Hiking in Morocco, the best surfing in Tamraght, exploring Essaouira

Arriving from Marrakesh in Imlil from Marrakesh is a real relief. The next day we scheduled a hike on the Jbel Toubkal, Moroccos highest mountain with 4167 m and is supposed to be an easy hike. We started early in the morning with our guide, a personal cook and a donkey that carried all the food for the three days. The hike was easy but took a long time. The landscape was beautiful and we good a real good and rich lunch. In the late afternoon we arrived in the mountain hut, where all the other hikers met and came together for dinner and a good round of card games. Early in the morning we started the last hike to the top, it was bitterly cold but totally worth it to see the sunrise over the desert. You can do the descent at the same day if you like.

Tamraght is a little village with some surf camps right before you get to famous Taghazout. After our trip in the mountains we took the bus and a collective taxi via the desert town Taroudannt which is totally worth it. We wanted to stay some nights and do some surfing and yoga here before we go further north and that’s what we got. We went to different surfspots like Plage Imouane right in front or La Source where the waves were excellent and the jellyfish happy to sting us. Our hostel offered great traditional marrocean food, it was a perfect place to relax and enjoy. Tamraght also has some nice local shops for cloths or ornaments and a great bakery, but be aware: some things are instant diabetes. One little tip: check out the local Hammam, it’s quite a cool experience and not commercialized.

We stayed in the old town of Essaouira for some days after returning to Marrakesh and going home. This city has a lot to offer apart from a constant soothing wind. Beautiful little roads with vendors who offer you besides the general souvenirs, some specialties if you look close enough. We found a taylor couple that did all the cloths by hand. They used the cloth for different garments and the price was not significantly higher than the usual stuff. Next to the shops and the really good restaurants, Essaouira has some really sweet cafes and libraries where you can just sit down, read a book, play chess or study the people passing by, if you like it. One thing to pay attention to are the beautifully designed doors you find throughout Morocco but especially here you will find a lot. We liked this little city a lot.