Morocco

Fascinating Morocco, with its breathtaking scenery, sumptuous food, complex history and fabulous birding, has become a vital destination for serious and casual birders alike. Walled Medieval medinas bustle with activity, colorful tribespeople, snake charmers and leather craftsmen throng the markets, and souks are filled with bazaars selling carpets and laden with exotic spices. Our Morocco – Atlas to Sahara birding tour begins in fabulous Marrakech, but we will soon find ourselves winding through the snow-capped High Atlas Mountains. Woodland-cloaked slopes and alpine areas support North African endemics, including Moussier’s Redstart, African Crimson-winged Finch and Levaillant’s Woodpecker. After dropping down dizzying mountain passes, we reach the coast at Agadir and bird nearby lagoons and estuaries teeming with waterfowl, waders and gulls;  however, our main target is one of the world’s most endangered birds, the Northern Bald Ibis or Waldrapp, now restricted to only two colonies in Morocco and a few pairs in Syria. A new addition to our tour is a productive pelagic birding trip off Agadir, and an exciting array of oceanic birds may be expected. Moving inland, the countryside gradually becomes drier until we reach the spectacular red Erg Chebbi sand dunes, near the Algerian border. Along the way we search for specials that include the rare Houbara Bustard, dainty Cream-colored Courser, Desert Sparrow, African Desert Warbler and numerous larks, including Temminck’s, Maghreb, Thick-billed and Dupont’s. Our Budget Morocco Birding tour is designed around the birding highlights of southern Morocco and is an economical option for finding Morocco’s most sought-after birds. A visit to Morocco is a thoroughly enjoyable experience and comes highly recommended!