Just a short hop over the Mediterranean, Morocco offers a wonderful and enticing taste of the exotic, within a 3-hour flight. Wander through ancient alleyways packed full of colourful spices and leather goods. Climb golden sand dunes replete with majestic camels and Bedouin tents. Explore a seemingly endless wind-swept coastline and hike through rugged mountains and lush valleys. Welcome to Morocco!
Delicious meals are cooked over the open fire in an earthenware tagine whilst the call to prayer echoes out from the nearby mosque. Spend time in Morocco with kids and you’ll discover that Westerners – particularly youngsters – are greeted with open arms and a warm ‘Salaam Aleikum’.
The beauty of Morocco is that you can return time and again and still find something different to do, somewhere else to explore. Nevertheless, here are our Top 10 family-friendly activities. We’ve done them all with our own children. You can also check out our Morocco family holidays section to find out more.
Morocco with kids Top 10
1. Take a Fes city tour
The crazy maze of alleyways will leave you lost and gloriously confused in this fascinating city. We suggest having a guide on hand to ensure that you see all of the highlights as well as some of the little-visited parts of the souk. This is the real deal so get the kids haggling for that trinket, that ‘must-have’ teapot, scarf, wallet or key ring. Check out the famous ‘Café Clock’ for the camel burgers. See our Highlights of Morocco example itinerary which includes a Fes city tour.
2. Trek the Berber villages of the Atlas Mountains
Even the youngest of children are able to enjoy this quintessential Moroccan experience from the back of a mule. You’ll spend a morning wandering through lush valleys and picturesque villages with stunning views of the Atlas Mountains. Perhaps stop at a local waterfall for a freshly squeezed juice before wandering through olive and walnut groves. Join a local family for a delicious lunch of tagine and freshly cooked flatbreads. This activity is entirely flexible, which means that if feet get tired, your Berber guide will pace the expedition accordingly. For more see our Morocco Family Short-Break.
3. Kick-back at a luxury Agafay desert camp
A mere 40 minutes from Marrakech, you’ll find yourself in the utter peace of the Agafay Desert. With endless desert stretching in every direction, you will be greeted with a glass of cooling mint tea to enjoy as you soak up the views. Spend the afternoon lazing by the pool or exploring the desert by camel or mountain bike. Dinner will be delicious traditional Moroccan fare. Later, sit around the campfire stargazing a cloudless sky before retiring to a beautiful en-suite desert tent. A highlight on any trip to Morocco with kids.
4. Summit Mt Toubkal
At 4,167m, Mount Toubkal is the highest mountain in North Africa and a fantastic ‘tick’ for all budding mountaineers. You can climb it in just two days, although we recommend a short acclimatisation programme. This takes you through the lower valleys before making the final ascent. From the top, there are superb views over the Atlas range, the villages below and even the Sahara. Although Mount Toubkal is an accessible mountain for most ages, with help from mules up to the refuge, we primarily recommend this to families with children aged 10+. Check out our family trekking holidays if you are keen hikers.
5. Learn to cook a delicous Moroccan tagine
Whether your children are fussy eaters or you are blessed with kids who will eat just about anything, you are likely to find yourselves sampling a tagine at some point during your holiday. Lamb and apricot, chicken and walnut, aubergine and pepper, there are lots of different permutations depending on what appeals. Why not join a cookery class to learn the secrets of how to make the perfect tagine so that you can recreate your favourite dish back home?
6. Sample Argan oil & Amlou peanut butter
Take a break on your journey between Marrakech and Imlil at a women’s argan oil cooperative. Try your hand at extracting oil from the kernels of the argan tree, both a culinary specialty and used for skin products. Don’t miss the deliciously thick and creamy Moroccan Amlou nut butter, made from honey, almonds, and argan oil. This is a great opportunity to buy gifts to take home, with luxury soaps for sale along with the distinctive argan oil and nut butter. A relaxed and friendly activity, rest assured there’s no hard sell.
7. Ride camels in the desert
Is there anything more ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ than sitting atop a camel in the picture-perfect sand dunes of the Sahara? Cue endless photo opportunities of camel silhouettes and roly-polies in the sand (which of course gets everywhere). Stop for mint tea at sunset and dinner under the stars. And if you can bear it, the 4am wake-up call to watch the sunrise is not to be missed. You can visit the Sahara on our Highlights of Morocco trip and the Agafay Desert on our Morocco Family Short-Break – both are packed with activities as well as the opportunity to kick back and soak up the peace and tranquility of the desert.
8. Get lost in the Kasbah of Ait Benhadou
This ancient citadel, built on the hillside out of mud houses, forms part of the ‘Route of 1000 Kasbahs’. This is a dramatic road where barren desert landscapes give way to lush oases and adobe villages. As you explore the citadel, no map is required, let the children be your guide. They will meander their way past the shop sellers and village dwellers to the top of this famous film spot. Here there is plenty of cairn-building fun and stupendous views to be had. See our Morocco Family Short-Break for a sample Morocco with kids holiday that includes Ait Benhadou.
9. Explore coastal Essaouira
Wind-swept beaches, Sahara-esque sand dunes (well, nearly) and endless shopping opportunities are all on offer in Essaouira. This long-standing Atlantic coast Portuguese town has been on the hippie trail since Hendrix and is a must-see as part of any Morocco with kids holiday. Try your hand at kite-surfing, watch the fishing vessels coming into harbour and enjoy one of the westernised restaurants (for when you are a little tired of tagines). Moules frites anyone? Accommodation ranges from exquisite city centre riads to family-friendly hotels with pools a short walk along the promenade. Our Highlights of Morocco itinerary includes a trip to Essaouira.
10. Relax in a Marrakech riad
Any holiday in Morocco with kids is not complete without a night in a riad, a beautiful traditional boutique hotel. Tucked behind ornate and imposing entrance doors, they’re an oasis of calm away from the bustling streets and markets. Many offer roof-top terraces and pools and nearly all have tranquil central courtyards. Rooms can be exquisitely decorated with mosaic tiles and colourful plants and flowers. A highlight is eating breakfast or supper on the roof terrace, giving you a birds-eye view over the surrounding ancient pink rooves and listening to the call to prayer.
More about Morocco with kids
There are many more activities to enjoy in Morocco with kids, so get in touch if you feel inspired – simply call us during office hours at 01728 752751, or use our website contact form. We’d love to hear from you. If your family are keen hikers, talk to Helene about family trekking to the Roof of North Africa, Mount Toubkal with children of all ages.
I’d love to hear about your experiences of holidaying in Morocco with kids and see your photos, so do email me at [email protected].
Liddy Pleasants MD Stubborn Mule Travel