Travel Pulse
Tour Operator G Adventures
Eric Bowman
PHOTO: An obvious tip when visiting Morocco is to ride a camel! (photo by Eric Bowman)
Morocco is a beautiful country worth exploring at least once in your lifetime.
But before you go, there are some essentials you absolutely need to know. Whether you’re visiting for a few days or a few weeks, it’s important to understand and respect the country’s people and culture.
For starters, I’d highly recommend you do your visit to Morocco through a tour company, such as G Adventures. They have multiple options, from the YOLO style to classic to even a National Geographic Journey partnership.
If you want to experience the entire country and do it right, G Adventures will not let you down.
Casablanca gets a great deal of hype because of its namesake movie, and the city is worth seeing if you have time. But Morocco has so much more to offer in other cities to truly get that authentic experience.
Fez is also an extraordinary city and worth a visit as well, but Marrakesh, the Sahara Desert and the Atlas Mountains are the top three things one must experience in Morocco.
Marrakesh is a gorgeous and vibrant city. The Sahara Desert and all it offers will take your breath away, while the Atlas Mountains will leave you with a huge (and perhaps newfound) appreciation for nature. You can knock all three of these out by starting in Marrakesh and then making the two-hour drive through the High Atlas Mountains to the desert.
The best time to visit Morocco is mid to late September and early October. It will still be warm, but not as crazy hot as July and August. Wait too long, and late October into November is busy season for tourism in the country.
As you prepare to pack for your trip, make sure to bring sunscreen, both for your body and your lips. I forgot the latter and paid for it dearly with chapped lips after the first few days.
The sun doesn’t mess around in Morocco, that’s for sure.
Also, bring travel size shampoo and conditioner if you know you’ll be staying in a Kasbah. Some places, even hotels, only provide soap. And if you’re out and about a lot, pack a roll of toilet paper. Some public restrooms do not provide toilet paper and might have someone at the door waiting to hand you some.
Be prepared to pay a couple Moroccan Dirham (MAD) to use the public restroom and to tip the individual who gave you toilet paper.
“But what would I wear?”, you ask.
For men, shorts are fine. Just make sure they go below the knee to be respectful if you plan to enter a mosque at all. For women, dresses and pants are recommended. However, it would be wise to make sure nothing is too revealing if you want to avoid potential harassment.
I did see some women in short shorts and tank tops, though, as the weather was quite warm. But as my tour guide, Mustapha said, it’s at the woman’s own risk if she wears revealing or tight clothing because local men (especially younger guys) are more likely to make remarks in her direction and possibly follow her around the city as well.
READ MORE 6 Great Places to Eat in Marrakesh, Morocco
If you’re the type who likes to stay plugged into social media and the internet, bring a SIM card you know will work internationally with your phone.
It’s best not to rely on the WiFi in some areas. Sure, some hotels are better than others at this, but you’re not always going to be in the hotel—especially if you’re doing a tour adventure.
So, either unplug or come prepared.
As for money during your Moroccan journey, you’re better off if you carry cash. There are plenty of ATMs in the bigger cities, so you don’t have to always have a ton on you at all times, but some of the places you might visit do not accept credit cards, particularly out in the desert and in the mountains.
Plus, every establishment much prefers you pay in cash anyway.
You will also need to make sure you tip people like waiters, drivers, tour guides, etc. Tipping is a big part of the culture in Morocco. Several locals don’t make that much money in their jobs, so tips are essential to their livelihood. (This is another reason having cash is so important during your journey.)
No doubt you will be doing some shopping in the markets of Marrakesh or Fez, so a word to the wise on handling vendors: don’t engage them unless you’re certain you will buy something.
It’s highly likely that one of them will follow you through the market as you walk making their sales pitch.
Keep your eyes forward and politely tell them you’re not interested. Chances are they’ll try a couple more times to get you to buy something but, if you show no interest, they will eventually stop and move on to someone else. For street performers, be ready to tip them at least a 10 MAD coin if you’re planning on engaging in their act.
And last but certainly not least, don’t drink the tap water. Sure, you might have some and ultimately be fine, but it’s not worth the risk of being sick and ruining your journey.
