Destination Guide - Morocco

Morocco is one of Africa's most popular destinations, and for good reason. It's culturally and historically rich and geographically diverse. It's bordered by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The climate is warm and dry and the landscape features miles of sugary beaches, the High Atlas Mountains, and waves and waves of sand dunes forming the famous Sahara Desert. The Imperial Cities of Marrakech, Fes and Meknes offer wonderful bazaars, palaces, medinas and riads. The cuisine is sumptuous, with influences from around the world, always including a blend of locally grown spices. The opportunities for an adventurous Northern African experience are limitless in exotic Morocco.

Official Name: Kingdom of Morocco
Population: 33,000,000 people
Capital City: Rabat, pop. 1,700,000
People: 99.1% Arab-Berber, 0.7% other, and 0.2% Jewish
Languages: Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French, Spanish and English
Religion: Muslim (98.7 %) Christian (1.1%) and Jewish (0.2%)
Currency: Moroccan Durham
Time: GMT year round
Electricity: 220V, 50Hz (http://www.kropla.com)
Major Industries: Phosphate mining and tourism

IMPORTANT FACTS

Travel Documents

American, Canadian, Australian, British, and Irish nationals do not require a visa to travel to Morocco, just a valid passport. Be advised that if your date of exit from Morocco is less than six months before the expiry of your passport you may be refused entry into the country. Similar rules apply to most EU countries, but please check with the relevant Consulate well in advance of your holiday as it is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct documentation to enter the country.

Climate

Coastal areas tend to have a less extreme and more temperate climate than the interior, feeling pleasantly warm in winter and not ferociously hot in summer. Most Atlantic regions benefit from a sea breeze which keeps summer temperatures down, and rainfall levels, although not high, are significantly higher than in low lying areas in the interior of the country.

The plains of the interior have more extreme of temperatures, ranging from a punishing hot in summer (particularly during July and August) to cold in winter. Precipitation levels are very low, and any rain that does fall is most likely in November, February and April.

The Atlas mountains and their associated sub-ranges are subject to variable conditions with much higher levels of precipitation (falling both as rain and snow in the high mountains), and colder – often sub-zero – conditions. There are significant regional variations, but generally the north side of the mountains is more bearably hot in summer, and colder in winter than the south side. Nighttime winter temperatures can fall as low as -10ºC and daytime summer temperatures can climb into the upper 30sºC.

The south of Morocco is notoriously hot in summer, particularly on the fringes of the Sahara. In winter (particularly December and January), daytime temperatures are very pleasant but there’s a dramatic tailing off by evening time and at night temperatures can drop well below freezing.

The north of Morocco is very lush by comparison as a result of much higher rainfall and temperate conditions.

Food

Moroccan food is a combination of European and Arab influences. Some typical Moroccan dishes include tagines, gently steamed stews, and pastillas, sweet and savory flaky pies. Spices also take centre stage in Moroccan kitchens, with chilies, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, saffron, paprika, and ginger often playing starring roles. Breakfasts usually consist of locally made crepes, toast, jam, fresh orange juice and tea/coffee.

Alcohol is not widely available in Morocco, although larger hotels, foreign-owned auberges and upmarket restaurants sell it. Marrakech, Agadir and Casablanca are well endowed with bars (usually of the fairly expensive variety) but small towns usually have no bars and no off-licenses. Many of the hotels we use on our tours are not licensed to serve alcohol, although we can buy wine/beer in large towns or prior to departure as you are often permitted to “bring your own”.

Water

The water in the major cities of Morocco is said to be potable but we recommend you drink bottled water (which is widely available) to be on the safe side.

Vaccinations

There are currently no required vaccinations for Morocco although we recommend vaccinations against Hepatitis A, Tetanus, Polio and Typhoid as standards of hygiene are lower. We advise you to contact your nearest travel clinic for information on health requirements, as this information can and does change frequently. A good resource site to check for the most up-to-date information is The Centre for Disease Control website, www.cdc.gov/travel/.

Other Morocco Trips

CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE
1	Morocco A Mountain Biker's Dream Mountain Biking and Camel Riding (10 Days)
2	Morocco, Walking with The Nomads Trekking (10 Days) Part 1 and Part 2