Morocco With Kids - The Adventure We Couldn't Wait For

We couldn't wait to get to Morocco.

Before we even arrived, it looked like one of the most exciting countries on our entire trip.

Every time we opened GetYourGuide, we found another experience we wanted to book. Sahara Desert tours. Hot air ballooning. Sandboarding. Quad biking. Surf lessons. Kitesurfing. Horse riding. Camel rides.

Compared to many of the other countries we'd visited, the experiences also seemed surprisingly affordable.

So we did something we hadn't really done anywhere else.

We planned almost the entire seven weeks before we arrived.

A few days in Marrakech.

A three-day journey across Morocco to the Sahara Desert.

A month on the Atlantic coast.

Surfing.

Kitesurfing.

Quad biking.

Horse riding.

Camel rides.

We thought Morocco was going to be one of the highlights of our family gap year.

Looking back now, it absolutely was.

Just not always for the reasons we expected.

Morocco challenged us more than almost anywhere else we'd travelled.

The Sahara Desert was every bit as incredible as we'd imagined, but what we underestimated was just how far away it is. Getting there means long days on the road, and months later we're still finding Sahara sand hiding in shoes, socks and the odd pocket.

Not everything went to plan either.

Our hot air balloon operator simply never arrived, turning what we'd been looking forward to into one of the more disappointing moments of the trip.

Even the little day-to-day things surprised us.

We'd expected Morocco to be a little cheaper than it was. While many of the activities were good value, groceries and eating out often cost more than we'd anticipated, particularly when trying to find fresh fruit and vegetables.

Accommodation was another mixed bag.

Our stay in Sidi Kaouki was in a traditional Berber home, which gave us a glimpse into a very different way of living. It also meant no fans or air conditioning, and on warmer nights it could get pretty uncomfortable. We couldn't leave the windows open for long either, as the local cats were always looking for an invitation inside.

Speaking of cats... they're everywhere.

If you're an animal lover, you'll notice them almost immediately. Every town seemed to have its own population of stray cats wandering the streets, cafés and beaches.

One cultural difference we hadn't anticipated was how affectionate many locals were towards children.

People genuinely seemed to love including our kids in conversations and making them feel welcome. Sometimes that also meant touching their hair, holding their hands or giving them a friendly pat on the back. It was always well intentioned, but our kids weren't particularly comfortable with it. We experienced something similar in Vietnam, so perhaps it's simply something we're not used to as Australians.

The weather also kept us guessing.

Morocco can be incredibly hot inland, yet surprisingly cool along the Atlantic coast. We ended up wearing wetsuits every time we surfed, and the coastal wind became something we simply learnt to expect.

And then there were the sandflies.

If you're heading to the coast, pack insect repellent. Trust us.

One of the experiences we were most excited about was spending four weeks at a horse-riding hub.

The riding itself was incredible. Riding along empty beaches and building confidence around horses became some of our favourite family memories.

What we realised, though, was that four weeks was probably more than we needed. We'd never really ridden horses before, and while we loved the experience, it taught us that sometimes trying something new doesn't mean committing to it for an entire month.

That probably sums up Morocco better than anything.

It didn't always match the picture we'd built in our minds before arriving.

But that's exactly why we're so glad we went.

It pushed us outside our comfort zones.

It introduced our kids to a completely different culture.

It gave us experiences we simply couldn't have had anywhere else.

And while it wasn't always easy, it's one of the countries we'll remember most from our family gap year.