Adventuring in Morocco I want to go on a small mountain and

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>>1184609
Going to Spain in January and February and I'm wanting to spend a few days in Morocco. Also curious about what to do in places like Fes, Rabat, or Tangiers.

>>1184762
Make sure you go to Rabat in the right season, to avoid possible dangerous violence. If it is Duq Season instead of Rabat season, you might get shot.

>>1184764
Hahahaha! You got me nervous until I got the joke

bump because I want to go to Morocco in February

>>1184609
I had one of the dudes who worked at the riyad I was staying at in Fez organize my trip to the Sahara for me. He brought in the cost of a cab there, two nights accommodation, camel ride into the desert, overnight in a Berber camp and camel ride out then a cab ride back to Fez for two people for six bills. I'm sure that wasn't the best price by Morocco standards, but one payment to one guy who arranged everything was worth it to me.

My experience was that most folks involved in the tourist industry in Morocco are small time independent operators on the side, with their own network of connections. The trick to not getting ripped off is planing your return from an excursion to the place where they work, so their job is on the line if they screw you. And your happiness will be a good word back to their employer and a better online review of the business.

The guys at the riyad where I stayed in Fez were so good that my wife and I had a tough time breaking away, and ended up spending 8 days wandering around the medina there instead of seeing much of the country beyond Tangiers, Chefchaouen, the Sahara trip and what we saw out the window of th cab there and back. We really just got sucked into Fez, and anything we couldn't figure out for ourselves could be solved by the guys at the riyad for a few dollars and a phone call (worst case) or just some free advice. Sure as fuck learned where the nearest wine shop was outside the medina, and made several trips there. The wine from Meknes was really good, and they guys at the riyad were very happy we shared some with them.

>>1184762
Just chill. Best cities in Morocco.

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I go hiking in Morocco every year. Of course you don't need a guide. Only reason to get a guide is if you don't speak French at all, or if you really want to go deep into the wilderness.
But if you're set on a guide, you have two options: go to a popular trekking area like Azrou (a few hours from Fes) Imlil (get a shared taxi from Marrakech), literally just stand in the street and wait for the guides to come to you. Haggle hard.
Other option is to just shop around the many, many tour operators in the cities. They're easy to find. Haggle harder.

>>1184968
You paid $600 for one night in the desert? fucking kek, I paid $60. I hope your food was good.
Sounds like you had a good overall trip, anyway.

>>1185001
OK, I've been to Morocco once, but never near the Atlas mountains.

I don't even hike in the US so I know this sounds stupid, but I don't really know what hiking means.....do you just leave your hotel and start walking towards a mountain in the distance that looks cool?

Don't you worry about pissing people off if you wander on their private land or something?

Do you need a park permit or permission from somewhere?

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>>1185006
Good question. I use google earth and look at all the photos posted by users. Then I get a bus to the nearest city and either hitchhike or get a taxi to take me there.
I tend to stick to valleys because that way I have a guaranteed source of water, and I'm no alpinist.
There are old donkey trails everywhere, and they always lead to a village sooner or later.
Land ownership doesn't work the same in Morocco as it does in America. You can go wherever you like. The key thing is to be respectful. Nobody cares where you camp or light fires, but I ask permission anyway just because it's the nice thing to do, and a good way to meet people.
Don't trample crops, don't pass through a village without stopping to say hi.
If someone offers you food, accept and don't offer money unless they ask. If they ask you to spend the night, offer money even if they don't ask.
I've never heard of land use permits there.

>>1185003
How did you haggle down to $60?
Traveling there in a few weeks and don't want to pay the exorbitant rates that the online sites advertise.

>>1185836
Everything you buy online will be way more expensive, but you'll certainly get a little more for your money, e.g. the guide won't take you to visit shops belonging to his 'friends'. But still you're paying way more than you should when you book online.
$30pp is the bare-bones minimum for one night in Erg Chebbi; I know this because I had a Moroccan haggle the price for me. Booked through a hotel in Merzouga, one night in the desert with a simple breakfast, the worst dinner I've ever eaten, and campfire entertainment/banter by our guides.
That was my 6th visit to Morocco and I felt like I had to do the camel thing just to get it over with. Had a nice time, but wouldn't have paid extra for stupid shit like sandboarding or destructive 4x4ing.

Protip, climb a big dune before dawn to watch the sun rise above Algeria.

>>1184764
10/10, not OP but actually had me worried for my upcoming trip

I legitimately laughed at this.

I will now wait until the next time someone asks about Rabat so that this may become a delicios pasta.