Top 10 Travel Tips for Your Trip to Morocco

Morocco rewards travellers who arrive prepared. It is an easy country to love and an easy one to misread — the pace, the etiquette and the geography all take a little getting used to. These are the ten things we tell every guest before they fly.

1. Bring cash, and exchange it on arrival

The Moroccan dirham is a closed currency, so you cannot buy it before you travel. Bring euros, pounds or dollars and change them at the airport, a bank or a city exchange office. Cards work in hotels and larger restaurants, but souks, rural cafés, tips and small purchases are cash only.

2. Pack layers, not just summer clothes

The single most common mistake. A March day in Marrakech can hit 25°C while the Sahara that same night falls close to freezing, and the Atlas passes are colder still. Bring a warm layer even in summer.

3. Dress modestly and you will be treated warmly

Morocco is relaxed, but covering shoulders and knees goes a long way outside the resorts — especially in rural towns and around religious sites. Loose, breathable fabrics are also simply more comfortable in the heat.

4. Haggling is expected, but keep it good-humoured

In the souks, the first price is an opening position, not an insult. Counter at roughly a third, settle somewhere in the middle, and smile throughout. If you would not buy it at your own price, walk away politely rather than bargaining hard for something you do not want.

5. Learn five words of Darija

A little effort transforms interactions. "Salam" (hello), "shukran" (thank you), "la shukran" (no thank you), "bslama" (goodbye) and "bshhal?" (how much?) will carry you a long way and are always met with warmth.

6. Drink bottled water

Tap water is treated in the cities but visiting stomachs adjust more comfortably to bottled, which costs very little and is sold everywhere. On our tours it is provided in the vehicle throughout.

7. Accept the mint tea

Tea is hospitality, not a sales tactic. Being invited to sit down for a glass — in a carpet shop, a Berber tent or someone’s home — is genuine, and accepting is the single easiest way to have a real conversation with a Moroccan.

8. Do not underestimate the driving distances

Morocco is bigger than it looks. Marrakech to Merzouga is a full day behind the wheel over a mountain pass. Plan three days minimum for the desert, and let the drive be part of the trip rather than something to endure.

9. Ask before photographing people

Especially in the souks and in rural villages. Most people say yes, some will ask for a small tip, and a few prefer not to — all of which are fine. Snatching a photo without asking is the fastest way to cause offence.

10. Tip modestly and often

Tipping is customary and never obligatory. A few dirhams for a café waiter, 10–20 for a porter, and a larger sum for a driver-guide at the end of a multi-day tour is normal and always appreciated.

Ready to go?

Every tour we run is private, so the pace, the stops and the itinerary bend around you. Tell us your dates and we will build a route that fits.