Travel tips
15 Morocco Travel Tips for Your First Week
From greetings and bargaining to mint tea and medina maps, the simple tips that make a first week in Morocco easier and more enjoyable.
Morocco is welcoming, safe for travellers and very different from Europe or America. These tips will help you feel at home from the first day.
Culture and respect
- Say hello: “Salam alaikum” opens every conversation; “shukran” means thank you.
- Dress modestly in medinas and villages: shoulders and knees covered is a good rule.
- Ask before photographing people. Many will say yes; some will ask for a small tip.
- Use your right hand to eat and to give or receive things.
- Mosques are generally closed to non-Muslims, except the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, which offers guided visits.
Money and shopping
- Carry cash in dirhams for souks, taxis and tips; cards are accepted in hotels and larger shops.
- Bargain with a smile. It is part of the culture, and a friendly conversation usually gets a better price.
- Tipping is customary for guides, drivers and camp staff.
In the medina
- Getting lost is normal. Medina streets are a maze; a licensed guide saves time and shows hidden places.
- Politely decline unofficial guides. A firm “la, shukran” (no, thank you) is enough.
- Watch out for carts and mopeds in narrow streets.
Food and health
- Drink bottled or filtered water.
- Try everything: tajine, couscous on Friday, harira soup, fresh orange juice, msemen pancakes and endless mint tea.
- Slow down at lunchtime in summer, when the heat is strongest.
The most important tip
- Leave room for the unplanned. An invitation to tea, a village market or a stop for photos is often the best moment of the day.
With a private driver and local guides on all our 7-day tours, you will always have someone to ask.
Plan your week
Ready for 7 days in Morocco?
Private tours from the airport back to the airport, with a night in the Sahara.
See the 7-day tours →