An amazingly beautiful country, where you can find everything from a hot desert to snow-capped mountains.
Morocco has everything a traveler could want: ancient history and rich culture (a mixture of Arab, Berber, African, Spanish and French cultures), as well as varied landscapes (from wonderful ocean beaches to cedar forests and from sun-scorched deserts to covered snow of the mountains).
Kingdom of Morocco It is almost not popular with Russian package tourists, but it attracts many independent travelers. And all thanks to the fact that this country has a number of advantages: visa-free entry for Russians, many ancient cities, a variety of landscapes, oriental flavor, a high level of security and countless places worth visiting.
By the way, our website has a great article on how to travel alone in Morocco with a well-developed itinerary and a calculated travel budget - extremely useful material for independent travelers.
Where to find cheap tickets? This is most conveniently done using the search engines Aviasales and Skyscanner. To find the best price, check in all three and see tickets for different dates. Read also the instructions on how to search for cheap flights correctly.
What to see and visit in Morocco
Atlantic Ocean
In Morocco, there are many places where you can go surfing (Dakhla, Legzira), a large number of places for a pleasant beach holiday. The long coastline will allow you to find a wide variety of reliefs and landscapes - from gentle sandy beaches to majestic cliffs.
Desert
The desert in Morocco is presented in all its diversity: there are rocky plains, and rocks, and sand dunes. The two largest dunes are Erg Shegaga (next to M'Hamid and Fum Zgid) and Erg Chebbi (next to Merzouga), which can be reached both independently and by contacting any of the local travel agencies.
Legzira
Fantastic beauty place in the south of Morocco on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. On our website you can read how amazing it is: Legzira.
Sidi-Ifni
An atmospheric town in the south of Morocco on the Atlantic coast. Here you can truly relax and have a great time.
Imperial cities of Morocco
Marrakech, Fez, Meknes, Rabat - four imperial cities, four capitals of Morocco at different times. Each city has its own history, each with its own atmosphere and rhythm of life. Here you will find the largest and most intricate medina in the country.
Atlas Mountains (High Atlas)
It is here that highest mountain in North Africa — mountain (Jebel) Toubkal (4064 m), which any healthy person can climb. The ascent traditionally starts from the village of Imlil, which can be reached from Marrakech.
The road that connects Marrakech and Ouarzazate deserves special mention - it passes through the Atlas and is considered one of the most picturesque in the world due to the variety of landscapes and climate.
Middle Atlas
The mountains to the northeast of the High Atlas are rich in springs and forests. According to many, the Middle Atlas is very reminiscent of the Alpine landscapes.
Antiatlas
These mountains are located in the southwest of the High Atlas and are completely different from it - everything is different here: climate, landscapes, vegetation and way of life.
Reef Mountains
Not the tallest, but nevertheless truly enchanting mountains in northern Morocco. Here you can do plenty of mountain trekking or just enjoy short walks in the fresh air. It is here that the beautiful city of Chefchaouen is hidden, closed to infidels for centuries, and now - one of the most attractive cities for travelers. The large city of Tetuan is located nearby, and in the very north the mountains meet the Mediterranean Sea. These places are also famous for their cannabis plantations, so you should be prepared that at every step you will be offered to relax by buying a gram or two of local hashish.
Chefchaouen
This is undoubtedly one of the most entourage cities in Morocco. The famous Blue City - Chefchaouen. For many centuries, foreigners were not allowed here, as the place was considered sacred. Times have changed - now here, on the contrary, there is an endless stream of tourists.
The beauty of Chefchaouen is due to two things: firstly, the picturesque location in the Rif Mountains, and secondly, the medina is colorfully painted in various shades of blue. It is best to walk along the ornate streets of the medina early in the morning - at no other time you will not get such pleasure. In the morning, there are no merchants, no annoying helpers, or countless tourists with their cameras.
Casablanca
Casablanaca is where the street shoe shine and barber professions still exist. Casa is also good for the absence of graffiti and the minimum amount of street advertising. It is a big and bustling city, but worth seeing nonetheless.
Security in Morocco
The political situation in the country is stable, so there is no point in worrying about possible coups and revolutions. The level of crime here is much lower than in Russia. However, in crowded tourist spots (for example, in Marrakech), pickpockets and scammers should never be forgotten. In general, the safety of tourists in this country is at a high level.
Money in Morocco
Currency exchange rate: 1 Moroccan dirham (MAD) ≈ 8 RUB.
It is better to take euros with you, which can be exchanged anywhere. The exchange rate is regulated by the state, so it does not matter in which bank to change money in Morocco - you can do this even at the airport without worrying that the rate will be unprofitable. Currency exchange is also possible at the post office.
ATMs are found almost everywhere.
Language of Morocco
What is the language in Morocco? The official language is Arabic. However, all residents speak fluent French, and in the north of the country they also speak Spanish. Many people speak English at least at a basic level. As you can see, many different languages are spoken in Morocco. Sometimes you can even meet those who speak Russian - as a rule, these are workers from Russian ships in Dakhla or those who work with a few Russian tourists.
Transport in Morocco: getting around the country
You can fly with the local airline Royal Air Maroc (Royal Air Maroc), this will be the fastest and most comfortable way to travel between the cities of Morocco, but not the most budgetary.
Another option is trains. The railway network covers all the key cities of the country, but ends in Marrakech, south of which trains no longer run.
The most common option for moving around Morocco - bus... A large number of companies operate flights between almost all cities in the country. This is the cheapest form of transport, therefore, it is mainly used by local residents. The buses of the highest comfort level are provided by the CTM carrier. However, the prices for its services will be, on average, 15-20% higher than those of other companies.
Another popular form of transport in Morocco is grand taxis, which run between nearby cities, carrying six people each in the cabin of old Mercedes. The prices here are fixed, and if you pay only for one of the 6 seats, and not buy out the whole car, then the fare for a grand taxi will be approximately equal to the price of a bus ticket on the same route.
Visa for Morocco
As already mentioned, Russian travelers are allowed visa-free entry into the country for up to 90 days.
Hotels in Morocco
The average cost of a decent double room in a simple hotel is about AED 120-180. You can, of course, find completely trash rooms for 50-80 dirhams, but you should be prepared for surprises.Anything can pay for cheapness: no electrical outlets, no shower and toilet in the room, no hot water, dirty bedding, cockroaches, ants that have smashed a colony right under your blanket, and much more (and possibly all at once).
Interestingly, for the most common price of 150 dirhams, you can get rooms completely different in level: it can be a stuffy bedbug, a room in a decent hotel, or even whole apartments with their own kitchen. It all depends on luck. But the main rule when choosing a room if you are traveling during the hot months is to have a window to the street! Believe me, it is better to live in a room without a shower and sockets, but the window must be mandatory, otherwise it will be hard ...
Hotels in Morocco are presented in a wide variety. If you don't like cheap hotels, then in more or less large cities you can always find a decent hotel with a worldwide reputation and a high level of service.
Food prices in Morocco
The main rule is never to eat in tourist establishments. It's tasteless there. There are small portions. The service there is often not the most pleasant. And it's terribly expensive there. It is best to choose cafes and restaurants where locals sit - this means that it is cheap and really tasty here.
The second rule is to negotiate the price in advance. Otherwise, there is a possibility that you will have to pay three or four times more.
Tagine, couscous or other main course costs 25-30 dh. Harira (Moroccan soup) 4-10 dh. Freshly squeezed juices (or rather milkshakes with juice and fruit pulp) cost from 4 to 20 dirhams.
Groceries are sold in stores for about the same price as in Russia. Fruit is often more expensive.
How to get to Morocco
There are many options for flying to this country: direct flights from Moscow, flights with a transfer via Europe or Istanbul. You can also redeem hot tickets for charter flights, but they are rare. Details on how to get to Morocco on your own.
Useful Resources
CTM - the main bus company
