‘And to the desert I’ll go to lose my mind and find my soul.’
Morocco is a country located in North Africa that has a coastline on both the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It attained Moroccan Western Sahara independence in 1973. Morocco is a gateway to Africa and a country of dizzying diversity. Here you’ll find epic mountain ranges, ancient cities, sweeping deserts- and warm hospitality. Its rich culture is a blend of Arab, Berber, European and African influences.
Morocco was a French protectorate from 1912 to 1956, when Sultan Mohammed became king. He was succeeded in 1961 by his son, Hassan II, who ruled for 38 years and played a prominent role in the search for peace in the Middle East. He also ruthlessly suppressed domestic opposition.
The fragrant air of Morocco seems spiked with local spices. Cradled by the dunes of the Sahara, the Kingdom has been inhabited for hundreds of thousands of years. And from the bustling Medina of Marrakech to the mosaic of leather tanning vessels in Fes, Moroccan culture is still steeped in rich tradition. The collection of blue-bottomed boats in Essaouira has become a monochromatic hallmark of the city, while the cafés of Casablanca will invoke your inner Bogie or Bergman.
Enjoying Morocco starts with nothing more strenuous than its national pastime– people-watching in a street cafe with a coffee or a mint tea. Use the opportunity to plan your next moves – hiking up North Africa’s highest peak, learning to roll couscous, camel trekking in the desert, shopping in the souqs or getting lost in the medina. Between the activities, you can sleep in boutique riads, relax on panoramic terraces and grand squares, and mop up delicately flavoured tajines – before sweating it all out in a restorative hammam.
If you are planning to visit this beautiful country of heritage, you can book a flight from India and the official currency of Morocco is Moroccan Dirham (1 MAD= 7.83 INR).
Morocco is a storied country that has, over the centuries, woven its ties to sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and the wider Middle East into whole cloth. It’s mixed Arab and Berber population forms a strong national identity, but an increasingly youthful one, taking the best of its traditions and weaving the pattern anew – from the countryside to the city, from the call to prayer from the mosque to the beat of local hip hop. Morocco has a hundred faces and sounds, all ready to welcome the traveler looking for spice and adventure.
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