🚗 From the Mountains to the Medinas: Exploring Morocco with Raymond Hewitt

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“ Morocco is built on tolerance, a bridge between Africa, Europe, and the Arab world.”

– King Mohammed VI

Thinking of exploring Morocco’s hidden gems beyond the usual tourist hotspots? Wondering what it’s like to take a solo road trip through Morocco? You’re in the right place!

In this exclusive interview, travel YouTuber Raymond Hewitt (@raymondhewitt) shares his personal experiences, must-visit locations, culture shocks, and tips for anyone planning a Moroccan adventure. Plus, he gives us a behind-the-scenes look at his growing YouTube travel channel and what’s next for him!

Keep reading to discover:
How Morocco blends African, Arab, and European influences
What surprised Raymond the most about traveling Morocco solo
The most stunning landscapes for photography & videography
Essential travel tips for first-time visitors
His top future travel destinations & YouTube plans

1. Morocco Through Your Eyes: What Surprised You the Most? 🤯

Courageous Wanderer: Morocco is a land of contrasts—where ancient medinas meet colonial architecture and the Atlas Mountains stretch endlessly into the horizon. What was the biggest culture shock or unexpected moment you experienced?

Raymond: So I think the thing that surprised me the most was the different cultures with Morocco. Morocco is made up of these ancient Berber tribes, Arabs and other local populations. It’s something you’ll notice when you arrive, everywhere you go in Morocco you notice that all the signs are in three/four languages, English/French, Arab and Tamazight (Berber language), a strange script that looks closer to ancient Egyptian than any Latin script – they for sure have a unique culture!

2. Beyond the Tourist Brochures: What Was Your Most Authentic Moroccan Experience? 🇲🇦

CW: From bustling souks in Marrakech to small Berber villages in the mountains, Morocco has so much to offer. What was a moment that made you feel truly immersed in Moroccan culture?

R: The most authentic experience was travelling to Tiznit – a town about 90 minutes south of the popular tourist destination of Agadir. Tiznit is one of the towns which is known as the gateway to the Sahara. Berber culture is very much on show here and you can really feel it walking around the streets (look out for the Amazigh symbol). I met a shop keeper Ali who wanted to show me his shop in the town, he was genuinely kind and was keen to show me around his town and experience his culture, walking around the souks with him, speaking to the sellers and having coffee in the square – this is an experience I would have never had in a guided tour. This is a far cry from what I’ve heard other tourist experience in places like the capital in Marrakesh where stall owners are more than happy to scam you.

3. Driving in Morocco: A Road Trip Like No Other 🚘

CW: You skipped the usual group tours in Morocco and went off the beaten path! How did it feel driving solo? Any unexpected challenges or unforgettable stops along the way?

R: Driving in Morocco was both the best and the worst thing I’ve ever done, if I have one tip for people it’s don’t drive in Morocco once the sun goes down – crazy! Driving gave me the freedom to drive to the small town of Tiznit, and up into the mountains to see the amazing scenery – see the goat herders with their mountain goats climbing the trees, and the people living their everyday simple lives in the villages. It was incredible, contrast that with nighttime though, people in Morocco just don’t know how to drive, they’re in all the lanes, don’t indicate – I saw an overturned truck literally on exiting the airport car park. Morocco has its own rules of the road – and it’s not for the faint of heart.

4. Colonial Echoes and Cultural Fusion: What Stood Out? 🌍

CW: With its mix of French, Spanish, Arab, and Berber influences, Morocco is a true cultural melting pot. Was there a particular city, food, or experience where you felt this blend the most?

R: One thing that you’ll notice straight away when coming into any medium/large sized town or city are the kasbahs or medina walls, they have a very unique style and you can see how hundreds of years ago they would have kept the cities safe from unfriendly visitors. I drove through a small town called Taroudant and I could literally feel the history as I squeezed my rental car through the city gates flanked by palm trees. I had dinner in a really cool restaurant there that made you feel like you were in an old traditional tent in the dessert, very authentic. In Taroudant I actually met another guy (Andy) from England who was travelling solo, there I’m sure to sample some of Morocco’s well known substances – he was a funny guy, he mentioned how his wife doesn’t mind his solo travelling and how he finds it quite liberating!

5. A Photographer’s Dream: What Were the Most Breathtaking Landscapes? 📸

CW: From the Sahara Desert to Chefchaouen’s blue streets, Morocco is an Instagrammer’s paradise. If you had to pick one spot for the best travel photos and videos, which would it be?

R: I think if you’re looking for landscapes in Morocco the mountains are beautiful, however – if you’re looking for that perfect Instagram picture there are different sights. Morocco is filled with interesting decor in the towns and cities and you’ll find a lot of brightly painted restaurants/hotels/cafes and other places. The azure blue and white really contrasts with the sandy desert, just google Jardin Majorelle – the botanic garden famously purchased by the fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent in the 80’s.

6. The Places You Missed: What’s on Your Morocco Wishlist? ✈️

CW: You mentioned the Spanish-controlled territories in Northern Morocco. If you return, what’s at the top of your Morocco bucket list?

R: In all honesty I didn’t feel like I missed out by not visiting the capital, while I’m sure there are many great things to see and do in Marrakesh – being a tourist hotspot you might not find that 100% authentic experience. If I was to go back I would visit that Spanish controlled part in the North. Ceuta. While there are plenty of controversies surrounding “occupied” parts of land tied to colonial pasts, there’s no doubt that they are interesting. Anthony Bourdain famously travelled there as part of his parts unknown series, finding small – lesser known or travelled destinations has always appealed to me.

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7. Your YouTube Journey: From Travel Lover to Content Creator 🎥

CW: Your YouTube travel channel is growing fast! What inspired you to start vlogging, and what have been the biggest lessons in creating travel content?

R: To this day I’m still fascinated by other cultures and love watching documentaries. When I was younger and long before YouTube or “Vloggers” I really got into the guerrilla type documentaries where it was just a guy and a camera. I would stay up late and watch Channel 4 where they played that kind of stuff, one of these documentaries was called “Cheated of Childhood” and it was by a guy called Mark Stucke who released under the name of “Journeyman Pictures”. It followed in a series about Russia’s struggle to adapt to capitalism and followed these poor homeless kids from St. Petersburg who happened to be the same age as me. For some reason I found that super interesting and I felt a genuine empathy with them. That short 20 minute documentary kickstarted my curiosity to find out about other cultures, and really made me understand that there are amazing stories in unknown places – I would still really like to visit St. Petersburg one day. It wasn’t until 20 years after YouTube was created I tried to have a go at telling some stories myself. If I have any advise for anyone who’s thinking about creating content it would be don’t let your thoughts on what other people might think hold you back.

8. What’s Next for Raymond Hewitt? 🚀

CW: Beyond Morocco, what’s your next big adventure? Any bucket-list destinations or exciting projects coming up on your channel?

R: I think I’d like to go to some of these lesser known places where you might experience some really unique people and perspectives, working full time in a fixed location it can be a struggle to plan trips in with everything else in life. If I had to name some places I’ve been thinking about recently I’d say Gibraltar, China, Japan, Ukraine and Russia, I’d like to see more of Africa – so maybe that will be next on the list.

9. Advice for Fellow Adventurers: What Should Travelers Know? 🌍

CW: For anyone dreaming of a solo trip to Morocco, what’s the one piece of advice you’d give them before they go?

R: The one tip I’d have to give for travelling to Morocco is… if you want to drive and go see some of the places that are off of the tourist route – plan to drive during the day and not night – driving in Morocco is no joke!

Where to Follow Raymond Hewitt

Want more epic travel stories, destination guides, and adventure vlogs? Follow Raymond’s journeys online!

YouTube: @raymondhewitt
Instagram: @realraymondhewitt

Have you been to Morocco? Drop your favorite places & travel tips in the comments!