Diverse Morocco is the ideal family holiday destination

Selecting a family holiday can be a tricky business if you have children who are still toddling around. As a keen explorer, I had always wanted to visit Morocco in order to scale the picturesque Atlas Mountains but I thought my chances were gone once I started to raise a young family. However, I managed to find a trip that not only gave us the opportunity to head to the fascinating north African country together, but also included a number of child-friendly excursions that would enable us to see various different parts of the nation.

When you think of Morocco holidays, it is hard not to immediately imagine bustling urban sprawls with carpet sellers and snake charmers lining the streets. However, I was soon to find out there is far more to the destination than the souks of Marrakech. Variety is vital when selecting a family break so it is no good picking a package that will limit the number of activities that families can take part in, after all, young ones tend to get bored very easily.

There was no danger of this happening in Morocco though, as the country is extremely diverse. My first impressions were pretty much what I had been expecting, as our first port of call was Marrakech. It was the hive of activity that I had been anticipating, but the experience was not in the slightest bit stressful, which I found surprising. It is hard not to get carried away with the traditions and culture of the capital city and I took this opportunity to test my bartering skills on the many stallholders who were selling anything from spices to carpets.

The kids seemed to love Marrakech, which was definitely a bonus as we would be returning before the end of our holiday. But for now, we were off to the Atlas Mountains, which was the part of the tour that I had been most looking forward to. The quiet hamlet of Ourika was a complete contrast to Marrakech, but it was equally beautiful in its own way. I had feared the children would not be able to handle walking through the range, but the rambles were extremely easy.

Morocco's diverse landscapes were again demonstrated when we left the mountains for the gorgeous coastal region of Essaouira. This certainly pleased the little ones, as they were able to play on the beach and my wife and I could take them to see the boats in the lovely old port. In just eight days we had seen it all, from bustling cities to idyllic beaches and breathtaking mountains. It is hard to think of another single destination that could have made our entire family so happy.

From $495pp exc flights

4

(average rating, based on 6 reviews)

Trip type: 

Family & Cultural

Adventure level: 

3. Moderate

Max group size: 

16

Minimum age: 

5

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Saharan Sands - Family holiday

Africa, Morocco | 8 days

Trip code: 

FAS

Families only

Leave everyday life behind as you journey by camel across the sand dunes of the Sahara on this exciting and great value family holiday.

Departs in:

• J
• F
• M
• A
• M
• J
• J
• A
• S
• O
• N
• D