Taking in Morocco’s many charms

In the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains, Auberge Chez Momo in Ouirgane offers tranquil, resort-like accommodations surrounded by red hills and pine forests.   (Terri Colby/Chicago Tribune )

Marrakech is a busy modern city, but the more interesting part is the old market area where vendors are expert hagglers — yet bargains can still be found.   ( Terri Colby/Chicago Tribune )

In Marrakech, tourists often stop for a henna tattoo.   ( Terri Colby/Chicago Tribune )

In a village in the M’Goun Valley in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains, the indigenous Amazigh women wash clothes on the banks of a river.   (Terri Colby/Chicago Tribune )

Locals gather on the main street in a village in the M’Goun Valley in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains.   (Terri Colby/Chicago Tribune )

The tent for our overnight desert excursion with Peregrine Adventures came with a bed as well as a bathroom with toilet and shower.   (Terri Colby/Chicago Tribune )

A desert sunrise from the top of a dune in the Sahara makes a lasting impression on a trip in Morocco.   (Terri Colby/Chicago Tribune )

A desert sunrise from the top of a dune in the Sahara makes a lasting impression on a trip in Morocco.   (Terri Colby/Chicago Tribune )

When sunlight crosses the dunes at dawn in the Sahara, the color of the sand seems to change from a dark terra cotta to a peachy orange.   (Terri Colby/Chicago Tribune )

Local women gather for an afternoon chat in the square at Meknes in northern Morocco.   (Terri Colby/Chicago Tribune )

Fez, Morocco’s second largest city and the capital until 1925, has a vibrant, old city with narrow alleys and souks selling everything from camel meat to gold.   (Terri Colby/Chicago Tribune )

Fez is known for its blue and white pottery, but other colors are available too.   ( Terri Colby/Chicago Tribune )

In Fez, a shop selling camel meat doesn’t really need a sign outside.   (Terri Colby/Chicago Tribune )

In the maze-like old city in Fez, you can find myriad items on offer inside tiny shops.   (Terri Colby/Chicago Tribune )