How do I plan a Morocco trip from Ulaanbaatar?

Ulaanbaatar is the longest haul in this region, and I am always candid that it takes planning — there is no direct flight, and often two connections. From UBN the most reliable path is Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, or a Gulf carrier via a hub such as Dubai or Doha, onward to Casablanca. Counting both legs you are looking at roughly fourteen to sixteen hours of air time plus layovers. Mongolian long-haul options are limited, so I always have clients verify every leg with the airline before booking.

The visa is non-negotiable for Mongolian travellers. Most passports from the region require a visa for Morocco, and given the complexity of the routing, you want this sorted long before you fly. Apply early and verify your eligibility and the document list on the official Moroccan portal. My Ulaanbaatar guests who handle the visa first — before locking in the multi-leg flights — always avoid the last-minute scramble.

For the journey, Mongolian travellers who love wide-open landscapes feel an immediate kinship with the Sahara, so I build the desert in as the centrepiece. A 7-day loop covers Marrakech, a night in the High Atlas, two nights in the dunes near Merzouga, and Fes; the steppe-to-Sahara contrast is unforgettable. Ten days adds Chefchaouen and the coast at Essaouira. A private driver makes the long desert roads comfortable after such a journey to reach them.

My Ulaanbaatar-specific tip: build a buffer day into both ends of the trip, because multi-leg routings leave less room for tight connections. Morocco is many hours behind Mongolia, so expect real jet lag — keep day one in Marrakech very light, just a hammam and a slow dinner. Anchor the trip on our 7-day or 10-day itineraries below and resist adding extra cities; this is a journey to savour slowly.