GETTING AROUND MARRAKECH.

The best options for exploring the red city.

Marrakech is easily doable on foot.

If you’re staying in the medina, you can get to most places relatively quickly by walking.

If this is not easy for you or the heat is a bit much, the other option is to take a tuk- tuk.

Most riads can organise a pick-up point and give the driver directions to where you need to go.

It’s a fun way to get around, and some of them are rather elaborately decorated.

They rattle through the souks, competing with the motorcycles, donkeys, and pedestrians.

Another option is to take a taxi.

Check with your hotel or riad beforehand, and find out how much you should be paying to travel the distance you want to go.

It’s not uncommon for taxi drivers to try to charge more, so stick to your guns and, if necessary, walk away.

There are plenty of drivers available, and they are all competing with each other for fares, so you don’t have to put up with being ripped off.

I only used taxis to get from the medina to Jardin Majorelle and Gueliz. It was a warm day, and I didn’t feel like walking in the sun.

After a little polite negotiation, there were no problems, and I paid the correct fare, give or take a few dirhams.

There are many tourists who pay to see the city on horse-drawn carriages.

The horses are taken into the chaotic traffic, and I’ve witnessed a few upsetting incidents where they’ve been hit by a car.

There doesn’t appear to be any rules on the roads, and they’re pretty crazy. The horses look scared and I’ve seen them freeze in the centre of the traffic.

It’s a personal decision if you want to take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage. However, I would suggest only going around the medina walls and during the evening.

It’s quieter for the horses than the madness of the busy main roads in the exhausting heat.

Part of the fun in Marrakesh is walking from A to B..

There are so many interesting things to see and you miss so much if you don’t walk.

I especially enjoyed walking through the kasbah, seeing the locals going about their business and getting a feel for the real Marrakech.

There are also walking tours around Marrakech, which you can book.

These tours take you around the tourist hot spots, usually in a group of people.

NB. There are separate tours for food sampling.

It’s also possible to hire a bicycle if you’re brave enough.

Check out Cafe Pikala for bicycle hire. It’s very popular.

The Alsa bus runs around Marrakech for about 2 dirhams. The numbers 1 and 16 will ferry you between the medina and Gueliz.

For venturing further, there are trains going to places like Casablanca daily.

There is a good service, and prices and times can be found online.