Why Morocco? How an Unexpected Change Led to One of the Most Memorable Trips of My Life

When I thought about my biggest trip for 2026, Morocco wasn’t even on my radar.

Japan was.

My son and his girlfriend had been planning for her Air Force assignment to Okinawa, and we were excited about the opportunity to visit them while exploring more of Japan. We had started mapping out an itinerary that included Okinawa, Tokyo, Osaka, and Mount Fuji. It felt like the perfect trip.

Then, everything changed.

His girlfriend received unexpected deployment orders elsewhere with very little notice. Suddenly, the reason for visiting Japan disappeared. Thankfully, we hadn’t locked ourselves into non-refundable reservations, but it was still disappointing. My heart broke for my son, who suddenly found himself not knowing when he’d see his girlfriend again.

With our plans put on pause, we figured we’d simply wait until our next big trip scheduled for December.

That lasted…about five minutes.

A friend messaged me and said, “We’re going on a National Geographic tour of Morocco. Want to come?”

Without researching a single thing, I replied:

“Absolutely!”

Sometimes the best adventures begin before you’ve even had time to overthink them.

A Friendship That Started Over a Decade Ago

One of the funniest parts of this story is that the friend who invited me wasn’t someone I regularly traveled with.

In fact, we’d only spent time together once.

More than ten years ago, we happened to be seated next to each other at a conference. We quickly discovered we shared two passions: baking and travel. We exchanged Facebook information, stayed connected online, and over the years watched each other’s adventures unfold from afar.

Despite that friendship lasting over a decade, we’d never actually traveled together.

Morocco would be our first trip.

Life has a funny way of bringing people back together.

Researching the Trip…After Saying Yes

Only after committing did I actually sit down and read the itinerary.

What I found made me even more excited.

This wasn’t a large bus tour racing from attraction to attraction.

It was a small group National Geographic Journeys tour operated by G Adventures, limited to just twelve travelers plus a local guide and driver.

Instead of simply checking famous landmarks off a list, the itinerary focused on experiencing Morocco through its people, traditions, history, and culture. We’d visit four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, eat meals prepared by local communities, learn traditional customs, explore ancient medinas, spend time in the Sahara Desert, and meet people whose families have lived these traditions for generations.

That sounded exactly like the kind of travel I love.

Why We Chose G Adventures

One of the things that impressed me most was G Adventures’ travel philosophy.

Rather than isolating travelers inside resorts, the company intentionally partners with local businesses, employs local guides, supports women-led cooperatives, and invests tourism dollars directly into the communities you visit.

Throughout our trip, we experienced that firsthand.

We shared meals prepared by local women, visited artisan workshops where generations of craftsmanship are still practiced, learned about Amazigh (Berber) traditions from local people, and had countless opportunities to support small businesses instead of large corporations.

It never felt like we were simply observing Morocco.

It felt like we were being welcomed into it.

How Much Did Morocco Cost?

One of the biggest surprises was how affordable the tour itself was.

Because we traveled during Morocco’s low season, from late June through early July, we received a discounted rate and paid $1,488 per person for the nine-day National Geographic Journeys: Morocco Highlights tour.

That included:

• Boutique accommodations
• Transportation throughout Morocco
• A dedicated driver
• An exceptional local guide
• Several meals
• Guided excursions
• Entrance fees to included activities

Beyond the tour cost, we paid for our flights, some meals, tips, and personal shopping.

Considering everything that was included, I thought it was an excellent value.

Adding Madrid to the Adventure

Our flights connected through Madrid, Spain.

Rather than simply passing through the airport, we decided to extend our trip by spending a few extra days exploring Madrid before flying home.

It turned out to be the perfect ending to an unforgettable adventure, and I’ll be sharing those experiences in a future series as well.

Packing Carry-On Only…Because Apparently We Like Challenges

Perhaps our boldest decision wasn’t booking Morocco without researching it.

It was deciding to spend nearly two weeks traveling through Morocco and Spain with only carry-on luggage.

Looking back, I’m honestly glad we did although challenging at times.

It forced us to pack intentionally and made moving between hotels incredibly easy since we changed locations almost every day.

I put together a Morocco packing post, including the luggage, clothing and travel products that worked and the one item I wouldn’t return to Morocco without.

What I Didn’t Expect

I’ll be honest.

Before arriving, I pictured Morocco as mostly desert.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Over the next nine days we wandered through bustling ancient medinas, stood beneath towering mosque architecture, explored Roman ruins, crossed the Atlas Mountains, watched the landscape transform into palm-filled valleys, climbed massive Sahara sand dunes at sunset, learned from nomadic families, visited UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and experienced warm welcomes from the locals.

Morocco was far more diverse than I ever imagined.

Looking Ahead

Over the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing everything from this incredible journey, including:

• My honest review of G Adventures
• Exactly what I packed (and what I’d change)
• A complete day-by-day itinerary
• My favorite places in Morocco
• What surprised me most
• Tips I wish I’d known before visiting
• Shopping guides, food recommendations, and plenty of practical travel advice

If Morocco has ever been on your bucket list or if you’ve never considered it before, I hope you’ll follow along.

It became our first trip to Africa.

I’m pretty confident it won’t be our last.

The adventure is always deeper than the destination,

Rachelle