Activities
Souks
Obviously the best place to go to have a true Moroccan shopping experience. Haggle as much as you can to get the best price. A guide can be organised to take you to the most interesting shops.
Each souk is a market for specific products and are open everyday although the wholesale specialists, particularly in the leather souk close their stalls at 5pm and many others begin to close at 8pm
- Tapis (Carpets) - souk Zarbia
- Teinturiers (Dyers) - souk Sebbaghine
- Fer (Iron work) - souk Hadadine
- Epices (Spices) - souk Kassabine
- Tannuers (Tanners) - souk Cherratine
- Cuir (Leather) - souk el Kebir
- Textiles (Cloth) - souk Smarine
- Laine (Wool) - souk Laghza
Shops in Central Marrakech
Atika at 34 rue de la liberté in Guéliz offers irresistible shoes, boots and handbags – not particularly cheap, but you will never regret spending half an hour browsing and trying on. Tel: 00 212 (0) 24 43 64 09
Birkemeyer, 169 Rue Mohamed El Beqal off Ave Mohamed V, is top quality for leather clothing and bags. Tel: 00 212 (0) 24 44 92 97
Mohamed V and Rue de la Liberté are where some of the best retail shops can be found. There is a new area being built by Zara of Spain which will feature many of the European chains – but you can see them back home.
Industrial Zone
This is where many interior designers go to source good quality products and ideas.
The candles from Amira at 277 Sidi Ghanem are out of this world. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 33 62 47
The ceramics at Akkal on the same road are unique and can be found in the most sophisticated homes. Tel: 00 212 (0)24 33 59 38
Individually designed and embroidered linens can be purchased from Chez Zoe (appointments essential) Tel: +212 24 33 61 44
And there are many interior design shops throughout the Industrial Zone – Zamane Design is a particular favourite Tel: 00 212 (0)24 35 63 79
The industrial zone is not cheap, but the choice of top quality imported and local interior design materials is second to none. It helps to have a guide that knows what lies behind the industrial units as there are very few shop fronts.
Personal Shopper
Letty, has been living in Marrakech for several years and knows all the interesting shops to visit. Whether you want to find clothes, jewellery, furniture, candles or traditional handicrafts give Laeticia Trouillet a call on 00 212 (0)74 21 72 28 or email her at info@lalla.fr. By arrangement, Letty will pick you up in her mini-bus with her driver who will take you around to all the best places.
Golf
The Golf Courses of Marrakech
First introduced into Morocco at the beginning of the 20th century, Golf has since become a national passion in Morocco. Major competitions attract golfers from all over the world, the most famous being the annual Hassan II Trophy played at Royal Golf club, Dar Es-Salam at Rabat.
Marrakech is blessed with three superb golf courses which are situated in the lush outskirts of the city looking towards the Atlas Mountains. All are within a 30 minute drive from Bab Adar D'Atlas, where you can practice your putting in the morning, then head out to complete your 18 championship holes in the afternoon. Several new golf courses are currently under construction, we are even promised an Ourika Valley golf course, just 4km away from Bab Adrar, but planning permission is yet to be confirmed.
The Royal Golf de Marrakech
18 hole - 6200 m - par 72, is arguably the most prestigious club in the region. It was favoured by such historical figures as Winston Churchill, David Lloyd George and Ike Eisenhower. It was built in the 1920s and is the oldest and most scenic course in Morocco. Cypress, eucalyptus, palm, olive, orange and apricot trees line the fairway and the snow covered Atlas Mountains provide a dramatic backdrop for the golf.
ROYAL GOLF DE MARRAKECH, BP 634, Ancienne route d'Ouarzazate Marrakech Tel: +212 (0)24 44 43 41. Fax: +212 (0)44 43 00 84
The Palmeraie Golf Club, Marrakech
18 hole - 6214 m - par 72, was created by international master, Robert Trent Jones. It is set on a spacious valley with numerous sand hazards, abundant palm trees and seven magnificent lakes, this golf course is truly a masterpiece.
GOLF DE LA PALMERAIE, MARRAKECH, Les Jardins de la Palmeraie, circuit de la Paimeraie, BP 1488. Marrakech
Tel: +212 (0)24 30 10 10. Fax: (044) 30 20 20
Golf d'Amelkis
18 hole - par 72 - 6115m, home of the Moroccan Open, is known as the most technically challenging course in Marrakech. It was designed by European course architects, Cabell B Robinson, and boasts distinctive sand hazards, undulating and dog-leg fairways and abundant lakes. From the clubhouse, golfers can admire one of the most impressive views of the Atlas in the area.
CLUB AMELKIS, MARRAKECH, Km 12 Route de Ouarzazate, Marrakech Tel: +212 (0)24 44 92 84, Fax: +212 (0)44 40 30 46
New courses under construction
The Marrakech Golf Club at Rocco Forte’s development at Assoufid is being designed by Niall Cameron, and will be a world class 18 hole course to be completed by the end of 2009.
The Samanah Country Club is a development built around a Jack Nicklaus US PGA designed 18 hole 6,700 metre, par 72 course and a pitch and putt facility alongside. This desert golf course is being marketed as ecologically remarkable by using local vegetation that is resistant to the heat and need for less water than conventional golf course planting.
Sand & Sea Surfing In Morocco
Surfing in Morocco can take many forms. The Atlantic Coast, just two hours drive from Bab Adar D'Atlas, offers challenging surf, whilst the undulating Sahara dunes, three hours south of Bab Adrar, present a unique surfing experience.
Water skiing and boarding can be enjoyed on several nearby lakes, and the mountain snows provide ample opportunity to enjoy some winter downhill excitement.
The Moroccan Surf Association Royal Moroccan Surfing Federation: - Casablanca Tel: 00 212 (0)2 259530 | Fax: 00 212 (0)2 236385
Fishing in Morocco
If fishing is your passion, Morocco can offer rewarding results from both fresh and salt waters. The pure mountain air, the warm, Moroccan sun and the stunning panoramas make this one of the most memorable fishing venues in the world.
Within a short drive from Bab Adrar D'Atlas, there are several deep mountain lakes, yielding black bass, barbell, perch and trout. Half-days, day trips and over-night bivouac excursions can be arranged with fishing in mind. Some record breaking carp have been recorded in the lake of Bin el Ouidane in the Middle Atlas Mountains (www.moroccocarp.com).
Morocco enjoys very rich sea fishing along its Atlantic coastline. Just over two hours from Bab Adrar D'Atlas, lies the pretty fishing resort of Essaouira and its surrounding coastal villages. From here, the opportunities to enjoy beach casting and boat trips can yield excellent catches. The exciting challenge of Big Game fishing out in the Atlantic can also be arranged.
Morocco from the Air
The experience of floating in silence over Marrakech and magnificent surrounding landscapes is magical.
Most tours take you over the city, across the palmerie (the only way to appreciate the scale of this vast oasis), over a Berber village and sometimes into the Atlas Mountains.
Due to the Marrakech weather system, hot air balloon tours can generally only be taken in the morning, and do not run in the height of the summer (July/August).
Contact: CIEL D'AFRIQUE, Rue de Mauritanie, B.P. 7333 - Sidi Abbad
Marrakech Tel : 00 212 (0) 24 43 28 43
Other air-borne activities include helicopter rides, small planes and even micro-lighting.
ULM in Marrakech
Marc MASSING and Christophe CALMON, professional instructors of ULM have opened the first approved base ULM of Marrakech.
It is located at the foot of the Atlas (at the km 22 on Tahanaout/Asni road)
Maroc ULM Tel: 00 212 (0)71 66 13 50
Clubbing
The club scene in Marrakech enjoys a glamorous chic all of its own and Bab Adrar is located on the right side of town to make the most of its fantastic night life.
Follow the Ourika Valley road back towards Marrakech and you will find:
Pacha, Boulevard Mohamed VI, Hotel Aguedal. Adding a Moroccan twist to this Ibiza favourite, Pacha welcomes the best DJs from around the world. Tel: 00 212(0) 24 38 84 00
Bo & Zin, Route de l'Ourika, Km 13. More of a restaurant than a club, but after 10pm, the lights go down and the music is turned up - what an atmosphere. Tel: 00 212(0) 24 38 80 12
La Plage Rouge, Route de l’Ourika, Km 10. Lounge around the pool, paddle from the sandy beach and as night falls, the party really gets started. Tel: 00 212(0) 24 37 80 86
Carry on towards the city and you will come to the exclusive Hivernage district, with its top hotels, restaurants and clubs:
Jad Mahal, Fontaine de la Mamounia, Bab Jdid, Hivernage. This lively venue with its vibrant decor, invites the wealthy and glamorous to dance the night away in style. Its resident DJ plays a mix of house and club classics. Tel. 00 212(0) 24 43 69 84
Paradise, Kempinski Mansour Eddahbi, Avenue de France, Hivernage. A large, flashy club with vibrant decor and capacity crowds. Dance to a mix of R&B, hip-hop and Arabic classics. Tel. 00 212(0) 33 91 00.
Theatro, Hotel Es Saadi, Avenue El Quadissia. This ultimately indulgent former theatre with its stage surrounded by four-poster beds and staff dancing on the bar and pouring drinks - over each other. Tel: 00 212(0) 24 44 88 11
White Room, Rue de Paris, Hivernage. A more European-style nightclub with celebrity DJs and the ultimate atmosphere of cool. Tel: 00 212(0) 24 42 21 05
If you want to venture a little further, along the winding dirt tracks of the high society Palmerie district you will find:
Nikki Beach, Circuit de la Palmeraie. Situated alongside the Royal Palmeraie Golf Palace, Nikki Beach invites you to languish by its beautiful pool, swim to the bar and relax. By night, the music pumps and the dancing begins, creating a party venue like no other. Tel: 00 212 (0) 24 33 24 94
Horse Riding near Bab Adrar
Exploring Morocco on horseback lets you to experience the detail of its fascinating countryside and culture in leisurely comfort.
We can arrange for your day's mount to be brought to Bab Adrar D'Atlas, from where you can explore the surrounding Berber villages, lush olive groves and farmlands.
How about a leisurely ride through beautiful scenery towards a lunchtime picnic, taken under the shade of a traditional Moroccan bivouac?
Letting the mule take the strain is a very popular way of exploring the Atlas Mountains, particularly in areas where a wheeled vehicle can go no further.
The Equestrian Club, les Sabots de l'Ourika at 11km was created by a passionate family of equestrians. They have chosen to share their love of the horse together with the art of Moroccan living. Tel: 00 212 (0)60 03 11 10
Morocco Motorsports
Not everyone will enjoy driving while on holiday - but, for the motor enthusiast Morocco has some stunning opportunities for quad and four-by-four driving.
Whether precarious mountain tracks are your preference, or a 4x4 across the desert dunes, there are thousands of routes that can give enthusiasts a memorable challenge.
From tiny quad bikes to heavy long-chassis four wheel drive, with driver or solo - a Moroccan Motorsports adventure can fit well into your Bab Adrar D'Atlas experience.
For more information contact: A.O.I. 67 rue Nationale, 60800, Crépy en Volois, France Tel: 00 33 (0)1 4459 1041 | Fax: 00 33 (0)1 4459 0576
Mountain Biking In Morocco
Following the Ourika Valley road towards the Atlas Mountains, cyclists can choose from many off-road trails of varying degrees of difficulty.
Perhaps the most strenuous is the popular Jebel Toubkal (the highest peak in the range) route, which takes you through small Berber villages, past crystal clear mountain lakes such as Lac D'Ifni and along severe gorges running with the melting mountain snows.
More gentle riding can be enjoyed all around the Atlas foothills and along farm paths, although cyclists beware of the main roads, where drivers are not known for their consideration towards bicycles.
Maps and cycle route guides will be available to those Bab Adrar guests who want to explore on two wheels.
Skiing In Morocco
Ouikeimden is North Africa's largest ski resort and has the continent's highest lift.
"Meaning valley of four winds, it is set to become the ultimate four season mountain destination for recreation, entertainment, relaxation and residence as well as becoming the Middle East and Africa's only golf and ski resort." These are the words of Emaar, who, in March 2006 announced a multi-billion dollar investment in Ouikeimden.
Ouikeimden is located about 40 minutes from Bab Adrar D'Atlas and caters for downhill and cross-country skiers as well as snowboarders.
Currently the season is short. Mid January to mid February is usually the best time for good snow. When conditions are good, there are up to 20 km (13 miles) of runs, the longest being 3 km (nearly 2 miles) in length, and you can hire a mule to access terrain not served by lifts, opening up some impressive steeps and chutes.
Tennis in Marrakech
In Guéliz, the new town area of Marrakech city, there is a large and historic Royal Tennis Club, boasting nine clay courts of the highest standard. Tel: 00 212 (0) 24 43 19 02
Walking and Trekking in Morocco
Morocco is blessed with spectacular Mountain ranges, The High, Middle and Low Atlas, Jebel Sarhro and the Rif Mountains. Bab Adrar D'Atlas lies along the Ourika Valley, the doorway into the High Atlas Mountains, whose foothills start just seven kilometres away.
All Morocco's mountains are relatively unexplored and offer dramatic peaks and fertile valleys where traditional Berber village life continues.
Walking, Hiking and Trekking are enjoyed throughout the Atlas mountain chain with walks varying in degree of difficulty.
Seeing this magnificent landscape on foot, is one of the best ways to appreciate its scale and beauty. The wildlife is fascinating - butterflies, birds and tortoises - just remember to take your camera.
Whether visitors want a short walk along village or mountain paths; a day's walk and picnic beside a mountain lake, or a two day trek with over-night bivouac stay - it can all be arranged at Bab Adrar.
For more information on Walking & Trekking in Morocco contact:
The Moroccan National Tourist Office or
The Club Alpin Français, BP. 6178 Casablanca 01
Tel: +(212) 2 27 00 90 | Fax: +(212) 2 29 72 92
