Travel guides
Plan a better Morocco trip.
Honest, practical guides from a Rabat atelier — the questions every traveller asks, answered with real numbers and local knowledge.
57 guides available
Itineraries
Itineraries guides
Day-by-day routes our concierge builds, from first-timers to slow travellers.
ItinerariesItineraries · One week
Morocco Itinerary: 7 Days
A week is enough to pair Marrakech with the Sahara, or to trace the imperial cities of the north from a Rabat base. Here are two proven 7-day Morocco itineraries — and how to choose between them. Both pair naturally with a night or two in the capital, where the Hassan Tower, the Kasbah of the Udayas and the Chellah make an easy, train-linked start or finish.
ItinerariesItineraries · Ten days
Morocco Itinerary: 10 Days
Ten days is the sweet spot for Morocco — long enough to combine Marrakech, the Sahara and the imperial north in one unhurried loop, with the Atlantic coast and a calm capital stop in Rabat as natural bookends.
ItinerariesItineraries · Two weeks
Morocco Itinerary: 14 Days — The Grand Two-Week Route
Two weeks is enough to cover Morocco's full sweep: the capital Rabat, the imperial cities of the north, the High Atlas, the kasbah road, a night in the Sahara and the wild Atlantic coast — all at a genuinely unhurried pace, and easy to begin with the train from Rabat.
ItinerariesItineraries · Family
Morocco Family Itinerary: 10 Days with Children
A 10-day Morocco family itinerary — Marrakech, the Sahara and the Atlantic coast — designed around children's energy, attention spans and the practical realities of family travel: private riads with pools, manageable drives and the camel ride that every child remembers. It pairs neatly with a soft-landing day or two in Rabat, where the Udayas, the Chellah storks and a beach by the kasbah ease children (and parents) into the trip.
ItinerariesItineraries · Trip length
How Many Days Do You Need in Morocco?
The ideal Morocco trip is 7–14 days. Five days is a workable minimum for Marrakech and the desert; ten days is the sweet spot that covers the imperial cities, the Atlas and the Sahara without rushing. Basing in Rabat and using the fast trains lets you fold the calm capital into even a short trip.
ItinerariesItineraries · Road trip
Morocco Road Trip Guide: Routes, Tips & What to Expect
A Morocco road trip is one of the great drives of the world — the High Atlas passes, the kasbah road, the Drâa Valley palm oases and the Saharan pre-desert unfold in sequence. Here is how to plan it, what the roads are actually like and which routes reward a self-driver.
ItinerariesItineraries · Desert tour
Morocco Desert Tour from Marrakech: The Complete Route Guide
The desert tour from Marrakech — over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, through the kasbahs and gorges, and out to the Sahara at Merzouga — is one of the world's great overland journeys. This guide covers every stage, from day-trip to five-day circuit, with real timings and practical advice.
Planning
Planning guides
When to come, what it costs and how to shape the trip before you fly.
PlanningPlanning · When to go
The Best Time to Visit Morocco
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the best all-round times to visit Morocco — warm days, cool evenings and ideal conditions for the medinas, mountains, coast and desert alike.
PlanningPlanning · Safety
Is Morocco Safe to Visit?
Yes — Morocco is one of the safest and most welcoming countries in North Africa for travellers, with a well-established tourism industry. The main day-to-day issues are petty scams and medina hustle, both easily managed — and notably gentler in a refined administrative capital like Rabat than in the high-pressure tourist medinas.
PlanningPlanning · Visa & entry
Morocco Visa & Entry Requirements
Most travellers — including US, Canadian, UK, EU/Schengen, Australian, New Zealand and Japanese passport holders — enter Morocco visa-free for up to 90 days. You need a passport valid for at least six months beyond arrival. Arriving for a Rabat-based trip, you can clear immigration at Rabat–Salé airport or connect by fast train from Casablanca in under an hour.
PlanningPlanning · Money
Morocco Travel Costs & Budget
Morocco can be done on almost any budget. Mid-range travellers spend roughly US$80–150 per person per day; private, riad-based trips with a driver-guide typically run US$200–400+ per day depending on season and style.
PlanningPlanning · Ramadan
Travelling in Morocco During Ramadan
Ramadan transforms the rhythm of Morocco in ways that can be unexpectedly wonderful — late-night medinas, spectacular breaking-fast meals, a sense of community. In a calm capital like Rabat the shift is gentle and easy to experience respectfully. The key is knowing what changes and planning around it.
PlanningPlanning · Solo & Women
Morocco for Women Travellers
Morocco is visited by vast numbers of women travelling solo and in small groups every year. The country is safe, but street attention is real — knowing what to expect and how to handle it makes the difference between a frustrating and a thoroughly rewarding trip.
PlanningPlanning · Family travel
Morocco with Kids: A Family Travel Guide
Morocco works beautifully with children — riads have private courtyards, camels enchant every age, and Moroccan culture is genuinely warm towards families. Rabat makes a gentle, low-stress base, with the Udayas, the Chellah storks and a beach by the kasbah. Pacing and planning are everything.
PlanningPlanning · Honeymoon
Morocco Honeymoon Guide
Morocco is one of the world's most atmospheric honeymoon destinations: private riad suites, candlelit desert camps, rose-petal hammams and a coastline that ranges from wild Atlantic to sheltered Mediterranean. A trip can open gently in Rabat — sunset over the Bouregreg from the Udayas, the Andalusian Gardens, a quiet capital riad — before the drama of the south. Here is how to plan an unforgettable romantic trip.
PlanningPlanning · Sahara
Sahara Desert Tour Guide: Merzouga, Chigaga & Zagora
Three Saharan gateways compete for Morocco's desert travellers: Erg Chebbi at Merzouga for accessibility and grandeur, Erg Chigaga near M'Hamid for remoteness, and Zagora for a shorter excursion. From a Rabat base, the desert is reached by training down to Marrakech or Fes and continuing overland with a private driver. Here is how to choose, what the camps are like, and when to go.
PlanningPlanning · Trekking
Trekking the Atlas Mountains: Toubkal, Imlil & Beyond
The High Atlas rises to 4,167 metres at Jbel Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak. Whether you want a single-day walk from Imlil, a multi-day village traverse or a summit attempt, the Atlas rewards it — with the right season, guide and preparation. From Rabat the range is an easy train to Marrakech (around 3 hours) and a 90-minute transfer up to Imlil.
PlanningPlanning · Surf
Surfing in Morocco: Taghazout, Agadir & Imsouane
Morocco's Atlantic coast offers consistent surf from September to April, warm winters, cheap living and a relaxed surfing culture centred on Taghazout, with long right-hand points at Imsouane and town beach options in Agadir. The capital has its own scene too — the beach break right below the Kasbah of the Udayas in Rabat is where the city's surfers learn.
PlanningPlanning · Marrakech
Things to Do in Marrakech: The Essential Guide
Marrakech is sensory overload in the best possible way — a medieval medina, world-class gardens, hammam rituals, rooftop dinners and a square that transforms nightly into one of the world's great open-air spectacles. From a Rabat base it is a direct train of around three hours, so the Red City pairs easily with the calmer capital. Here is where to spend your time.
PlanningPlanning · Fes
Things to Do in Fes: The Essential Guide
Fes el-Bali is the world's largest inhabited medieval city — a UNESCO World Heritage medina of 9,400 lanes, 14th-century madrasas, the planet's oldest university and the Chouara tanneries. From Rabat it is a fast, scenic train of about an hour and a half, making it the most natural overnight pairing with the capital. It demands a good guide, unhurried time and genuine curiosity.
PlanningPlanning · Chefchaouen
Things to Do in Chefchaouen: The Essential Guide
Chefchaouen — Morocco's famous blue city tucked into the Rif Mountains — is more than a photography backdrop. Its medina is small, walkable and genuinely beautiful; its mountains reward hikers; its food is distinctively Rifian; and its pace is the slowest in the country. From Rabat it is reached by train to Tangier or Fes and a mountain road transfer, often as part of a northern loop from the capital.
PlanningPlanning · Essaouira
Things to Do in Essaouira: The Essential Guide
Essaouira is Morocco's Atlantic counterpoint to Marrakech — a fortified white-and-blue port city with ramparts, a working fishing harbour, outstanding grilled seafood, world-class windsurfing and a medina that is genuinely liveable and calm. Three hours west of Marrakech (itself a direct train from Rabat) and entirely different in character — and a kindred Atlantic spirit to the capital's own seafront.
PlanningPlanning · Agadir
Things to Do in Agadir: The Essential Guide
Agadir is Morocco's beach resort capital — rebuilt from scratch after a 1960 earthquake and shaped primarily around its 10 km of Atlantic sand, year-round sunshine and package-holiday infrastructure. It is also the gateway to the Souss Valley, the argan forests and the surf coastline of Taghazout. From Rabat it is best reached by a short domestic flight or a longer drive down the Atlantic seaboard.
PlanningPlanning · Rabat
Things to Do in Rabat: The Essential Guide
Rabat, Morocco's understated capital, rewards visitors with UNESCO-listed monuments, a royal kasbah, Roman ruins and a genuine daily-life rhythm entirely free from the tourist pressure of Marrakech or Fes.
PlanningPlanning · Tangier
Things to Do in Tangier: The Essential Guide
Tangier has transformed from the faded, slightly edgy gateway it was for decades into one of Morocco's most interesting cities — its kasbah restored, its seafront rebuilt, and its literary history as a city of expatriate writers and artists consciously reclaimed. From Rabat it is under two hours on the Al Boraq high-speed train, making it the easiest big day-or-overnight trip north from the capital.
PlanningPlanning · Casablanca
Things to Do in Casablanca: The Essential Guide
Casablanca is Morocco's economic capital and largest city — a modern, cosmopolitan metropolis built on Atlantic commerce rather than imperial history. Its centrepiece, the Hassan II Mosque, is among the most extraordinary buildings in the world, and the city's restaurants, Corniche and Art Deco architecture reward those who linger beyond the airport transfer. It is Rabat's closest neighbour — barely 50 minutes by frequent train — so the two cities pair effortlessly.
PlanningPlanning · Ouarzazate
Things to Do in Ouarzazate: The Essential Guide
Ouarzazate — 'the door of the desert' — sits at the junction of the High Atlas and the Saharan south. It is the gateway to Aït Ben Haddou, Africa's most famous film set, and the Drâa Valley; its Atlas Studios produce more major films than almost anywhere outside Hollywood. From Rabat it is reached by training down to Marrakech and crossing the Tizi n'Tichka pass with a private driver.
PlanningPlanning · Meknes
Things to Do in Meknes: The Essential Guide
Meknes — the fourth of Morocco's imperial cities and the least visited — rewards the traveller who lingers: a UNESCO medina, the monumental gates and granaries of Sultan Moulay Ismail's 17th-century capital, and the Roman city of Volubilis 33 km to the north. From Rabat it is around two hours by train, easily combined with Fes and Volubilis on a loop from the capital.
PlanningPlanning · Winter travel
Morocco in Winter: What to Expect & Where to Go
Winter (December–February) is an underrated season for Morocco — the cities and Sahara are at their most comfortable, crowds thin out, and the High Atlas turns dramatically white. Rabat stays mild and bright on the Atlantic, an easy winter base with the Udayas and Chellah blissfully quiet. Knowing where to go, what to expect and what to pack makes a winter trip one of the most rewarding.
PlanningPlanning · Summer travel
Morocco in Summer: Heat, Coast & What Still Works
Summer in Morocco (June–August) means extreme heat inland, but the Atlantic coast, the Rif Mountains and Chefchaouen offer genuine alternatives — and the capital, Rabat, stays pleasantly tempered by the ocean and the Bouregreg. Know where the heat is manageable, where to go instead and how to travel smart in the hottest months.
PlanningPlanning · Solo travel
Morocco Solo Travel: An Honest Guide
Solo travel in Morocco is rewarding, affordable and genuinely feasible — millions of people do it every year. It demands a little more awareness than group travel, but the freedom, the encounters and the depth of experience it offers are not available any other way. Rabat makes a reassuring first base for solo travellers: a relaxed capital with a small, low-hassle medina and easy trains onward.
PlanningPlanning · Marrakech season
Best Time to Visit Marrakech
March to May and September to November are the best months to visit Marrakech — comfortable warmth, long days and pleasant evenings. Summer is hot but workable; winter is mild and crowd-free. From a Rabat base, Marrakech is a direct train of around three hours, so it slots into the cooler coastal capital's calendar easily.
PlanningPlanning · Sahara season
Best Time to Visit the Sahara in Morocco
October to April is the Moroccan Sahara's golden window — comfortable days, cold clear nights and dunes lit by low golden light. July and August are brutal and best avoided. From Rabat, plan the dunes for these cooler months and reach them via the train to Marrakech or Fes plus an overland transfer.
PlanningPlanning · Beaches
Best Beaches in Morocco
Morocco has over 3,000 km of Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline — from the windswept ramparts of Essaouira to the calm family beaches of Agadir, the surf breaks of Taghazout and the sheltered coves of the north. The capital has its own city beaches at the Bouregreg mouth, with surf breaking right below the Kasbah of the Udayas. Here is where to go, and when.
PlanningPlanning · Accommodation
Where to Stay in Morocco: Riads, Hotels & Desert Camps
Morocco offers one of the world's great accommodation experiences — from intimate medina riads with plunge pools and private chefs to luxury Sahara tented camps and Atlantic coast boutique hotels. Rabat's own medina and Kasbah of the Udayas hold characterful riads with Bouregreg views, a calm base from which to range out by train. Knowing which type suits your trip, and what to look for in each, makes a significant difference.
PlanningPlanning · Baby & toddler travel
Morocco with a Baby or Toddler: A Practical Guide
Travelling to Morocco with a baby or toddler is entirely possible and often surprisingly smooth — Moroccan culture is genuinely warm towards small children, riads can be made to work, and the practical logistics are manageable with the right preparation. A calm, walkable capital like Rabat, with sea air and an easy medina, makes a gentle first base for the very young.
PlanningPlanning · When to go
Best Time to Visit Fes: Weather, Crowds & What to Expect
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the best times to visit Fes — mild weather, manageable crowds and ideal conditions for walking the labyrinthine medina. This guide breaks down what every season brings to Morocco's spiritual capital — and, as a Rabat-based team, when to time the easy train hop east from the capital.
PlanningPlanning · Desert activities
Morocco Camel Trekking: How to Plan the Perfect Sahara Ride
A camel trek in the Moroccan Sahara is one of the most iconic travel experiences in North Africa. This guide covers the best locations, what to expect physically, how long to book and what a night in a desert camp really feels like — and, as a Rabat-based team, how to fold the desert into a trip that starts on the Atlantic coast.
PlanningPlanning · When to go
Best Time to Visit Chefchaouen: Season, Weather & Practical Tips
Chefchaouen is beautiful year-round, but spring (March–May) and autumn (September–October) deliver the best combination of mild weather, manageable crowds and perfect light for the city's famous blue-washed medina. Here is what each season brings — and, from our Rabat base, when to time the run north into the Rif.
Practical
Practical guides
Safety, visas, money, packing and the ground-truth that makes a trip seamless.
PracticalPractical · Packing
What to Pack for Morocco
Pack light, modest and layered. Morocco swings from hot medinas to cold desert and Atlas nights in a single trip, so breathable layers, comfortable walking shoes and a warm top cover almost everything. For Rabat itself, add a light windproof layer — the Atlantic and the Bouregreg keep the capital breezy even in summer.
PracticalPractical · Transport
Getting Around Morocco
Morocco has good trains between the main northern cities, comfortable intercity buses, and — for the south, the mountains and the desert — private drivers. Rabat sits squarely on the rail spine, with two central stations (Rabat-Ville and Rabat-Agdal) and Al Boraq high-speed services, which makes the capital one of the easiest places in the country to travel from. The right mix depends on your route and pace.
PracticalPractical · Connectivity
SIM Cards & Internet in Morocco
Staying connected in Morocco is cheap and easy. A local SIM or eSIM from Maroc Telecom, Orange or Inwi gives you fast 4G in the cities for a few dollars; Wi-Fi is common in riads and cafés. In Rabat — a modern capital — coverage is excellent across the medina, the Agdal and the Bouregreg waterfront.
PracticalPractical · Getting there
Marrakech to Merzouga: Routes, Times & Transport Options
Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi dunes are roughly 550 km from Marrakech — a long journey whichever way you go, but one of the most rewarding drives in North Africa. Travellers based in Rabat usually take the train down to Marrakech (around 3 hours) and pick up the desert route from there. Here are all the options, the route differences, realistic timings and how to choose.
PracticalPractical · Pre-trip checklist
Morocco Travel Checklist: Everything to Do Before You Go
A complete pre-departure checklist for Morocco: documents, bookings, money, health, connectivity and packing — everything to confirm before you board so nothing is left to chance, whether you fly into Rabat–Salé or connect by train from Casablanca.
PracticalPractical · Airport transfers
Getting from Casablanca Airport (CMN) to Your Destination
Casablanca Mohammed V Airport (CMN) is Morocco's busiest international gateway and the usual entry point for a Rabat-based trip — frequent trains link it directly to the capital in under an hour. Private transfers take you door-to-door across Morocco without hassle.
PracticalPractical · Insurance
Morocco Travel Insurance: What You Need & Why
Travel insurance for Morocco is not optional if you plan to trek the Atlas, ride a camel in the Sahara or simply want coverage for cancelled flights and lost luggage. Here is what to look for, what it costs and which activities require specialist cover.
PracticalPractical · Connectivity
eSIMs for Morocco: The Traveller's Guide to Staying Connected
An eSIM lets you activate a Moroccan data plan before you land, skip the airport SIM queue and keep your home number available on the same device — handy whether you arrive at Rabat–Salé or connect by train. Here is how eSIMs work in Morocco, which providers to use and where coverage is reliable.
PracticalPractical · Health
Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Morocco?
Tap water in Morocco is treated and technically meets national standards in the major cities — including the capital, Rabat — but travellers, particularly on short visits, are strongly advised to drink bottled or filtered water. Stomach upsets from the change in local bacteria are common even when the water is not technically contaminated.
PracticalPractical · Dress code
What to Wear in Morocco: Dress Code for Travellers
Morocco does not have a legal dress code for tourists, but dressing modestly — covering shoulders and knees in medinas, markets and villages — is respectful, practically effective and makes travel smoother. In Rabat, modest dress is also expected when visiting the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Hassan Tower esplanade. Here is exactly what to wear, where, and why.
Culture
Culture guides
Food, etiquette, craft and the customs worth knowing before you arrive.
CultureCulture · Food
Moroccan Food & Drink
Moroccan cuisine is one of the world's great food cultures: slow-cooked tagines, couscous Fridays, fresh-grilled seafood on the Atlantic coast, and the endless ritual of sweet mint tea. In Rabat, the capital's coastal setting puts superb fish on the table, and a glass of tea overlooking the Bouregreg from the Udayas café is a quintessential local moment.
CultureCulture · Etiquette
Morocco Etiquette & Customs
A little cultural awareness goes a long way in Morocco. Dress modestly, greet warmly, ask before photographing people, use your right hand, and embrace the unhurried pace of mint tea and conversation. Rabat — formal, governmental and used to international visitors — is an especially gracious place to find your feet with these customs.
CultureCulture · Photography
Morocco Photography Guide
Morocco is among the world's great photography destinations: extraordinary light, vivid colours, ancient architecture and a landscape that shifts from blue city lanes to red dunes within a day's drive. Rabat alone offers the blue-and-white Udayas, the stork-crowned Chellah and the Hassan Tower — and the trains make every other photogenic city an easy day out. Knowing where to go, when, and how to engage respectfully makes all the difference.
CultureCulture · Language
Moroccan Arabic & French Phrases for Travellers
Morocco runs on Darija (Moroccan Arabic) in daily life and French in business and signage — plus Classical Arabic, Tamazight and some Spanish in the north. In Rabat, a governmental and diplomatic capital, French is especially widely used. A handful of phrases opens doors that money alone cannot.
CultureCulture · Shopping
Shopping in the Souks: What to Buy, Fair Prices & Tips
Morocco's souks are among the world's great shopping experiences — but they reward preparation. Knowing what to look for in rugs, leather, ceramics, lanterns and argan products, what fair prices look like, and how to bargain and ship makes the difference between a satisfying haul and buyer's regret. Rabat's medina, with its long Rue des Consuls carpet quarter, is a calmer, lower-pressure place to learn the ropes before tackling Marrakech or Fes.
CultureCulture · Festivals & events
Morocco Public Holidays & Festivals
Morocco's calendar blends Islamic holy days that shift annually with the moon, fixed national holidays and a rich programme of regional festivals — from the Gnaoua World Music Festival in Essaouira to the rose festival of Kelaât M'Gouna. National celebrations such as Throne Day are at their most ceremonial in Rabat, the seat of the monarchy. Knowing the calendar helps you plan around closures and unlock the country's most vivid cultural events.
CultureCulture · Souvenirs
Moroccan Souvenirs: What to Buy & Where
The best souvenirs from Morocco are things made there, by Moroccan hands, that you will actually use at home — not plastic camels. From hand-knotted Berber rugs and Fes leather to argan oil, hand-painted ceramics and thuya wood, here is what to buy and where to find the real thing. In Rabat, the Rue des Consuls in the medina is the capital's carpet and craft street — a calm place to buy without the hard sell.
CultureCulture · Culinary
Moroccan Cooking Classes: What to Expect & Where to Book
A Moroccan cooking class is one of the most immersive ways to connect with the country's culture — shopping in a souk for saffron and preserved lemons, then slow-cooking a tagine over charcoal. This guide covers what you will learn, how to choose the right class and what the experience actually involves.