Top 20 Outdoor Activities to Try in Morocco
If “vacation” means more to you than museums and sunloungers, Morocco is your playground. Between Atlantic swells, desert plateaus, cedar forests, and saw-toothed canyons, the country packs a lifetime of outside time into one compact map. Think mint tea after a kitesurf session, sunrise flights over the Atlas, or a limestone multi-pitch before couscous Friday. Below are ten unforgettable ways to turn a Morocco trip into an adventure.
1) Camel trek & overnight Sahara camp (Erg Chebbi / Erg Chigaga)
Saddle up at golden hour and sway into the dunes as the light turns copper and the wind combs ripples across the sand. Your camel pads quietly toward a desert camp, where tea appears like a magic trick and a tajine bubbles under a sky so clear you’ll spot the Milky Way with the naked eye. After drumming and stories by the fire, crawl into a Berber-style tent; dawn will nudge you awake for a short climb to a ridge where the sun pours over the Sahara like warm honey.
Erg Chebbi (near Merzouga) is the easier option—big dunes, shorter transfers, and lots of camp choices—while Erg Chigaga is for romantics who like it wilder and farther off-road. Pack a scarf, light layers, and a sense of wonder; you won’t need much else.
2) Explore Marrakech’s souks & Jemaa el-Fnaa
The medina is a living adventure: lanes stacked with pyramids of saffron and cumin, leather that smells like sunshine, and lamps throwing lacework shadows on tiled walls. Practice the art of the friendly bargain, peek into tiny workshops where copper sings under the hammer, and learn the difference between “handmade” and “hand-finished” from the people who know.
As dusk slides in, Jemaa el-Fnaa shifts from daytime bustle to open-air theater—musicians tune up, storytellers gather circles, and grills hiss with skewers and kefta. Grab a bowl of harira, climb to a rooftop for the call to prayer drifting over the square, and let the spectacle roll over you.
3) Hike the High Atlas / summit Mount Toubkal
From the village of Imlil, footpaths thread past walnut groves and irrigation channels into wide valleys guarded by jagged ridgelines. Day hikers can stitch together balcony trails between Berber hamlets; the ambitious can aim for Toubkal (4,167 m), North Africa’s highest peak. A typical summit push takes two days with a night at a refuge; add an extra day if you’d like a gentler pace and better acclimatization.
Expect scree, big views, and the quiet pleasure of mint tea poured in a stone courtyard after you come down. Spring and autumn are sweet spots for clear trails, while winter demands proper gear and a certified guide.
4) Stay in a traditional riad
Trade elevators and hallways for a cool courtyard of zellige tile, a tinkling fountain, and sunlight pooling under orange trees. Riads are built around calm: breakfast on the roof, a nap on a cushioned nook, and a front-row seat to the medina without the noise.
Choose a spot close to a main gate for easy taxi access, ask about airport transfers (those alleys can be a maze), and savor the small rituals—rosewater towels, a pot of tea on arrival, and breakfasts that could pass for feasts.
5) Experience a Moroccan hammam
When your legs need love, step into a cloud of steam. A proper hammam is equal parts cleansing and ceremony: savon noir (black olive soap) melts away travel dust, a kessa glove scrubs until your skin practically squeaks, and rhassoul clay leaves you smooth as a river pebble.
Go local in a neighborhood bathhouse for a no-frills, authentic scrub, or book a spa-style hammam for candlelight and calm. Either way, hydrate afterward and float through the rest of your day.
6) Sandboarding on desert dunes
Why should surfers have all the fun? Wax a board, hike a dune, and launch—soft landings guaranteed. Erg Chebbi’s faces work for beginners, while Chigaga’s longer slopes tempt speed chasers. Mornings and late afternoons bring kinder temperatures and better light for photos.
Pair your session with a quad-bike loop or a sunset 4×4 to wind-carved ridges, then kick off the sand and watch the sky do its nightly color show.
7) Visit Aït Benhaddou & Ouarzazate film studios
Over the Tizi n’Tichka pass, an ochre citadel rises from the Ounila River like a mirage. Aït Benhaddou’s earth-brick towers and alleys feel timeless—cross the stepping stones, wander up to the granary for a panorama of palms and desert, and imagine caravan days.
Ten minutes down the road, Ouarzazate opens its studio doors: prop rooms, backlot streets, and the odd set still wearing last season’s sand. Even if you’re not a cinephile, the blend of architecture and open desert is a highlight of any road trip.
8) Food tour or tagine-cooking class
Start at the market: olives glistening like marbles, mounds of dates, preserved lemons glowing yellow, and bakers sliding khobz from wood-fired ovens. A guide helps you decode ras el hanout, sample street bites (sardine sandwiches, msemen with honey), and pick fresh herbs for your class.
Back in the kitchen, you’ll build a tagine from the base up—sweating onions, blooming spices, arranging vegetables in a sunburst, and letting time do the rest. Learn the mint-tea pour (height matters), then eat your masterpiece on a terrace while the city hums below.
9) Get lost in Chefchaouen’s blue alleys
The Blue City swirls in shades from baby-blue to deep indigo, every turn a postcard. Climb stairways lined with flower pots, duck under painted arches, and browse wool blankets, cedar carvings, and small art studios where the owners are happy to chat.
For a bigger view, walk up to the Spanish Mosque at golden hour—the Rif Mountains fold around the town like a hug, and the medina glows. Snack on fresh goat cheese and olives, and let your pace match the slow heartbeat of the hills.
10) Hot-air balloon ride near Marrakech
Pre-dawn, a 4×4 rolls you into the Marrakech countryside where burners roar and a balloon billows to life. Minutes later you’re drifting above patchwork fields, dry riverbeds, and far-off Atlas summits catching the first light. It’s quiet up there—just the occasional whoosh of flame and the soft shuffle of the basket as you rise.
Touch down for mint tea and fresh bread, and (if you like) add a quad spin across the Agafay “stone desert” to keep the adrenaline humming through breakfast.
11) Kitesurfing in Dakhla (with Essaouira as a wind-loving Plan B)
At the far edge of the Sahara, Dakhla’s vast lagoon is a dream for kiters: warm, shallow water; butter-flat sections for speed runs; and a short hop over the sandbar to open-ocean waves. Reliable trade winds blow most of the year, so it’s common to see beginners cruising their first meters while freestylers throw tricks downwind.
Base yourself in a waterside camp or eco-lodge and you can wake up, zip your wetsuit, and be on the water in minutes. Downwinder trips skim past flamingo shallows, and boat shuttles ferry you to empty sandbanks that feel like the end of the world.
If you’re traveling farther north, Essaouira’s horseshoe bay funnels steady side-shore breezes. Lessons run daily, and the medina’s ramparts and music scene add an artsy counterpoint to the sporty vibe. On windless hours, try a SUP along the harbor or a dune walk on nearby beaches.
12) Skateboarding in Casablanca & Rabat
Modern Morocco skates. Casablanca’s scene centers on airy, purpose-built parks and wide coastal promenades, where you’ll find skaters, BMX riders, and scooter crews sharing the concrete waves. The Atlantic light and sea spray give evening sessions a cinematic glow, and it’s easy to fall into a pickup crew for a mellow cruise or a stair-hunting mission.
An hour up the coast, Rabat blends green spaces with smooth paths through Parc Hassan II and along the Bou Regreg riverfront. Roll between monuments, test a mini-ramp, or film lines with the skyline of Oudaya in the distance. Don’t be surprised if a tea vendor becomes your biggest fan mid-session—Morocco is generous with encouragement.
13) Paragliding above the Atlas near Marrakech
South of Marrakech, near Lake Lalla Takerkoust, the Aguergour take-off sits on a ridge that faces miles of ochre hills and distant snowcaps. Tandem flights here are both serene and spectacular: a few steps, a gentle lift, and you’re floating over Berber villages and terraced fields while shepherds look like toy figures below.
Thermals and ridge lift keep you aloft, and your pilot can keep it smooth and meditative—or, if you want extra adrenaline, add a taste of wingovers before a soft landing near the lakeshore. It’s a bucket-list way to understand Morocco’s scale: desert stony plains, green irrigated strips, and jagged mountain walls, all in a single glide.
If winds shift, other High Atlas sites open up. Some operators pair flights with quad rides in the Agafay “stone desert,” making for an action-packed half day.
14) Canyoning in the Ourika Valley—and wild swims at Akchour
Just beyond Marrakech’s city limits, the Ourika Valley funnels cold, clear water through narrow gorges carved in red rock. With a certified guide, you’ll scramble, down-climb, and rappel beside waterfalls; slide into emerald pools; and snake through sculpted corridors that feel like a natural waterpark.
Spring and early summer bring lively flow, while late summer offers warmer, calmer conditions. Wetsuits keep the shivers at bay, and itineraries range from family-friendly half-days to athletic descents with multiple rappels.
Up north in the Rif Mountains, the Akchour area near Chefchaouen trades ropes for dreamy hiking and river-pool lounging. A footpath follows turquoise water to cascades and the natural arch nicknamed “God’s Bridge.” It’s less technical than canyoning, but just as photogenic, with picnic spots that invite long, lazy swims.
15) Jet skiing along Agadir Bay or the “Moroccan Riviera”
For pure, grin-inducing speed, throttle a jet ski and trace the curve of Agadir’s giant bay. The sheltered setting keeps chop manageable, so it’s great for beginners, and the views—golden beaches, the kasbah hill, fishing boats crossing your wake—make the ride more than just an engine roar.
On the Mediterranean side, Tamuda Bay (around Marina Smir/M’diq) offers glossy water and tucked-away coves. Guided outings typically combine instruction with a coastal tour, and many operators allow riders to switch halfway so the whole crew gets a turn. Sunrise and golden hour are magic; you’ll carve S-turns in silver water as the coastline lights up.
Off the water, both areas pair easily with beach clubs, fresh seafood, and a lazy promenade stroll to reset your heart rate.
16) White-water rafting on the Ahansal River
When snowmelt swells the Middle Atlas, the Ahansal River wakes up. Flowing into the turquoise reservoir of Bin el Ouidane, it threads between limestone cliffs and cedar-draped hills, creating Morocco’s classic rafting run. Expect bouncy, splashy rapids interspersed with scenic floats where you can drift and stare at castle-like rock formations.
Outfitters supply all the gear (and the jokes), brief you on safety, and tailor the section to your group—families and first-timers get fun, forgiving waves, while adrenaline hunters can aim for livelier rapids when levels allow. Multi-day trips are a treat: camp on riverbanks, watch stars ignite above silent canyons, and wake to birdsong echoing over still water.
Not into rafts? Kayaks and packrafts ply these waters too, and canyon hikes nearby add another dimension to the area’s adventure menu.
17) Surfing Taghazout, Imsouane & the surrounding coast
Taghazout is Morocco’s surf soul: a fishing village turned wave magnet, dotted with board racks and juice bars. In winter, long-period Atlantic swells wrap into points like Anchor and Killer, serving up long, powerful rights for intermediate and advanced surfers. On smaller days, beach breaks and friendlier reefs keep beginners smiling.
North along the coast, Imsouane is famous for one of the longest rides in Africa—a peel-ing right that can carry you from the harbor across the bay on a single wave. It’s a paradise for longboarders and anyone chasing the glide, and there’s a second bay out front that handles different tides and winds.
Lessons and camps are everywhere—choose based on vibe (social hostel vs. quiet retreat), board quiver, and how much coaching you want. Non-surfers won’t be bored: cliff walks at sunset, argan oil cooperatives to visit, and day trips to Paradise Valley’s palm-lined pools round out the coast-life picture.
18) Diving and snorkeling in Al Hoceima National Park
Morocco’s Mediterranean side hides a necklace of coves, sea caves, and rocky islets around Al Hoceima. The marine reserve shelters sea grass meadows, octopus gardens, and colorful wrasse—perfect for relaxed dives and long snorkel sessions. Visibility is often excellent in summer, and the coast’s high cliffs create wind shadows that keep the water calm.
Intro dives with patient instructors let first-timers master equalization and buoyancy before gliding past boulders encrusted with life. Certified divers can explore deeper reefs and gentle walls, while non-divers rent masks and fins to float above shimmering schools tight to the shore.
Top the day with a boat ride at sunset: the cliffs glow terracotta, gulls wheel overhead, and the sea turns to polished glass.
19) Skydiving over Beni Mellal (and seasonal drop zones in the north)
If freefall is your language, tandem skydives over the Tadla plain deliver a rush like nothing else. After a short ground briefing and gear check, you’ll climb to altitude, shuffle to the door with your instructor, and then—wind, roar, weightlessness. In seconds the Atlas fills your field of view, patchwork farms slide beneath you, and the horizon curves in every direction.
The canopy ride is surprisingly peaceful: lazy turns, landmark spotting, and a soft flare to land with your heart doing drum solos. Some seasons also see operations on the Mediterranean coast; check schedules if you’re routing through the Rif.
Prefer to fly without leaving the ground? Paragliding and microlight flights offer gentler but equally scenic ways to see Morocco from above.
20) Rock climbing in the Todra Gorge (plus Tafraout’s granite playground)
Todra is where Morocco’s climbing legend was written. Vertical orange walls squeeze so close a river and road barely fit between them, and the limestone is bolted with routes for every level—from friendly 5s and 6s to big, airy multi-pitches that wander up sunlit faces. The setting is cinematic: palms, donkeys, and climbers’ chalk sharing the same canyon.
Mornings start cool in the shadowed gorge; afternoons warm when the sun swings around. Guides can set top-ropes for first-timers or lead you into your first multi-pitch with calm, practiced instruction. Between burns, mint tea and crepes appear from gorge-side cafés like magic.
Further south, Tafraout swaps limestone for peach-colored granite. It’s a wonderland of boulders and longer trad lines set amid argan trees and alien-looking formations. Even non-climbers love the area for hiking, photography, and the otherworldly light that bathes everything at dusk.
Practical pointers for planning
- When to go: Surf shines October–March; rafting is best in spring; Dakhla kiting works most of the year; climbing sweet spots are spring and fall.
- Guides & safety: For canyoning, rafting, paragliding, diving, and skydiving, book certified operators and follow local advice on weather windows.
- What to pack: Sun protection year-round, a light wetsuit for Atlantic sports, and layers for mountain mornings even in summer.
- Culture bonus: Pair each adventure with a nearby heritage hit—Essaouira’s ramparts after kiting, Marrakech’s medina after paragliding, or desert kasbahs en route to Todra.