Mythical Morocco with the Atlantic in the west and the Sahara in the east. Morocco is like a mixture of the mysteries of Europe, Africa and the Orient. A mountainous country with desert, green valleys, high mountain passes and vast sandy beaches. Here you will find some of the continent’s most exciting cities and interesting UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
On this page you will find practical information and facts about Morocco. Visit insidewatch.net for morocco as a destination country.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT TRAVELING IN MOROCCO
Climate and best travel time
You can travel in Morocco all year round. On the coast, winters are mild and characterized by a Mediterranean-like climate. In the mountain areas inland, the summers are hot and the winters cold – the temperature can be upwards of 40 degrees in the summer and when the cold desert wind blows, it can be minus 20 degrees on the mountain tops. It is dry most of the year but the precipitation that comes usually does so between November and March.
Our recommendations on when it is best to travel in Morocco are based on how the climate has been during the previous year. The weather in Morocco can be very variable and unpredictable and therefore our recommendations should only be seen as an indication.
Money
The Moroccan currency is called the Moroccan Dirham (MAD). There are plenty of ATMs so it does not pay to go to the exchange office to exchange, however, it can be nice to have a little dirham in your pocket when you arrive. There is an entry and exit limit of 2000 MAD so do not forget to exchange your money back at the airport if you have more cash than that. However, it is always a good idea to have euros in cash as a reserve.
Visa
conditions NOTE! The visa rules can be changed at short notice, so We recommend that you check the current conditions at the country’s embassy or on the Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ website. The following information may change.
Swedish citizens do not currently need a visa to visit Morocco. The passport must be valid throughout the stay.
Tips
In most countries, tips are part of the salaries of employees in the service industry. Therefore, it is good practice (and sometimes directly necessary) to give tips to, for example, cleaning staff, waiters, guides, drivers, etc. depending on the country you are visiting. Therefore, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with how much is normally given in tips and to whom before you embark on your journey. Find information on tips in Lonely Planet’s guidebooks.
Transport
When we book a tailor-made event, we also book transport in the form of a car with a driver / guide.
Bus / Train
It is possible to travel by local bus – however, it is important to choose a safe company and make sure you arrive before dark. There is also an extensive train network.
Taxi
Between the cities you take Grand Taxi – they have no taximeter and you settle the price in advance. Inside the cities you take Petit Taxi which has a taximeter but always check that it is switched on.
Car
In Morocco, you drive on the right side of the road and an international driving license is recommended. However, we do not recommend that you rent a car and drive yourself as the traffic culture here is very different from the Swedish and you have an extremely high number of traffic accidents per day.
FACTS
CAPITAL: DISCOUNT
LANGUAGE: ARABIC AND FRENCH BUT MANY SPEAK AND UNDERSTAND ENGLISH
CLIMATE: WARM AND DRY MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE ALONG THE COASTS. SNOW-CAPPED MOUNTAIN PEAKS AND THE HOT DESERT CONTRIBUTE TO THE VERY VARIED CLIMATE.
CURRENCY: MOROCCAN DIRHAM
RELIGION: ISLAM
INFORMATION MOROCCO
Mythical Morocco
The Atlantic in the west and the Sahara in the east – Morocco is part of Europe, part of Africa and part of the Mystery of the Orient. A mountainous country with desert, green valleys, high mountain passes and elongated sandy beaches. A part of North Africa with extremely varied nature and interesting culture. Along the coast there are well-visited seaside resorts with long beaches. You can hike in the Atlas Mountains and dip your feet in the streams in the Ourika Valley together with locals and fellow travelers.
The Sahara desert attracts visitors to Erg Chebbi or more inaccessible Erg Chigaga – here are experiences for all travelers. But Morocco is perhaps best known for its medieval cities such as Fez and Marrakech, where the crowds of the souks take turns and the prayer callers of the mosques struggle to make themselves heard.
Most magical of all is when dusk falls over Djema el-Fna – the square in Marrakech with the thousands of storytellers, snake charmers and acrobats. The square itself is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site – not the square itself but the people, the atmosphere and the phenomenon – an intangible world heritage of the highest class!