Marrakech, mountains and sea
About 7 days
- Marrakech
- Atlas valleys
- Essaouira
Three bases: the medina, a day or a night in the mountains, then the Atlantic.
Seven days in MoroccoFirst time in Morocco?Keep the first trip simple.
Morocco is one of the easiest big adventures for a first trip: a few hours from Europe, visa-free for many passports, and used to visitors. Keep it simple: two or three bases, such as Marrakech, a night in the Sahara and Fes or the coast. Go in spring or autumn, carry dirhams for the souks, and hire a local guide for your first medina.
Greetings from Marrakech
Know before you go
Six things to settle first.
- 01
When to go
Spring (about March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the most comfortable. Summer is very hot inland; winter is mild on the coast and cold in the mountains.
Best time to visit - 02
Visa
Many passports, including those of the US, the UK, the EU, Canada and Australia, can visit Morocco without a visa for up to 90 days. Rules depend on your nationality, so check your own government’s advice before you book.
The visa guide - 03
Money
The dirham is a closed currency: get dirhams after you land, from bank ATMs. Medinas, souks, street food, local cafés and the countryside run on cash, and some places add a fee for cards.
Money in Morocco - 04
Language
Arabic and Amazigh (Tamazight) are the official languages, and Darija is the everyday Arabic. French is widely used; English is common in tourist areas.
Words worth learning - 05
Time and plugs
Morocco keeps GMT (UTC+0) all year. Morocco uses Type C and Type E plugs (round two-pin, as in continental Europe) at 220V, 50Hz. UK, US and Australian plugs need an adapter.
Practical information - 06
Safety
Safe to visit with ordinary care, for most travellers. The common problems are small: pickpockets, scams and pushy selling.
Is Morocco safe?
What to expect
Five things that surprise first-timers.
- 1The medinasWalled old cities of narrow lanes, workshops and sudden courtyards. Getting a little lost is part of it.Tip: Hire a local guide for your first medina to learn the layout.
- 2BargainingPrices in the souks are a conversation. Many visitors open at around half the asking price and settle somewhere between.Tip: Walk away politely if it doesn’t feel right; you may be called back.
- 3Mint teaYou will be offered sweet mint tea often, poured from a height. Accepting a glass is a courtesy.Tip: Even if you don’t love sweet tea, accept one glass.
- 4The call to prayerFive times a day the call to prayer sounds from the mosques, the first before dawn.Tip: Light sleepers: pack earplugs.
- 5HospitalityInvitations to tea or a meal are usually sincere, and one of the best parts of a trip.Tip: Accept when you are comfortable, and keep your usual city sense.
Etiquette
Do this, not that.
Morocco is welcoming and forgiving of visitors. A few habits make the welcome warmer.
Do
- Dress modestly, especially outside tourist areas and at religious sites
- Ask before photographing people, and accept a no
- Use your right hand for eating, passing things and greeting
- Greet people with “Salaam alaikum” (peace be upon you)
- Bargain politely and with good humour
- Try the local food: busy places with a quick turnover are a good sign
Don’t
- Don’t make a show of affection in public; holding hands is fine
- Don’t enter mosques unless they are open to non-Muslims (the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca is)
- Don’t photograph police, military or government buildings
- Don’t assume the tap water suits you: bottled or filtered water is the easy choice
- Don’t change money on the street; use banks, ATMs or exchange offices
- Don’t leave valuables on show in busy places
Three first trips
First trips, drawn as lines.
Two or three bases beat ten stops. Each line is one first trip; each station is a place you stay or stop. We tailor the days to you.
Marrakech to the Sahara
About 5 days
- Marrakech
- Aït Benhaddou
- Dades valley
- Merzouga
- Fes
Over the High Atlas to a night in the dunes, then on to Fes or back to Marrakech.
Five days in MoroccoThe imperial cities
About 10 days
- Casablanca
- Rabat
- Meknes
- Fes
- Marrakech
The old royal capitals, with Volubilis beside Meknes, at an unhurried pace.
Ten days in MoroccoPack light
What to bring, what to skip.
- Modest clothes that cover shoulders and knees
- Comfortable shoes for cobbles
- Sun protection and a light scarf
- Layers: desert nights and the mountains are cold
- A plug adapter (Type C/E, 220V, 50Hz)
- Earplugs and basic medicines
Six first-trip mistakes
- Trying to see too much
- Morocco rewards slow travel. For a week, focus on two or three places.
- Going without a guide
- A local guide for your first medina saves hours, and explains what you are looking at.
- Overpaying in the souks
- Look around before you buy, open low, and be ready to walk away.
- Skipping the local food
- Eat where locals eat; busy places are the best sign.
- Expecting a Western pace
- Things move at their own speed. It’s part of the charm.
- Learning no words at all
- “Shukran” (thank you) and “Salaam” (hello) go a long way.
First trip to Morocco: your questions
Is Morocco a good destination for first-time visitors?
Yes. Morocco is used to visitors, warm in its welcome and a few hours from Europe. First-timers do best with two or three bases, typically Marrakech, a Sahara night and Fes or the coast, and a local guide for their first medina.
Do I need a visa to visit Morocco?
Many passports, including those of the US, the UK, the EU, Canada and Australia, can visit Morocco without a visa for up to 90 days. Rules depend on your nationality, so check your own government’s advice before you book.
When is the best time to make a first trip to Morocco?
Spring (about March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the most comfortable. Summer is very hot inland; winter is mild on the coast and cold in the mountains.
What should I pack and wear in Morocco?
Modest clothing that covers knees and shoulders, comfortable shoes for the cobbled medinas, sun protection, a light scarf and warm layers for desert nights and the mountains.
How does money and bargaining work in Morocco?
The dirham is a closed currency: you cannot buy it before you travel, and only a small amount may be taken out of the country, so get it after you land and change or spend what is left before you fly home. Cards work in hotels, upscale restaurants and larger shops, Amex less often. Medinas, souks, street food, local cafés and the countryside run on cash, and some places add a fee for cards. In the souks prices are negotiable: open low and bargain with good humour.
How many days do I need for a first trip?
About a week covers two or three places without rushing; ten days adds the imperial cities or the desert. We tailor the days to you.
After you ask for a quote
What you get within 24 hours
Your proposal contains
- A day-by-day route, with the driving time between stops
- Stays matched to your style (riads, kasbahs, desert camps or hotels), named so you can look them up
- Which moments are private to you, and which are shared, such as a camp’s dining tent
- An itemised quote: what is included and what is not
- Who is planning your trip, and how to reach them on WhatsApp
- Free, with no obligation to book
Before you pay a deposit, we confirm
- Opening days for the places on your route, including Friday and holiday closures
- Meal stops along the way, and any dietary needs
- Prayer or Shabbat timing, if it matters to you
- Step-free access, wherever you need it
- The vehicle class for your group and your luggage
Before you pay a deposit, we confirm
- Opening days for the places on your route, including Friday and holiday closures
- Meal stops along the way, and any dietary needs
- Prayer or Shabbat timing, if it matters to you
- Step-free access, wherever you need it
- The vehicle class for your group and your luggage
Every trip is private and priced to your dates, so there is no fixed price list. Ask, and the proposal shows the full cost before anything is booked.
Who plans your trip
A first trip, planned around you.
Your dates, how many of you and what you hope to see. A planner in Casablanca replies within 24 hours with a plan and an itemised quote, free.
المغربⵜⴰⴳⵍⴷⵉⵜ ⵏ ⵍⵎⵖⵔⵉⴱThe Kingdom of Morocco
