Luxury Morocco Vacations & Tours

Morocco has a typical four-season climate, it’s not all desert with hot weather year-round as many believe. Summers are scorching with little rain while winter is wet and can be snowy in some areas. The shoulder seasons of spring and fall bring more mild, warm temperatures and tend to be the best time to visit. There are differences depending on the region, with the northern coast, including cities like Tangier, following a Mediterranean climate pattern with cool winters and warm summers. Throughout coastal areas, the temperatures are more mild throughout the year. The further inland you are, the more arid it gets. In arid zones and desert areas, temperatures can soar well above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 Celsius). In the High Atlas Mountains, which soar to more than 13,000 feet, even in the summer the mercury can rise into the upper 90s. Evenings, however, can be quite cool in the winter, with average lows in the mid-40s Fahrenheit.

Morocco issues 30-day tourist visas free of charge on arrival to citizens from the US, UK, Australia, and most European countries. Your passport will need to have a minimum of six months validity and you must be able to provide evidence of an onward or return flight ticket. Aside from this, you do not need to prepare anything in advance of landing in the country. When entering the country, make sure your passport is stamped. Some tourists have experienced difficulties leaving the country because their passport bears no entry stamp.

Morocco is a safe place to travel with one of the world’s lowest homicide rates, much lower than the U.S. or the U.K. That doesn’t mean there is no crime at all, but it can easily be avoided with common sense such as not walking at night or in dark alleyways. It’s best to travel in a group and carry passports and cash in a safe place. Valuables like expensive jewelry should be left at home or kept in a hotel safe. Don’t carry important items like your mobile phone in your back pockets.

Moroccans dress in a wide variety of ways and don’t expect visitors to dress as they do, however, it’s a good idea to dress more modestly here. Instead of shorts, women should bring loose pants in linen or cotton, longer skirts, dresses, and tops that are t-shirt length. Men should aim for neatness, leaving torn jeans and tank tops at home. Avoid shorts (or at least choose longer versions) and opt for lightweight pants instead.

Knowledge of the English language is increasing among younger generations in Morocco, but many Moroccans don’t speak any English. The most likely place to find people who do will be in urban areas among the most educated, including some hotel managers and shop owners. The official language of the country is Standard Arabic, primarily used in mosques, universities, and professional settings. Moroccan Darija, a dialect of Maghreb Arabic, is primarily spoken here and it’s significantly different from Standard Arabic, with influences by Spanish or French depending on the region of the country.