10 Things to Know Before Traveling to Morocco

Disclaimer: This post is NOT sponsored by We Love Spain or any other entities, all views expressed are my own.

Morocco is without a doubt one of the most enchanting and incredible places I’ve been. It is unlike any other place I’ve traveled to in North America or Europe and the vastness of the Sahara Desert took my breath away. I can still feel the softness of the coppery sand and how easily my feet sank in it.

I had the amazing opportunity to visit Morocco through a tour group called We Love Spain over our first December puente (a Spanish word for break). My friends and I booked it together and had the most amazing time exploring parts of Morocco in a travel-packed five days. Undoubtedly, the highlight for most of us was glamping in the Sahara Desert outside of Merzouga, Morocco. We also rode camels twice, explored the countless winding streets of the Medina in Fes, browsed for colorful headscarves in a small fishing village and lounged poolside at a villa-style hotel in the middle of a small town close to the desert.

The trip was filled with so many memories I will never forget and your typical travel ups and downs, so I wanted to recount some important things to know before traveling to the north African country. These are tips and tricks I picked up from some of my own research and from the guides we had during our group trip. As always, I implore you to do your own research before embarking on any travel and choosing a tour group. And definitely don’t skip Morocco.

1. The currency is the Moroccan Dirham

The Moroccan dirham is worth far less than the euro and the USD. But they often do accept euros, so be prepared with as much cash as you feel comfortable bringing based on your budget. We were in Morocco for about five days and I was told to bring 100-200 euros in cash for food and shopping. We used cash for snacks and food throughout the day as well as for shopping and in markets. Many vendors don’t carry card readers so cash is truly king. If you use euros, you will likely get dirham back as change so try to spend it while you’re there because the reverse exchange rate is not great.

2. Prepare to negotiate prices

Many prices in Morocco shops or markets are not fixed so prepare to negotiate with the vendor or salesperson. Although this can feel uncomfortable, it can truly allow you to bargain for a great deal. Some pointers I was told are to one, never start high and name a price you aren’t willing to pay, two, on that note, have a general budget and know a range you would pay, and three, only come back with a price slightly higher as opposed to jumping up 10 or 20 dollars. And if you feel really confident, when the vendor comes back with a higher price, act as if it may be too high for you and reluctantly start walking away (bonus points if you have some cash out so they can tell you are actually interested), and they may lower their price and meet yours.

3. Pack light for the desert

If you’re arriving to the desert campsite via camel like we were, you will need to pack light. Even taking a car, I would recommend packing light if you are staying less than 3 nights. I packed all I needed for our one night and morning in my travel backpack (no, not the big ones, this one I specifically got from Amazon Spain so I can use it for RyanAir and not feel faint if they ask to check my bag size but try this one on Amazon U.S) and grabbed my emotional support UGA blanket.

If you won’t have access to any outlets on your campsite, make sure to grab your portable charger and a cord if it’s not cordless. If you also are like me and feel dirty easily, I also highly recommend grabbing a small pack of baby wipes. I never leave anywhere without them. And if you won’t have any running water, make sure to pack a bottled water for brushing teeth, washing your face, etc. Speaking of water, my next point is something important to remember.

4. Water is safe in big cities, but you still may have a bad reaction

One of the biggest reminders our tour group repeated was to steer clear from drinking the water. Upon my own research, I found that the water in big cities is generally safe but your body may react to unfamiliar bacteria and make you sick, which is the easiest way to ruin a trip. While we were told that we could use the water to shower, wash our face and brush our teeth, drinking it could have unfortunate consequences. I knew it would be difficult for me as someone who frequently totes a reusable water bottle, so I took a screenshot of the words “DO NOT DRINK THE WATER” which I wrote in my Notes app on my phone and set it as my lock screen. So every time I glanced at my phone, I was reminded to keep purchasing bottled water and use that to fill up my own.

5. Don’t forget to pack for the nights

Although Morocco can have hot desert temperatures, the nights can be cold. If you’re also making a visit to the desert, you will likely need to bundle up more. As nice as our tents were, there was no electric heating, so we relied on our blankets and cozy clothes to keep us warm. I would definitely look up average temperatures for the time of your trip because it also may not be as hot as you expect. Since we went in early December, we had warm and mild temperatures during the day, so I packed some light sweaters, loose pants and a sweatshirt and sweatpants in case I got cold at night. I personally thought it was also the perfect time to go because it was not tourist season so areas were generally less crowded and prices more negotiable or lower for shopping.

6. Stock up on Argan Oil, spices and tea at Moroccan markets

Forget paying between $20-$50 for fancy argan oil, you can buy 100% pure argan oil at a moroccan market, just make sure its truly 100% and not any less. Luckily, we had a guide who told us where to buy the best oil (it was at a market in the small town of Rissani on our way to Erfoud) but with some research on where you’re traveling in the country, I’m sure there are ways to tell. I purchased mine for 4 euros at a market and have since rationed it so it can last as long as possible because I’m obsessed with it.

Moroccan tea is also famously good and can come relatively cheap at markets, especially in some of the less touristy towns. If you’re big into cooking, don’t skip on the vibrant spices, which are often shown in an array of bowls. If you’re in a country like Spain, where I am, and missing hot spices in particular, Morocco may be your best bet on finding cheap but tasty spices to add some heat to your dishes.

7. The ferry from Spain is only an hour

While I can’t speak to flying into the country and their airports, I can speak on my experience taking a ferry into the Spanish territory of Ceuta in Africa and then crossing the border. Our trip included bus travel for the whole time but we did take a ferry from the port of Algeciras, next to Gibraltar, into Ceuta. The ferry ticket was included in our trip price so I had no idea how much it was, but looking at the website, a ticket for one adult without a vehicle from Algeciras to Ceuta (I put March 8th for reference) goes for about 36 euros. The ferry ride is only an hour and there are food and drinks available for purchase.

But beware, if the weather is rough like our first trip over, the ride may consist of intense rocking motions which may induce serious nausea and vomiting. I had to lay on the floor and breathe deep to not throw up. So if you know you may get seasick, make sure to bring any remedies you need and check the weather before. But besides that, the ferry station is very accessible and easy to navigate in both cities. If you land in Ceuta, have your passport ready and be prepared for a potentially long line for border control.

8. It is rude to take pictures of people without asking

One of the tips that our tour company gave us and then also reminded us of, was that it is considered rude to take pictures of people without asking permission. This can be hard to remember when everything is so picturesque and fascinating but it is important to respect this aspect of Moroccan culture. While we were told that they are used to tourists, this is something that should be in the back of your mind if you’re a snap-a-photo-every-10-seconds type of person. But everything else is up for grabs.

9. Stray animals are everywhere

As an avid animal lover, I was initially excited to see stray cats and occasional dogs at every corner. But it can be difficult to see when you also realize that many may be sick, hungry or about to have another litter because they are not fixed. While I could definitely tell that many were fed and somewhat cared for, they still seemed like they were not getting proper medical care and lived outside.

If I ever had any spare food that was safe for them to eat, I would feed them, even knowing that was all I could offer and they may depend on tourists feeding them for their meals. But I knew I needed to have empathy and understanding when I saw that many locals ignored them or didn’t take them in. It’s different than the culture than I am used to surrounding animals. Many people are living frugal lives or struggling to feed themselves, let alone an animal. So, as hard as it was, I had to accept that I could not singlehandedly save or really do much for these animals.

10. Camel rides hurt like a *****

The camel ride was easily one of the top three things I was most looking forward to. I had been warned by a former roommate who did one in Morocco that they hurt, but I told myself I would just stretch it out. Well, stretching before didn’t really save me the pain of a nearly hour camel ride through the desert to our campsite.

I have concluded that the pain stems from being spread eagle on a firm seat and also moving side to side in rhythm with the camel’s steps for the entirety of the time you are up there. Throw in feeling like you are about to fall off, especially with your stuffed backpack hanging off one side of the handle to hold onto, and you also likely have some stress and clenching. My best advice would be to still definitely stretch a lot before and after, bring a comfy sweatshirt or blanket to cushion your butt and move your legs and hips every few minutes so you don’t feel stuck in one position. Most importantly, give your camel a name (I named mine George) and a few pats on the chest for putting up with you.

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