Morocco

Welcome to Morocco. This is one of the most welcoming and reachable country in Africa. A trip to morocco, even short, will leave you an imperishable memory. Morocco is a desert country, with snowcapped mountains, and magnificent beaches.

 

Key Facts

  • Capital City : Rabat
  • Languages : Arabic (Darija ; 72% of the population), Berber,  French and Spanish in certain areas
  • Time Difference : GMT
  • Entry Formalities : No visa required for 90 days
  • Electricity : 220 Volts, 50 Hertz
  • Telephone : + 212
  • Health: No vaccine is mandatory. Medical care and equipment are excellent in the major cities of the country.

Money

Generalities: Cash machines are widely available. International credit cards are accepted in major tourist centers. Tipping is always expected everywhere.

Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD, DH)

Daily Budget:

Less Than 350 Dh

  • Double bedroom from 50DH
  • Soup or sandwich from 4 to 30 DH
  • Shop in the souks
  • Buses are cheaper than trains and taxis

550–1 000 DH

  • Visit historic sites : 10–50 DH
  • Few riads offer rebates to individual travelers
  • Accommodation and guided tours will be your main expenses
  • Dinner : 70–150 DH

More Than 1400 Dh

  • Car rental (300 DH)
  • Day tour (300 DH)
  • Double bedroom in urban riad (more than 1 200 DH)

When To Go And Climate

Best Time: The best time to visit Morocco is during spring (April-May) and fall (September-October). The summer is very pleasant along the coastline, but the heat is intense in the interior of the country. The winter season is particularly pleasant during daytime in Marrakech. Further south, nights are very cool. The High Atlas has wide temperatures fluctuation between the summer (very hot) and the winter (very cold).

High Season (Nov-March)

  • Spring and Fall are preferred seasons for tourists
  • Accommodation price is higher
  • Marrakech and the south of Morocco are very frequented by tourists during Christmas and New Year.

Intermediate Season (Apr & Oct)

  • Sand storms in the Sahara and rainfalls in the north.
  • Accommodation price rise in Easter

Low Season (May – Sept)

  • Accommodation prices and souks are cheaper
  • On the coastline, prices are still high.

Ceremonies & Festivals

JANUARY

The north of the country is rainy and the snow in the mountains makes it impossible to climb.

  • The International Marathon of Marrakech

More than 5 000 runners from all over the world take part to one of the most prestigious Marathons in the world.

FEBRUARY

The weather is very gloomy in the country by Marrakech and Agadir are very pleasant (dry and mild.). There are not many tourists.

  • Sidi Ben Aïssa Moussem

One of the biggest « Moussem »  (religious festival) of the country takes place at the mausoleum of the Sufi saint (Meknes). You will enjoy the fantasias (traditional exhibitions of horsemanship), fairs, dancing and singing.

MARCH

As soon as the thawing occurs in the mountains, wild flowers almond trees and cherry trees blossom. Winds start blowing in the desert and in the Souss Valley until April. (http://www.sud-maroc.com/intermediaire/vallee-du-souss)

This beautiful celebration occurs during the spring season in, the Anti-Atlas region, when flowers blossom in Tafraoute.

Traditionally celebrated during the almond harvesting, this festival also celebrates local folklore with songs, dances, theatre and traditional tales.

  • Marathon Of The Sands

Starting and ending in Ouarzazate (around March or April), this town of cinema, this 243km long Saharan marathon lasts 6 days. Water is kindly offered.

APRIL

The countryside is green and the weather is nice and warm. There are many tourists, particularly around Easter and prices rise.

  • Festival Of The Sufi Culture

Launched in Fez since 2007, this festival hosts various events such as films, conferences, and Sufi music concerts. The festival takes place in the gardens of Museum Batha

  • Jardin’Art

Marrakech celebrates the spring with temporary gardens, spectacles inspired by the art of gardening and conferences on botany. You will be able to see floral expositions in Menara gardens

  • Trekking In The  Rif Mountains

The best time to trek in the Rif Mountains is certainly the spring season. You will discover beautiful landscapes in the National Park Of Talassemtane and Al Hoceima National Park

MAY

When the touristic season ends, the prices in souks and hotels go down. Average temperature is around 28°C in Marrakech, which is perfect for trekking in the mountains.

  • Rural festivals

During the festival of the desert, the city of Er-Rachidia welcomes artists coming from the whole Sahara, of which gnaouas musicians. In the Dadès Valley, garlands of roses adorn the town of Kelaâ M’Gouna during the Rose Festival. http://en.kasbahdesroses.com/index.php

JUNE

Summertime comes in although the mountain peaks of the High Atlas are covered win snow. The north of morocco and the coast have a very pleasant climate during this month.

  • Gnaoua Festival and world music

An impassionate celebration takes place in Essaouira the third week-end of June, with concerts of Moroccan and foreign musicians. This is the golden opportunity to listen to Gnaoua music invented by emancipated slaves.

  • Cherry Festival

Sefrou, a sleeping city, wakes up in the beginning of June to celebrate an old urban festival. Traditional folk music, art exhibitions, parades, fantasias and sports competition mark the harvesting of cherries. The festival culminates with the crowning of the cherry Queen.

  • Fes Festival Of World Sacred Music

Buy your tickets a longtime in advance for this internationally renowned festival, which welcomed big artists such as Ravi Shankar and Youssou Ndour. The Moroccan turuk concerts (Sufi) are awesome. Expositions, films and debates are also part of this remarkable festival

JULY

The snow starts melting in the mountains, and the heat gains ground even in the High Atlas. Average temperature reaches 30°C in the big cities. Beaches are overflowed with tourists from Morocco and Northern Europe.

  • Marrakech Popular Art Festival

Unesco has designated this typical « marrakchi » street theater a Masterpiece Of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The square « Djemaa el-Fna » becomes very lively with more than 500 artists.

  • Asilah Arts Festival

This big cultural event attracts in Asilah near 200 000 spectators during 3 weeks of spectacles, concerts and expositions. A three days horse riding feast includes also a fantasia.

AUGUST

The heat becomes unbearable (around 40°C in Marrakech and more than that when you going further inland). You should go south to  the Atlantic beaches to avoid the crowd.

  • Moussem Of Moulay Idriss Al-Akbar

This is the biggest « moussem » of the country takes place in the picturesque village of Moulay Idriss. With its whitewashed houses, the village becomes animated with fantasias, music, and lively markets. « Moussems » also take place in Setti Fatma (in the southeast of Marrakech) and Ouarzazate.

SEPTEMBER

With the autumn season, Morocco becomes a popular destination. Prices for accommodation rise. Beaches are very pleasant so as the desert with soft breeze blowing and fresh dates

  • Mariage Festival  Imilchil  (Middle Atlas)

Young Berbers meet during 3 days to find a future marriage partner. Everyone is beautifully dressed with wool cape coats, white djellabas, and sophisticated jewelry.

  • Others Moussem

During the Hamdouchi « moussem », the pilgrims visiting the two zawiyas near Demnate dance during all day in the town center. Thousands of pilgrims go to the Sidi Yahia « moussem » to celebrate with dancing and fantasias.