remarkably like camels, which is how the cave got its name.  There are a number of different tunnels which lead off from the main cavern. These tunnels are largely unexplored, providing you with places to see that are not filled with tourists.  You should have your tour operator book a tour guide with you, though, if you are going to travel off the usual path for a visit.

Once through the cavern there is a picnic area for lunch.  You will be able to sit underneath the limestone buttresses surrounded by cedar trees before trekking through the rest of the gorge which is just beyond the cave formation. Walks, treks, day to multi day hikes await these largely unexplored areas of Morocco.


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Like Castles in the Sand: Essaouira, Morocco

Like Castles in the Sand: Essaouira, Morocco

If you thought that Morocco was only a place for camels and sand, you must not have heard about Essaouira. This wind and kite surfer’s paradise is only one place you should stop during your trip in Morocco. For many addicted to this pristine beach town, it is their only stop!

There is a story that goes around Essaouira, Morocco, about how the ruins of former forts and castles on the beach were the inspiration for Jimi Hendrix’s famous song “Castles in the Sand.” Whether or not this story is true is highly debatable, but Jimi Hendrix was a big fan of the town of Essaouira, which he visited in the sixties during his travels of Morocco, prior to the arrival of another great music legend: Bob Marley. The citizens of the town remember both visits fondly, and celebrate both occurrences in Essaouira to this day with various music festivals throughout the year. The Wailers, the former group of Bob Marley, performed in Essaouira during the 2004 festival.

Jimi Hendrix was a big fan of the town of Essaouira, which he visited in the sixties during his travels of Morocco, prior to the arrival of another great music legend: Bob Marley

Essaouira is increasingly becoming seen as a regular tourist destination, but the small town still has a wonderful sense of the past, its place in the past, and its surroundings. Essaouira is certainly not as much of a “tourist trap” as say Marrakesh, and the town is a great place to look for local crafts, or to take a more relaxed pace in the middle of a multi-day or multi-week Moroccan tour. If you like hand crafts, the woodwork in Essaouira is famous as being one of the oldest artistic forms that has thrived in the town. Thuja wood is often used, and the town is considered the main center for wood carving and wood carvers in all of Morocco.

If handcrafts and local markets aren’t your thing, Essaouira is a port town that still brags of battlements and walls from a time when these things were actually necessary for defense. Although no longer in use, these leftover pieces of architecture allow fantastic views of the beaches and the sea that should not be missed on any Morocco itinerary. Essaouira is one of the calmest and most laid back tourist stops you may find while traveling through Morocco, and for many on an extended trip Essaouira is the perfect stop for several days or even a week to rest. While there are hotels available, there are also camp sites not far from the beach, depending on what your taste is.

As far as what there is to occupy your time in Essaouira, almost all the activities eventually come back to the beach. Essaouira has a long and beautiful beach, and since this is a port town, it goes without saying that this may be the best place during a Moroccan tour to get really fantastic sea food. The beach is not surprising considering that the Essaouira has often been referred to as the “jewel of the Atlantic.”

For the type of tourist activity that will get people’s attention back home, there are camel tours on the beach, and if you would like to venture inland to see the desert as part of your Moroccan adventures, they will guide you there, as well.

The other famous aspect of the beach is wind surfing. The winds blow in towards Essaouira constantly, and make the area a destination for wind surfers that is known world wide. If catching the waves is your sort of vacation, then Essaouira may very well be your favorite stop in all of Morocco! And of course, don’t forget the ruins of old castles and fortifications on the beach, that local legends still tie to the famous Jimi Hendrix song.

Rest and relaxation, or wind surfing and trekking. For either type of tourist, Essaouira has plenty to offer, and should be a mandatory stop on any tours of Morocco travel.


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Saïdia Tourism

Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion Group, the leading institutional investor in Morocco, and Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs Group, the European leader in local tourism and leisure activities, have signed a strategic partnership aimed at accompanying the development of major tourism resorts in Morocco, as planned under the Vision 2020 framework and based on two shared convictions:

- The development of Resorts and Tourism Residences integrating a comprehensive range of leisure activities provides clear value added in terms of tourism appeal, as a complement to hotel offerings.
- The high growth potential of Morocco generated by the development of Family and Leisure Resorts meets considerable demand from both national and international clients.
In addition to the Resort currently being developed in Marrakech, the two groups have decided to extend the scope of their partnership to other sites in the country, namely Taghazout and Saïdia.

Saïdia

The Saïdia resort located in the north-east of Morocco on the Mediterranean coast, currently has three five-star hotels, tourism residences, an 18-hole golf course, a Marina and a shopping centre.
In the Saïdia resort, the CDG/Pierre & Vacances-Center Parcs partnership concerns a Pierre & Vacances village with 400 units due to be built in synergy and as a complement to other components and facilities at the heart of the station including a water park, a leisure park and a conference centre, which are to be developed in parallel by the CDG subsidiary, Société de Développement de Saïdia (SDS).


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Day Trips from Rabat

Day Trips from Rabat

While Rabat, Morocco, has not necessarily established itself as a major tourist destination, this pleasant metropolitan city is a great home base for exploring Morocco’s more modern sites. Morocco’s capital city lacks the hustle and bustle of other Moroccan cities, making it a great place to stay for families traveling with children. Rabat’s medina is rather quiet yet authentic so you take your young ones shopping in the souks without too much worry about losing them in the crowds

There are plenty of sites to see in Rabat like the ancient city of Sale Colonia and Rabat’s most famous landmark, Le Tour Hassan, plus there are many popular historical sites within an easy traveling distance from Rabat.

Once you’ve explored Rabat, consider taking several day trips to one of these neighboring sites to get more of a feel for Moroccan culture.

Located within an easy hour’s drive from Rabat, Casablanca is one of Morocco’s favorite tourist destinations. Inspired by French colonialism, Casablanca is more modern and more open to Western ways than other places in Morocco. Take a walking tour through the Marche Central and spend the afternoon sipping tea at one of Casablanca’s many hip cafes. Make sure to explore the old city’s medina, the newly gentrified shopping district of Quartier Harbous and the Hassan II Mosque—the fifth largest mosque in the world.

On the way to Casablanca, you can stop off at one of the beautiful beaches that line the Atlantic Coast. Bouznika is one of the trendiest beach towns located between the two cities, complete with luxurious golf resorts. Bouznika is also a popular surf spot, especially in the winter when the surf is especially consistent.

Rabat’s neighboring city of Sale is a fun place to explore. With winding streets, narrow alleyways and old medina houses, Sale looks more like a traditional Moroccan village than a literal suburb of the modern Rabat. Conservative dress is more appropriate in Sale compared to the other cities near Rabat, so if you don’t want to stand out in Sale, dress more conservatively and avoid wearing short skirts or tank tops.

Just eight miles southwest of Rabat is the peaceful seaside town of Temera. The Temera Plage is a long coastal area divided up into many sandy beaches perfect for both surfing and sunbathing. You can also visit Termera’s Grand Mosque and the many quaint markets you will find around town. Great for children, the Temera National Zoological Park houses hundreds of species of birds and many mammals like elephants, lions and gazelles.



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Saidia

 Saidia was barely a dot on the tourist map. This small coastal town between the Algerian border and Spanish Melilla is in the process of being transformed into one of the Mediterranean’s most visited beach resorts. The grand vision includes development plans for five full-scale seaside resorts, Saidia being one of the first.

While on package holiday to Morocco, the day is best started in Saidia with a sunrise breakfast, deep sea fishing in the nearby bay Cap de l’Eau, or a lazy morning sleep-in followed by a stroll on the eight-mile stretch of white sand beach. In this seaside town, activities are mostly focused on the sand and sea. You can spend your morning exploring dive wrecks, taking a sailing lesson or soaking up the Mediterranean rays. If you happen be in Saidia during June, you may be able to catch a glimpse of the annual sailing regatta.

A laid-back lunch could be taking a picnic on the beach or dining at one of the many restaurants at the 160-venue Medina Saidia commercial area. Built in the style of a traditional Moroccan city, Medina Saidia is a pedestrian area lined with shops, outlets and restaurants. There you’ll also find Marjane supermarket where you can stock up on snacks, drinks or groceries if you plan to cook and eat in or host your own barbecue at your rented condo or beach house.

If you’d like to spend your afternoon off the beach, consider exploring the town’s restored 16th-century Kasbah, visiting the bird preserve bordering Saidia or playing a round of golf on one of the three 18-hole courses. Golf lessons are also available. Take a day trip to the urban center of Oujda where you can shop Moroccan fashions, walk the tree-lined promenade or browse local music at the CD shops. Oujda is a place where you can feel the hustle and bustle of Moroccan markets, sample local cuisine and attend live musical performances.

In the evening, take a sunset promenade to ogle at the private yachts at Saidia’s 850-mooring marina, relax at one of the luxury clubhouses or listen to classical Berber music at a beachfront hotel. If you visit in August, you may be able to catch Saidia’s annual summer music festival, which you can read more about on our Morocco blog using the search feature..


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HOLIDAY APPARTMENT FOR RENT IN SAIDIA, Morocco

HOLIDAY APPARTMENT FOR RENT IN SAIDIA, Morocco

The property is inside Mediterranean Saidia Urbanization. Apartment of 97 m2 with air condicioned, 2 bethrooms, 2 bathrooms and fully equiped kitchen. It has a terrace of 18m2 and a private garden (30 m2). There are two commun swiming pools, and big community gardens.

There are also 3 golf courses, a Marine and a commercial Medina with stores, restaurants, ...

ituado al noreste de Marruecos, en la costa Mediterránea, Saïdia es conocida como la perla azul de la costa mediterránea marroquí. Es un área con una gran belleza natural, y la ciudad es conocida por sus enormes y bellas playas de arena blanca. Saïdia tiene una gran tradición turística en la Costa Mediterránea de Marruecos.  Las maravillosas playas situadas en la costa de Saïdia, hacen de Mediterrania Saïdia un lugar ideal para alquilar un apartamento o villa para sus vacaciones.

El complejo Mediterrania Saida ofrece un enclave estratégico para realizar distintas excursiones por el país. Melillia está solo a una hora y media en coche.

Mediterrania Saïdia está especialmente diseñado para los amantes del golf ya que actualmente cuenta con 1 campo de golf de 18 hoyos, El Palmeral que esta justo al lado de la urbanizacion AP6 donde esta ubicado el apartamento.

Su puerto deportivo es uno de los mas grandes y lujosos del Mar Mediterráneo.

También hay un área dentro del complejo que se compone de restaurantes, tiendas, bares, discotecas, bancos,…..




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Moroccan Architectural Patterns

Still, sleek, modern designs are being constructed in cities like Rabat and Casablanca that give no particular homage to any of the past Moroccan architecture,Geometric patterns are also commonly found in the architecture of Morocco. Noteworthy buildings to visit while in Morocco would include the Royal Palace.

Moroccan Shapes, Colours, and Designs

One of the reasons I wanted to visit Morocco was because of its incredible architecture and colours. What I didn’t realize was how delicate and detailed all the work truly is. The extravagance of the country is brought to life through the deep and contrasting colors incorporated in the designs. So what types of Moroccan designs are there?

Moroccans put a lot of hardwork and time into the beauty that are their mosques, palaces, gardens, and walls. From the horseshoe arched doorways and gates to deep green and indigo blue tilework. To help better visualize some of these details and showcase the splendor, here are a list of some of the MAIN materials and styles of architecture used across Morocco.

Stucco

Intricate designs in patterns carved into plaster. They also incorporate Islamic calligraphy into the patterns. This takes hours to carve and a very delicate hand but the outcome is incredible. You find this on walls, around doorways, on gates, and on ceiling arches.

Carved Cedarwood

Beautiful motifs of flowers and leaves, Arabic words and phrases, and other designs. This is an extremely common sight as most doors are made of carved cedarwood. Also found on panels, walls, fountains and doorways.

Zellij Tilework

Colourful, individually shaped tiles arranged in geometric patterns, mostly in the shape of stars. This vibrant mosaic is found on floors and walls in both Mosques and every day houses.

Darj w Ktaf Pattern

A flower-like pattern pointing upwards usually in an emerald green shade. This pattern can be found on schools and Mosques.

Carved Copper

Copper and Bronze are cut-out in geometrical patterns which emit light as they are mainly used as lanterns and lamp shades. The Copper can be natural, painted black or any other colour. Sometimes coloured glass is inserted into the copper to provide accents.

Painted wooden ceilings

Hand-painted traditional designs in star and flower-like patterns. These are found on most ceilings in Mosques, Palaces, and in some homes. The work is detailed and the colours are complimentary.

These shapes, colours, patterns, and designs are all reasons I was inspired to visit Morocco. Being here has fed me more knowledge on understanding what these motifs are and why they are important. I adore Moroccans dedication to beauty and incorporating it into their everyday lives and homes – It gives everywhere a very unique and grand feel. The greens, blues, yellows, and browns. The horseshoe gates, the carved doorways, the tiled floors. There is SO much more to Moroccan design then these patterns, but they give you a good introduction into some of the majestic beauty that is Moroccan design.

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