Travel Tips

Get ready to experience all of the rich rewards of magical Morocco in safety and comfort. Here are some basics for visiting Morocco.

Personal Preparation

  • Plan to stay safe and healthy whenever you travel to another country. Assess your own tolerance for risk before you leave home. Do you have health conditions that you need to accommodate when you travel? How comfortable are you in situations where culture and language are not your own? Do you have access to resources or other support at home if trouble arises?

Health and Well-being

  • Purchase travel medical insurance. We depend on you to know the extent of coverage you feel you need to cover any contingency that would matter to you.
  • Bring an over-supply of any PRESCRIPTION or essential medications you require, and an adequate supply of any OVER-THE-COUNTER medications you prefer by brand. Not all medications you are familiar with at home are available in Morocco, or may not available under the same brand label.
  • Bring copies of any prescriptions you currently take.

Water Safety

  • ALWAYS drink ONLY BOTTLED WATER. Please bring your own refillable water bottle.
  • Swim ONLY in chlorinated pools OR in the ocean. Avoid contact with fresh water inland, such as rivers, lakes, and streams, as the parasite bilharzia (schistosomiasis) may be present in some regions.

Insects

  • Bring insect repellant for mosquitoes
  • Take care when walking along gravelly paths or roadsides, as scorpions are present in Morocco

Personal Safety

  • Whether you are travelling alone or with others, you can travel safely and in comfort in Morocco. Take the same precautions as you would if you were travelling anywhere else…

Before you leave home

  • If available to you, register your travel plans, itinerary, and emergency contacts  with your home government. Check any national travel advisories for restrictions affecting you as a foreign national, or which might affect your access to consular services in case of emergency, and evaluate your risk as necessary and appropriate.
  • Leave your itinerary with friends or family at home. If you like, you are welcome to leave emergency contact information with our administrators. Let your friends and family know they can contact us in case of emergency as well.
  • Adopt the same ‘safe travel’ practices for Morocco that you would practice elsewhere: leave valuables at home.  
  • Pack for comfort, pack for modesty. It is unlikely you will face an actual threat to your personal safety if you dress immodestly in Morocco, but you may not be treated with respect if you show too much skin, or if clothing is immodestly tight. See our Travel Tips (below) on Appropriate Dress. 

Touring in Morocco

  • Adopt the same ‘safe travel’ practices in Morocco that you would practice elsewhere: don’t carry large amounts of cash that would make you a target, and keep it out of sight. Keep small amounts in a closed pocket or purse for small purchases like food or water. 
  • Be aware of your surroundings: stick to well-lit, well-populated areas, and avoid walking alone in unfamiliar areas, especially at night. Manage your activities so that you are not taking unnecessary risks, or putting yourself in a position where you must trust strangers.
  • If you are out on your own, not in the company of our driver or a guide we have arranged, carry our business card so you can call for your driver if need be, or carry the business card of your hotel or riad. Use a local petit taxi (marked; not a private car), and give the driver the card to return you safely to your hotel or riad. If possible, call the hotel or riad to let them know you are coming.
  • Use apps on your phone to track your path, or find your way to or from destinations, keeping in mind that internet/satellite service can be spotty and variable in Morocco.

Responsible Travel

  • Why We’re Different – Your Travel Host of Choice
  • You’ll find Morocco’s iconic attractions and experiences on many tour programs. Why travel with us?

Respect for our drivers

We aspire to be leaders in responsible travel and set the standard for other tourism operators in Morocco. In a country where adult literacy levels are low, working in tourism is one of the best opportunities for those with low education and few skills to earn a living. However, for many, that living is scarcely more than subsistence. Many are not paid a living wage, and their employers expect them to earn tips, gratuities and commissions in order to supplement their wages. Many are expected to pay out of their own pocket for meals and accommodations while on the road.

We are committed to ensuring your driver is fully able to attend to your safety and comfort during your trip. It’s our top priority. We believe that we can only deliver on that commitment if your driver is rested, nourished, and fairly paid. For this reason, our drivers are…

  • Paid a living wage;
  • Provided with private accommodations so that they are rested, nourished, clean and well-groomed;
  • Provided with a modest per diem to cover meals and water while they are away from home.

Respect for the environment

  • Morocco is ahead of many countries with its ban on the use of plastic shopping bags, but has a major problem dealing with plastic water bottles and garbage in general. Please bring your own refillable water bottle and a few reusable shopping bags for the treasures you will collect along your tour.
  • Morocco is in many ways an ideal location for golf, off-road dune-buggy and motorcycle tours, sand-boarding and similar activities. All of these have a negative impact on the environment, particularly in the desert. Please choose low-impact, traditional activities so that Morocco will still be beautiful for you when you return.
  • Water is a precious and limited resource in Morocco. Please help conserve it whenever you can.

Respect for the culture

We are proud to promote activities and experiences that ‘belong’ to Morocco’s rich and diverse culture. In this way, our clients have more enjoyable and meaningful interactions with Moroccan people, and gain a greater appreciation for the social, cultural, and environmental fabric of the country.

Please be sensitive to, and respect the influences of culture and religion on everyday life. 

  • Alcohol: Although alcohol is forbidden to Muslims, many Moroccans are relaxed about this aspect of their religion. Morocco has a thriving wine industry and produces some respectable beer as well. However, being drunk is socially unacceptable – among themselves as well as others. Please enjoy alcohol discretely, and respect establishments (hotels or restaurants) that do not permit it on their premises. Consumption of alcohol in our vehicles is expressly not permitted.

Modesty: Please see our Travel Tips (below) on Appropriate Dress. Moroccans expect everyone – men, women, Moroccans, visitors – to dress respectably and modestly in public. They do not appreciate clothing that is revealing, either because there is too little of it, or because it is too tight.

Our Business Purpose

Although our booking and payment administration is handled in Canada, all profits from our operations remain in Morocco. The express purpose of our company is to create employment and provide a sustainable living for the employees of Sahara Adventures SARL AU.  We consciously strive to support Moroccan-owned and operated accommodations, restaurants, and other businesses in order to promote improved working conditions wherever we have a ‘touch’.

In these ways, we hope to make a positive contribution to the Moroccan economy and well-being of the communities we visit, and hope also to instil a similar desire among those who travel with us.

Appropriate Dress

  • Morocco is a very casual country, and western-style clothing is increasingly popular, especially in the cities that see a lot of international traffic. Clothes and jewellery that look “expensive” will only make you stand out to the wrong kind of people. Leave it at home.
  • Respect the local dress practices: Moroccans appreciate it when both men and women dress modestly. Both men and women can wear shorts, but keep them hovering close to the knee. Have something light or gauzy to throw over bare shoulders. No “muscle shirts” – even if you have muscles.
  • Women do not have to wear head coverings or otherwise “cover up”. 
  • Wear (or bring) a good pair of sturdy walking shoes. Sidewalks are often uneven, broken, or missing. Roadsides (where you might stand to take pictures) are rough, rocky, and often littered with broken glass and other debris. Have a pair of open sandals for cool comfort on short walks or while travelling, and flip-flops for the hotel room or pool.
  • Temperatures can vary significantly during shoulder seasons or from low to high altitudes. Pack clothing that can be layered.
  • Pack for your activities: planning to ride a camel? Bring a light day-pack, wide-brimmed hat, mid-calf (or longer) pants (camel hides can be abrasive on thighs and calves), and plenty of sunscreen.

Money Matters

  • The Moroccan dirham is the local currency and is all you really need. Because of the number of European visitors, Euros are also accepted, but don’t exchange your own currency for any.
  • Don’t try to source Moroccan dirhams from home: take a small amount in your home currency, exchange it for dirhams at the airport, and use the ATM machines to take out what you need each day. ATMs are everywhere, although in remote areas, they sometimes run out of money. Dirhams are the only currency dispensed.
  • “Cash is king” in Morocco: You are welcome to use credit cards, but merchants are charged high fees for their use, and have no choice but to pass the cost on to you. Smaller shops or hotels and restaurants in more remote areas may not always accept credit cards.
  • Hoard your change! Moroccans may press you to pay the exact amount due, but make sure you have a good supply of small coins. You’ll need them for the toilets in hotels, restaurants, and other facilities. The nominal fee may buy you some toilet paper (always have your own), or will compensate the cleaners.

Packing Tips

  • Less is more! The eternal truth of travel is that the less you pack, the more room you have for treasures to take home!

Clothing

  • Take into account seasonal differences. Especially in the shoulder seasons (spring and fall), day and nighttime temperatures can vary significantly. Even if you aren’t staying in the mountains, you will pass through on your way to or from the desert, and you will find it significantly cooler.
  • Pack light-weight clothes that can be layered, both to adjust to changing temperatures or weather conditions. Pack MUCH warmer clothes for travel between mid-late November and mid-late March.
  • Pack for your activities: planning to ride a camel? Bring a light day-pack, wide-brimmed hat, mid-calf (or longer) pants (camel hides can be abrasive on thighs and calves), and plenty of sunscreen.
  • Keep in mind the recommendations regarding modesty in dress: see the Travel Tips for Appropriate Dress (above).

Electronics

  • Bring chargers, spare batteries, and appropriate electric plug converters for any electronic devices you plan to bring, such as phones, tablets, or cameras.
  • Check your data plan before leaving home: you may find it advantageous to switch to a Moroccan SIM card upon arrival. Most Moroccan service providers have very attractive plans that include a free SIM card, and most have kiosks right at the airport in the Arrivals area.

Shopping In Morocco

  • You know you wanna… how can you resist? Everywhere you turn, something’s for sale in Morocco, and what’s available covers the gamut: the cheap and tawdry to the exotic and beautiful, and everything in between. Here are some tips on what to shop for.

Bargaining

For certain hard goods, yes, you should for the pleasure of the experience, and you must for the sake of your bank account! Approach bargaining in the spirit of having fun: it’s a great way to have an immersive cultural experience, and make a personal connection with Moroccan people. Just be sure you know the absolute limit of what you can afford to pay. Beyond that, even if you come away thinking you paid more than you needed to, think of it as being the price of the experience, or consider that by perhaps overpaying a little, your money will ultimately make life easier for someone who could use a little extra.

Carpets

Morocco makes magnificent carpets! Do allow yourself to be ‘educated’ about carpets. Reputable shops will sit you down with a cup of tea and tell you about different styles, techniques, and materials that are used to create Moroccan carpets and how to evaluate quality. Yes, they hope you will buy something, but they will also graciously wish you a good day if you walk away. Nevertheless, you will be armed with some knowledge about how to look at other carpets, and you will appreciate your eventual purchase that much more.

If you know you will shop for a carpet, prepare yourself before you leave home: take room dimensions, and if you are hoping to co-ordinate with room colors or furniture, take color swatches with you.

Leather Goods

Morocco is justifiably famous for its leather. Although you will find leather goods everywhere, the best comes from Fes. Try to buy it there if Fes is on your tour.

Ceramics

Morocco’s ceramics are also exquisite, and you’ll see them everywhere. Visit one of the factories in Fes, or if you’re travelling the Atlantic coast, walk through the pottery district where you can visit individual artisanal workshops. As you travel the country, you’ll often see roadside shops showcasing the work of local potters,  and you are likely to be able to visit their workshops and purchase their work at very good prices. 

Wood and Metal Tradescrafts

Many products that are mass-produced elsewhere are still made by hand in Morocco, including beautiful inlaid furniture, musical instruments, and pierced metal lamps and lanterns. You’ll find workshops in all the medinas. Please consider that the Thuya wood industry is not sustainable, and look for alternatives.

Spices, Saffron, Argan

Morocco’s climate greatly favors cultivation of a great many herbs and spices, and in their dried form, you can take them home. One of Morocco’s greatest treasures is its saffron – the world’s best! Morocco is also the only country in the world where the argan tree is grown, and both culinary and cosmetic argan oil is available throughout the country.

Going to the Desert?

  • For visitors from the more temperate regions of Europe and North America, the desert will be too hot for comfortable travel from late June to early September. It can also be quite cool during the winter months. Try to visit between March and mid-June, or mid-September to November. Prepare for heat and sun in the desert: bring a good sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Morocco’s climate is generally quite dry, but especially so in the desert. Bring extra hydrating skin lotion. It also helps to drink more water: bottled mineral water is available everywhere, and at reasonable prices.

Going Into the Mountains?

  • If you are planning a trek into the mountains, expect variable weather. Research the seasonal conditions where you intend to go, and pack appropriate clothing for the full range of conditions – not just those you think you might expect. Pack so you can dress in layers. Bring a day pack so you can carry changes of clothing as well as extra food and water. (These will not be helpful to you if you leave them in the car, and you are up on a trail when it starts to rain, or when you are roasting in the sun.)