Is Morocco suitable for travellers with reduced mobility?

This deserves a straight answer rather than a brochure one. Morocco was not built with wheelchairs or limited mobility in mind: the historic medinas of Fes and Marrakech are a labyrinth of narrow lanes, cobbles, steps and the occasional donkey cart, and many traditional riads are vertical houses with steep stairs and no lift. Pavements in cities are uneven and curb cuts are inconsistent. I won't pretend otherwise — but I also won't tell you it's impossible, because I've designed trips for guests in wheelchairs and with serious mobility limits that worked beautifully. The difference is entirely in the planning.

The foundations are a private accessible vehicle and the right accommodation. I use drivers with larger vehicles and arrange ramps or transfer assistance where needed, so getting between sights is never the problem. For lodging, I steer guests toward modern hotels with lifts and step-free rooms, or specific riads I know have a ground-floor suite and a courtyard you can reach without stairs — I won't book a guest into a four-storey riad with a bedroom on the top floor. Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, by contrast, is genuinely accessible and a highlight worth building a day around.

Within the medinas, the realistic approach is targeted, not comprehensive: we identify the squares, gates, riads and a few accessible workshops you can reach, and use the vehicle to get as close as the lanes allow, with a guide and a strong companion or porter for short assisted stretches. Trying to 'do' the whole Fes medina by chair isn't realistic; experiencing its heart in a chosen pocket absolutely is. Coastal Essaouira, with its flatter ramparts and wider lanes, is often easier than the big inland medinas and I frequently weight itineraries toward it.

The desert and High Atlas need bespoke, honest conversations. A standard camel-and-dune Sahara night isn't workable for many guests, but a 4x4 to a fixed comfortable camp, watching sunset over the dunes from the vehicle or a chair, can be — it depends entirely on the individual. The same goes for mountain villages, many of which are reachable only on foot. What I ask every guest is brutally specific: how far can you walk and on what surface, can you manage a few steps with help, what does a hard day look like for you. Answer those truthfully and I can build a Morocco trip that's genuinely enjoyable rather than exhausting — but it has to be custom, never off-the-shelf.