In this article you can find all the information for a DIY Morocco – Travel Tips
A trip to Morocco can be easily arranged by relying on travel agencies, but it is very expensive and you will be forced to follow the hectic pace dictated by adherence to the itinerary.
It is much better to organize a do-it-yourself trip, you will save some money but most importantly you will be free to build your own tailor-made itinerary and be the master of your time. Our trip lasted about two weeks, we left from Agadir and following a loop itinerary we visited Marrakech, Ait-Ben Haddou, the Sahara desert and surfed the ocean waves. We drove through indescribable vistas with fantastic colors and above all we discovered a kind, helpful, courteous people…
If you are coming from Italy, you must have a passport to enter Morocco. On leaving the country, your passport must have a remaining validity of at least 6 months. Entry without a tourist visa is allowed up to a maximum of 3 months.
I always recommend checking in advance on the Farnesina website.
No health prophylaxis is required.
DIY Morocco - Travel Tips - Currency
The local currency is the Moroccan DIRHAM, 1 euro = about 11.15 dirhams.
Almost everywhere you will find ATMs and exchange agencies.
In Marrakech I recommend changing at the Ali hotel. a short walk from Jema el Fna Square, as it does not charge exchange fees.
Caution: not all hotels accept payment by credit card; inquire before departure.
Morocco is described as a “cold country with a hot sun”: depending on the season, there can be considerable temperature fluctuations even during the same day.
In summer, on the Atlantic coast, the sky is often overcast but out of season it is quite cold.
Summer is the ideal time to explore the Upper and Middle Atlas, but not to visit cities where the heat can be unbearable. If you travel in summer, get up early and return to your hotel for a break during the hottest hours.
In the south and in the desert it is best to travel in winter, from October to May; in summer, temperatures exceed 45 degrees.
In summer, though, tourists are few and experiencing the desert completely on your own is something priceless. I recommend renting a comfortable car with working air conditioning and staying in riads with swimming pools so you can spend the hottest hours of the day there.
Except in some areas, the power is supplied at 220 volts with round bipolar sockets so you do not need an adaptor.
If you will be spending many hours in the car, I recommend bringing a car charger, it will be useful for charging your phone but also your camera, go pro, ……
Local SIM cards are compatible with European cell phones, they are inexpensive, and you can buy them either at the airport or in many stores in large cities. There are several operators; ask for the one with the most coverage for the area you plan to explore
Almost all hotels offer free wifi.
Remember that you are in a Muslim country and show respect by avoiding too short shorts or provocative necklines. A T-shirt and a pair of shorts or a skirt is sufficient.
At the beach avoid topples
In both cities and towns we always found very nice accommodations. Even those that looked dilapidated from the outside were beautiful inside. Almost all with swimming pools and great breakfasts.
These were the ones we used:
Ouarzazate: Ecolodge l’ile de Ouarzazate
Gole di Todra: Auberge Le Festival Todra Gorge
Erg Chegaga (Sahara Desert): Chegaga Berber Camp
Tissint: Kasbah Tissint
Gas stations can be found everywhere, even in the most isolated villages so you will have no problem filling up. The price of gasoline is almost as high as in Italy.
