Everything they forgot to tell you from someone who actually went. Marrakech, Fes, Chefchaouen, Sahara, Casablanca and beyond. One email unlocks the full guide forever.
Dear Morocco: The Honest Guide.
Everything they forgot to tell you from someone who actually went.
Marrakech. Fes. Chefchaouen. The Sahara. Casablanca. And the places in between that make it extraordinary.
10 Day Itinerary
5 Cities Deep Dive
Halal and Veg Guide
Safety and Scams
Hammam Guide
Packing List
⚠️Always verify: This guide was published in 2026. Hotel prices, opening hours and transport links change. Check directly with properties and services before booking.
Welcome
Morocco. The real version.
This guide was written from real experience. A group trip of 16 people followed by an extended solo journey through Fes, Casablanca and Chefchaouen. Two completely different ways of experiencing the same country. Everything here comes from those trips.
This guide is for group travellers, solo women, first timers, vegetarians, luxury seekers and budget backpackers. Morocco works beautifully for all of them.
Quick Facts
Capital
Rabat. Tourist heart: Marrakech.
Currency
Moroccan Dirham (MAD). Closed currency and get it on arrival at airport ATM.
Language
Darija (Moroccan Arabic) and French. English spoken in most tourist areas.
Religion
Islam. All meat is halal by default. You never need to search for halal certification.
Visa
Most Western nationals get 90 days on arrival. No visa required.
Time Zone
GMT plus 1. No daylight saving.
Tipping
Expected and appreciated. 10 to 15 percent at restaurants. Small amounts for guides and helpers.
On Halal Food
All meat is halal. The question to ask is different: if you want alcohol with dinner, ask first because not every restaurant serves it.
When to Go
Morocco's climate varies dramatically.
The coast, the mountains and the desert are three completely different worlds and can all be on the same itinerary.
Season
Months
Best For
Watch Out For
Spring
Mar to May
Perfect. Green Atlas, full waterfalls, ideal temperatures.
Crowds in Marrakech. Book riads early.
Summer
Jun to Aug
Coast and Essaouira are breezy. Chefchaouen is cooler.
Extreme heat in Fes and Marrakech and up to 40C plus.
Autumn
Sep to Nov
The sweet spot. Warm and quieter. Sahara is perfect.
Some rain in the north from October.
Winter
Dec to Feb
Budget travel, quiet medinas, Atlas snow is beautiful.
Cold desert nights. Some Atlas roads close.
🌡️ Sahara heat and the thing nobody tells you: Desert camps have no air conditioning from around 7am to 7pm. Generators only run in evenings and early mornings. The tent is genuinely hot during the day. Bring a battery powered fan. This is simply how desert camps work everywhere in the world and it is not a flaw.
Plan your trip
The classic Morocco route. Done properly.
Fly into Casablanca, out of Marrakech, or reverse it. It works beautifully for groups and smaller travel companions. No backtracking. Every city connecting naturally to the next.
MARRAKECH 2 NIGHTS · FES 2 NIGHTS · CHEFCHAOUEN 1 NIGHT · Fly in and out Marrakech
1
Marrakech
Arrival and First Evening
▼
Afternoon
Arrive Marrakech RAK airport. Transfer to your medina riad. Check in and decompress. Do not plan anything ambitious on arrival day.
Evening
Djemaa el-Fna at sunset. Find a rooftop cafe, order mint tea and watch the square come alive. Snake charmers, storytellers, smoke from a hundred food stalls. Nothing else like it.
🌿 Always stay inside the medina. The atmosphere outside it is ordinary. The magic is entirely inside the walls.
2
Marrakech
Jardin Majorelle and the Souks
▼
8am
Jardin Majorelle before the crowds arrive. The electric blue garden and the Berber museum inside are both exceptional. Leave by 10am.
Afternoon
The souks. Leather, spices, lanterns, rugs, ceramics. Navigate by compass direction. Budget 3 hours. Start all bargaining at 60 percent off the asking price. Always.
Evening
Hammam through your riad. Then rooftop dinner. Nomad Restaurant and book ahead. The view is worth it.
3
Marrakech then Fes
Travel Day
▼
Morning
Morning train or CTM bus to Fes. Journey approximately 7 to 8 hours. Or fly and 1 hour. Train gives you the landscape.
Evening
Arrive Fes. Check into riad. Ask immediately about arranging a trusted guide for tomorrow. Eat whatever your riad serves.
4
Fes
Medina Deep Dive
▼
Morning
With your riad guide, start at Bab Bou Jeloud (the Blue Gate). Then Medersa Bou Inania. Do not try to navigate alone.
Afternoon
Chouara Tannery viewed from leather shop rooftops. Saffron yellow, poppy red, mint green vats. The smell is intense and they will offer you mint. Accept it.
Evening
Rooftop dinner at your riad. Fes lit up at night is a quiet kind of magic.
🧭 We tried navigating the medina alone. Lost in 5 minutes with Google Maps running. The lanes split, dead end and double back. Use your riad guide from the start.
5
Fes then Chefchaouen
Day Trip or Overnight
▼
Morning
Private car from Fes to Chefchaouen and 3.5 hours through the Rif Mountains. Book through Viator in advance. The drive is beautiful.
Afternoon and Evening
Walk the blue alleyways. Stay overnight and this is the right call. The day tourists leave by 5pm and what remains is completely different. One night minimum.
⏱ Short on time? This 5 day route skips the Sahara and Casablanca but covers the three cities that matter most. Add the Sahara as a 2 night organised tour from Marrakech if you extend to 7 days.
ADD SAHARA 2 NIGHTS · Fly into Casablanca out of Marrakech
1
Casablanca
Arrive and Hassan II Mosque
▼
Morning
Land at Casablanca. Train to city centre and 30 minutes. Rest and decompress.
Afternoon
Hassan II Mosque. The third largest mosque in the world and the only one in Morocco non-Muslims can enter. Built partly over the Atlantic Ocean. Book tickets online at fondationhassan2.com. Budget a full 2 hours.
Evening
Dinner at La Sqala inside old city ramparts. Start with harira soup and fresh bread. The right way to begin Morocco.
2
Casablanca then Fes
Train North
▼
Afternoon
Train to Fes and 4.5 hours. ONCF first class is clean and comfortable. Not European high speed rail but much better than bus. Book at oncf-voyages.ma.
Evening
Arrive Fes. Check into riad. Ask about guide for tomorrow. Eat simply and sleep early.
3
Fes
Full Medina Day
▼
Full day
Blue Gate, Medersa Bou Inania, Chouara Tannery, Al-Attarine Medersa, Seffarine Square. All with your riad guide. Rooftop breakfast first and pink skies, birds, lemon trees, argan honey. Book a riad with a rooftop breakfast setup.
4
Chefchaouen
The Blue City
▼
6am
Walk the blue alleyways alone before the town stirs. The best photography window. The sunrise here is genuinely epic.
Afternoon
Hike to the Spanish Mosque and 30 minutes uphill. Panoramic views over the entire blue city. Then consider Akchour Waterfalls and 40 minutes by taxi through cedar forest. Almost no guidebooks mention this.
5
Travel to Marrakech
Atlas Mountain Crossing
▼
Full day
CTM bus or private transfer to Marrakech and 6 to 7 hours. Window seat for the Atlas Mountain crossing is spectacular. Do not sleep through it.
Evening
Djemaa el-Fna at sunset. Rooftop mint tea. Let the city arrive.
6
Sahara
Long Travel Day and Sunset Dunes
▼
Early morning
Depart for Merzouga via Dades Gorge and the Draa Valley and 8 to 9 hours. The landscape the entire way is extraordinary. Stop at Ait Benhaddou UNESCO kasbah. Game of Thrones, Gladiator, countless films shot here.
Evening
Camel trek into the dunes at sunset. The light turns the sand gold then orange then deep red. Dinner at camp under the open sky.
7
Sahara then Marrakech
Sunrise and Return
▼
Before dawn
Walk to a high dune. The sky goes from navy to violet to pink to gold. The silence is total. Set your alarm. Do not miss this.
Afternoon
Drive back to Marrakech. Arrive evening. Rest. Tomorrow is Marrakech proper.
📸 Sand gets into everything after the Sahara. Sealed bags for your camera and phone on the dunes. Shake out your shoes before putting them back on.
THE CLASSIC ROUTE · Fly in Casablanca, out Marrakech
1
Casablanca
Arrive and Settle
▼
Morning
Land at Casablanca Mohammed V airport. Train to city centre and 30 minutes. Check in, rest, decompress. Do not plan anything ambitious on arrival day.
Afternoon
Walk the Corniche waterfront. Get your bearings. Pick up Moroccan Dirham from an ATM. Carry small notes from day one.
Evening
Dinner at La Sqala inside old city ramparts. Traditional Moroccan food, lovely courtyard. Start with harira soup and fresh bread.
📋 Print your accommodation bookings and return ticket before you leave home. Immigration sometimes asks. Keep digital copies too.
2
Casablanca then Fes
Hassan II Mosque Morning then North
▼
Morning
Hassan II Mosque at 9am. The morning light on the marble columns, the carved cedar ceiling and the ocean through the glass floor is extraordinary. Book tickets in advance at fondationhassan2.com. Budget a full half day. Do not rush it.
Afternoon
Lunch near the Corniche then afternoon train to Fes and 4.5 hours. ONCF first class.
Evening
Arrive Fes early evening. Check into riad. Ask immediately about arranging a guide for tomorrow.
3
Fes
First Full Day
▼
Morning
With your riad guide: Bab Bou Jeloud, Medersa Bou Inania, through the medina properly. Do not navigate alone.
Afternoon
Chouara Tannery from leather shop rooftops. Saffron yellow, poppy red, mint green vats. The smell is intense. Accept the mint they offer. The view is unforgettable.
Evening
Rooftop dinner at riad. Bastilla if you eat meat. Vegetable tagine if you do not. Both are extraordinary.
4
Fes then Chefchaouen
Cooking Class then Mountains
▼
Morning
Cooking class and non-negotiable. This is the single experience that brings everything together. Al-Attarine Medersa and Seffarine Square after.
Afternoon
Private car to Chefchaouen and 3.5 hours through the Rif Mountains. Book through Viator in advance. The drive is beautiful.
Evening
Arrive Chefchaouen. Walk the blue alleyways at dusk. Place Uta el-Hammam for dinner. Fresh orange juice. Order another.
5
Chefchaouen
The Blue City
▼
6am
Walk the blue alleyways alone before the town stirs. Best photography window. Does not last long.
Morning
Hike to the Spanish Mosque and 30 minutes uphill. Panoramic views. Then Akchour Waterfalls if time and 40 minutes by taxi. Almost no guidebooks mention this.
Evening
The day tourists are gone by 5pm. The blue city belongs to the people staying overnight. Walk slowly after dinner.
6
Travel to Marrakech
Atlas Mountain Crossing
▼
Full day
CTM bus or private transfer and 6 to 7 hours. Window seat for the Atlas Mountains. Arrive evening. Djemaa el-Fna at sunset, rooftop mint tea, watch the square come alive.
7
Marrakech
Full City Day
▼
8am
Jardin Majorelle before crowds. Leave by 10am.
Afternoon
The souks and 3 hours, compass navigation. Ben Youssef Medersa. El Badi Palace as the light goes golden. Hammam in the late afternoon.
Evening
Nomad Restaurant for dinner. Book ahead.
🍵 Mint tea will be offered everywhere in the souks. Always accept it. It is a genuine gesture of hospitality, not a sales tactic.
8
Sahara
Long Drive and Sunset Dunes
▼
Early departure
Drive to Merzouga via Dades Gorge and the Draa Valley and 8 to 9 hours. The landscape is extraordinary. Do not sleep through it.
Afternoon
Stop at Ait Benhaddou UNESCO kasbah. Walk up through it. Ask your guide about a brief home visit with a local Berber family and one of the most memorable things you can do in Morocco.
Evening
Camel trek into the dunes at sunset. Dinner at camp under the open sky. Music if the camp has musicians. Mint tea.
9
Sahara then Return
Sunrise and Drive Back
▼
Before dawn
Walk to a high dune. The sky shifts from navy to violet to pink to gold. The sand changes colour in real time. The silence is absolute. Set your alarm. Do not miss this.
Afternoon
Drive back toward Marrakech. Stop at Skoura Oasis if time allows.
10
Marrakech
Final Day and Departure
▼
Morning
Hammam or spa morning. A luxury spa day in Marrakech is one of the great travel experiences. You do not need to stay at a five star hotel to use their spa.
Afternoon
Final souk shopping. Leather goods, argan oil, saffron from a pharmacy not a street stall. Start at 60 percent off asking price. Always.
Evening
Djemaa el-Fna one last time at golden hour. Rooftop mint tea. Le Jardin restaurant for a final lunch. Allow 2 hours for the airport.
SLOW DOWN EVERYWHERE · Add Essaouira, Meknes, Tangier and a proper day in Casablanca
For 14 days, follow the full 10 day itinerary and add: Essaouira and 2 nights from Marrakech (2.5 hour bus, windswept Atlantic coast, blue fishing boats, excellent fresh seafood). Meknes and 1 night on the way from Fes (the forgotten imperial city, almost no tourists, much lower prices). Tangier and 2 nights (beautiful transformed waterfront, contemporary art scene, ferry connections from Spain). Use this as your entry or exit point. Slow everything down by one day per city. The difference between rushing Morocco and settling into it is everything.
City Guides
Five cities. One extraordinary country.
Each city requires a different approach. Marrakech rewards slow wandering. Fes demands a guide. Chefchaouen belongs to the early risers. Choose your city and go deep.
🏙️ Marrakech in one line: A full sensory experience. UNESCO listed medina, alive and completely addictive. Scooters and motorbikes share the walking lanes and always walk on the far right and stay aware.
The Medina and How to Navigate It
🧭
Navigate by Compass
The souks and medina lanes do not follow a grid. Signs are unreliable. Use compass direction on your phone rather than following street names. North toward the tanneries, south toward Djemaa el-Fna. You will get lost. That is fine. That is Marrakech.
🛵
Scooters and Motorbikes
They share the pedestrian lanes and they come fast. Always walk on the far right side of any lane. Stay aware especially in narrow alleys and especially with children. Listen as much as you look.
🏨
Your Riad as Base
Your riad staff know every shortcut, every good stall, every place to avoid. Ask them to walk you to the main sights on your first morning. This single act will save you hours of confusion and several unnecessary arguments with Google Maps.
⏰
Best Hours
Early morning before 9am and late afternoon after 5pm. Midday in summer is brutal. The medina at 7am and quiet lanes, locals buying bread, the call to prayer fading and is a completely different city to the one that arrives at 11am.
Things to Do and By Area
01
Central Medina
Djemaa el-Fna and the Souks
▼
Djemaa el-Fna
Go at dusk. The square transforms from ordinary market into something theatrical and extraordinary. Find a rooftop cafe, order mint tea and just watch. Snake charmers, storytellers, acrobats, smoke from a hundred food stalls. Nothing else like it anywhere in the world. Return at different hours and the morning version, the afternoon version and the evening version are three different places.
The Souks
Enter from the north side of Djemaa el-Fna. The souk system is divided by craft and the leather section, the spice market, the lantern district, the carpet quarter, the ceramics alley, the brass market. Budget 2 to 3 hours. Start all bargaining at 60 percent off the asking price. Always. Mint tea will be offered in shops and always accept it. Always.
Food Stalls
The food stalls on Djemaa el-Fna itself are an experience. Point at what looks good. Harira, grilled meats, snail soup if you are curious, fresh orange juice everywhere. Eat at stall number 14 if you can find it and ask your riad which ones they trust.
🍵 Mint tea offered by shopkeepers is a genuine gesture of hospitality, not a sales tactic. Sit, drink slowly, enjoy the conversation. You are not obligated to buy anything.
02
Jardin Majorelle Area
The Blue Garden and Berber Museum
▼
Arrive at 8am
Jardin Majorelle and the electric blue garden designed by Jacques Majorelle and later saved by Yves Saint Laurent. The combination of cobalt blue buildings, exotic plants and the Berber museum inside is extraordinary. The garden is genuinely beautiful. Leave by 10am before the crowds make it uncomfortable.
Berber Museum
Inside the garden. One of the best collections of Berber jewellery, textiles and artefacts in Morocco. Do not skip it to save time. Budget 45 minutes inside the museum alone.
Gueliz District
The new city surrounding the garden has excellent coffee shops, art galleries and restaurants with less tourist markup than the medina. Worth a morning walk after the garden.
03
Historical Quarter
Ben Youssef Medersa and El Badi Palace
▼
Ben Youssef Medersa
The ancient Quranic school has architecture that will genuinely take your breath away. Intricate carved plaster, cedar wood, and zellige tilework covering every surface of the central courtyard. One of the finest examples of Moroccan Islamic architecture anywhere. Go in the morning when the light falls through the carved screens.
El Badi Palace
A hauntingly beautiful 16th century ruin. The scale of what was once here and they say it took 25 years to build and was stripped bare in 12 and is extraordinary. Storks nest at the top of the walls. The sunken gardens are peaceful. Go in the late afternoon when the light goes golden.
Mellah
The Jewish Quarter and quieter, beautiful and almost untouristed. Excellent photography opportunities. The architecture tells the story of a community that was once a significant part of Marrakech life.
04
Wellness
Hammam and Luxury Spa
▼
Hammam
Book through your riad. A full traditional scrub with a kessa mitt and black soap. You will be scrubbed hard and a remarkable amount of dead skin will come off. This is the point. 60 to 90 minutes. Your skin feels extraordinary afterward. Plan nothing physical for the rest of that afternoon.
Luxury Spa Day
If your budget allows one splurge this is it. A full day at a luxury riad spa and hammam, massage and lunch by the pool. You do not need to stay at a luxury hotel to use their spa. La Mamounia and several boutique spa riads accept day guests. Book in advance. One of the great travel experiences.
Best Hammam
Hammam de la Rose and beautiful, tourist friendly, excellent. Ask your riad for the local neighbourhood hammam option if you want the authentic version for 15 to 30 MAD.
05
Day Trips
Atlas Mountains and Waterfalls
▼
Ourika Valley
1.5 hours from Marrakech. A Berber valley in the High Atlas with a river running through it. Visit a local Berber village, see traditional architecture, walk to waterfalls above the valley. Best in spring when the valley is green.
Ouzoud Waterfalls
2.5 hours from Marrakech. The most spectacular waterfalls in Morocco and three tiers dropping 110 metres into a natural pool. Barbary macaque monkeys in the surrounding trees. A full day trip. Go early to avoid the midday crowds.
Atlas Mountain Villages
Hire a driver through your riad for a day trip into the High Atlas. The road through the Tizi n-Tichka pass is extraordinary. Stop at roadside stalls for fresh-pressed argan oil and local honey.
🏙️ Fes in one line: The most complex, fascinating and in places confronting city in Morocco. It rewards patience and a good guide more than anywhere else. Do not try to navigate alone. Not even once.
The Medina Guide and This is Not Optional
🧭
Book Through Your Riad
Fes el-Bali has 9400 alleyways and over 150000 residents. It is completely car-free and one of the most extraordinary urban environments on earth. It is also impossible to navigate alone. Your riad has trusted guides or their own staff who know the medina. Book them from day one. Never accept help from someone who approaches you at the medina gates.
🗺️
Why Google Maps Fails Here
The lanes of Fes medina split, dead-end and double back in ways that no mapping application has fully resolved. Two experienced travellers with Google Maps running got completely lost within five minutes of entering alone. The lanes look like alleys on a map. On the ground they are a living maze that has been evolving for a thousand years.
⏰
How Long You Need
Budget a full day for the medina with a guide. A half day will feel rushed and you will miss the rhythm of the place. The best guides take you not just to the famous spots but to the places between them and the quiet squares, the neighbourhood fountains, the workshops where craftspeople have sat for generations.
💰
What to Pay
A licensed guide through your riad costs roughly 300 to 500 MAD for a half day. Worth every dirham. Agree the price and the itinerary in advance. Tip at the end based on the experience. The best guides in Fes are genuinely extraordinary and historians, storytellers and navigators in one.
The Medina Walk and What to See
01
Entry Point
Bab Bou Jeloud and The Blue Gate
▼
Start here
The stunning Blue Gate is the main entry point to the old medina and the logical start of any guided walk. The gate is blue on the medina side and green on the outside and the colours of Fes and Islam respectively. Photograph it from the outside first, then pass through and let the medina begin.
Talaa Kebira
The main commercial artery of the medina runs downhill from the gate. Your guide will take you along it and off it and the side lanes are where the real life happens. Spice sellers, bread ovens, children running between lessons, craftspeople working in doorways.
02
Architecture
Medersa Bou Inania
▼
The Medersa
The most spectacular Islamic architecture in Morocco. An ancient Quranic school with intricate carved plaster, cedar wood and zellige tilework covering every surface. The central courtyard is breathtaking. Go in the morning when the light falls from the high windows into the courtyard. Budget 45 minutes minimum.
Al-Attarine Medersa
Smaller and equally stunning. Usually less crowded. The carved plaster work is arguably finer than Bou Inania. Your guide will take you to both and explain the craftsmanship in a way that changes how you look at every wall in the medina afterward.
03
The Famous One
Chouara Tannery
▼
The View
Viewed from the rooftops of leather shops surrounding the tannery. Saffron yellow, poppy red and mint green vats below you. Hundreds of men working the leather by hand exactly as it has been done for centuries. The sight is genuinely extraordinary and unlike anything else you will see on this trip.
The Smell
Intense. The combination of pigeon dung used to soften the leather and the dye vats creates a smell that hits you before you see anything. The leather shops will offer you fresh mint to hold under your nose. Accept it immediately.
The Shops
You are brought through a leather shop to access the rooftop view. The view is genuinely free. You are welcome to walk in, look for as long as you like and walk out. If you want to buy leather goods, Fes is the best place in Morocco to do so. Bargain from 60 percent off the asking price.
📸 The best light for photographing the tannery is morning. The colours are most vivid before midday.
04
Craft and Sound
Seffarine Square
▼
The Square
Coppersmiths have worked in Seffarine Square for centuries. The sound of hammers on brass and copper fills the square from early morning. Watching craftspeople work here and surrounded by towering piles of unfinished pieces and is one of the most authentic craft experiences in all of Morocco.
Second-hand Books
Near Seffarine Square there are second-hand book stalls worth browsing slowly. Arabic manuscripts, French colonial-era guides, art books. Browse with patience and you will find treasures.
05
Hidden Escape
The Ruined Garden and Rooftop Breakfast
▼
The Ruined Garden
A stunning restaurant inside an ancient riad ruin. The most peaceful escape from medina intensity you will find in Fes. Go for lunch. The food is excellent and the setting and courtyard open to the sky, pomegranate trees, ancient walls and is unlike any restaurant you have eaten in before.
Rooftop Breakfast
This deserves its own moment. Pink skies, birds singing over the entire medina, the faint echo of the call to prayer fading, lemon and orange trees in the courtyard below you, fresh bread and local argan honey on the table. Book a riad with a rooftop breakfast setup. It will be your favourite memory of Morocco.
⚠️ For sensitive travellers: Parts of the Fes medina have open-air butcheries with hanging camel heads, hooves and full carcasses. The smell in these areas is intense. Tell your guide before you set off and ask them to route around these districts. It is completely possible to see the best of Fes without walking through those areas.
🏙️ Chefchaouen in one line: Exceeds expectations every time. Stay at least two nights. The version of this city that exists after the day tourists leave is completely different to what you see at noon.
How to Experience It
🌅
Wake at 6am
This is the single most important thing you can do in Chefchaouen. Walk the blue alleyways alone before the town stirs. The light at this hour, the quiet, the occasional local walking to morning prayer and this is what the city actually is. By 9am the day trippers arrive and something shifts. Be out before they arrive.
🌙
Stay for the Evening
Day tourists are gone by 5pm. What remains is the real Chefchaouen and locals sitting in doorways, children playing in the blue lanes, the main square belonging to the people who live there. Walk slowly after dinner. This is the version of the city worth staying overnight for.
📸
Photography Windows
6am to 8am is the golden window. Soft light, no crowds, the blue walls at their most vivid. The Ras el-Maa waterfall at the edge of the medina photographs beautifully in early morning light. The Spanish Mosque hilltop at sunrise or sunset gives you the full panorama of the city from above.
🍊
The Orange Juice Rule
Freshly squeezed orange juice in Chefchaouen costs 5 to 10 MAD and about 50 cents. It is the best orange juice you will ever drink. Order it everywhere. Every morning, every afternoon, every time you pass a juice stall. The oranges here are genuinely extraordinary.
Things to Do
01
The Medina
Blue Alleyways and Plaza Uta el-Hammam
▼
The Alleyways
Unlike Fes or Marrakech, Chefchaouen's medina is small enough to navigate without a guide. Wander freely. Every alley is painted in some shade of blue and cobalt, turquoise, sky, powder. The whole medina is essentially a single continuous artwork. Get deliberately lost.
Place Uta el-Hammam
The main square. Sit at a cafe table outside, order a fresh squeezed orange juice and watch the city. This is where locals gather, children play and the rhythm of the town is most visible. Dinner here at one of the restaurants overlooking the square is the right way to end any day in Chefchaouen.
Ras el-Maa
The small waterfall at the edge of the medina where locals do laundry and children play. Beautiful, completely real and about as far from a tourist experience as Morocco gets. A 10 minute walk from the main square.
02
Above the City
Spanish Mosque Hike
▼
The Hike
30 minutes uphill from the medina on a clear path. Moderately challenging. Wear shoes with grip. The hike itself takes you through scrubland above the city with the blue rooftops appearing below you as you climb.
The View
Sweeping panoramic views over the entire blue city and the Rif Mountains behind it. The Spanish Mosque ruin itself is small and atmospheric. Go for sunrise or sunset. Bring water. The light at both ends of the day is extraordinary and the photographs from here are some of the best you will take in Morocco.
03
Hidden Gem
Akchour Waterfalls
▼
Getting There
40 minutes by taxi from Chefchaouen. Negotiate the fare in advance and roughly 80 to 120 MAD return with waiting time. Ask your accommodation to help arrange it the evening before.
The Walk
A hike through cedar forest to stunning cascading falls. The path follows a river gorge through increasingly dramatic scenery. 45 minutes to an hour each way depending on fitness. Almost nothing in any guidebook mentions this place. It is Morocco's best kept secret near Chefchaouen.
The Waterfalls
Multiple tiers of falls dropping into natural pools surrounded by cedar trees. Swimming is possible in some pools in summer. The combination of the forest, the sound of water and the absence of tourists makes this one of the most peaceful places in northern Morocco.
🥾 Wear proper walking shoes not sandals. The path is rocky and some sections are slippery near the water. Bring water and snacks and there is very little available on the trail.
🏙️ Casablanca in one line: Most travellers treat this as a transit city and miss one of the greatest buildings in the world. Even one afternoon here is worth it.
01
The Must Do
Hassan II Mosque
▼
What It Is
The third largest mosque in the world and the only one in Morocco that non-Muslims can enter. Built partly over the Atlantic Ocean and the ocean is visible through the glass floor of the prayer hall. The artisan work inside is extraordinary: hand-carved plaster, cedar wood ceilings, capacity for 50000 worshippers. Nothing in your experience of Islamic architecture prepares you for the scale of this.
Practical
Book tickets online at fondationhassan2.com before you arrive. Guided tours run several times a day and always take the guided tour rather than wandering independently. The guides explain what you are looking at in a way that changes the experience entirely. Budget a full 2 hours minimum. The morning light on the marble columns is extraordinary.
Getting There
The mosque is on the Corniche waterfront. Taxi or tram from the city centre. Allow time to walk around the exterior before going inside and the ocean views from the mosque plaza on a clear day are remarkable.
02
The City
Corniche, Habous and Art Deco
▼
The Corniche
Beautiful waterfront promenade with cafes and restaurants. Great for an evening walk. The Atlantic views are wide and dramatic. The cafe culture along the Corniche is genuinely good and sit with a coffee and watch the city move.
Habous Quarter
A calm, planned market district built in the 1930s with excellent artisan goods and significantly less pressure than the Marrakech souks. Pastry shops, ceramics, leather, brassware. The architecture of the Habous is distinctive and French colonial urban planning applied to a Moroccan medina layout. Worth an hour.
Art Deco Architecture
Casablanca has some of the finest Art Deco buildings in the world and the legacy of French colonial construction in the 1930s and 1940s. Walk the streets of the city centre and look up. The facades are extraordinary and almost nobody photographs them. Pick up a walking map from the tourist office or search Art Deco Casablanca walking route before you arrive.
Rick's Cafe
Yes it is a tourist recreation of the fictional bar from the 1942 film. Go anyway. It is a gorgeous space, the cocktails are excellent and the piano player delivers. Sometimes the right tourist experience is still worth doing.
🏜️ The Sahara in one line: Nothing fully prepares you for the scale and silence of it. The night sky here is something you will think about for years.
01
The Drive There
Dades Gorge, Draa Valley and Ait Benhaddou
▼
Ait Benhaddou
A UNESCO-listed kasbah that has served as a filming location for Game of Thrones, Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia and dozens of other productions. Walk up through the kasbah and the views from the top over the surrounding landscape are extraordinary. If possible, ask your driver to arrange a brief home visit with a local Berber family inside the village. Simple tea in someone's home here is one of the most memorable things you can do in Morocco.
Dades Gorge
The drive through Dades Gorge is one of the great road experiences in Morocco. Dramatic red rock walls rising on both sides, a river running through the valley floor, Berber villages clinging to the cliff faces. Do not sleep through this section of the drive.
Draa Valley
Morocco's longest river runs through this valley creating a narrow band of green palms and kasbahs in an otherwise arid landscape. The contrast between the green of the palms and the red of the surrounding rock is extraordinary.
02
The Experience
Camel Trek, Camp and Stargazing
▼
Camel Trek
The trek into the dunes takes 45 to 60 minutes. Your back and legs will know about it. Sit relaxed, hold loosely and enjoy it. The dunes at Erg Chebbi reach 150 metres and the scale becomes apparent only as you climb the first one. The light turns the sand gold then orange then deep red as you trek toward camp.
Night Sky
There is almost zero light pollution over the desert. On a clear night the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye as a thick band of light across the entire sky. Billions of individual stars. The silence is total. Bring a blanket, walk away from the camp lights and lie on the sand and look up. This is one of the great experiences of travelling anywhere on earth.
Camp
Dinner at camp under the open sky. Traditional food cooked over fire. Music if the camp has musicians. Mint tea. The evenings in desert camps are genuinely magical regardless of which tier you booked. The stars are the same for everyone.
🌡️ No AC from 7am to 7pm. Bring a battery fan, loose linen clothing and stay in the shade during peak heat. Sand gets into everything and sealed bags for all electronics.
03
The Moment
Sunrise on the Dunes
▼
Before Dawn
Set your alarm. Walk or ride to a high dune before the sky begins to change. The process takes about 20 minutes once you leave camp. Find your dune. Sit at the top. Wait.
The Sunrise
The sky shifts from deep navy to violet to pink to gold. The sand changes colour in real time and orange, then red, then gold, then bright. The silence is absolute. There are no words that do this justice. Do not miss it. Everything else on this trip is recoverable from. Missing the Sahara sunrise is not.
🗺️ Most people skip these entirely. All of them are worth the detour and several are extraordinary.
🌊
Essaouira
The windswept Atlantic coast city. Blue fishing boats, ramparts over the sea, a strong Gnawa music tradition and excellent fresh seafood. Always breezy and a completely different energy to Marrakech. 2.5 hours by bus. Worth two nights. The medina here is relaxed in a way Marrakech no longer manages to be.
🏰
Meknes
The forgotten imperial city. Similar scale to Fes but almost no tourists. Enormous ancient gates, a beautiful medina, excellent food and accommodation at much lower prices. The Bab Mansour gate is one of the most impressive pieces of architecture in Morocco. Most people skip it entirely. Do not.
🚢
Tangier
Completely transformed in the last decade. Beautiful new waterfront, a genuine contemporary art scene, vibrant cafe culture and direct ferry connections from southern Spain. Great entry or exit point. The old medina sits above the new city and still has an authentic energy the bigger tourist cities have mostly lost.
👑
Rabat
Morocco's capital and its most liveable city. The Hassan Tower, Chellah necropolis and a beautiful corniche. More local and less touristed than Marrakech. An excellent food scene without the tourist markup. The Kasbah des Oudaias overlooking the Atlantic is genuinely beautiful.
🎨
Asilah
A tiny whitewashed coastal town north of Tangier. Each year the medina walls are covered in fresh murals by international artists for the annual arts festival. Very relaxed and almost entirely off the tourist trail. The combination of Atlantic views, white walls and contemporary art makes it unlike anywhere else in Morocco.
❄️
Ifrane
Called the Switzerland of Morocco. A bizarre and beautiful French-colonial town in the Atlas Mountains with snow in winter. On the route to the Sahara and genuinely surreal to drive through. Cedar forests surround it and Barbary macaques live in the trees.
Getting Around
Smart routing. No backtracking.
Fly into Casablanca and out of Marrakech and or reverse it. This gives you a natural loop with no backtracking and covers the full north to south experience. Groups of 8 or more should ask airlines about group rates.
✈️ Flying in: Casablanca CMN is the main international hub. Marrakech RAK is best for budget European carriers. Fes FEZ is an underrated entry point if starting in the north. Tangier TNG offers ferry entry from Spain and a beautiful experience in itself.
Intercity Options
Casablanca to Fes
4.5 Hours
Train ONCF first class4.5h · ~100 MAD
CTM Bus5.5h · cheaper
Casablanca to Marrakech
3 Hours
Train ONCF first class3h · 100-120 MAD
CTM Bus3.5h · cheaper
Fes to Chefchaouen
3.5 Hours
Private car (Viator)3.5h · scenic
CTM Bus4h · budget
Chefchaouen to Marrakech
6 to 7 Hours
CTM Bus6-7h · window seat
Private transfer6h · comfortable
Marrakech to Sahara
8 to 9 Hours
Organised tour with driver8-9h · recommended
Private car hireSelf-drive option
Within Cities
Careem App
Careem (local Uber)Download before you go
Grand taxis (shared)Agree price first
Riad pickupsAlways ask for first night
🚆 Train booking: Book at oncf-voyages.ma at least a week ahead for weekends. First class is clean and air conditioned and not European high speed rail but comfortable. Manage expectations and you will enjoy it.
Accommodation
Stay in a riad. Always.
A riad is the only way to truly experience Morocco. From outside they look like plain walls. Step through the door and you find yourself in a stunning courtyard with fountains, carved plasterwork, orange trees and usually a rooftop terrace with views over the entire medina. Always stay inside the medina if you can.
Marrakech
Budget · Under 30 USD
Equity Point Hostel Medina
Medina
Rooftop pool at this price is extraordinary. Great for groups. Book weeks ahead in spring.
12 to 20 USD dorm
Mid Range
Riad Yasmine
Medina
The famous green pool riad. Stunning photography, excellent breakfast. Book the pool view rooms.
70 to 100 USD
Mid Range
Riad Be Marrakech
Medina
Intimate five room riad, beautifully designed rooftop terrace with medina views.
80 to 110 USD
Luxury
La Mamounia
Medina
The grande dame of Marrakech. Churchill stayed here. Legendary gardens, multiple pools, exceptional spa. Worth visiting for a drink even if not staying.
400 to 800 USD
Luxury
Royal Mansour
Medina
Private riads within a riad, built by the King of Morocco. The ultimate in privacy and personalised luxury.
600 to 1200 USD
Luxury
Riad Farnatchi
Medina
Only 9 suites, private plunge pools, outstanding service. Intimate and deeply beautiful.
250 to 400 USD
Fes
🌅 The rooftop riad breakfast in Fes: One of the most beautiful morning experiences anywhere in the world. Pink skies, birds singing over the medina, lemon trees in the courtyard below, fresh bread and argan honey on the table. Book a riad with a rooftop breakfast setup.
Mid Range
Riad Laaroussa
Fes el-Bali
9 uniquely designed rooms, stunning rooftop, exceptional breakfast. Owners arrange trusted medina guides and essential in Fes.
80 to 130 USD
Mid Range
Dar Seffarine
Fes el-Bali
Right in the heart of the medina near famous Seffarine Square. Rooftop views are extraordinary.
70 to 100 USD
Luxury
Riad Fes
Fes el-Bali
Considered one of the finest riads in all of Morocco. Architecture, food and service are all exceptional.
200 to 350 USD
Chefchaouen
Mid Range
Lina Ryad and Spa
Chefchaouen
Best views in the blue city. Pool, spa and a rooftop terrace that will make your jaw drop.
60 to 90 USD
Budget
Casa Perleta
Chefchaouen
Romantic, quiet, traditionally decorated. Perfect base for early morning wandering.
35 to 55 USD
Sahara Desert Camps
Luxury Camps
Erg Chebbi Luxury and Sahara Sky
Merzouga
Private tents with en suite bathrooms, electricity in evenings and mornings, gourmet dinner under the stars.
120 to 250 USD per night
Mid Range Camps
Standard Tour Camps
Merzouga
Shared facilities, excellent meals, camel trek usually included. Most 2 night tour packages use these.
50 to 100 USD per night
Budget Camps
Basic Desert Camps
Merzouga
Basic but the stars and the sunrise are identical for everyone regardless of what you paid.
20 to 40 USD per night
🔥 All camps: No AC from roughly 7am to 7pm. Bring a battery fan. Evenings are magical with music, fire and stars.
Food and Drink
Moroccan food is extraordinary.
Far more vegetarian-friendly than people expect. And because Morocco is a Muslim country, halal is simply the standard. You will never need to look for halal certification on anything.
🏺
Tagine
The national dish. Slow-cooked stew in a conical clay pot. Lamb with prunes, chicken with preserved lemon, or vegetable. Order it everywhere. Vegetable tagine is always available.
Veg option
🌾
Couscous
Friday is couscous day across Morocco. A cultural institution. Fluffy semolina with slow-cooked vegetables and optional meat. The Friday version at a local restaurant is something special.
Veg option
🥧
Bastilla
Sweet and savoury pie with almonds and cinnamon. Traditionally made with pigeon or chicken. Some restaurants do a vegetable version. One of the most unique dishes you will ever try.
🥣
Harira
Rich tomato, lentil and chickpea soup. Often served free alongside your meal. Comforting and deeply flavoured. Note: traditionally made with meat stock so ask if you are vegetarian.
🫓
Msemen
Flaky layered flatbread served with argan oil and honey. The best breakfast in North Africa. Find a local cafe rather than a tourist spot for this.
Vegetarian
🍵
Mint Tea
Poured from height to create froth, intensely sweet, served in a glass. It is a ceremony and a genuine gesture of hospitality. Never refuse it. Drink it slowly.
Vegan
🫘
B'ssara
Fava bean soup with olive oil and cumin. Street food breakfast at around 5 MAD a bowl. Incredible value and flavour.
Vegan
🍊
Fresh Orange Juice
Available everywhere, squeezed in front of you. 5 to 10 MAD. Have one every morning of the trip. The oranges in Morocco are extraordinary. Order constantly in Chefchaouen especially.
Vegan
🌿 Always say vegetarian in French (vegetarien) or Arabic (nabati). Then ask whether the broth contains meat stock even in a vegetable dish. Street food that is always vegetarian: msemen with honey, b'ssara soup, fresh juice, makouda potato balls.
🏺
Vegetable Tagine
Available at every single restaurant in Morocco. It is not an afterthought. It is a proper dish and one of the best things on any menu.
Vegan option
🫓
Msemen with Honey
The flaky flatbread with argan oil and honey. The best breakfast in the country. Always vegetarian. Always extraordinary.
Vegetarian
🫘
B'ssara Soup
Fava bean soup with olive oil and cumin. Street breakfast at around 5 MAD a bowl. Traditional and vegan. Order it everywhere.
Vegan
🥔
Makouda
Moroccan potato balls, fried and served with harissa. Street food staple. Completely vegan and one of the most satisfying snacks in the medinas.
Vegan
🍊
Fresh Juices
Orange, carrot, pomegranate, avocado. Available everywhere at 5 to 15 MAD. Squeezed in front of you. The avocado juice in particular is extraordinary.
Vegan
🫙
Zaalouk
Smoky roasted aubergine and tomato salad. A Moroccan mezze staple. Served at most restaurants as a starter. Completely vegan and deeply flavoured.
Vegan
🧭 In Fes: Ask your guide to walk around the butchery districts. Completely possible and makes the day much more comfortable for those who are sensitive to it.
💧 The water rule: Do not drink tap water anywhere in Morocco. Do not brush your teeth with it. Avoid ice in drinks unless at a high end establishment using filtered water. Bottled water is cheap and available everywhere. This is the single most important health rule for the trip.
🥗
Raw Salads at Street Level
May have been washed in tap water. Ask or be cautious. Cooked food served hot is always the safer choice.
🦪
Shellfish from Market Stalls
Eat shellfish only at reputable restaurants, especially in summer. The risk from market stalls is real.
🧀
Fresh Cheese from Stalls
Carries some risk. Packaged pasteurised dairy is fine. When in doubt at a market stall, skip it.
🌿
Street Saffron
Real saffron costs 50 to 100 MAD per gram. Anything cheaper on the street is probably not saffron. Buy it from a pharmacy or reputable spice merchant.
🍳 Non-negotiable: You cannot come to Morocco and not do a cooking class. This is the single experience that brings everything together and the food, the culture, the people, the ingredients. Do it on day 2 or 3 so you can appreciate every meal for the rest of the trip.
🛒
Souk Walk First
A typical class starts with a guided walk through the local souk to buy your ingredients. This alone is an experience worth having.
🏺
What You Learn
Tagine, couscous and usually bread or a traditional salad. You eat everything you make. The meal at the end is the reward.
💰
Cost and Duration
Classes run 3 to 4 hours and cost roughly 400 to 700 MAD per person. Book through your riad and smaller, more personal and usually the best quality.
🌿
For Vegetarians
Specify when booking and the menu adapts completely. Every dish has a vegetarian version. Ask when booking and it will be seamlessly arranged.
🏙️
Best Cities
Marrakech has the most options. Fes has the most authentic experience. Chefchaouen offers smaller, more intimate classes. All three are worth doing if you have the time.
👥
For Groups
Many cooking schools can take an entire group as a private experience. Ask when booking. This becomes the best group activity of any Morocco trip.
Experiences
Beyond the itinerary. Into the real Morocco.
Hammam Guide
A hammam is a traditional Moroccan bathhouse and one of the most authentic experiences the country offers. Do not leave without doing one.
🛁 What to expect: A steam room, a thorough scrub with a kessa (exfoliation mitt) and black soap (savon beldi) treatment. You will be scrubbed hard and a remarkable amount of dead skin will come off. This is completely normal and the point of the experience. Hammams are segregated by gender. Swimsuits or shorts are worn throughout. 60 to 90 minutes for a basic scrub. Book through your riad for the most trusted recommendation. Tip your attendant 20 to 50 MAD.
Hidden Cafes and Bookshops
☕
Cafe Clock and Marrakech and Fes
A brilliant community cafe with cooking classes, live music and cultural events. Connects travellers and locals genuinely. Essential stop in both cities.
🌿
The Ruined Garden and Fes
Stunning cafe and restaurant inside an ancient riad ruin. The most peaceful escape from medina intensity you will find in Fes.
🏔️
Bab Ssour Cafe and Chefchaouen
Tiny cafe on the old town walls with views over the valley. Almost no tourists, genuinely local, excellent coffee.
🌶️
Kiosque des Epices and Marrakech
Rooftop cafe in the spice market square. Mint tea surrounded by pyramids of spice. Atmospheric and genuinely calm.
📚
Librairie Papeterie Chatr and Marrakech
Morocco's oldest bookshop, founded in 1949. Peaceful, beautiful architecture, wonderful cards and art prints. A genuine escape from souk noise.
🫖
Cafe Tissardmine and Merzouga
Run by a Tuareg family at the edge of the dunes. Simple and authentic. Have tea here before your camel trek. One of the most honest experiences near the Sahara.
Shopping and Bargaining
Shopping in Moroccan souks is one of the great pleasures of the trip. It is also a performance. The asking price is never the real price. Bargaining is not rude and it is expected and part of the culture.
💰
Start at 60 Percent Off
Always. If something costs 200 MAD, open at 80. This is not offensive. It is the game and shopkeepers respect people who know how to play it.
🚶
Walking Away is Your Power
Say thank you, put it down and start leaving. Often the price drops immediately. This is not rude. It is the expected move.
🤝
Once You Agree
That is the price. Do not continue negotiating after shaking hands. Smile throughout. Keep it friendly. The best sessions feel like a conversation, not a fight.
🧡
Argan Oil
Buy from a women's cooperative for guaranteed authenticity. Ask your riad to recommend one. The cooperatives are easy to find and the difference in quality is significant.
🏠 Home visit in Ait Benhaddou: Ask your guide or driver to arrange a brief home visit with a local Berber family. It usually involves sitting in someone's home, being served mint tea, seeing a traditional kitchen and courtyard. It costs very little and a small tip to the family. The warmth of Moroccan hospitality in a private home is something that stays with you long after the trip.
Safety
Morocco is genuinely safe. Know what to expect.
Violent crime against travellers is rare. What you will encounter are scams and unwanted attention, mostly in the medinas of Fes and Marrakech. Know what to expect and you will be absolutely fine.
👥 Group advantage: Fake guides are much less likely to approach large groups and much easier to decline together. One calm no thank you from the group and keep walking. Do not engage, do not be rude, just keep moving.
Common Scams
The Fake Guide
Someone approaches, friendly, helpful, excellent English. They will show you something beautiful. At the end they will ask for money or deliver you to a shop where you feel pressured. Worst in Fes. Never accept help from someone who approaches at medina gates.
Wrong Change
Note exactly what note you hand over in taxis and at market stalls. Count change immediately and do it visibly. Most situations are honest but stay aware.
That Way Is Closed
Told your destination is closed today. It is almost never true. Trust Maps.me and keep walking. This is one of the most common diversions in Fes and Marrakech.
Tannery Rooftop
Led into a leather shop to see the view for free, then pressured to buy. The view is genuinely free. Walk in, look, walk out. It is completely fine.
Saffron on the Street
Real saffron costs 50 to 100 MAD per gram. Buy it from a pharmacy or reputable spice merchant. Anything cheaper on the street is almost certainly not saffron.
Free Henna
Never free. Agree a price before anyone touches your skin or decline entirely. This applies everywhere henna is offered, particularly around Djemaa el-Fna.
Emergency Numbers
Service
Number
Police
190
Ambulance and Fire
150
Tourist Police Marrakech
+212 524 384601
Tourist Police Fes
+212 535 621 939
US Embassy Rabat
+212 537 637 200
US Consulate Casablanca
+212 522 264 550
📋 STEP Registration: Register your trip with the US Embassy before you leave. Free and takes 5 minutes. If there is an emergency, the Embassy can locate you and assist. Register at step.state.gov with your passport number, travel dates and accommodation details.
🌐 Useful links: Book trains at oncf-voyages.ma · Hassan II Mosque tickets at fondationhassan2.com · Offline maps at maps.me (download Morocco before you leave) · Careem app for city travel · Morocco tourism at visitmorocco.com
What to Wear
Modest. Beautiful. Both are possible.
Morocco is a Muslim country and dressing modestly is both a cultural courtesy and a practical choice. Modest dress genuinely reduces unwanted attention. The good news is that modest can also be beautiful and cool in the Moroccan heat.
🧣 The one item everyone needs: A large lightweight scarf or pashmina. For women it covers shoulders and acts as a head covering at mosques. For everyone it becomes a blanket on cold desert nights, a face covering in Sahara sandstorms, a beach wrap and a picnic blanket. Bring two.
For Women
✅
Cover shoulders, knees and stomach. Loose linen trousers or a maxi skirt with a loose top is the perfect everyday outfit. Cool, comfortable and respectful.
✅
Leggings are fine when paired with a long tunic or dress covering thighs and hips.
✅
Beach towns: Swimsuits are completely fine at the beach and pool. Cover up when you leave the beach area.
✅
You do not need to cover your hair. A scarf for mosque visits is sufficient and can be carried in your bag.
❌
Avoid in medinas: Crop tops, short shorts and sleeveless tops. Not illegal but you will receive more unwanted attention.
For Men
✅
Chinos or linen trousers with a collared shirt or smart t-shirt is appropriate everywhere.
✅
Shorts are acceptable in tourist areas and beach towns. Less appropriate in conservative medina areas and rural villages.
✅
Remove shoes before entering mosques, some riads and when invited into private homes.
❌
Going shirtless is for the beach or pool only. Not in medinas or streets.
👥 Group travel note: A group dressing respectfully sends a strong collective signal. You will be received more warmly by shopkeepers, riad hosts and locals. The difference in how people respond to you is genuinely noticeable.
Health and Packing
Prepared properly. Travel confidently.
💧 The water rule: Do not drink tap water in Morocco. Do not brush teeth with it. Avoid ice unless at a high-end hotel using filtered water. Bottled water is cheap and available everywhere. This is the single most important health rule for the trip.
Safe to Eat
Safe
Notes
Cooked food served hot
Tagines, grilled meats, couscous, bread, pastries
Peelable fruit
Oranges, bananas, mandarins and peel yourself, eat fresh
Freshly squeezed juice (watched)
Safe when you watch them squeeze whole fruit
High end restaurant salads
Upscale riads use filtered water for washing
Health Kit
💊
Imodium
The most important item in your pharmacy kit. Most trips are fine but stomach upsets happen.
🧂
Oral Rehydration Salts
Essential if stomach upset hits in the heat. Carry them from day one.
☀️
Sunscreen SPF 50 plus
The Moroccan sun is intense even in spring. Apply before going out and reapply constantly.
💋
Lip Balm with SPF
Always forgotten, always needed in the desert. Pack two.
🤧
Antihistamines
Dust, pollen and animal dander in medinas. Worth having for the Sahara especially.
🧴
Hand Sanitiser
At all times in medinas. Carry a small bottle in your daypack.
💊 Moroccan pharmacies: Excellent, well-stocked and pharmacists often trained in France. In tourist cities some speak English. Do not suffer in your riad. Head to a pharmacy for most travel ailments and they can help immediately.