Africa, Morocco, Sahara Desert, Travel

3 Day Sahara Desert Tour

When you think of Morocco, it’s likely that two things will come to mind: the bustling souks of Marrakech, and the vastness of the red Sahara Desert.

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(Okay, maybe you also think about the blue pearl, aka Chefchaouen. But we didn’t make it there this trip so that sadly won’t be covered on here…yet!)

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Back to the Sahara, the desert was truly a highlight of Morocco for us. It was UNFORGETTABLE to sleep under the Milky Way, climb atop a dune for the sunrise, try our hand at sandboarding and meet our friendly camels—Mahmoud and Jimmy (YEP, my camel’s name was JIMMY).

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The first thing you really need to know before you plan a trip like this is Morocco is BIG. You might be thinking, “Let’s do a day in Marrakech, a day in the Sahara, a day in Chefchaouen.” Nope, it doesn’t work like that. Driving from Marrakech to Merzouga (the city bordering the Sahara) will take you about 8.5 hours. And then Merzouga to Fes would take at least 7 hours.

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We did the tour in November (American Thanksgiving week), which was good for smaller crowds and cooler weather. It did, however, make the mountains and Sahara Desert feel very cold indeed (30-40 F / 0-4 C)! Also, with the shorter daylight hours, we felt pressed for time to see locations in the daylight, and sort of wished we could have traveled either in earlier November or October to make the most of our time.

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So what do you see on the way to the Sahara Desert from Marrakech? Or from Fes? Well, let me tell you!

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Day 1
We booked a tour with Explore Sahara Tours based on my dear friend Amelia Leung’s recommendation. Hassan picked us up at 8am sharp from our hotel in Marrakech (the lovely Le Riad Yasmine), and with that we were off. He was a young man who was incredibly kind and insightful about the local Berber culture and knew various fun facts about Morocco. But he often spoke softly with the window open, so we struggled to understand him at times.

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We stopped in Tizi N’Tichka to gaze out at the Atlas Mountains, the terrain of which reminded me much of the meandering hills in California. We also swung by an Argon oil cooperative, where a local Moroccan woman walked us through the process of extracting the oil and also had different oils and butters for us to try. We had run out of our Moroccan Dirhams at this point because we forgot to withdraw more from the ATM in Marrakech, but they allowed us to pay for some oils and soaps in Euros.

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We spent a good amount of time in the car after this, but by lunchtime, we had arrived at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ait Ben Haddou. Seeing the breathtaking ksar was truly a highlight for us, and we only wish we had more time here.

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Crossing a bridge over to the famed film location (famous for GAME OF THRONES, GLADIATOR and more), we learned that only a couple families still lived within this ancient fortified town on the road from Marrakech to the Sahara—most moved across the river for running water.

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We climbed to the top of the ksar and enjoyed the view, but were unable to stay to find the rooftop tea house that I had been curious about. Oh well—guess that just means we’ll have to go back!

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After this, we dined on a traditional Moroccan lunch at the town across with a view of Ait Ben Haddou behind us. Since lunches weren’t included in the tour, our guide loaned us cash (lol!) since we were out, and we just had to wait until we got to the next big town (Ouarzazate) to withdraw more to pay him back.

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We only briefly passed through Ouarzazate and saw Atlas Film Studios from the outside, but did not enter. Since we were traveling during winter, our daylight hours were brief and we could tell our guide wanted to spend minimal time at locations and hit the road as quickly as possible. I completely understood why he didn’t want to drive in the dark, but it was still a bit of a shame to feel rushed in all these interesting locations.

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We arrived to Hotel Babylon in the Dadés Valley after sunset, and gladly accepted hot mint tea upon arrival. We sat outside with our guide, Hassan, where we finally got to learn a little more about him, his family, hobbies and had conversations about the different languages he spoke and kinds of tourists that would come through.

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After dropping off our bags in our room, we met in the hotel’s dining room to have soup and tagine. We explored the hotel a bit, but turned in early so we could begin our next day first thing the next morning!

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Day 2

We awoke at 6:30am to a buffet breakfast equipped with yogurt, fruit, breads and OF COURSE, mint tea. Hassan met us at the reception desk at 7am, and we took off to see the Monkey Finger Rocks (formations created by winds and weather) on our way to the desert.

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We continued our drive up and down meandering mountainous roads to reach the Todra Gorge, where we were informed many rock climbing enthusiasts would go. A river ran through the valley, and we strolled along it for a bit.

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We then were taken to a cooperative to look at rugs. We enjoyed mint tea as the shopkeeper explained to us the method of weaving and whether they used camel or sheep hair to do it. We were then shown a wide assortment of rugs.

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While this was an enjoyable experience, even with our bargaining, the rugs we ended up purchasing were not in a price range that we felt comfortable with. The stop at the rug cooperative blindsided us a bit because although we knew we wanted to purchase a rug on our trip, we hadn’t researched at this point to see what a fair price would be and how to inspect the rugs to ensure we weren’t being cheated.

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Ultimately, we bought two rugs that we love for half of what we were being asked to pay, but I think we could have bought the rugs cheaper elsewhere (like Marrakech or Fes). The people there were very kind, and we did love the designs we got as well as the explanations for each Berber symbol we were given. We just felt obligated to make our purchase there, and I wish we could have done rug shopping on our own accord.

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We stopped for lunch somewhere along the way, and continued onto Merzouga, the last town before the Sahara Desert. Here we dropped off our bags at a local hotel where we met the tour owner, a different Hassan, and we took out the bare minimum of what we’d need in the desert and packed the items in our backpack.

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Finally, the moment we had been waiting for. We climbed on two friendly camels that took us into the Sahara desert!!! Michael and I were led by a friendly young man named Mohammed, and there were two Canadians in our caravan. We chatted with them both until our group stopped halfway to the camp to watch the sunset over the sand dunes.

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We separated from the new Canadian friends we had made who were en route to a different camp. When we arrived at our campsite, I was thoroughly excited with what I saw.

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I was surprised by how luxurious the campsite was! Not only was there electricity, but there was running water, showers and beautifully decorated tents.

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The campsite was extensive, but because it was off season, we were literally the only people there apart from an Australian couple that we quickly befriended. We were originally put on the “regular” side of the campground, but our local Berber staff Mohammed and Ali offered to move us over to the “luxury” side of the campsite to be closer to our Australian friends. We jumped at the opportunity to check out another fun space, but both tents were positively lovely and we would’ve been happy with either one.

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We gladly drank mint tea to stay warm, and ate a deliciously filling homemade dinner. After dinner, we gathered around a fireplace together and joined our new Berber friends in singing and playing African drums.

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My favorite part of the campfire experience is a silly one—the staff had a desert cat named Bissy that lived at the campsite. Bissy came over to hang out with us, jumped in my lap and slept there for the rest of the evening!! So everyone else had drums, but I had a warm friendly cat in my lap, and I think I really won.

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We learned about the history of the Berber people, about their thoughts on religion and life, their carefree perspective on education and learned a charming love story about a Japanese tourist who got lost in the Sahara, met a Berber family that saved her life, and married the son of that family who now lived in a bordering town where they opened a Japanese-Berber restaurant. Talk about a life-changing experience!

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When we asked the staff about the stars, Mohammed nonchalantly said, “Oh, shall we turn out the lights so you can see shooting stars?” We were surprised and asked if there was a meteor shower, but the staff said that no, every night you could see shooting stars! I guess when you’re so far into the desert and disconnected from light pollution and civilization, you can see all the beauty of the galaxies that God created.

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We laid out together atop the campsite picnic tables and were in awe of the Milky Way sprawling out before us. I had seen a lot of stars in French Polynesia out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but this might have been the most stars I had ever seen in my life. Around 11pm, we finally decided to try to sleep in our private tents. It was below freezing, but my husband and I huddled together for warmth and stacked probably five different blankets on top of us.

Day 3

We woke up a half hour before sunrise (around 6am) to climb a sand dune to see the sun come up. This ended up being one of the best experiences ever, but it was MUCH harder to climb the dune than I expected!!!

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I was thinking, “I hike up sandy hills all the time, this is like sand at the beach, right?” NO. Not at all! We were huffing and puffing up the hill, and had to stop multiple times to take breaks. We finally made it in time for sunrise, but oh my goodness, I have a newfound respect for camels!!!

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After the unforgettable experience of seeing the sun rise above the sand dunes, we had fun trying our hand at sandboarding down to the campsite! We then were able to have some nice warm cups of tea before hopping back onto our camels (JIMMAYY) and heading back to civilization.

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Although, naturally, we stopped to take pictures.

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Once we got back to Merzouga, we were able to consolidate our bags and have a quick, delicious breakfast before hitting the road again. Hassan (not our tour guide but the owner of the tour company) gave us each an ornate glass bottle filled with Sahara sand, which was such a kind and wonderful gesture.

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The trip from Merzouga to Fes took about seven hours. While there were many familiar views of rugged landscapes and hidden valleys, this drive also took us through many an autumnal forest, which took our breaths away.

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We stopped near Ziz Valley quickly and got out of the car to look out over the beautiful oasis of palm groves, which we were informed contained the best dates in Morocco. After the quick pit stop, we again drove for a long time until we made it to Midelt to stop for a delicious lunch.

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From Midelt, we drove through the Atlas Mountains and Cedar Forests. The scenery was unlike anything we had seen in Morocco so far, and there were even monkeys that we were able to feed peanuts to!

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Some monkeys were a little aggressive, but then there was a very wise-looking quiet monkey that we really enjoyed feeding and photographing.

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Then, we drove through Ifrane, which is known as the Switzerland of Morocco. It apparently has its own airport, an international university and the most European-style homes of anywhere in Morocco. We were completely surprised by it, and Hassan showed us pictures of himself snowboarding here when the snow would fall.

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While there was no snow here in November, there were lots of gorgeous autumnal trees and I begged to get out and explore a bit. Hassan kindly pulled over the side of the road for us to hop out and take a few pictures, and I would love to return to this charming little town someday!

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From there, it took us a couple more hours to get to Fes, where we were dropped off at our hotel around 7pm. We were tired, but happy after our once-in-a-lifetime trip!

MOROCCO TRAVEL TIPS

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Tours: From my understanding, pretty much any tour you do with any group to the Sahara will be roughly the same and take the same route. We had friends book with a completely different tour group (and starting in Fes), but they hit all the same stops as us—and even had a camel named Jimmy! So I would say that you could even wait until you arrive in Morocco to choose a tour.

Cost: For two people with a private tour guide/driver, hotel pick-up/drop-off and inclusive of meals (apart from lunch), gas, lodging, water, camels and sandboarding, we paid 595 euros. However, this price will vary depending on the number of people and the start/end location of the tour.

Currency: MAD – Moroccan Dirhams (I would advise to have cash on you, but some places do take credit cards and some will also take euros if you have them)

Languages: Arabic (official), Amazigh (aka “Berber,” official) / French (unofficial) – some also speak English)

Transportation: For this trek around the country, a car was a must. We hired a driver as part of a 3-day tour, but we also met other travelers who rented a car and drove around the country themselves. I think this is certainly a viable option!

Food: Tagines are a must-try, as are various barbecued meat options! And I think you already know my obsession with Moroccan mint tea.

Safety: As I’ve stated prior in my Marrakech blog post, we never felt that our safety was threatened, and going around with a guide we knew we were never going anywhere sketchy. However, there were certainly times we felt pressured to purchase things. The hardest thing about doing a guided tour was getting taken to co-ops for rugs or argon oil factories where you felt obligated to purchase something and couldn’t exactly walk away because your guide was your only mode of transportation.

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Africa, Marrakech, Morocco, Travel

2 Days in Marrakech

At long last, we’ve made it to the continent of Africa!! Marrakech has LONG been on my travel bucket list, and I’m so grateful that my hubby and I were able to make it here over American Thanksgiving. <3

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Pro tip for my fellow Americans: International travel during our Thanksgiving domestic holiday is MUCH cheaper than it is during Christmas, so if you don’t have big family gatherings or traditions during Thanksgiving, I’d so GO GO GO!

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We booked a flight to Paris through London because it was much cheaper than booking a flight to Morocco (more on that another time!), and this ended up being such a great way to spend a day in Paris first before hopping over to Marrakech on a cheap European airline. We saved a little under $1,000 by this method!

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I’ve heard Morocco described as an “assault on the senses,” and I can say that this is certainly true. The variety of bright colors and beautifully intricate architecture, the abundance of smells and spices everywhere and the bustling of the vibrant city. It’s a beautiful city and an amazing experience, but certainly could be overwhelming or take you a bit aback if you’re not expecting it.

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We went in November, which is supposed to be a wildcard in terms of weather, but were blessed with sunshine and 70-80 degree temperature (20-25 C).

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WHERE TO STAY

Le Riad Yasmine – No doubt you’ve seen this extremely photogenic hotel on Instagram! We booked our stay at Le Riad Yasmine four months in advance of our travels here, and I actually snagged the last available room.

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The room was 90€ (so 45€ / person) and included breakfast each morning, which we thought was a great deal for the beautiful amenities! It’s also conveniently halfway between Jardin Majorelle and the center of the Medina (Jamaa el-Fna), about a 20-min walk to both.

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Riad Yasmine was everything I hoped and dreamed it would be. The pool, the wonderful staff and incredible service, the delicious food and the resident cat, Bowie.

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Upon arrival, we were served Moroccan Mint Tea, and I must say that the tea at Riad Yasmine was the tastiest of any tea we had our entire trip! We ordered it many times in our two-day stay.

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Also, the rooftop area cannot be overstated. It was a little chilly in November, but the space was a perfect mix of comfy couches and prickly cacti. I enjoyed my mornings here with Bowie.


WHAT TO DO

Ben Youseff Madrasa – If you do nothing else, this is a MUST. This is the oldest Madrasa (old Islamic college) in Morocco, and it is positively stunning. Get here right at opening so you can wander the halls alone for a bit and take in all the breathtaking wonder before the tour groups start showing up! The entrance fee is 20 MAD/person.

Dar Cherifa – This was HANDS DOWN the best meal we had in Morocco. OH. MY. GOODNESS. If you can, GO HERE. It’s a little difficult to find, but the food inside this hidden gem of a riad is tasty and phenomenally spiced.  We got a variety of traditional Moroccan salads, Harira soup and two tagines (lamb and kefta). We also got a saffron crème brulee for dessert.

Jamaa El Fna / Souks – This is what comes to mind when I think of Morocco. Vibrant street shops, busy squares, spice stacks galore and Moroccan rugs! I would highly recommend trying to do all your shopping here (and bargaining as much as you can—more on that in the “Tips” section below), because it will likely be much cheaper than if you do a tour and they try to convince you to make purchases at various co-ops.

It can be a bit overwhelming to wander, and you should definitely keep your belongings close and beware of children looking to pickpocket, but it is truly an unforgettable experience.

Koutoubia Mosque – Non-Muslims cannot enter this mosque, but it is certainly worth looking at. It is the tallest mosque in Marrekech, and can be seen from all around! The hubby and I glanced it in the distance, and went on a pleasant 20-min walk together to see it from the outside.

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La Mamounia – You may recognize this exquisite hotel property from “Sex and the City” (I mean, so I’ve been told—I’ve never seen it!). My dear friend recommended we go here and do a day pass (and she has an incredible blog post on Marrakech here).

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For those of you who can’t afford to stay at this lavish hotel (like us), a day pass is an incredible option to experience the beautiful grounds! This was truly the most relaxing we did our entire trip.

There are two day pass options: 500 MAD for just access to the grounds/hotel, or 1500 MAD for an hour-long massage or hammam (traditional Moroccan scrub) and a delicious 3-course lunch at one of their restaurants. We opted for the $150 option, and it was worth every penny.

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We both selected to do a hamman, which was a unique and reinvigorating experience that left our skin feeling as soft as a newborn baby.

For lunch, we ended up at the hotel’s Italian restaurant, which was positively divine and had many options for me with my gluten sensitivity.

And of course, we eagerly checked out the beautiful pools—and were shocked to find them completely empty, save for a few people that stopped by every now and again to snap photos!! Seriously, I’m sure November is off season for Morocco travels, but the hotel seemed fairly full—I’m amazed that more guests didn’t use the breathtaking pools!

We also checked out a beautifully instagrammable courtyard, which you must ask a staff member to unlock for you. I was not aware of this fact going in, and felt so anxious as we tried to figure out how to get in! Thankfully, my husband is the calmest man with the most amiable demeanor, and they unlocked the door at his request (and even took a few photos for us!).

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Majorelle Gardens – These beautifully vibrant blue-and-yellow gardens were designed by Jacques Majorelle, a French artist who spent nearly 40 years of his life designing the beautiful space. In 2010, the property was purchased by Yves Saint Laurent, and has since been managed by a non-profit.

In addition to the beautiful fountains and cactus gardens, there is a Berber Museum and variety of Majorelle’s paintings. We did not pay extra to go inside any of the exhibits, but admission is 70 MAD (35 MAD if you have a foreign student ID).

Royal Mansour – This is another breathtakingly beautiful hotel that boasts beautiful architecture and sophistication. We did not have time to book a spa appointment and couldn’t afford to spend a night here, but the staff was incredibly kind and allowed us to explore. I’ve heard they have a lovely bar and restaurant, but we did not stop by either.

Starbucks Coffee – You will laugh at me, but I make an effort to find a Starbucks wherever we go to get a country-specific souvenir! Also, coffee is not terribly great in Morocco, so for coffee addicts like me, the Starbucks is a lifesaver. We wandered to Starbucks from the Majorelle Gardens, which took about 20-minutes of wandering through the new town. We really enjoyed the experience (this is the only Starbucks in Marrakech, and one of three in the entire country), and also had fun roaming the adjacent local mall to see the variety of cultures alongside each other there!

Palais El Badii & Palais de la Bahia – We didn’t have a chance to go to either of these spots, but I have heard that they are lovely and worth checking out!

MARRAKECH TRAVEL TIPS

Currency: MAD – Moroccan Dirhams

Languages: Arabic (official), Amazigh (aka “Berber,” official) / French (unofficial) – some also speak English)

Transportation: Our preferred mode was by foot as there is much to see close together, but there are also taxis, private cars and carriages pulled by horses. If you opt to take taxis, make sure you negotiate the price ahead of time. Going from the airport to the Medina, you should definitely pay no more than 150 MAD. Another thing to note is if you take a taxi, it’s very possible you won’t be able to get dropped off right by your hotel/riad, depending on where you’re staying. To avoid the headache of negotiating and potentially getting lost right off the plane, we opted to have our riad send a car to pick us up, and we paid 150 MAD for a pleasant and stress-free ride.

Food: OF COURSE, you must try tagine. Chicken tagine, lamb tagine, kefta mkaouara tagine, vegetarian tagine—there really is a delicious option for every dietary restriction. Also, Moroccan mint tea is the tastiest sweet, caffeinated beverage ever. Keep in mind that you will likely be offered tea as a sign of hospitality wherever you go, and it would be considered slightly rude to refuse. The good news is it’s so delicious, why would you refuse?

Safety: We never felt threatened for our safety in Morocco. However, it is VERY important to be mindful and cautious, especially in terms of directions or purchasing things. Some tips I would keep in mind:

  • DON’T ASK FOR DIRECTRIONS: Kids/locals will offer to help you with directions if you look lost. Do NOT take them up on this, as it is never free and they will always ask you for a tip (and will often take you through more complex winding alleyways than need be).
  • DOWNLOAD OFFLINE MAPS: Our riad advised that we download the free app maps.me, which ended up being quite helpful. It’s a map that you can download offline and use to find your way around the Medina.
  • BARGAINING: Bargain for everything you purchase in the Medina/Souks—don’t be afraid to start at 1/3 or 1/2 of the price they originally offer you. Don’t be afraid to walk away slowly as a bargaining tactic. And don’t set your heart on any one thing too much or you will likely end up overpaying for it.
  • SAFETY: If you are a woman, I would advise that you do not travel alone. Traveling in a group of women is an option, but honestly, this might be a place where you’d want to take a man with you. I am very grateful I traveled with my husband, but even standing beside him (and while wearing a scarf to cover myself up), various men would call out crude comments toward me. The best thing to do is ignore these comments and keep walking—with purpose!

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