Itinerary: Portugal and Morocco

3 days in Portugal

As a respite from the heat, restock point for western goods and respite from the delays and frustrations of the developing world, we’ll spend 3 days in an apartment in Sintra taking in the parks, temples, and palaces before heading back to Africa. 

14 days in Morocco

Day 1-2

Rabat is Morocco’s capital city and has a mixture of Islamic and French heritage. It has a beach, a preserved 11th century fortress kasbah or citadel and medina or maze-like city center. The archeology museum has artifacts dating from pre-Roman times and the modern museum houses works from the best contemporary artists in Morocco. 

Day 3

Meknes was founded in the 11th century in the Spanish-Moorish style. The old town is home to the 12th century Grand Mosque. It’s the agriculture center of Morocco growing stone fruits, apples and potatoes in the higher elevation. 

Day 4-5

Fez is Morocco’s cultural capital and the oldest of its imperial cities. Fez is home to silk weavers, gorgeous tiled murals, tanneries and camel meat. We’ll stay in a Riad, or mansion built around a square courtyard that’s been converted into a guesthouse.  

Day 6-8

A visit to a country containing parts of the Sahara desert wouldn’t be complete without an overnight camel trekking experience. We’ll start in Fez and on camel back and by jeep make our way to Marrakech sleeping in the desert and taking in the stars and sand. 

Day 9-10

Marrakech has a lot on offer but also has come with a fair share of warnings about crowds, pick pockets and street harassment. I’m grateful to be traveling in a group of three and I’m grateful that one of us is male. It’s a place where we’ll encounter the Berber minority and head off into the Atlas Mountains. 

Day 11-13

I brought a hat, scarf, gloves and heavy socks for our three-day Atlas mountain trekking excursion. We’ll stay in the chilly mountains and stay with the Berber tribes, who speak Amazigh and sometimes French, learning about their culture and traditions.

Day 14

Here’s lookin’ at you kid. Casablanca is a port city and the largest in Morocco. While we won’t likely experience the city the way Humphrey Bogart did, we will get a feel for modern life in Morocco as it’s a financial and business center full of restaurants and night life.