Travel Information

Morocco: Travel Information

Local Transport / Hotel Based Tour

3* star hotels are used which are clean and comfortable. All food - 3 meals per day - is provided with in the total tour price. There is one night camping in the Sahara Desert.

Overland Truck Tour - Camping

You will be sharing a tent with one other person. We will bush camp, as well as use campsites. Every group member is expected to participate in the daily chores, such as putting up your own tent, shopping, cooking, setting up camp and general truck duties. We carry a large supply of staple food and large watertanks, enough for many weeks of self-sufficiency. In local markets we will buy fresh food of the day. We provide 3 meals a day. We pride ourselves on providing a fully equipped expedition vehicle, so that whether in the Sahara, out in the bush or in the jungle, we are totally self-sufficient. Equipment supplied is detailed below:

All cooking utensils, i.e. crockery, pots pans etc.
Cooking with gas / petrol / BBQ grill.
Cool box.
Internal water tap.
Camping stools.
Camping beds & blankets
Sun/rain awning.
Large tents (shared by two) Sewn in ground sheet, fly sheet.
Comprehensive first aid kit.
Internal and external.
Lighting.
Spot lamps (for game or bush camp spotting).
Reference books, wildlife, birds and guide books.
Stereo system.
Binoculars.
Games : football, volleyball, etc.
We carry large supplies of bulk food. (Non perishable)

Spending Money and Local Payment

The Morocco trips require two types of spending: a Local Payment and personal spending money. At the beginning of your trip the crew will collect the Local Payment in Euros Cash. For personal spending during the Morocco tours we suggest an average of $150 - $200 per week. Personal spending requirements vary hugely depending on individuals. We cannot specify every cost for your trip; however, you need to allow for visas, drinks, occasional meals out, curios and local crafts, emails etc. Budget for optional side trips separately. Credit cards are only accepted in the main cities so you need to bring at least a third of your spending money in US Dollars cash and the rest in US Dollar Travellers Cheques.

Starting & Ending your Trip

Tangiers - With its souks, traditional Moroccan cuisine and many attractions, Tangiers is a perfect starting point for your Moroccan holiday. Also known as the White City, Tangiers has been 'home' to many famous writers like Paul Bowles and William Burroughs. The city is energetic, likeable, extremely individual and has an enduring peculiarity. You can visit the beaches, the Place de France, the Grand Socco, the Mendoubia Gardens and the Caves of Hercules.

Marrakech - In the center of Marrakech is a square, Djemaa el fna, which is the operating point for entertainers such as acrobats, drummers, dancers, pipe musicians, comedians and storytellers. It is Morocco's second largest city and its population continues to rise. Marrakech does not have many historical monuments and buildings; its beauty lies in the atmosphere and the spectacular location. Marrakech, with the outstanding peaks of the Atlas Mountains expanding behind the city, has very warm humid summers and shimmering white snowy winters. The souks are very interesting and are dedicated to specific crafts. The most appealing times to visit the souks are early morning and late afternoon when they auction off merchandise to the public. The Marrakech Museum is also a place worth visiting; it houses exhibitions of Moroccan art and sculpture, both traditional and contemporary. There's also a small bookshop and cafe in the entrance courtyard. With the summers in Marrakech being so hot nobody seems to want to do much. A perfect place to do nothing is in the gardens, with many picnic spots, lake-sized pools and cool and quiet surroundings.

Health Precautions

Standard travel vaccinations are recommended but are not required for entry to Morocco. They should all be entered officially into an International Vaccination Certificate. We advise that you consult with your G.P. or would recommend contacting the Nomad Travellers Store in London. www.nomadtravel.co.uk. Because our expeditions can be quite adventurous and physically demanding at times, anybody joining us should be in good all round general health. For your own safety we need to know of any previous medical history, prior to booking a trip. A comprehensive up to date First Aid Kit will be carried on board, along with reference books. At least One of our crew will be trained in first aid. You are advised to bring your own personal first aid kit as well. Our kit is for emergency use only.

Passport & visas

Everyone traveling on any of the Morocco expeditions require a full passport. It must be valid for at least six months after the tour end date. We strongly recommend that your passport have at least one blank page for every country visited. A UK passport takes approximately one month to issue and cost around £30. UK, EU, Aus, NZ, Can, US & most nationals do not require a visit at present to enter Morocco. Please check if you are from another country. All the necessary visa requirements specific to you and your expedition will be included in the pre departure information dossier, or you can contact us personally for any advise. We will supply visa application forms and relevant information needed for the application process. Please note that the visa requirements, costs and validity dates could change after you have received your pre departure information.

Insurance

It is compulsory before boarding any expedition that all passengers have comprehensive travel insurance. This must include personal accident cover along with medical and repatriation cover. We strongly advice you to take out additional cover for baggage and personal effects, along with cancellation or curtailment provision. Any policy must be suitable for overland travel and we recommend that your policy exceed the end of the tour date by at least two days.

Climate

As far as the weather goes, it will be better to visit the south and the desert routes outside midsummer when, for the most of the day, it's far too hot for casual exploration - especially if you're dependant on public transport. But July and August, the hottest months, can be wonderful on the coast. The mountains have a higher elevation and so there are no set rules regarding temperature. Spring, which comes late by European standards (around April to May), is perhaps the best overall time to visit. During this time Morocco experiences a warm summer climate in the south and in the mountains as well as on the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. Winter can be perfect by day in the south, though be warned that the nights are extremely cold.

	Jan	Apr	Jul	Oct
Agadir	21°c / 7°c	24°c / 13°c	27°c / 18°c	26°c / 15°c
Casablanca	17°c / 7°c	21°c / 11°c	26°c / 18°c	24°c / 14°c
Dakhla	26°c / 12°c	27°c / 14°c	27°c / 18°c	30°c / 16°c
Fez	16°c / 4°c	23°c / 9°c	36°c / 18°c	25°c / 13°c
Marrakech	18°c / 4°c	26°c / 11°c	38°c / 19°c	28°c / 14°c
Tangier	16°c / 8°c	18°c / 11°c	38°c / 19°c	22°c / 15°c

Websites that may be of interest:

FCO Travel Advice - www.fco.gov.uk/travel
UK Government run site with loads of good information on all aspects of travel abroad

Medical Travel Advice - www.nathnac.org/travel/index.htm
Useful information and advice for travellers about what vaccinations they may need and general health related issues when travelling abroad. The site is funded by the Department of Health and is based at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases.World Medical Advice - www.wmc-card.co.uk

World Medical Center offers a Card for a nominal fee that enables you to carry any medical information such as medication, allergies and blood type and next of kin information in a credit card style format. The information is then readable by doctors anywhere in the world with a scanning device or by breaking the seal and reading the text inside. The Card is not insurance but is designed to give you safer medical treatment if you need it when abroad.

Where to find a Visa Card ATM overseas - www.visa.com
Find an ATM machine (some locations will only issue cash in local currency)

Where to find a Mastercard ATM overseas - www.mastercard.com

Find an ATM machine (some locations will only issue cash in local currency)

Currency Exchange Rates - www.xe.com
Currency exchange website

Worldwide time zones - www.timeanddate.com
Time zones around the world

Worldwide weather - www.weatheronline.co.uk
Weather around the world