Morocco Birding Tours
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 recently introduced breeding colony in Spain. 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!
We also offer a brief extension to the Strait of Gibraltar in Spain to follow on from our Morocco – Atlas to Sahara tour, timed for the incredible Spring Migration whereby thousands of raptors and other Eurasian species make the daily crossing from the African Continent back to their summer breeding grounds in Europe and Asia. Aside from this incredible spectacle, other highlights on our Morocco birding tour include visiting a newly established breeding colony of the Critically Endangered Northern Bald Ibis, an exhilarating sea cruise in search of several species of whales and dolphins, and targeting the Iberian endemic Spanish Imperial Eagle and the globally threatened White-headed Duck.
What our clients say about tours to Morocco
The guides, Glen Valentine and Mark Beevers, were excellent and got us on nearly all the target birds for the trip. Their knowledge of North African birds added to the enjoyment. A tour not to be missed.
As would be expected, Clayton is a skilled and amazingly knowledgeable guide, and a fun person who I enjoyed talking with. I particularly appreciated his patience and understanding in helping me deal with a personal issue that arose.
Mark’s depth and breadth of knowledge of European birds is amazing, but I was also impressed with his ability to adapt to changing local conditions. One particular incident, where a rarity showed up which required quickly redirecting the group, was handled directly and skillfully. Plus, as a Yank, I enjoyed his English humour.
It was a great trip and I thought that Mark Beevers and Glen Valentine did a wonderful job of finding the birds and helping me get on them.
David Hoddinott is an excellent birding tour guide. He has an ease with him that makes him enjoyable at all times. On this tour he was indefatigable, knowledgeable, even-keeled, and receptive to ideas and suggestions. He faces the birding with enthusiasm— No signs of burnout. Morocco itself exceeded my expectations in the quality and quantity…
Another wonderful Rockjumper tour. My sister and I were happy to reconnect with Glen Valentine, with whom we’d been on 2 tours before, and enjoyed meeting Mark Beevers who certainly knows the ins and outs of Morocco birding as well as anyone could. Both guides are excellent birders, of course, and very hard working, making…
Morocco was a fun and thoroughly enjoyable tour. How could it not be with David Hoddinott and Mark Beevers as leaders!!! They just make me want to go on more Rockjumper tours to see as many birds as I can. You have no idea how appreciative I am of them. They are great and generous and fun and so focused. I love that. They have an intensity that makes birding fun.
The guides, Glen Valentine and Mark Beevers, were excellent and got us on nearly all the target birds for the trip. Their knowledge of North African birds added to the enjoyment. Both the touring van and hotel accommodations were very comfortable, making the tour of Morocco delightful. A tour not to be missed.
Morocco was a fun and thoroughly enjoyable tour. How could it not be with David Hoddinott and Mark Beevers as leaders!!! They just make me want to go on more Rockjumper tours to see as many birds as I can. You have no idea how appreciative I am of them. They are great and generous and fun and so focused. I love that. They have an intensity that makes birding fun.
This tour (Morocco) more than met my expectations, which I must admit were rather lukewarm. I knew there were not a lot of new birds for me but I signed up for the tour because Mark kept telling me how wonderful Morocco was. Well Mark, you were certainly right. The birds were fantastic, the scenery spectacular, the food way too good, and the geology unbelievable. I’m actually taking an online geology course because of this tour. This tour is truly a special one and I will spread the word to all my birding contacts. Thanks again for such a special experience.
The guides were excellent and worked well together. Mark Beevers and David Hoddinott were excellent at spotting and identifying the birds. They were also great company while not birding.
I had an amazing trip. The guides, Glen Valentine and Mark Beevers, were knowledgeable and caring. Everything ran smoothly and efficiently. Thanks for an excellent trip!