Rehearse your Morocco trip before you go

Entry rules by passport

Checked Oct 2026. Rules change: check the embassy or official site before you travel.

Traps travellers fall into

In the game these hide among the recommendations. See if you can spot them.

• A henna tattoo in the square MarrakechHenna artists who grab your hand, and monkey or snake photos, demand big money afterwards; pull back and walk on. 'Black henna' can contain chemicals that harm the skin
• 'That way is closed' Marrakech'The road is closed, follow me' in the medina leads to a shop and a fee; trust your map, say 'la, shukran' and keep going
• A taxi that won't use the meter MarrakechIn Marrakech petit taxis, say 'compteur' (meter) before you set off; if he refuses, get out or agree a price first
• The tanneries' 'free terrace' FesTannery terraces are the doorway to leather shops; a 20-dirham tip is plenty if you're just looking. If you buy, start haggling at under half the first price
• An open mosque door MarrakechMost Moroccan mosques are closed to non-Muslims (Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque is a rare exception); admire them from outside
• At the lamp shop MarrakechFirst prices in the souk are often two to three times the going rate: start below half and keep smiling; if you won't buy, don't name a price

Month by month

• JanuaryJanuary in Marrakech is about 19°C with 6°C mornings; Fes and Chefchaouen are wet and cold, and Sahara nights can freeze.
• FebruaryFebruary in Marrakech is about 20°C. Ramadan begins around 8 February: many eateries close by day, and the streets come alive after sunset.
• MarchMarch in Marrakech is about 23°C. Ramadan ends around the 10th with the Eid holiday, when shops and sights close for a couple of days.
• AprilApril is a pleasant 26°C, and the Sahara is comfortable too.
• MayMay reaches about 29°C. Around 17 May comes Eid al-Adha: the whole country stops for days and buses and trains are full.
• JuneJune reaches 33°C in Marrakech; the Sahara starts topping 40°C.
• JulyJuly reaches 37°C in Marrakech, with heatwaves near 45°C; the Sahara is impossible at midday. Sightsee early and late.
• AugustAugust reaches 37°C in Marrakech, with domestic holidaymakers and returning families.
• SeptemberSeptember reaches 33°C in Marrakech as the heat starts to ease.
• OctoberOctober is a comfortable 28°C, a good time for the Sahara.
• NovemberNovember–December: Marrakech 20–23°C by day and 7–8°C at night; Fes and Chefchaouen wet and cold; the Sahara warm by day and near freezing at night.
• DecemberDecember in Marrakech is about 19°C with 6°C mornings; Sahara nights can freeze.

Sample routes

• ClassicClassic: Marrakech and FesFrom the red city's square and souks, by train to the medieval labyrinth.Marrakech → Fes
• DetourDetour: up to blue ChefchaouenFrom Fes into the mountains to sleep in the blue town.Marrakech → Fes → Chefchaouen
• Off the pathOff the path: over the Atlas to the SaharaCross the mountains, sleep at a camel camp in the dunes, and come out at Fes.Marrakech → The Sahara (Merzouga) → Fes

Hidden gems

• A café training women cooks MarrakechA non-profit where women in hard circumstances train as cooks, serving home-style Moroccan lunches.
• A rooftop café in the lanes FesA café in an old townhouse with a rooftop over the medina; camel burgers and rfissa chicken stew.
• A sunset hike to the Spanish Mosque ChefchaouenTwenty minutes up a path from the spring to an old mosque on the hill, with the whole blue town below.
• Stars over the dunes The Sahara (Merzouga)The Milky Way over a desert with no town lights.
• A tiny home-cooking place ChefchaouenA handful of tables down a blue lane, serving home cooking.
• Gnawa music in the village of Khamlia The Sahara (Merzouga)A village of descendants of trans-Saharan peoples: music of iron castanets and drums, with tea, and a donation at the end.

Before you go

• Install a travel eSIMFor maps in the medina
• Install a ride app (Careem)Fewer taxi fare arguments
• Pack a warm jacketDesert nights near freezing
• Learn tipping and hagglingTip 10%; haggle in the souks