Essential Morocco Travel Guide

Things You Might Need To Know

Morocco essential travel information you have to know before traveling to Morocco and with Morocco Vacation Travel. Please read this essential travel information carefully prior to put Morocco on your travel list because it may be the answer to some questions that make confuse about Morocco. However, If you did not find the answer to that question. Do not hesitate to inquiry us.

Accommodations

All our accommodations are luxurious and comfortable. No matter what type they are. splurges, mid ranges or don’t break the bank staying. Most of our don’t break the bank accommodations are Riads(a traditional Moroccan hotel) containing the swimming pool, rooftop terrace, rooms with a private bathroom, A/C, heating and some necessary stuff like that. Of course Riads are smaller than hotels( Few rooms not tight rooms). You should know that. There are some accommodations that you won’t be able to stay in even for free. Don’t be that kind of Tightwad. Cheapskates fall in trouble chasing the cheapest things. We understand that you do want to live it up. Sometimes we offer to our customers who are willing to stay in don’t break the bank accommodations, the mid range or even the splurge accommodations with no extra fees.

Hotels in Morocco are pretty different to what comes to your mind. They seem to be like such as Riads ,but with a lot of rooms.

  • Riad is a traditional Moroccan house. It used to be a house for a local family. But later, they abandoned and moved to a new medina, they have been restored and converted their houses into What’s called now Riad. Typically they are built around a central courtyard and contain between 5 to 15 rooms for guests. The traditional riad in Morocco are designed as a sanctuary from the outside and focus of the rooms is inward looking to the peace and tranquility of the courtyard and not to the outside views.
  • Kasbahs in Morocco were the original homes and palaces for wealthy Berber families. Most kasbahs are located in the desert regions. A Moroccan Kasbah is traditionally constructed with mud brick made from rammed earth and surrounded by a high smooth wall. the Kasbah can be decorated outwardly with elaborate brick-work,hand-worked iron window grills, outstanding window bays and towers like riads either some hotels, some Kasbahs in Morocco have been turned into hotels and others purposed built. Originally Kasbahs were like gas stations in the past. Always located on the uphill and on the road of caravans.
  • ksar seems to be like a kasbah. But it’s the home of diverse families. It’s surrounded by a high wall and one door or two. Such as ksar Ait Ben Haddou in Ouarzazate after it used to be the kasbah. There are a few ksar’s accommodations that we can offer to our customers because families are still and used to living in those places for now.
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Safety

Please keep in mind that your safety is our priority.

Everyone has the right to be and feel safe while traveling. Morocco is one of the safest countries in the world compared to others like Brazil, Colombia…. . We do know that risk is everywhere in the world. Once you are with us. You should know that you’re in good hands. Just get started following these useful tips. While you are in the touristy cities like fez,marrakech,Casablanca except merzouga and some other areas around. beware of the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft in crowded places. For instance, jemaa el fna square in marrakech. 

  • Your car is driving and the window is completely open or you are at a red light. pay attention to the people around you.
  • Lock your room while you are out or inside. Some tourists who are staying with you at the same hotel. May get lost trying to find their room and enter yours coincidentally.
  • You’d like to go out on your own. Make sure you take the address card of your hotel. Don’t trust your mind. You might forget the hotel address.
  • Stay away from people who are trying to help you even if they’re telling you. We are guides. No. Don’t trust them, they’re just thieves. They will guide you to an illegal store or unsafe place where there’s no one and force you to give them what you have.To avoid all these things just say. “No thanks ” in Arabic. “La shukran”.police touristique are everywhere doing their best to make you feel safe. Policemen wear similar clothes as locals in order to capture those people who are bothering travelers.
  • Don’t take a picture of anyone until you ask for permission first. Like snake charmers, sellers and products. Because they would be angry at you and expecting money from you. It would be great if you asked.
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Money Matters

The local currency is Dirham (MAD). Occasionally, 1 Euro/ US dollar equals around 10 Dirhams. Did you notice how cheap Morocco is? Bank notes come in denominations of MAD 200,100,50 and 20. Smaller values are used as coins. 10 MAD, 5, 1 MAD as well as 50 centimes, 20,10,5, and 1 centimes. Changing money in Morocco is pretty easy. You will find banks and exchange bureaus in every corner of the most touristy places. such as Casablanca, Marrakech, fez, Merzouga. There are ATMs in all major cities, which accept Master Cards, Credit cards, and cards connected with Cirrus. We would recommend bringing a combination of cash and credit cards. Credit cards are very useful for large purchases like handmade stuff such as clothes, rugs, or jewelry from the store. However, they are not accepted in many places such as in souks (local markets), local restaurants, and some hotels.
  •  Paying

Everyone doesn’t like to spend money! We do know you would like to stash the cash. Haha.
When it comes to travel, people don’t care about money, because traveling is something special that makes us happy in our lives. And that’s what we are looking for. Well after confirming your convenient itinerary and dates with us. We require a down payment which is essential to reserve your tour with us and pay us the rest on your arrival, please. You can pay us in US dollars, Euros, or using your credit card. Keep in mind that there is an extra fee while you are using the Visa, or Mastercard due to the processing fees. On the other hand, if you prefer you can complete payment via bank transfer before landing in Morocco.

  • Tipping

Tipping in Morocco is very important but not obligatory. If you are happy with the services provided, a good tip.
Driver: between 20$ to 50$/per day
Guide: 20 $/ per day
Camel leader: 20$
Waiter, bellboy, room service 5$ to 10$
Of course, you are free to tip more or less as you see fit, depending on your perception of service quality and the length of your trip. Remember, a tip is not required but should only be given when you receive excellent service.

 

Shopping

Morocco produces some lovely souvenirs for its Visitors. When it comes to buying a Moroccan souvenir, it’s worth considering how you are going to get it home.

Craft traditions
Moroccan craft traditions are very much alive, but finding pieces of real quality is not always easy. For a good price, it’s better to get as close to the source as possible(tourist centers).
Whatever you buy, other than groceries. Here’s one thing to keep in mind.You will be expected to bargain. There are no hard and fast rules, it is really a question of paying what something is worth to you. Bargaining in Morocco is fine. Local people love that. but there are a few general points to keep in mind.

  • Don’t worry about initial prices. These are simply devices to test your limits. Don’t think that you need to pay a specific fraction of the first asking price. Some sellers start near their lowest price, while others will make a deal for as little as a tenth of the initial price. Some stores have fixed prices.Here’s one thing to keep in mind. Shopping in the outskirts of the city is very much cheaper. Such as Carpets, rugs, and blankets.

Travel Insurance

Everyone wants to be covered by anything: medical expenses, lost luggage, flight cancellations, trip cancellations, and other losses that a traveler can incur while traveling. So, it’s important to bring a copy of the document as it can be used in any case of emergency.

Weather

The weather in Morocco is very different from otherworldly weather. When traveling in Morocco, the weather can get very warm during the summer And very cold during the winter. How cool is that! Summer is summer, winter is winter. Have a think about what time of year suits you best to travel to Morocco. Winter is a good time to explore the south and the Sahara without the overwhelming heat, but in contrast, it can get bitterly cold during the night. November, December, January and February are the coldest months. June, July and August are the hottest months in Morocco. As far as the climate goes, it’s better to visit Morocco from September to May. Summer also is a good time to visit Morocco except the southeast,( Sahara desert) . If you are familiar with the high temperature up to 40 degrees you can add the Sahara desert to your Morocco tour and enjoy your time chilling in the swimming pool. Sometimes it’s a bit cold. So, we recommend bringing a jacket or a blouse with you. Beware that Marrakech city and the Sahara desert have the same temperature in summer.

Packing/clothes

Everyone doesn’t know exactly what to pack and what to wear abroad. Morocco is a little different from other Islamic countries such as Egypt, the Middle east, Dubai… However, Moroccan people dress like foreign people do. Pants, skirts, t-shirts you name it. But it would be much better if you dressed appropriately even not to be harassed in some places. Unfortunately, to enter the mosque, you have to cover your body. shoulders, legs and hair with a scarf.( Don’t be amazed once you see men with a beard or a veil. They are keeping that even to be ready for some movies to present the middle east style. Also some women do the same, covering their bodies from head to toe.)

Food

Are you hungry? Haha, of course, you are not. But for some delicious food, you could be hungry. While you are traveling with us, you’ll taste the wonderful handmade food in Morocco. And you will be excited to know the secret of it. We’re so happy to share all the secrets of any meal with you. Just let us know, we are offering some cooking classes that will let you experience yourself with the best meals you have ever tasted.

For drinking water. We highly recommend you don’t drink faucet water in Morocco, even in hotels. As it contains much higher levels of different minerals than the water you may have at home. However, drinking faucet water can result in illness. But for locals, this is not a problem because they are used to this. Bottled water is widely available just ask your leader.

Transportation

When it comes to driving on and off the road. Comfortable cars are the most important things in your adventure. Well, you should know that our luxury vehicles are mostly comfortable and never get old. We change them frequently to make sure that our customers are comfortable and safe.
  • Toyota Land Cruiser
  • Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
  • Minivan Vito Mercedes Benz
  • Minivan Ford Tourneo
  • Sprinter Mercedes Benz
  • Hyundai H1
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Medical and health information

  • All travelers need to be in good physical health in order to participate fully on the trip. Once you’re planning and selecting your trip please make sure you have read the itinerary and travel information carefully. Furthermore, consider your ability to manage and enjoy our style of travel. We recommend that you stay home please if you are unwell prior to traveling and contact us to make alternative arrangements
  • Travelers who use wheelchairs, walking sticks, crutches… we are very happy to have you. We will do our best to design your Morocco travel itinerary that suits your personal circumstances and interests in order to make you comfortable and enjoyable.
  • For travelers who have asthma even occasionally. We recommend you ask your doctor first and bring your medication. In the Sahara desert the sandstorm occasionally comes in a coincidence and can bring on bouts of asthma. A soft light scarf and face mask can be helpful to avoid that.
  • Travelers who have contact lenses. We advise you to remove them because in the Sahara desert the air is being dusty sometimes.
  • Body care. We recommend bringing your hat, sunglasses and sun cream. It’s important to have them due to the sand storm which happens sometimes. On the other hand, We will provide you with a turban to protect your face and shoulders in order to not to be burned in summer.
  • For travelers who are pregnant and those who have some serious health sickness like surgery. We do not recommend doing camel trekking.
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Passport/visa and Entry requirements

All travelers need a valid passport to travel internationally. And your passport must have a minimum of 6 months validity remaining.

Visas are the responsibility of the individual travelers. Americans, Australians, Canadians,New Zealanders, EU and British citizens do not require a visa to visit Morocco for stays up to 90 days. All other nationalities should check with the Moroccan Embassy or Consulate in their country for up-to-date visa information. Entry requirements can change at any time. It is important that you check your government’s foreign travel advisories along with the consular website of (Morocco) [the country or countries you are travelling to] for the most up to date information specific to your nationality and circumstances.

Some important notes

  1. – About optional activities please note that there are two types of optional activities. However, there are activities that you need to pay a little for, if you are interested. For instance, ATV quad, Buggy, hot air balloon. Just ask us. And there are activities that you don’t need to pay for just the entrance fee, such as Atlas studio visit in ouarzazate, amridil kasbah in skoura. We will visit all the optional activities if we have some time to spare. During the summer we will be able to visit all of them, because days in summer are longer than in winter.
  2. – VIP tour everything will be included in your tour. Meals, beverages, entrance fees… but we require a full payment after you just confirmed your tour with us.
  3. – Students tour. If you are a student that would be great. The lower prices are yours. Let us know that you are a student in order to not to break the bank. We really understand your situation.
  4. – It’s simply possible to mix the accommodations which means to choose the splurge, mid range or don’t break the bank accommodations in a certain place and choose the other one in another place. But remember all the accommodations are clean and comfortable.
  5. – The more people in your party, the less price there can be.
  6. – Traveling with children is a good way to teach them everything. Children under 6 years are free of charge.
  7. – Alcoholic beverages are not widely available in every restaurant or hotel except the big cities. Sometimes it’s a little tricky to find. However, it’s better to ask your leader before having a seat at the table.
  8. – Wheelchair accessible, please advise at the time of booking if wheelchair assistance is required.
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