Morocco travel guide: when to go, where to go and how to plan it together

Morocco is a country of sharp contrasts, a short flight from Europe and a long way from anything familiar. In ten days you can get lost in a walled medina where donkeys carry the deliveries, cross the High Atlas on a road of hairpin bends, ride a camel into the dunes of the Sahara, and eat grilled fish on the Atlantic. Colour is everywhere: terracotta walls, indigo doors, spice pyramids, tiles and rugs.

Travelling here takes a little more preparation than some countries, and a lot of it is in how you stay, how you move and how you shop. This guide covers when to go, where to go, a route, and what to settle before you book, especially if you are travelling with friends.

Capital

Rabat

Currency

Moroccan dirham (MAD, DH)

Languages

Arabic and Amazigh (Berber); French is widely spoken

Plugs

Type C and E, 220 V

Driving

On the right

Time zone

UTC+1; clocks go back an hour during Ramadan

Best time to go

March to May and September to November

Daily budget

About US$80–160 a person a day, mid-range, 2026

When to go

Spring (March to May) is the best season. Days are warm, the countryside is green, the Atlas valleys have blossom and the desert is hot but bearable. April and May are the most popular months, so book riads and desert camps ahead.

Autumn (September to November) is nearly as good. Temperatures fall from the summer heat, light is soft, and prices ease. The Sahara is comfortable by October, and the sea is still warm on the coast.

Summer (June to August) is very hot inland. Marrakech and the desert often pass 40 °C, so sightseeing is only comfortable early and late in the day. The Atlantic coast, such as Essaouira, and the mountains are cooler, and the north can be pleasant. It is the best time for beaches, and the worst for the desert.

Winter (December to February) is mild and sunny by day in the south, and cold at night. Desert nights can be very cold, and the Atlas mountains get snow, with a small ski resort at Oukaïmeden. The north and the coast are wetter. It is a good time for cities, with fewer visitors outside the Christmas and New Year weeks.

Ramadan moves about eleven days earlier each year, and in Morocco the clocks go back an hour for the month. During the day, many local cafés and restaurants close, though tourist places stay open, and the evening meal, the iftar, is an occasion. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha bring holidays and busy roads.

Where to go

Marrakech

The red city is Morocco's best-known destination. The medina is a maze of souks selling leather, lamps, spices and rugs, centred on Jemaa el-Fnaa, a huge square that turns into an open-air restaurant and show at dusk. Beyond the walls are gardens, palaces and the calmer, newer districts. Stay in a riad, a traditional house around a courtyard. Give it three days. For a day-by-day plan, see the 3-day Marrakech itinerary.

The High Atlas

The mountains south of Marrakech are an hour or so away, with Berber villages, terraced valleys and walking trails. Imlil is the starting point for Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa, and a day's walk in the valley is possible without climbing. The pass road over the Tizi n'Tichka leads to the south.

Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate

A fortified earthen village, or ksar, beside a river on the old caravan route, and a backdrop for many films. Ouarzazate, nearby, has film studios and a kasbah. They are a stop on the way to the desert, and best seen in the late afternoon.

The Sahara: Merzouga and Zagora

Most visitors go to Erg Chebbi, near Merzouga, the large dunes in the east. Zagora and Erg Chigaga are further west and more remote. The usual experience is a camel ride at sunset, a night in a desert camp, and a sunrise over the dunes. Getting there takes a long journey, usually a tour of three days from Marrakech or Fez, so plan for it.

Fez

The oldest of the imperial cities, and one of the best-preserved medieval cities in the Arab world. Fes el-Bali is a car-free maze of thousands of lanes, with madrasas, mosques, the Al-Qarawiyyin university, founded in the 9th century, and the tanneries, where leather is still dyed in stone vats. Hire an official guide for the first day. Two days.

Chefchaouen

A mountain town in the Rif whose old streets are painted shades of blue. It is slow, quiet and good for walking, photographing and eating. Come early or stay a night, when day-trippers have left. One night.

Essaouira

A fortified port on the Atlantic coast with white and blue houses, a fish market, a sea wall and steady winds that attract kitesurfers. It is relaxed, with a smaller medina than the big cities. Two nights, or a day trip from Marrakech.

Rabat and Casablanca

Rabat, the capital, is calm and green, with the Kasbah of the Udayas and the Hassan Tower. Casablanca is the economic centre, with the Hassan II Mosque on the ocean, one of the largest mosques in the world and open to visitors on guided tours. Most people only pass through, but both reward a half day.

Tangier and the north

The port city on the Strait of Gibraltar has a mixed history, a medina and a coast with beaches. It is the usual arrival point from Spain by ferry, and the high-speed train south begins here.

A 10-day itinerary

Days 1–3: Marrakech. Arrive, settle into a riad, and spend three days in the medina, the gardens and the souks. Keep the second afternoon free for a hammam, the traditional bathhouse.

Days 4–6: Desert tour to Fez. A three-day trip by minibus or private driver across the High Atlas to Aït Benhaddou, the Dadès or Todra gorges and the dunes at Merzouga. Each day has several hours on the road, with stops. Sleep in a desert camp, ride at sunrise, and head north to Fez on the third day, a long journey of about eight hours. Many people book this as a package.

Days 7–8: Fez. Spend two days in the medina with a guide on the first, and time to wander on the second.

Days 9–10: Chefchaouen and Tangier. About four hours by road from Fez to Chefchaouen. Spend the afternoon and a night in the blue town, then travel about two and a half hours by road to Tangier. Fly home from Tangier, or take the train south to Casablanca.

With more time, replace the long drive to Fez with flights, and add two nights in Essaouira. For a trip with Spain, see our Spain travel guide; the ferry from Tarifa to Tangier is a short crossing.

Getting around

Trains are comfortable and reliable on the northern coastal line. A high-speed service links Tangier, Rabat and Casablanca in about two hours from Tangier to Casablanca, and ordinary trains connect Casablanca to Marrakech, Fez and Meknes. Book first class on long trips.

Buses are the other option, with comfortable coach companies reaching many towns, including Essaouira and Chefchaouen. Book a day ahead in busy periods.

Taxis come in two kinds. Petit taxis are small, metered cars for trips within a city. Grand taxis are shared, usually old Mercedes, on fixed routes between towns, with a set fare per seat, or you can hire the whole car. Agree the price before you get in, or ask your hotel for the typical fare.

A car or a driver is the best way to see the south. Roads in the mountains are winding, and driving takes concentration. A private driver for a few days is common and reasonable for a group, and can be arranged by your riad or a licensed agency. If you rent a car, our guide to renting a car abroad lists what to check at pick-up.

In the medinas, cars cannot enter the old streets, so you walk, or hire a porter with a cart for your bags. Ask your riad to send someone to meet you at the nearest gate. Navigation apps can be confusing in the lanes, so download offline maps.

Flights connect Marrakech, Fez, Casablanca, Tangier and Agadir, and are useful when time is short.

Money and costs

Cash matters in Morocco. Cards are accepted in larger hotels, restaurants and shops, but riads, souks, small cafés, taxis and tours often want cash. Withdraw dirhams from bank ATMs in towns, and keep small notes and coins for tips. Our guide to how to pay abroad covers cash and cards.

Tipping is part of life, and a small amount is expected for guides, drivers, porters, hotel staff and in restaurants, where about 10% is usual. Carry small change.

Bargaining is normal in the souks. Start well below the first price, stay friendly, and be ready to walk away. Fixed-price shops and restaurants don't bargain. Unofficial guides in the medinas may offer help and then ask for payment; a firm and polite "no, thank you" is enough, and official guides can be booked through your riad.

Food is very good value: a tagine, couscous, grilled meat, fresh orange juice and mint tea cost little. Riads, desert camps with comfortable tents, and guided tours are the biggest costs. Alcohol is served in licensed hotels and restaurants, and costs more.

Rough daily costs a person, in 2026:

• Budget: about US$40–70, with hostels or simple riads, local food and buses.
• Mid-range: about US$80–160, with comfortable riads, restaurant meals, a driver for part of the trip and a few tours.
• Comfortable: US$220 and up, with boutique riads, a private driver and a luxury desert camp.

Planning Morocco as a group

Morocco rewards groups, since riads and drivers are built for several people.

Riads. A whole riad with a courtyard, a terrace and a few bedrooms is often a good fit for six to ten people, and the staff cook, carry bags and arrange transport. Book as a group, and ask how bags reach the door. Rooms in a riad are often small, so check the bed arrangements.

Transport. A minibus with a driver for the desert tour is often cheaper per person than separate cars, and removes the worry of navigation. Agree the route, the stops and the overnight camps in writing.

The desert. Camps differ from basic to comfortable. Ask what is included, how many people share a tent, and whether the camel ride and dinner are part of the price. Book early for April and October.

Food. Large meals are often arranged by the riad: a cooking class or a rooftop dinner for the group is easy to organise. Our guide to booking restaurants for a big group has tips that carry over.

Before you go

• Entry rules: check the official government site of Morocco and your own government's travel advice before you book, as requirements depend on your passport.
• Travel insurance that covers medical costs, and activities such as trekking and camel rides.
• Connectivity: an eSIM or local SIM works in towns; coverage is patchy in the mountains and desert.
• A plug adapter for Type C or E if you are coming from outside continental Europe. Most chargers handle 220 V.
• Health: no special vaccines are usually needed; ask a travel clinic. Take care with ice and tap water, drink bottled water, and carry stomach medicine. Sunscreen and a hat for the desert.
• Customs: dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, and more so in rural areas. Ask before photographing people, especially in the souks. Use your right hand for eating and passing things. Non-Muslim visitors can enter few mosques, but many madrasas and the Hassan II Mosque are open. Eating in public during Ramadan daytime is discouraged out of respect.

What to pack

Pack light, loose and layered. Long, breathable trousers and tops with sleeves work in the medinas and cover you in the sun. A scarf is useful for sun, dust and sandstorms, and for visiting religious places.

Shoes need to cope with uneven stone lanes and sand: comfortable closed shoes for the cities, and sandals for the riad. For the desert, add a warm layer and a head torch, since nights are cold even in spring. In summer, a hat and sunscreen. In winter, a warm jacket and a waterproof. A small bag for cash and change, a refillable water bottle and a soft bag instead of a hard suitcase make the medinas easier.