FAQ

Is it safe to travel in Morocco for solo female, LGBTQI+, minority and faith-based travelers? The answer is yes! Morocco's economy is very dependent upon tourism and continues to be a favorite holiday destination for Europeans (3rd for the French), and over 84,000 foreigners are registered (2014) homeowners in Marrakesh. Regulations governing Morocco Tourism ensures that visitors experience of Morocco is as carefree as possible. Guides must be registered and professionally trained. Tourist Police work in every major city. Compared to Europe, crime is commonly petty theft. It isn't wise for anyone to wander about at night unless you are with a group, especially in the city. What's acceptable at home may not fly in another country. These practical tips can help solo female, LGBTQI+, minority and faith-based travelers have a safe and enjoyable journey while navigating unfamiliar customs and laws abroad. The political situation is stable and progress moving toward democratic reforms have been in process. Strong diplomatic trade associations with Europe, especially France - and increasingly the USA and Japan means change and growth is the future for Morocco. Extremist attacks are rare and severely punished. Moroccans practice a moderate and tolerant form of Islam. Fortunately Morocco has not experienced the political upheaval that other countries have endured in the quest for a stable democratic government. READ MORE about what Morocco has done to stop terrorism. To view up to date health risks for Morocco please visit the IAMAT online guide to world travel.

After two years of restricted travel within her borders due to the Covid pandemic, Morocco has opened her doors to visitors once again with up to date precautions in place. The safety of travelers continues to be our top priority. Drivers and guides must be fully vaccinated and wear a mask, respect the rules of social distancing and disinfect hands after each contact. They are tested for Covid on a regular basis following the guidelines for working with the public, enforced by Morocco's governing body for Tourism. Our vehicles are cleaned daily with disinfectant to protect you in the best way possible and have hand disinfectant for both driver and passengers. We're continuing to work with our partner hotels and meal providers who are aware of the precautions they must take to protect anyone from infection. We're fully committed to provide the best experience possible for our Morocco explorers. Please contact us if you have any questions.

What's acceptable at home may not fly in another country. These additional practical tips can help female travelers navigate Morocco. Foreign women visit Morocco with reasonable safety but will attract attention, most often to buy something or be offered a "service" (especially in the cities, take that offer as you may!). Muslim men should not touch a woman he doesn't know. If a foreign women wants respect she should not tolerate his long handshake or his lingering hand on her arm or anywhere else. Dressing conservatively creates respect. Foreigners are treated with the duality of wonderful hospitality or as a chance for financial gain, or both at the same time. Traditions are strong and old ways are still practiced. A good attitude and a sense of sharing and humor go a long way to breaking down preconceptions of foreign women.

Moroccan cuisine is delicious and fresh. If you are an inexperienced traveler, chances are you will suffer stomach upset until your system adjusts. Water is fine for washing and brushing teeth but we do not recommend that you drink a lot of tap water, and never water from a well. Safe bottled water can be purchased everywhere. Some brands taste better than others. Alcohol can be purchased at supermarkets and hotels but is not commonly sold in restaurants and if it is, may be unavailable during Ramadan. Vegetarian requests are understood and accommodated in most tourist visited areas. Vegan is not.

Visa requirements are dependent upon which country your passport is from. Passport holders from countries not listed below need to obtain a visa prior to entering Morocco from your country. For applications contact your nearest Moroccan Consulate or Embassy as soon as possible. Visas often take several weeks or longer to be issued. These countries DO NOT require pre-authorized visas. A 3 month visitor visa will be issued at your port of arrival. All European Union citizens Algeria Andorra Argentina Australia Bahrain Brazil Burkina Faso Canada Chile China Colombia Côte d'Ivoire Dominican Republic (60 days) Gabon Hong Kong (30 days) Iceland Indonesia Japan Kuwait Liechtenstein Macau Malaysia Maldives (30 days) Mexico Monaco New Zealand Niger Norway Oman Peru Philippines Qatar Russia San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Singapore South Korea Switzerland Togo Tunisia Turkey United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States

Proof of immunization for Covid and related diseases is currently not mandatory for entering Morocco but we highly recommend that you take appropriate precautions before traveling anywhere. Why take the risk of ruining your travel experience with an illness that may take weeks or longer to recover? Professional medical advice for updating travel immunization should be obtained at your local travel clinic or family doctor before entering Morocco. Some shots take several weeks or much longer to be effective. Do not delay. To view up to date health risks for Morocco please visit the IAMAT online guide to world travel.

Passports must be valid for a minimum of 6 months on the day of your entry into Morocco. Morocco Explored will ask for your passport and flight information so we can find you in the event that we've discovered your camera in the car, or Prada sun glasses under a camel in the dunes.

Morocco is still developing, things change, roads are slow, activities stop running or change format, and weather can send the best laid plans out the door. Morocco might be a totally different country from any you have experienced before, and will have different ways of addressing and solving problems. Things may take much longer than you are used to, but they do get done eventually. Patience and slowing down your expectations can go a long way. Morocco Explored associates and employees do their best to provide what is planned and offer alternatives if needed. It's best to be prepared, and consider the nature of the journey that you will be embarking upon. We emphasize that if you ever need anything at any time, please never hesitate to ask Morocco Explored for help.

Visit Sahara Desert Treks to read more about: Is it safe in the Sahara desert? What about scorpions and snakes? Who can ride a camel? Where is Morocco Explored desert camel trek camp? Will it be hot? What to wear on camel trek? Can I drive into the desert camp or stay in a hotel? What to bring on a camel trek.

Tipping is common - even Moroccans do it... but it's also up to you. For a professional guide: 500 Moroccan dirhams or US$50. or more per each hour they work with your group. For your driver-guide at the end of the tour: Totally up to you, but we recommend showing your appreciation with generosity. If someone shows you back to your hotel they'll probably expect a tip. You can offer them 50 dirhams. Restaurants: 10-15% tips are the standard but always up to you. Keeping spare coins handy is a good idea to avoid digging through your wallet or purse in public. Tipping structures are very complicated, and with each confirmed booking we'll send an Information Guide that outlines tipping in more detail.

Its never a good idea to give gifts to children. Around the world foreigners with good intentions have encouraged children to freely approach them for gifts or candy, but we're pretty sure you wouldn't want your own kids to do the same! Pedophilia is on the rise around the world. Many missing children out there have grieving families searching for them. Accidents have occurred from children running onto the road after vehicles chasing gifts of candy (bon bons). Please!! never give children anything no matter how needy they appear. If you feel the need, please consider donating books, and school supplies to a rural school, or a local organization of your choice. Your driver-guide can help you with this. There are many effective Moroccan organizations that help needy families and children. Never give anything directly to children.

Global Giving has a long list of Moroccan Non Government Organizations and non-profits seeking help and funding.

We've had feedback from explorers who prefer to travel independently, that hiring a driver guide for their visit to Morocco was the best decision they made. Why? Removing the responsibility of hiring your own car and having to navigate the routes allows travelers to relax and enjoy amazing sites along the road, stop to take pictures from the best advantages, listen to music never heard before, ask questions about what to see, and where you are going, and fearlessly take the road less traveled. As well your driver-guide will create opportunities to meet Moroccans who are not working in tourism, arrange to visit a family for tea, or a meal, and bridge the language barrier so you can learn on a personal level and enjoy a deeper experience of this amazing country and her people.

We recommend hiring a local guide for a few hours to allow yourself to become comfortable with the culture and get to know a real Moroccan. You will learn and experience much more with a guide who will have insights and perspectives that you cannot find in a book. A guide will also open hidden doors that many passers by would not think to open, and make the best use of your time. We've also had many of our travelers make lifelong friends with their guide.

All Moroccan guides must complete a registered Government training course and carry a certification badge that qualifies them as a professional. Drivers must also be licensed to drive commercial passenger vehicles and are tested annually.

When you book a tour with Morocco Explored your driver will act as your guide and he will inform your journey on the road. We will also hire city guides separately for walking tours in Marrakesh and Fez. As well there may be locations and optional activities added your tour that require hiring a local guide to show you around an historic site, or take you on a day hike for example. In these places your driver-guide is not allowed to act as your guide. This is so more employment opportunities are created for locals.

Our Moroccan guides know English, and also speak Arabic and French, and likely Berber, Spanish, Chinese, German, Japanese, Italian and Dutch.

As of 2020 before Covid we have won 7 TripAdvisor “Awards of Excellence” and two “Travelers Choice Awards”. This puts Morocco Explored tours in the top 10% of travel service providers registered with TripAdvisor world wide and it is only awarded to those who consistently achieve 5 star reviews year over year as we have for 10 years since 2013. All our Trip Advisor reviews are genuine. Every single trip posting can be contacted through the link below their individual review where you can ask about their experiences traveling with Morocco Explored. We have many fans… so be prepared for a long conversation!

All our tours are private, reasonably priced, and can start any day of the year for any number of days. EMAIL • what you would like to do in Morocco, • how many days you want to tour at what time of year, • how many explorers will be in your group. At no extra cost we'll send a sample tour outline, with ideas that match your travel requests, and when you have decided that you like the tour, we will confirm the price in US dollars.

Morocco can be a delightfully rewarding and challenging experience. African culture has much to teach the modern world, offering a combination of enjoyment and understanding, with learning new and ancient ways of living. Moroccans work very hard to make visitors feel welcome, but patience and understanding is needed as well. Developing countries struggle to maintain modern amenities and they can be non existent in places outside the city. Sometimes visitor's expectations are not understood by a culture that has little or no direct experience of them. Instead you might receive an interpretation with interesting consequences. Life moves a lot slower than what westerners are used to, and this must be taken into consideration. Things do get done eventually. It's best to approach Morocco with an appreciation of differences, sounds, smells, language, expression, light, relaxing, enjoying and accepting. Laughter and smiles speak the same language everywhere.

Prices vary from tour to tour because all our tours are different depending upon what you decide for your tour, and is based upon how many people are traveling and for how long. Our prices might be a bit higher than other companies because we respect our staff by training, paying them well and providing pensions and health benefits. Plus with your own private driver and guide on an unique tour, you will experience much more of Morocco than a tour company that offers the exact same tour, year over year, to everyone who buys it. Our hotels are carefully chosen according to location and good food, as well as interesting decor and quality accommodations. We use off road capable vehicles suited for travel on Morocco's roads, and all are late models vehicles. On cheaper tours you might find your driver sleeping in his vehicle to save money. Our drivers are provided with a room and shower and meals every day while on tour with you. We also pay all our bills and taxes on time, and consequently you'll be treated with respect and have great service from our associate providers and their employees as well!

We require a deposit to start the reservation process. Click on the Payment page link to find out more. You'll need to confirm your itinerary with us before paying for your tour.

You can buy Moroccan dirhams at foreign money exchanges and banks outside Morocco. It may take your bank some time to order the bills, so don't delay until the last minute. You should sell any unspent dirhams (paper bills only, no coins) back to the bank when you return home, (will be a lower rate than you bought them). Cash in Euros, US dollars and GBP sterling are accepted at every money exchange. Change tellers are also located in some hotels. Australian $ are not accepted in Morocco at this time. Canadian dollars are accepted at a few banks in Morocco. You can also use your debit card at bank machines but be aware that they often run out of funds early in the day. There will likely be a charge for overseas transactions from your bank. You must have a 4 digit PIN number. Visa and often other credit cards are accepted in the bigger shops and higher end restaurants. Be aware that some merchants might not charge your card in your cards home currency, resulting in higher exchange costs that only appear on your monthly statement. Make sure the total on your credit card receipt is in the proper currency!

Our Explorers have come from: Afghanistan Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Canary Islands, Caymen Islands, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Ethiopia, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Palestine, Peru, Philipines, Portugal, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Sao Tome Principe, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay, USA, US Virgin Islands, Vietnam, Wales, Zimbabwe.

You can wear familiar and comfortable clothes on the street as you do at home. You're not expected to look like a Moroccan. Long shorts and shirts are fine for men. For women it's a good idea to bring a scarf to cover shoulders and arms. Shorts are not acceptable for women unless knee length. If you choose to dress with skin showing, rural Moroccans may react with a muffled laugh or cover their eyes. In their view you're walking around in your underwear. City dwellers often dress as we do.

We use 3 or 4 star level riads, small traditional hotels, and old kasbahs. Hotels include breakfast and many include dinner depending upon location. In Marrakech, Essaouira and Fez we use hotels renovated from beautiful old Merchant houses - riads in the old medina. In Casablanca we use a modern hotel downtown.

We use 4x4 vehicles like Toyota Land Cruisers, Mitsubishi, Nissan for our private tours. Our vehicles have lots of room and they seat 4 and 5 average sized people quite comfortably. All are within 5 years old and are routinely required to licensing and service checks through the Transport Touristic authority in Morocco. We use Renault or Mercedes minibuses for group tours. Vehicles and drivers are assigned to tours on the basis of who is available when and where. Our drivers originate from Marrakech and if you're staying in any other location for an overnight, the car and driver must also stay as well. It will take one whole day for the car and driver to reach places like Tangier or Fez or Casablanca from Marrakech, so this cost must be included in a tour price.

We suggest organizing your travel dates outside of Ramadan. Many businesses, museums, and markets are closed and the amazing energy and color that normally pervades Morocco is subdued. However Morocco Explored tours are available year round.