Morocco Travel Guide

Everything we wish every traveller knew before arriving — written by guides who were born and live here. Start with the essentials below, then explore the blog for more.

How to plan a Morocco trip, in four steps

Most people plan a Morocco trip in the same order, and the guides above follow it. If you are not sure where to start, work through these four stages — each one links to the guide that answers it properly.

1. Decide whether Morocco suits your trip

Morocco packs a great deal into short distances: imperial cities, high mountains, Atlantic coast and Sahara dunes. It is also a country where the driving times are longer than the map suggests. Start with how many days you need in Morocco, which sets out realistic routes from three to fifteen days, and whether Morocco is safe for tourists, which answers the question most first-timers actually have. Travelling alone? Solo female travel in Morocco is a frank account rather than a reassurance.

2. Choose when to go

Timing matters more here than in most destinations, because the same week can be pleasant on the coast and unbearable in the desert. Marrakech regularly passes 40°C in July and August while Essaouira stays near 22°C, and the Sahara is at its best from October to April. The best time to visit Morocco breaks this down month by month for the desert, the cities and the coast.

3. Build the route

Two decisions shape almost every Morocco itinerary: which city you base yourself in, and which part of the desert you visit. Marrakech vs Fes compares them honestly — Marrakech is livelier and the practical base for desert tours, Fes has the older and less touristed medina. For the Sahara, Merzouga vs Zagora matters more than most travellers realise: Merzouga has the genuine high dunes, Zagora is closer but largely stone desert. Then decide the length with 3 vs 4 days in the desert, and read our full Sahara guide for how the trip actually unfolds.

If you are weighing individual stops, we answer the obvious questions directly: is Marrakech worth visiting, is Fes worth visiting, is Chefchaouen worth visiting and is Aït Ben Haddou worth visiting.

4. Sort the practicalities

Once the route is set, the rest is logistics. Morocco travel costs covers what to budget for tours, riads, food and tipping. Getting around Morocco explains where trains work well, where they do not, and when a private driver makes more sense. What to pack for Morocco is organised by season — the desert is genuinely cold at night, even in spring. And if the Sahara is the reason you are coming, what a first night in the desert is really like and camel trekking in Morocco set expectations before you book.

Frequently asked questions