Practical information

Morocco is located in Northwest Africa, less than a 4-hour flight from the Netherlands, and is bordered in the north by the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea. In the west, the country borders the Atlantic Ocean, in the south Mauritania and the eastern border is formed by Algeria. Morocco has 3500 kilometers of coastline. The total surface area is more than 710,850 km². The Imperial Cities are Rabat, Marrakech, Fes and Meknes. It has a number of impressive mountain ranges where beautiful walks can be made. In the Middle Atlas you can walk excellently in spring, summer and autumn. It gets there at most 30º; in winter you can go there for winter sports activities. Then there is also more precipitation on the slopes on the west side. An ideal holiday country where you can make beautiful trips in the mountains, relax or do water sports on the Atlantic coast, wander through the old streets of the royal cities, make 4 x 4 trips through the desert and over mountain passes, visit kasbahs, stargaze on a sand dune and walk through numerous Berber villages.

Flight tickets
At travel agency Marrakech you arrange your own flight tickets for your trip. When determining the dates of the trip, flight dates of various airlines have been taken into account.

Transport
During this trip we will use a comfortable minibus or 4×4 jeeps with air conditioning. Because we have our own transport, it is possible to stop along the way where we want, for example for a photo, a drink, to stretch your legs, etc. The roads in Morocco are generally good.

Hiking tours
To enjoy our hiking tours you must be in good health. The level of a hiking tour or trek is determined by the walking distance, the height and the difficulty of the descents and ascents, the structure of the paths, the presence or absence of climbing techniques and the weather conditions. Our hiking tours in the mountains of Morocco are guided by experienced Dutch, French or English speaking tour guides or mountain guides. The luggage is transported on mules and you bring a day backpack yourself. You walk an average of 6 hours per day.

Accommodation
We choose the kasbahs and riads, this is a typical Moroccan house or a former palace in which rich merchants used to live, based on location, service orientation and the price-quality ratio. When you request a quote or want to book a trip, we will discuss what suits you best. The nights in the mountains and the desert, a bivouac site is set up for you or you will spend the night in a gite stage (guesthouse) or tent camp. It is possible to request a single room, but because most accommodations are small-scale, the number of available single rooms is limited. If you would like a single room, please indicate this on the booking form, then we will see if it is possible.

Travel documents
For Morocco you need a passport that is valid for six months after departure from Morocco. Travelers with a Dutch or Belgian passport do not need a visa if you are staying for less than 90 days. Participants who do not have Dutch or Belgian nationality must contact the relevant embassy(s) themselves and arrange any visas they may have. An identity card is not sufficient to enter the country.

Currency
In Morocco you pay with the Moroccan dirham. 1 € is approximately 11 dirham. For the current exchange rate, see www.wisselkoers.nl/marokkaanse_dirham .

Cash or ATM
In Morocco you can withdraw money in many places with your debit card with the Maestro or Cirrus logo (but don’t forget to set your debit card to ‘world’ before leaving!). It is a good idea to also take a small amount of cash in euros with you, for emergencies or when an ATM is not working.

Pocket money
As a guideline amount for expenses that are not included in the travel sum, an indication of €200,- per person per week is used. This amount is only a guideline for expenses such as meals, optional excursions, entrance fees, tips etc. The amount you ultimately spend depends of course largely on your own spending pattern. Souvenirs are not included

Meals
Breakfast is included in the price of the trip. Other meals are not. You can eat well, varied and inexpensively in Morocco. A meal costs between €5 and €15 on average. Dishes that you can eat frequently are tajine and couscous. Tajine is a stew that you can get in different varieties, for example with meat, chicken, fish or a vegetarian version. Couscous is mainly eaten in Morocco on Friday, the day of prayer. In addition, there are all kinds of other dishes available such as salads, soups, skewers, etc. In larger cities you can also find restaurants that prepare international dishes. Vegetarian food is no problem in Morocco.

Vaccinations and medicines
We recommend that you bring a modest travel pharmacy. This includes painkillers, disinfectants, sunscreen, (blister) plasters, remedies for fever, diarrhea, constipation, insect bites and travel sickness. In addition, tick tweezers and ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts, to prevent dehydration) are recommended. Our tour guides also carry a limited first aid kit.

If you use special medicines (e.g. medicines that fall under the Opium Act and/or large quantities), take enough with you and ask your chemist to draw up a KNMP travel document for you. Keep this document in your hand luggage.

Information regarding vaccinations should always be checked by the traveller with the relevant authorities and institutions.

Climate
The climate of Morocco varies depending on the landscape. The mountainous region has cold winters and moderately warm, in the south hot summers. A lot of precipitation falls mainly in the winter (800-1000 mm.) on the western slopes of the Middle and High Atlas. On the eastern plateau of Morocco, on the lee side of the mountains, there is little precipitation (200 mm). In the northern coastal plains of Morocco, a climate prevails that is typical of the Mediterranean region, towards the interior the influence of the continent increases. Each period has its advantages. A trip to Morocco is therefore possible all year round, but take into account the temperature fluctuations.

Time difference
In Morocco it is one hour earlier than in the Netherlands and Belgium all year round.

Population
The Moroccan population consists mainly of Berbers and Arabs or a mix of both. The Berbers are the original inhabitants of Morocco. People mainly speak Derija (Arabic dialect), Berber and French. English is spoken sparingly, especially in the tourist areas.

Safety
It can be said that Morocco is a safe country to travel through. Due to the very strict legal system and strong social control, minor violent crimes are much less likely to occur than in a large city in the Netherlands or Belgium. You will feel safe.

Traveling as a woman in Morocco
In principle, you can travel as a woman in Morocco, even alone. A self-confident appearance helps with that. There will often be men who want to have a chat with you. But undesirable behavior is unacceptable and you should clearly show that.

Haggling
When it comes to souvenirs, there are many beautiful things for sale in Morocco and it is customary to haggle. Often, people initially ask very high prices. Determine beforehand what the maximum is that you want to settle for and start low, so that you have sufficient room to negotiate. If you cannot reach an agreement on the price, the purchase will not go through.

Alcohol
Alcohol is forbidden in Islam, but in Morocco it is available in limited quantities, especially in the cities. With some exceptions, drink alcohol indoors and not on a terrace.

Photography
Morocco is a very photogenic country. If you want to photograph people, always ask for permission first. Sometimes people do not want to be photographed or ask for money. It is forbidden to photograph police officers, palace guards, military objects, etc.

All above information is subject to change.