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I’d heard mixed reviews and even some pretty horrific tales about Morocco but am glad I took the trip to discover the magic for myself. Marrakech is a city that awakens all the senses and was our first stop. We had two nights pre-booked but the vibe kept us there for six! The sounds - call to prayer led by the Kasbah Mosque reverberating around the city as other mosques join in. The smells - street food stalls wafting fried onions and kofta, sardine patties and charcoaled corn. The sights - the rainbow colours of the souks, stunning architecture and beautiful azulejos.

Don’t get me wrong I can see how Marrakech could be considered intimidating. The labyrinth of Medina laneways can be confusing. The faux guides wanting to take you places, show you to the ‘big square’ or advising that attractions are ‘shut’ is relentless. The hassle to buy is constant and the children begging or trying to sell you tissues is confronting. However, if you can see beyond this you’ll be rewarded with a vibrant, colourful, charismatic and soulful city.

I always find that cities are a little easier to navigate with advice from fellow travellers who have recently visited. This in mind and so that hopefully, you can experience the magic of Marrakech here are my top tips for a fabulous time:

Top Tips to get the most from your stay in Marrakech…

1. Stay in the Medina:
With beautifully decorated traditional Moroccan homes centred around an external courtyard why on earth would you want to stay in a hotel? Most riads are independently owned, local hospitality at it’s best!

2. Don’t leave the airport without coins:
Before you leave the airport ensure you have coins - change in Marrakech is like gold dust! If you are staying in the Medina the likelihood that you won’t find your riad is high! The maze of back alleys with no names and numbers that certainly don’t go in order. You will need the help of a local. It should cost around 10 dirhams but if you don’t have change then you’ll end up paying with a note! Always agree a price upfront.

3. Walk on the right:
Chaos could be used to describe the roads within the Medina. Depending on the time day and year you arrive depends on the level of chaos. Scooters, pushbike, donkey’s, carts and cars all share the narrow streets through the Medina with no obvious highway code! Most locals seem to walk on the right which seems to be best.

4. Djemaa el-Fna - where to eat:
No visit to Marrakech is complete without experiencing the raucous grilling competition in the main square. It kicks off at sunset between the 65 outdoor restaurant stalls. As you’re being pulled in one direction and screamed at from another, as one lad points to Mama cooking beckoning you to eat there another asks where you’re from before reeling off lines such as “M&S quality but Aldi prices” (if you’re from the UK). It can be an overwhelming experience. My advice is two-fold - firstly the stalls all sell the same fare for the same price so it’s hard to recommend one over the other. It also works on a rota system - there are two lots of restaurants that take it on a 10 day on and 10 day off basis so the restaurant we ate at on our first night in Marrakech wasn’t there three weeks later! Secondly, go with your gut - if you feel a connection with the guys trying to coax you in then reward them with your custom, if you don’t then simply press on. It took us three times round to finally choose. Don’t be pressured. Take your time. Go with your gut!

5. The best burger in the world:
Moroccan street food is cheap, local and tasty. Whether its sardine patties, kofta, spiced chickpeas, popcorn, kebabs, grilled corn on the cob or chewy sweet treats you shouldn’t be paying any more than a few dirhams. On Rue Riad Zitoun el-Kedim opposite the mosque is a butcher who’s minced beef Khobz are the best I have ever tasted. With the option of adding onions, cheese, chilli and/or egg this taste sensation is something you’ll be going back for day after day!

6. Put down the map:
One for all the senses Marrakech is lost on you if you have your head in a map. Be confident, trust that because you are inside four walls of the Medina you can’t really get lost and just enjoy wandering. I promise you’ll stumble across way more than just what’s in the guide books.

7. Drinking in Marrakech:
As a Muslim country, Morocco is dryer than most, however, Marrakech has capitalised onto the European traveller. There are a number of bars and restaurants that serve local and imported beer, wine and spirits. My advice is to just wander if you look slightly western likelihood is the bars will find you! With flyers being handed out and staff on the streets trying to get you in for ‘happy hour’ you don’t have to look too far for a watering hole.

8. It’s not closed:
The same old scam as in Asia where locals tell you an attraction or location is closed only to then take you to their chosen shop or attraction! Ignore them, the likelihood is it’s as open as it’s ever been!

9. Photography:
Beware that any street entertainer will want paying if you take a photo - being sneaky about stealing a shot can also turn quite nasty so just suck it up and if you want a photo agree on a price first and then enjoy photographing. It’s also important to understand that local people believe that to be photographed is to take a piece of their soul. Be respectful and if you want to take a photo ask first.

10. Have a sense of humour:
You’ll get heckled, shouted after, hassled and sold too but don’t let it intimidate you. These are fellow humans trying to make a living. Stop, have a chat, have a joke, give banter back, go in to their shop and have a look. Remember, you are not obliged to buy anything. If anyone does get agitated, stand your ground and be confident.

Have you any travelling tips for others to enjoy the magic of Marrakech?

MY TOP TIPS FOR CLIMBING KILIMANJARO:

Research who to climb with:

We can’t speak more highly of Evarist and Frank from Kilimanjaro Heros. It was extremely important for us to climb with a local firm and ensure our $ were staying local. We also had heard awful stories on how some guides and porters are treated and wanted to support a firm who respected and looked after their staff. Get to know Frank a little more in my ‘Community Characters’ page and see where and what he likes to do in Moshi.

Preparation:

The beauty of Kilimanjaro is that in reality you don’t so much climb, as walk or trek up it. Therefore it’s pretty accessible to all. This being said, you do need a certain level of fitness to manage the challenge, especially the summit. Throughout the trek we saw all sizes, ages and nationalities reach Ulhuru Peak. Lorin and I both had a decent base level of fitness both attending the gym around 3-4 times weekly, so in preparation, we simply bush walked! We did a couple of 10-20km walks a week through our local National Parks trying to take in step and uneven ground as training

Travel insurance:

Never leave home without it. In the haste of packing and leaving I sometimes forget until I’m at the airport and have to quickly log on and buy it before boarding the plane. It’s so cheap in comparison to what you could end up paying if you needed medical attention. My husband blew his kneecap out in The States whilst skiing, the bill he would have had to lay should he not have had insurance was in the region of $50,000. There are helipads all the way up Kilimanjaro - don’t underestimate what your about to do!

Visa:

You will need a visa when entering Tanzania which you get from the airport on landing. More often than not the officials will claim they have ‘no change’ so have $50 out and ready - do not pay more than $50. My advice when travelling in Africa is to have different denominations of both Kenyan shillings and US dollars in different places ….. Pockets / bags etc.

Yellow fever inoculation certificate:

Most African countries including Tanzania require this certificate. So don’t ever be without it when travelling in Africa. Staple it to your passport or keep in a travel wallet so that you can produce it when needed.

3 x Essential footwear:

Decent walking boots are obviously essential for climbing Kilimanjaro. Don’t skimp on them, you will be forever grateful during those long days of walking. We did all our training in ours so they were broken in and comfy as. Not as obvious, but two pairs of shoes I am forever grateful I had were thongs and Ugg boots. Both easy to slip on in the middle of the night when going to the toilet! Thongs feel lovely on your feet letting them breath after a long day walking and Uggs are like one big hug to the feet once the climate starts getting cold!

More wet wipes than you can imagine:

If you think you’ve pack enough, double it!! No one can prepare you for the toilet situation up Kilimanjaro. Let’s just say wet wipes make a pretty horrific situation bearable! We were unable to shower for 6 days during our trek and although provided with soap and warm water for washing wet
wipes were perfect for those bits you don’t want to get out in public in the middle of a freezing cold camp!

A good book:

I was surprised at the amount of downtime we had whilst climbing Kilimanjaro. It depends on the speed at which you walk but on average we had a good couple of hours a day of light before supper.

Battery pack:

Essential for charging your iPod and my god if your anything like me you’ll need music! I had read lots of blogs that advised to create a seven-hour playlist for summit night. For me, all music annoyed me during those last few hours apart from Beautiful South which I had on repeat! I did listen to music Every day whilst trekking and when we arrived at camp and had down time.

Nail varnish:

I remember reading this online when researching climbing Kilimanjaro and will be forever grateful I did! I’m not sure I was ready for exactly how filthy you become after a couple of days on the mountain. The blessing is that if you have red nails you can’t see exactly how dirty they are! Out of sight out of mind as they say! I think I reapplied my nail varnish most evenings!

Tipping ceremony:

I found this really awkward and slightly embarrassing. After all, we were offloading our dirty socks to the guys who had just helped us achieve a lifelong dream of climbing Kilimanjaro! For the team though this is a ritual which is as important as summiting. They enjoy singing and dancing goodbye and thanks for climbing with them so really I just needed to get over myself. It wasn’t about me. I remember worrying that the socks, trousers, fleeces and trousers that I was giving away wouldn’t fit any of the strapping young men in the team. My guide turned round to me and said ‘no, but we all know a mum, sister, Aunty or cousin that’s your size who will love them’.
As for tipping, remember to take some small envelopes to put each tip in and name them. This also makes it more personal. Tip in either US$ or Tanzanian Shillings. Determine a tip for each member of the team (we tipped each head guide $100, the cook $50, the assistant cook $40 and the porters $30 each). Tip each guide, porter, cook etc directly instead of tipping the company or one person, this ensures everyone is getting what you are giving them.

A bloody good friend to summit with!
I underestimated the actual summit evening. On reflection, I’m so very grateful I could share not only the difficulty of the altitude sickness, but the achievement and view from the top with a great pal. Lorin and I motivated  each other. A moment shared that we will both remember forever.

Why Travel To Marrakech - A Magical City

Why Climb Mount Kilimanjaro - Top Tips For First Time Climbers