Morocco is a country where the past and present collide in a beautiful way. You can find modern cities and ancient towns, snow-capped peaks and deserts, and luxurious hotels and campsites there.
Morocco has a captivating, magical and diverse culture that is sure to lure you in with its irresistible charm. From the narrow, winding streets of Marrakech’s medina to the sweeping dunes of the Sahara, there are few places as exotic and enchanting as Morocco.
If you’re planning your Morocco tours, take a look at my top tips for first-timers to help make your trip easy and more enjoyable.
- How much time should I spend in Morocco?
At least two weeks to get a good taste of the country. It will allow you to visit more than one city and explore some of the highlights of the country. I had just over three weeks and it enabled me to have a great mix of cities, countryside and small towns.
- Fly into Marrakech
It’s a good place to start your trip as this is where most people arrive in Morocco. It’s also a relatively manageable city if you’re not used to travelling in developing countries. Marrakech is very touristy but it’s still worth spending a few days exploring the city and soaking up the atmosphere. It has very different architecture from the other cities that you visit on your trip so is worth getting here early. You can also easily get buses from Marrakech to other places in Morocco if you want to skip Casablanca or Fez (although I would recommend visiting them).
- Use taxis for short journeys
Taxis are very cheap in Morocco – around £1 between neighbourhoods in Marrakech.
- Book your transport in advance
I highly recommend booking your transport before you leave home. It saves so much hassle once you’re there and means you don’t need to worry about how you’re getting from A to B. We used Omio to book all of our transport and it was super easy, making traveling around Morocco hassle free.
- Take along insect repellent
Whether you are travelling around Morocco during the summer months or not, take along some insect repellent as mosquitoes are present all year round. I am usually doused in the stuff from head to toe because I know how much they love me.
- Take a guidebook
This is an essential part of your travel kit and should be your bible while you’re in the country. Lonely Planet do a good guide, but there are plenty of others around including Rough Guide and Bradt Travel Guides.
- Plan ahead
Don’t rush your Morocco adventure – plan ahead to make sure you get the most out of your trip and don’t miss anything important. Don’t forget to check things like tourist visas, passport expiry dates, vaccinations, travel insurance and currency before you leave home.
- Get a good map
A decent map is invaluable for getting around Morocco, especially if you want to drive anywhere or head off the beaten track. Make sure you get one that includes detailed maps of all the big cities and towns – street names can be hard to identify so a good map will help you find your way.
