.png)
MOROCCO
Travelperiod: april 4th 2019 – April 30th 2019
Total kilometers: 4100
Exchangerate: 1 Dirham = €0,092
Border
We took the boot from Algeciras to Tanger Med. For our car and two persons we have paid around EUR 200,00. Two days before departure we bought the ticket via www.directferries.com. It is as well possible to buy the ticket in the harbor on the day of departure, there are many boots leaving each day. They say you would have to check in 2,5 hours before departure but we found that unnecessary.
Try to receive a white paper somewhere on the boot, which you have to fill in. With this paper you go to an office on the boat, where they will give you a stamp to enter Morocco.
Once arrived in Tanger Med we had to wait at the customs, gave our passport and the documents of the car, followed the guy with our documents where ever he went. After half an hour he came back with our documents and the Temporary Import Permit. They wanted us to open the car but had just a quick look. On the other hand, other cars had to open the car, take everything out or went through the scanner.
Overall a very easy border for us with no problems.
Visa
Europeans do not need a visa for Morocco. You will get a stamp in your passport on the boat with a police number, that's it.
Camping
According to the stories of many other travelers wild camping is very easy in Marocco. We did not feel very comfortable with wild camping, so did this only a few times. Almost every village has a camping. A camping without electricity for two people and a car will cost between 40 and 60 Dirham, non negotiable. Do not expect a camping like you will find in Italy or Spain but a toilet and a (sometimes cold) shower is always available.
Practical
Groceries are available in all towns in the little shops. If you are looking for something, just ask them. Even though you do not see it in the shop, they will mostly have it somewhere. In the bigger cities you will find the more European supermarket. Besides that are the markets in town price wise the best to buy your vegetables and fruit, they are also the most fun! Negotiate about the prices is here not really necessary, at least that's what we feel.
Below some average prices:
Small bread: 1 Dirham
Big bread: 3 Dirham
Vegtables: 5 Dirham per kilo
Tomato/union/patato/oranges: 3 Dirham per kilo
Fruit: 7 Dirham per kilo (bananas and pineapple is more expensive)
Tagine at a restaurant: 60 Dirham, be aware that you eat these with two persons!
Coca Cola/Orange juice on a terrace: 10 Dirham
If you will have anything to fix on your car, Morocco is the place! Tafraout and Agadir are well known for their mechanics. The prices are pretty low because their hourly salary is not so high, although they are not working as fast as in we are used to. Make sure the Mechanic knows the problem and agree on a price before he starts. As we figured out, about 50 Dirham per hour should be fine. Patching up a tire starts from 20 Dirham.
Many ATM's are not working in Morocco and the maximum you can get at an ATM is 2000 Dirham. At most ATM's that worked we had no problems with our Dutch passes. Each transaction costs us about €4,00. The only way to pay in Morocco is cash so make sure you always have enough.
Diesel is no problem in Morocco, petrol is sometimes empty. There are many gas stations so if you keep an eye on your meter there shouldn't be a problem. For a liter diesel you pay approximately 9 Dirham, for a liter petrol 11 Dirham. We are cooking on gas and the gas bottles are available everywhere along the road. We got a new old bottle for 60 Dirham. Getting our bottle refilled was harder, if you find a gas company, definitely ask them, we got ours refilled for free.
There are many people in Morocco asking you for money or food. Money we never gave them. We had enough mandarins with us to give away. If you tell people kindly but direct that they you are not willing to give them money they mostly just go away.
In Morocco they speak their own version of Arabic and mostly French. Morocco got pretty touristic over the years so at many places you can combine a bit English with French and they will understand. We hardly speak French and we were completely fine in Morocco.
Culture
The Islam is very important in Morocco and you see it everywhere, 98% of the residents is Muslim. Most women are wearing a hijab, although there are less women then men on the streets. Many men are wearing the dress/capes. As we found out the younger generation is practicing the religion less, even though they will not tell their family.
As a female you are okay with wearing (not to short) shorts, but keep an eye on the occasion you are going to.
Climate
Remember there is wind in Morocco like everywhere and always. Especially along the coast it is hard to find a hidden place for a rooftop tent and relaxing outside is not always as nice as it could be. In the period we visited Morocco it became very cold in the evenings, warm clothes and a blanket are highly recommended. The climate is very different in Morroco so for more specific information about the climate visit www.climatestotravel.com/climate/morocco.
Tips
Route Ramlia - Mhamid
This route starts in Merzouga. Because it was our first time in the dessert we downloaded a route from Wikilocks and followed this route. If you have a GPS system and are able to navigate with it you will be fine without a route. In the dessert there are many pistes which you can follow. The route is about 170 kilometers an it took us about 10 hours. Must say we did it very slowly. A guide is totally unnecessary even though in Merzouga they are trying to tell you something different. The piste is mostly stones and washboard road. Be prepared for some parts sand but with a normal 4x4 nothing you cannot do. Please do not forget to overnight in the dessert, look for a nice spot, hidden from the road and the wind and enjoy the stars and the silence.
Merzouga is very touristic, in a small town just before Merzouga there is a beautiful camping at the Kasbah Mohayut. This is next to the Erg Chebbi, which you can reach by foot to see the amazing sunset, so there is no need for you to do the horrible camel tour. Be aware that it can be very windy on the terrace so keep this in mind when set up your tent.
Anti atlas mountain
There are many beautiful roads through this mountains from where you have the most amazing views.
We did not take as much time as we would have loved to for this amazing area. Plan some days in the mountains and I am sure you will discover the most lovely places.
Oukaimeden is a small village in the mountains where you can go skiing in winter. It is a lovely place very high in the mountains but not to far from Marrakech. Even if you are not going for skiing it is amazing.
Dakhla
A nice city along the coast before you cross the border with Mauritania. Although it is a big city, it is not easy to find a bigger supermarket. You come right from the sand dunes to the sea, which is amazing. We stayed some days on the parking lot of PK25. This is for free, so don't complain about the sanitary. The locals from Dakhla come to this spot to spend their free time and enjoy the beach. On the other side of the small mountain there are big resorts where the tourists stay for their kite surf holiday.
Western Sahara
The Western Sahara is partly a part of Morocco. 80% is annexed by Morocco and 20% is occupied by the Arabic Democratic Republic Sahara and the Polisario. There is no border to cross. The landscape changes and there is much more dessert here. There are immediately less villages along the roads and the services are less developed. Diesel is getting cheaper. Everything else written above counts for the Western Sahara as well.
There are many more roadblocks, here they ask for your passport. To make your and their lives easier make sure you have fiches. Below you will find a picture with the information you have to put on a fiche. You will give a copy to the police and after some small talk they will let you continue your way. We have had about 15 roadblocks in the Western Sahara and had to hand over about 10 fiches here.
​
Our blogs about Morocco
Unfortunately our blogs are only available in Dutch at the moment.
​