Practicalities

When to go

HOT TIP: Be prepared to book accommodation and transport for the Easter period well in advance, or you will have to take pot luck. Easter is the peak tourist season in Morocco, and many hotels get fully booked.

The best months to visit Morocco are usually thought to be Mid-March to May, and September to mid-November:

the weather is sunny and hot, and it is not usually cold at night
in the High Atlas, the climate is very pleasant, cooler than Marrakech
there is lots of lush green vegetation in Spring
but these months are the high season, and prices rise accordingly

We have been to the Dades Valley at various times of the year.

Our favourite time is February. Most days it is about 20°C and sunny, there is snow on the mountain tops, and the almond blossom is out in the valleys. The light is perfect for photography. And there are not many other tourists about.
Easter: there’s a reason why this is the peak season – it’s gorgeous!
Summer: Very hot in the large cities, less so in the mountains and on the coast. Often hazy, and afternoon thunderstorms are common. Book hotels with air conditioning where possible.
Autumn: many visitors like to come when the heat of the summer is over, and before the cold of winter arrives in December.
Christmas: we love it, and it can be sunny and warm in the day, but take lots of warm clothes, as it can get well below freezing at night! Book hotels with heating. Delightful if it snows, though roads can also be cut off in the mountains.

Tipping

HOT TIP: Make sure you get plenty of small change and 20 Dirham notes for tipping from a bank when you arrive.

The culture of tipping is not very strong in Britain, but it is in Morocco. Many people do not earn a proper wage, and make a living mainly from the tips they receive. Tips, according to the quality of service, are expected for:

hotel and restaurant staff
tour and excursion drivers
camel or mule drivers
musicians
hiking guides
hammam attendants who give you a scrub or massage.

Also give a small tip to anyone who carries your bags, shows you the way if you are lost, or offers any other small service.

Meals and accommodation are much cheaper in Morocco than in Europe, even with the addition of tips, so just budget for a bit extra. Guide books often offer an idea of the amount to tip, or check with your driver and guide. An appropriate tip for your tour/excursion driver is 100-200 Dirham a day, depending on your level of satisfaction.

What things cost

HOT TIP: In Marrakech, check out the Ensemble Artisanal on Boulevard Mohammed V, next to the Hotel de Ville and opposite the Cyberparc. Many of the shops here offer fixed prices which give you an idea of the ‘going rate’ – though if you are a confident haggler, you may get the same items a bit cheaper in the souk (the main market off the Place Djema El Fnaa).

Shopping in Morocco is a very different cultural experience than in Britain or Europe, because fixed prices are rarely used.

Haggling is the norm for items in shops and markets (‘souks’). For personal services, such as having your hands painted with henna, or getting a scrub and massage in the hammam, the price is often left to your own discretion.

Both can be difficult if you do not know what the ‘right’ price should be, and in big cities like Marrakech, some people can be unscrupulous about demanding extortionate prices from tourists. Read a good guide book for more detailed advice about shopping and haggling.

Here is a very rough guide to some items and services, based simply on our own experience at 2008-09 prices (check exchange rates here):

a day walking with a guide: 250-300 Dirham
a pair of leather babouches (Moroccan slip-on shoes): 75-100 Dirham
henna painting: around 30 Dirham per hand or foot
a visit to the barber: 10-20 Dirham
a plain tagine dish: 30-50 Dirham
medium-sized/large leather holdall: 450/600 Dirham
linen shirt/blouse with hand-embroidered seams and buttons: 150-200 Dirham
a woollen djellaba (full length tunic with hood) for winter: 220 Dirham
a light-weight djellaba: 150 Dirham
a light-weight kaftan: 80-100 Dirham
hammam (traditional): 10 Dirham (plus 30 Dirham tip for scrub and massage)
set of 6 decorated tea glasses: 60 Dirham
small ornate tea-pot: 150 Dirham
packet of good quality rose incense: 10-30 Dirham
bottle of rose oil: 20 Dirham
packet of dried rose-buds: 30 Dirham
meat: 60-70 Dirham per kilo
fruit and vegetables: around 4-10 Dirham per kilo
Moroccan pastries: 70 Dirham per kilo, considerably more in Marrakech

Food and Drink

Eating out

HOT TIP: Your 4x4 driver can prepare a picnic lunch if you are going on an all-day outing.

Most auberges and hotels serve meals, including for non-residents.

Moroccan food is very tasty and fresh, much is organic:

They use ‘warm’ spices (cumin, coriander, cinnamon) rather than ‘hot’ spices’ such as chilli.
A typical restaurant meal will start with a salad – followed by a tagine, couscous or special main dish – and end with fresh fruit for dessert.
Cheese is not commonly available (except for processed cheese).
Bread is white rather than wholemeal.
You can get delicious pancakes for breakfast!

Most dishes, including soups, contain red meat or poultry. Vegetarianism and veganism are not well understood in Morocco. Salads, Berber omelette and vegetable tagine or vegetable couscous are non-meat options. Strict vegetarians should make their requirements clear at restaurants – in advance if possible – and ask them not to use a meat-based stock (‘sauce de viande’) when cooking your meal. Vegans should check that honey is not used.

Drinking water

HOT TIP: Take plenty of water with you on hikes or when mountain-biking – especially when the weather is hot.

As with any change of country, drinking unfamiliar tap water may upset your stomach.
Avoid ice cubes made from tap water.
Bottled water is very cheap.
It is fine to use tap water for brushing teeth.

Drinks

Most restaurants and cafés serve soft drinks such as Coke or Fanta.

HOT TIP: If you do get a bad case of diarrhoea that doesn’t clear up with Immodium or similar, you can get appropriate antibiotics from a pharmacy without prescription.

Some also serve delicious milk shakes made with fruit such as bananas or dates.
Mint tea is a very popular drink, and more refreshing in the heat than you might imagine.
Coffee is usually good quality
Few restaurants or cafés serve alcohol

Money

The currency in Morocco is the Dirham. £1 = approx. 12 Dirham (April 2009) €1 = usually between 10 and 11 Dirham

HOT TIP: Notify your own bank of the country and dates of your trip before you go, or your cards will not work abroad.

Banks usually open 8.30-12.00 and 13.30-15.00 or 14.30-16.00 Monday-Thursday, and 8.30-12.00 on Fridays. Check dates of public holidays, when banks will be closed
Cashpoints are available in most towns throughout Morocco
In some large tourist destinations, foreign currency can be changed at cashpoints
If changing travellers’ cheques, you must present your passport and the receipt from your original purchase of the cheques
Credit cards are usually accepted in more expensive hotels, shops and restaurants, and in petrol stations, but rarely elsewhere
Pounds sterling and euros are often accepted by hotels and excursion operators – check their exchange rate.

Electricity supply

HOT TIP: If you want to use British appliances, take adaptors for two-pin European plugs.

The electricity supply in Morocco is the same as in Continental Europe:220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Phones

HOT TIP: Ask your driver to buy you a Moroccan SIM card which you can top up with cards – Carte Jawal from Maroc Telecom, for example – that are easily available everywhere in a range of denominations.

Mobile phone coverage in Morocco is very extensive, as most people rely on mobiles for communication. Almost all villages of 1500 inhabitants or more have network coverage.

It is very useful to have a mobile on your trip, but using a UK or European mobile on ranging is very expensive.

Internet

HOT TIP: For faster connection, access the internet at less busy times of day (early morning, lunchtime, late evening).

Internet cafés are ubiquitous. 1 hour’s access in an internet café should cost around 5 Dirham.

Time

Morocco operates on GMT all year round

Immigration

Those holding passports from the European Union, Switzerland and Canada do not require a visa to enter Morocco.

They can remain in Morocco for 90 days from their date of entry.
Passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of entry to Morocco.
Check with your local Moroccan embassy or consulate for up to date information about visas and immigration procedures.

Vaccinations and health

No vaccinations are required by the Moroccan authorities for travellers from Europe. However, it is advisable to ensure that your protection for tetanus, polio, diphtheria and hepatitis B are up-to-date.

Some guides also advise getting vaccinated for typhoid and hepatitis A (15-21 days before departure). If you have not had a typhoid injection, some guides recommend buying Intétrix tablets from any Moroccan pharmacy for longer trips to the south of the country.

Make sure you have adequate travel insurance for health cover.

One serious health risk is that of bilharzia, a disease found in stagnant or slow-moving water such as in oases. Do not swim or paddle in such places, or in rivers downstream from them.

To avoid stomach upsets:

Avoid drinking tapwater
Avoid ice cubes in drinks
Avoid unpasteurised milk and dairy products
Drink mineral water (cheap to buy) or other processed drinks.

If you do get an upset stomach that does not clear up, visit a pharmacy, where you can get advice and appropriate antibiotics without prescription.

Travelling and religious holidays

It is worth checking the dates of Muslim religious holidays and feast days in Morocco before planning your trip.

Most Moroccans are Muslim and observe Ramadan (several weeks of fasting from dawn till dusk). You might want to avoid travelling there in this period if you do not observe Ramadan yourself, and would feel awkward eating and drinking in front of people who are fasting. The dates of Ramadan change each year – check on the internet.

In particular, book well in advance or avoid travelling around the religious holiday of Eid Al Hattr (or Aid El Kebir, ‘La Fête des Moutons’, the Feast of the Sheep).

Eid Al Hattr takes place a few weeks after the end of Ramadan – check the date.
It is similar in many ways to the Western holiday of Christmas, so it is not an easy time to travel.
Much transport (planes, trains, buses and hire cars) is booked up early for the few days around Eid, as many Moroccans travel home to celebrate the feast with their families.
Most businesses and transport companies shut down for the day of Eid itself or a few days longer.

Tour Awa Tour is a small travel business run by a Moroccan Berber family.