Morocco
BirdingBirding
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Morocco is a land of immense contrasts and extraordinary beauty, where snow-capped mountains rise above ancient kasbahs, vast dunes roll endlessly into the Sahara, and Atlantic cliffs echo with the crashing of waves. This carefully crafted short 10-day itinerary has been designed specifically for birders with limited vacation time, delivering an exceptional diversity of habitats and species within a remarkably compact journey. Beyond the birding, Morocco itself is endlessly evocative: bustling souks scented with spices, ancient mud-brick villages glowing in the evening light, oasis towns fringed with palms, and vast landscapes that seem unchanged for centuries. Every day combines outstanding birding with a powerful sense of place and atmosphere.
Despite its compact duration, this Moroccan circuit traverses all the essentials: the dramatic High Atlas Mountains; the haunting expanses of the Sahara Desert; and the windswept Atlantic coastline, creating a rich mosaic of habitats and maximizing opportunities to encounter Morocco’s most iconic birds. Among the highlights are the critically endangered Northern Bald Ibis, one of the world’s rarest birds, flocks of charismatic Spotted Sandgrouse sweeping across desert plains, and the striking regional endemic Levaillant’s Woodpecker inhabiting conifer forests of the Atlas Mountains. The tour also seeks a dazzling variety of desert and North African specialties, including the vibrant Moussier’s Redstart, elegant Red-rumped Wheatear, diminutive African Desert Warbler, spectacular Greater Hoopoe-lark, mysterious Thick-billed Lark, and the pale, almost ethereal Desert Sparrow drifting like ghosts through Saharan settlements.
While this itinerary works beautifully as a standalone short tour, it also combines perfectly with Southern Spain: The Europe Intotour, just a short flight across the Strait of Gibraltar. Together, the two tours create a remarkable cross-continental experience, contrasting the deserts and mountains of North Africa with the rich wetlands, steppes, and Mediterranean habitats of southern Europe. In Spain, highlights may include displaying Great Bustard on sweeping plains, majestic Spanish Imperial Eagle soaring above rugged sierras, and exploration of the legendary Doñana National Park, one of Europe’s greatest wildlife reserves and a sanctuary of extraordinary biodiversity. In the detailed itinerary we use official habitat names according to the Habitats of Africa book and their Habitats of the World (HotW) codes if you wish to read more about these environments.
Price
From $4450
Length
10 Days
Physical Difficulty
Easy
Pace
Moderate
Focus
Birding
Group size
9 + 1 leader
26 March – 4 April
$4450; single supplement: $850
This tour links with Southern Spain: The Introtour.
Starting City
Marrakech
Ending City
Marrakech
After arrival in this bustling Moroccan city, you will be transferred to a nearby hotel in the city for a night. There is no birding planned on this day, with the first activity of the tour being dinner tonight.
We will drive up into the tortuous High Atlas Mountains to the mountain ski resort of Oukaimeden, with plenty of possibilities at this high altitude site, (2600m/8530ft). Our chief target will be the Crimson-winged Finch, for which this our only site on the tour, but we will also be on the lookout for other birds like Levaillant’s Woodpecker, Red-billed and Yellow-billed Choughs, Atlas Wheatear, Moussier’s and Black Redstarts, Rock Bunting, Rock Sparrow, and White-throated Dipper. Raptors like Long-legged Buzzard and Booted Eagle are possible. At the end of an exciting first day, we will descend to the lower part of the Ourika Valley for a single night.
After some final birding near Ourika, we will spend much of the rest of the day driving over the High Atlas Mountains and into the high desert steppe. The night will be spent at the edge of the desert in the town of Boumalne Dades, and there should be time for some later afternoon birding nearby to seach for Desert and Red-rumped Wheatears, Little Owl, larks, and more.
The Tagdilt Track crosses a vast expanse of desert and offers the best chances at some of the trickier desert birds like Thick-billed and Temminck’s Larks, and Red-rumped Wheatear. This is one of the most famous birding sites in all of Morocco, with other possibilities, including Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Cream-colored Courser, and Long-legged Buzzard. These local raptors may well be augmented by migrating birds of a variety of species. After our morning on the Tagdilt, we’ll head east and south to the true Saharan habitats of the Erg Chebbi Dunes area. We'll stop along the way to look for the handsome Mourning "Maghreb" Wheatear and hulking Pharaoh Eagle Owl, and a visit to the scenic Todra Gorge will give us a chance to see Tristram's Warbler. We’ll sleep at the edge of a monumental system of reddish Saharan dunes, a beautiful and stereotypical desert landscape.
We have a full day to explore the Erg Chebbi dunes and surrounding gravel plains and palm oases. This is the best area to search for many Saharan specialties and northwestern Africa endemics. Our long list of targets will include Crowned and Spotted Sandgrouse, several larks like Greater Hoopoe and Bar-tailed, African Desert Warbler, Fulvous Chatterer, and the ghostly desert-adapted Desert Sparrow. Sometimes, with the assistance of local nomadic people, we manage to locate the incredibly cryptic Egyptian Nightjar during the day. Possible raptors include Lanner Falcon and a variety of migrants. By the time the day is done, we hope to have seen the vast majority of the area’s specialties, and to have truly experienced this beautiful corner of the endless vastness of the Sahara Desert.
We have a final morning to “clean up” on any Saharan specialties that we missed on the previous morning, before heading northwest to Ouarzazate, a convenient stopover on our way to the Moroccan coast. This bustling regional center is famous as the place where Lawrence of Arabia was filmed. There is also a large reservoir nearby which can offer good birding during migration – the odd sight of waterbirds in the middle of the desert. Possible species include Great Crested Grebe, Eurasian Spoonbill, Ruddy Shelduck, “Maghreb” Crested Lark, and a variety of migrating shorebirds and passerines.
On this day we’ll be driving west through the Sous Valley to Agadir on the coast of Morocco, where we’ll spend the next three nights. Along the way, we’ll look for species like Black-shouldered Kite and Western Orphean Warbler. We hope to have enough time for a late afternoon visit to the Oued Sous after arriving in Agadir. This coastal site features a bounty of shorebirds, waders, gulls, and terns, and is likely to feature a frenzy of new additions to the trip list! Two nights will be spent in Agadir, a large, modern, coastal city on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
In complete contrast to the tour thus far, we will spend a day in the coastal sites close to Agadir, which are some of the most diverse sites for birds in the entire country. We’ll be birding estuarine habitat around Oued Massa, but may also cover dunes, cliffs and riparian scrub in the national park too. The sheer variety of wetland and drier habitats is sure to give us our single biggest day list of the tour. In the tidal areas, we’ll be looking for shorebirds like Curlew Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, and Black-winged Stilt. The adjacent coastal scrub and wetlands may hold Black-crowned Tchagra, Sardinian Warbler, and finches like Common Linnet and Eurasian Goldfinch. The estuarine habitats are also good for congregations of migrating birds, including gulls and terns; among them we’ll try to track down Audouin’s and Mediterranean Gulls, and Gull-billed Tern. The park is known as one of two reliable places in Morocco for the critically endangered Northern Bald Ibis. The park is their last stronghold; with two-thirds of their world population, just under 100 pairs, thought to breed in Sous Massa. Another threatened species, the vulnerable Marbled Duck (Teal), can also be found here, but can be tougher to find by virtue of its more reclusive nature. At the end of a bird-packed day, we’ll return to nearby Agadir for a second night.
We have a final morning of birding, either around Oued Sous or perhaps north to Tamri, another stronghold of Northern Bald Ibis. After lunch, we will head back to the Moroccan capital. Time permitting, we may have visit the bustling and vibrant market square in the center of Marrakech. The final night of the tour will be spent in Marrakech.
The tour ends this morning with transfers to the airport for flights out. If joining the Southern Spain tour, this starts the next day, giving you some downtime to explore Madrid in the afternoon and evening on this day. You will need a flight from Marrakech to Madrid, which you can book yourself, or we can help you book them on request. *PLEASE NOTE: This tour often links directly with Southern Spain: The Europe Introtour, to make a great combined tour of both Morocco and Spain. If joining the Spain tour, you will fly directly from Marrakech to the Spanish capital Madrid, where you spend the night. If you are not joining our Spain tour, and you wish to stay on for some extra days of cultural activities, of which there are many choices around Marrakech, please contact our office if you need help with this. Some of the many options are visiting the Koutoubia mosque, seeing the Saddian Tombs, and touring the network of souks while working your way through the myriad markets in the city, to name but a few.
Day 1: Arrival in Marrakech
Arrival in the vibrant imperial city of Marrakech marks the beginning of our Moroccan adventure. After transferring to a comfortable nearby hotel, there will be time to settle in and absorb the atmosphere of this intoxicating North African city, where the scent of spices hangs in the air and the distant call to prayer drifts across ancient rooftops. No birding is planned today, allowing everyone time to recover from international flights before gathering for our first group dinner this evening.
Day 2: Marrakech to the High Atlas Mountains
Today we leave the bustle of Marrakech behind and climb dramatically into the breathtaking High Atlas Mountains, ascending to the alpine landscapes and High Atlas Alpine Meadow (Af10B) around Oukaimeden at 2,600 meters (8,530 feet). Rugged peaks, rocky slopes, Maghreb Juniper Open Woodland (Af1B), and mountain streams create a strikingly different world from the plains below. Our principal target here is the localized Crimson-winged Finch, for which this is our only site on the tour, though the surrounding mountains hold many other exciting species. At slightly lower altitudes we explore the other conifer forests, like Maghreb Fir and Cedar (Af1A) and Maghreb Pine (Af1D) for a variety of other woodland birds. We will scour low and high for the regional endemic Levaillant’s Woodpecker, noisy flocks of Red-billed Chough and Yellow-billed Chough, the handsome Atlas Wheatear, dazzling Moussier’s Redstart, Black Redstart, Rock Bunting, Rock Sparrow, and the charming White-throated Dipper along tumbling streams. Raptors such as Long-legged Buzzard and Booted Eagle are also possible overhead. By evening we descend into the scenic Ourika Valley for the night.
Day 3: Ourika Valley to Boumalne Dades
After some final morning birding in the Ourika Valley, we continue our journey across the mighty Atlas Mountains, traversing spectacular landscapes as fertile valleys gradually give way to steppe-like Maghreb Hot Shrub Desert (Af2H). This transition zone between mountain and true desert offers a fascinating glimpse into Morocco’s ecological diversity. By evening we arrive in the desert-edge town of Boumalne Dades, gateway to the Sahara. Time permitting, we will enjoy late afternoon birding nearby in search of species such as Desert Wheatear, Red-rumped Wheatear, Little Owl, and a variety of desert larks as the evening light glows across the barren plains.
Day 4: Tagdilt Track to Erg Chebbi Dunes
This morning we explore the legendary Tagdilt Track, one of Morocco’s most famous birding sites. Crossing vast gravel plains of the Saharan Reg (Af2A) and outcrops of Rocky Hamada and Massif (Af2E), this area provides excellent chances for some of the country’s most elusive desert specialists, including Thick-billed and Temminck’s larks, and Red-rumped Wheatear. Other possibilities include Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Cream-colored Courser, and soaring Long-legged Buzzard, potentially joined by a variety of migrating raptors or passerines. Continuing eastward, we enter true Saharan country. Along the way we search for the elegant “Maghreb” form of Mourning Wheatear and the imposing Pharaoh Eagle-owl, while a stop at the spectacular Todra Gorge may produce the localized Tristram’s Warbler. By evening we arrive at the edge of the magnificent Erg Chebbi dune system, where towering red dunes of the Saharan Erg Desert (Af2C) stretch toward the horizon in one of the North Africa’s most iconic landscapes – think the Dune movie series.
Day 5: Erg Chebbi Area
Today is devoted entirely to exploring the unforgettable landscapes of Erg Chebbi — sweeping dunes, gravel plains, scattered acacia scrub, and lush palm oases that together support an extraordinary assemblage of Saharan birdlife. Our long target list includes Crowned and Spotted sandgrouse, desert larks such as Greater Hoopoe-lark and Bar-tailed Lark, the tiny African Desert Warbler, sociable Fulvous Chatterer, and the pale, haunting Desert Sparrow. With luck — and often the invaluable assistance of local nomadic guides — we may even locate the extraordinarily cryptic Egyptian Nightjar roosting invisibly among the desert stones. Raptors such as Lanner Falcon are also possible overhead. By the close of day, we hope not only to have seen most of the Sahara’s specialty birds, but also to have experienced the silence, scale, and beauty of one of Earth’s great desert wildernesses.
Day 6: Erg Chebbi to Ouarzazate
A final morning in the Sahara gives us the chance to search for any missed specialties before beginning our journey northwest toward Ouarzazate. Known as the “Gateway to the Desert,” this bustling town gained international fame as a filming location for classics such as Lawrence of Arabia. Nearby reservoirs can offer surprisingly productive birding during migration — a remarkable oasis of waterbirds amid otherwise arid surroundings. Possible sightings include Great Crested Grebe, Eurasian Spoonbill, Ruddy Shelduck, the regional “Maghreb” form of Crested Lark, and a variety of migrant shorebirds and passerines.
Day 7: Ouarzazate to Agadir
Today we travel westward through the fertile Sous Valley toward the Atlantic coast and the modern seaside city of Agadir. Along the route we will search for species such as Black-winged Kite and Western Orphean Warbler. If time allows, we will make an introductory visit to Oued Sous near Agadir, where estuarine mudflats teem with shorebirds, gulls, and terns — a dramatic contrast to the desert habitats of previous days. Two nights will be spent in Agadir, beautifully situated beside the Atlantic Ocean.
Day 8: Sous Massa NP
Today we explore the outstanding coastal habitats of Souss-Massa National Park, among the finest birding areas anywhere in Morocco. In complete contrast to the mountains and deserts visited earlier in the tour, this region combines estuaries, coastal scrub, dunes, cliffs, and wetlands into one exceptionally diverse landscape. The tidal flats and estuaries may hold shorebirds such as Curlew Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, and Black-winged Stilt, while adjacent scrub supports species like Black-crowned Tchagra, Sardinian Warbler, Common Linnet, and European Goldfinch. Migrating gulls and terns gather in impressive numbers, and we will search among them for Audouin’s Gull, Mediterranean Gull, and Gull-billed Tern. Most importantly, Sous Massa represents one of the last strongholds of the critically endangered Northern Bald Ibis, with most of the world population breeding here. Another threatened species, the elusive Marbled Teal, is also possible. After a superb day of coastal birding, we return to Agadir for our final night by the sea.
Day 9: Agadir to Marrakech
Our final morning offers one last opportunity for birding, either around Oued Sous or farther north at Tamri, another important site for the Northern Bald Ibis. After lunch we return inland to Marrakech. Time permitting, there may be an opportunity to wander through the city’s famous central square, where storytellers, spice sellers, musicians, and food stalls create one of the most atmospheric scenes in North Africa. Our final night is spent back in Marrakech.
Day 10: Departure
The tour concludes this morning with transfers to the airport for onward flights. For those continuing on the Southern Spain tour, the next adventure begins tomorrow, allowing free time this afternoon and evening to explore Madrid at leisure before continuing into another remarkable birding region.
NOTE: This tour often links directly with Southern Spain: The Europe Introtour, to make a great combined tour of both Morocco and Spain. If joining the Spain tour, you will fly directly from Marrakech to the Spanish capital Madrid, where you spend the night. If you are not joining our Spain tour, and you wish to stay on for some extra days of cultural activities, of which there are many choices around Marrakech, please contact our office if you need help with this. Some of the many options are visiting the Koutoubia Mosque, seeing the Saddian Tombs, and touring the network of souks while working your way through the old city, to name but a few.
PACE: Moderate to intense. This short tour covers a lot of ground, and there is little down time. There are several long drives of 6+ hours. Most of the roads in Morocco are paved roads of good quality. In the Erg Chebbi area, we will spend one day in 4x4s on small tracks or driving cross-country.
PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY: Easy to moderate. Quite a bit of walking is required, though it is usually on flat or just slightly inclined terrain. You can expect to walk up to several miles on most days of the trip. Parts of a couple days are spent in the High Atlas Mountains, where our maximum elevation will be about 8,600 feet (2600 m).
CLIMATE: Hot and dry during the day in the desert areas of the tour (rarely up to 90°F, 32°C), cold (down to freezing) and possibly wet in the mountains (gloves, warm hat and good raingear recommended). Also expected to be cold during the early mornings and nights at other sites. Rain (or even snow in the high mountains) is possible, though usually not for extended periods.
ACCOMMODATION: All accommodations are good to excellent, with en-suite facilities, and 24-hour electricity and hot water. WIFI is available in all of the hotels, though it is often slow and the signal may not reach the rooms.
PHOTOGRAPHY: This is a birding tour, but Morocco offers excellent chances for bird photography, as many birds are quite tame, and the habitats are mostly open. The beautiful landscapes and spring wildflowers also make for good landscape and macro photography.
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: A valid passport is required; the passport must be valid for at least six months past your intended stay. No visa is required for citizens of the US, UK, Canada, EU, Australia, and many other countries. Advance visas are currently only required of a few nationalities, mostly in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Travel requirements are subject to change, and it is a good idea to double-check your entry requirements at least six weeks before you travel; contact the nearest embassy or consulate, or ask our office staff for help.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?: Tips to local guides, drivers (if used), and lodge/restaurant staff; accommodation from the night of day 1 to the night of day 9; meals from dinner on day 1 (unless you arrive too late for dinner service) to breakfast on day 10; safe drinking water and/or juice during meals; Tropical Birding tour leader with scope and audio gear from the evening of day 1 to the evening of day 9; one arrival and one departure airport transfer per person (transfers may be shared with other participants of the same tour if they arrive at the same time); ground transport for the group to all sites in the itinerary in a suitable vehicle (for smaller groups the guide will drive, and for larger groups there will be a local driver); entrance fees to all the birding sites mentioned in the itinerary; local guides where required; a printed and bound checklist to keep track of your sightings (given to you at the start of the tour, though electronic copies can be provided in advance).
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?: Optional tips to the Tropical Birding tour leader; tips for luggage porters (if you require their services); snacks; additional drinks apart from those included; alcoholic beverages; travel insurance; excursions not included in the tour itinerary; extras in hotels such as laundry service, minibar, room service, telephone calls, and personal items; medical fees; other items or services not specifically mentioned as being included.
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