Beautiful stops and sites discovered in Morocco in March (page 1 of 18)

In early March, full of carefree joy and happy to return to Morocco, we landed in Marrakech under the sun. We spent just one night in Marrakech at the Hôtel Toulousain, as we did on our previous trip. And we booked our 3 nights for the end of our trip, the second half of March... Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! But we’re not there yet...

Our first goal is to reach Magdaz, a mountain village in the Tessaout Valley, sometimes called the lost valley. We discovered the village of Magdaz on this forum, and we were charmed by the photos and comments from travelers who came before us. The road is easy—it’s dry, and the tarmac takes us right to the village gates at over 2,000 meters above sea level. We arrive in the afternoon and are left speechless by the beauty of the place. A jewel of Berber architecture! Perfectly restored granaries and kasbahs!



A young man from the village guides us on the visit and opens the doors to the terraces overlooking the village.

Several magnificent collective granaries have been beautifully restored. The warm colors of the stone capture the light wonderfully. It’s stunning!



We won’t find anything decent to stay overnight there, so we head back down a bit and settle in at the Assounfou guesthouse. Lovely welcome. The place is in excellent condition and very clean. It’s spacious, but we’re the only ones there. First day full of promise!

Hi there, Thanks for bringing back such great memories!... We’re looking forward to the rest

A peaceful night in the heart of the mountains. The room was beautifully colorful. We slept like logs in our step-over guesthouse! And we had the dining room all to ourselves.



It’s Monday, and after breakfast, we pop over to the souk just a stone’s throw from the guesthouse... Perfect timing! People from the mountains arrive on donkeyback. We watch them pass by from our terrace.



The souk is held along the road, between the road, the mountain, and the riverbed. It’s tiny but picturesque and authentic! You’ll find little shops, butcheries, and small restaurants that only open once a week, on souk day. It’s absolutely charming!









We head back to the guesthouse to pick up our car and thank the family for their hospitality. It’s a great spot to share. Then we hit the road again, heading toward Route 307. Along the way, we wander through the villages lining the road. It’s stunning! The kids play with simple things and are surprised to see us in their village.



Next stop: Skoura.

And thanks to all of you for introducing me to this wonderful village.

Off to a great start—I’m following along with envy since I’d planned all this starting March 14th... and you know the rest. 😕😕😕

We arrive in Skoura around 2 PM... The souk is in full swing. So, this will be the second souk of the day. But here, it's a big souk, with an area dedicated to animals, another for straw, one for meat, vegetables, tools, wool, dried fruits... It's large and lively!





The multicolored popcorn vendor...

The wool shop for making carpets...

And a cart that must be taking men and supplies back home.

After spending a good hour wandering through the souk in every direction, we knock on the door of the guesthouse Kasbah La Palmeraie. We stayed here 5 years ago already, and we loved this big house where you really feel welcome. It's the oldest boy of the house who opens the door for us, a real little man of about ten years old, already very responsible. In 5 years, he's obviously changed a lot!

The large living room and small sitting room have been happily renovated. It's cozy!



We settle on the terrace on the first floor to share the welcome tea after taking possession of our room. The sky suddenly filled with big clouds, and we're glad we left the mountains.

The next day, the blue sky is back. But the Atlas peaks are snow-capped. It's magnificent.



After a good breakfast where we rediscover the delicious taste of homemade honey crepes, we go for a stroll in the palm grove. The carnations are in bloom. It's very pretty...









Back at the guesthouse, we spot the beekeeper on the roof of the house. He wants to check if the house bees are in good shape after winter.



And after a little reading time, we make a quick stop at the local women's pastry association and buy some treats to go with our 5 PM tea. But since these ladies don't have change for our bill, we come back with 20 pastries and cakes... There'll be enough for everyone...

I'm drooling over your cakes. 10 years already: I met this child when he must have been two years old... time flies...

These pastries are beautiful and delicious. And you get your money's worth... But when you come back with 20 pieces for 20 MAD, you need to find some guests. We made people around us happy. Have a great Sunday.

These lovely ladies who used to love gathering daily to bake bread and cakes had to close up shop too. The lockdown made it necessary!

Our second day in Skoura starts with a lovely breakfast served on the terrace, with a view of the palm grove and the Atlas peaks. We want to dedicate this day to the palm grove, but this time we leave the guesthouse by car and park near the beautiful Amridhil kasbah. It’s majestic, and the oued flowing at its feet is huge. It’s impressive!





We wander without a specific goal and discover beautiful earthen structures here and there, even an old mosque that still has its minaret.





We realize this heritage is threatened with disappearing sooner or later when we see these magnificent stone walls starting to crumble.

And here’s a beautiful earthen complex that could be a farm with its well in the foreground.



We thought to bring water and we’re glad we did because even in early March, it’s pretty hot.

Really beautiful!

I’ve been following you on VF hoping to do this "for real" next year. But I don’t think carnassiers thrive in Morocco—I think I spotted the flowers of the cognassier, whose quinces let you simmer the delicious "quince tagine" my whole family loves. 😛

Oops! I should’ve proofread that. Lesson learned! Have a great day.

Thanks for taking us on a journey and making us dream—your photos are amazing!

Have a great rest of the day

Thanks so much, Josyane. As for me, it lets me relive this wonderful trip! Everyone wins!

Hi Danouk, this trip looks amazing! Some stops we hope to discover too, like Magdaz, which we don’t know yet, and others we’d love to revisit, like the kasbah in the palm grove, to see the kids grow up! Thanks for sharing.

Gorgeous photos and story—I hope he doesn’t stop there!

Our 3rd and final day in Skoura was all about walks through the palm grove... And yes... when you love it, you don't keep track of time. Then, reading on our lovely terrace while sipping tea now and then and enjoying Moroccan pastries. We knew we'd be driving more in the days ahead, so we took it easy.



And a magnificent sunset over the palm grove, photographed from the terrace.



The next day, after saying goodbye to the lovely Skoura family, we headed toward Aguinane via Agdz and Tissint. But it’s not always easy to decipher what’s written on the kilometer signs. We even wonder why this happens so often in Morocco.



We passed lots of people on our route...







And from time to time, we came across camels, who totally ignored us, too busy with their meal.

In Foum Zguid, we photographed the pretty, colorful embroidered fabrics—the only cheerful note in a town that seemed so sad to us... so very sad.



And tomorrow, we’ll be in Aguinane, a stop that delighted us.

Aguinane? What kind of vehicle do you have? Since you’ve already been through there, do you come out at Aguadir Melloul?

Indeed, we’ll end up in Agadir Melloul... with a Logan!