Morocco (April) – Final Details

Wander Across Morocco

April 24th – May 7th, 2023

Important Details

Tourist Visas

Most travelers to Morocco are allowed to enter the country without a visa for stays of less than 90 days. As a result, no preparations are needed and you do not need to obtain a tourist visa for this trip.

Upon arrival in the country, the immigration officer will simply stamp your passport and you’ll be allowed to enter. This applies to citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most European countries.

WhatsApp Group

We will set up a WhatsApp chat 2 weeks prior to the start of the tour that will include all of the participants as well as your tour leader. This will allow everyone to get to know each other in advance, ask questions and communicate with your tour leader both before and during the tour. It will be very useful for you to have WhatsApp available to you during the tour as this will be the main method of communication.

Airport Arrival & Pickup

Please follow the below instructions upon arrival at Casablanca’s International Airport:

After exiting the plane, walk through the terminal building to the immigration inspection.
Once through immigration, follow the signs and go downstairs to the luggage area. Collect your luggage from the correct carousel and then pass through the customs inspection.
After you exit the baggage/customs area, you’ll enter the Arrivals Hall. Please head for the main exit of the Arrivals Hall and walk outside. Once outside you will find a driver with a sign that says “Wandering Earl Tours.” (Only ticketed passengers are allowed inside the airport so all drivers must wait outside.)

If you are unable to find your driver, please contact your tour leader, Dara, at +1 480-330-9934 or our local representative, Ismail, at +212 5224-52967

Please note: When arriving into Morocco, you are sometimes required to fill out a landing card or tell the immigration officer where you will be staying in Casablanca. Here are the details:

Aparthotel Adagio Casablanca, 279 Boulevard Bir Anzarane, Casablanca, 20250, Morocco

Local currency

As for exchanging money, the best method is via ATM machines which can be found in all cities and towns in Morocco. This method ensures you’ll get the best exchange rate and you won’t have to carry around a large amount of cash. However, please check with your bank to make sure they don’t charge high foreign ATM fees.

If your bank fees are too high, you can also exchange USD, GBP or Euros at money exchange offices located throughout the country.

Tour Leader

The tour leader for your trip is Dara. She will be with you every step of the way. With her extensive experience and vast knowledge about Morocco, you’ll be in excellent hands. She will introduce himself and share more details when we create the group WhatsApp chat approximately 2 weeks before the tour.

Tipping

Tipping in Morocco is not as common as in the West but in some cases it is expected. Here’s a general guideline:

➜ Restaurants – 7% – 10% if a service charge is not already added to the bill.

➜ Hotel staff – 10 MAD if someone helps you with luggage or anything else.

➜ Our drivers – At the end of the trip, we recommend that everyone gives a $50 USD tip for our driver. We will collect this on the last day and give it to our driver before we say goodbye.

➜ Tour leader – If you wish to tip your tour leader, they will always be greatly appreciative.

*Tips for local guides and waitstaff at included meals are already included.

Staying Connected

As Morocco is a developing country, strong internet is not quite widespread. While almost all of the accommodations have Wi-Fi (except the desert camp), the connection can be poor at times, so be prepared to be offline more than you’re probably used to back home. In general, the internet access will work and you’ll be able to do whatever you need to do online, but it might take longer than normal with the potentially spotty connection.

The easiest way to stay connected during the tour will be to purchase an E-SIM before the trip, as this will allow you to stay connected from the moment you land at the airport.

We can also set up local SIM cards upon arrival for those who wish. Just make sure you have a GSM-enabled unlocked phone in order to use a foreign SIM card.

Another option is to activate your home network’s ‘international plan’ which will allow you to continue using your phone as you would at home, with access to a data connection, for a fee that usually ranges from $5 – $10 per day.

Packing

Packing lightly will make it easier to load up the van and will also be less of a hassle as you move from place to place. There may be times when you’ll need to walk with your luggage for a short while to reach our accommodation.

IMPORTANT: COVID-19 Travel Information

While travels restrictions and regulations are constantly changing around COVID-19, as of April 21st, Morocco does not have any COVID restrictions to enter the country. Please note that you may need to present a vaccination certificate and/or PCR test when traveling on certain airlines and when transiting through certain countries so please make sure you are up-to-date with the rules according to your travel plans.

Itinerary

April 24th: Casablanca / ARRIVAL DAY

Private transfer to the hotel
Welcome dinner

➜ Included meals: Breakfast (for the participants who booked the pre-trip accommodation with us), Dinner
➜ Accommodation: Aparthotel Adagio

April 25th: Casablanca ➜ Fes

3-hour drive to Meknes
Tour of the stunning non-touristy imperial city
Lunch in the medina inside a beautiful local inn
Walk through the bustling local markets
90 minute drive to Fes
Home-made dinner prepared by our hosts

➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
➜ Accommodation: Riad Nass Zmane

April 26th: Fes

Half-day walking tour of the colorful souks with a visit to leather tanneries, traditional weavers and so much more
Visit to an impressive traditional school
Free time to wander through the markets

➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
➜ Accommodation: Riad Nass Zmane

April 27th: Fes ➜ Middle Atlas ➜ Ifrane ➜ Merzouga

9-hour scenic drive to Merzouga with stops at Ifrane, Ziz Valley and many other interesting locations, all while admiring the beautiful Middle Atlas Mountains
Arrival in Merzouga in time to catch the sunset over the desert

➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
➜ Accommodation: Riad Madu

April 28th: Sahara Desert

Visit to a local Gnoua village with time to interact with the amazing and friendly locals
Lunch at the only eatery in the village
1.5 hour camel trek or 30 minute jeep safari across the sand dunes
Arrival at our Sahara Desert camp
Settle into our tents and watch the sunset over the dunes
Dinner

➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
➜ Accommodation: Madu Camp

April 29th: Merzouga ➜ Dades Valley

Head back to Merzouga
Visit to a fossil workshop and learn from the times the desert was an ocean
Arrival at Dades Valley
Dinner at our hotel

➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
➜ Accommodation: Chez Pierre

April 30th: Dades Valley

Full-day 4WD off-road excursion of the Dades Valley, where you will get to see remote towns and dramatic landscapes
Mouth-watering dinner at our hotel

➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
➜ Accommodation: Chez Pierre

May 1st: Dades Valley

Optional hike through the otherworldly Monkey Fingers
Visit to a local village that sits at the foot of these impressive natural formations
Traditional home-cooked meal at a friend’s home
Free time to wander the village and interact with the friendly locals

➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
➜ Accommodation: Chez Pierre

May 2nd: Dades Valley ➜ Tisseldei

Drive out of the valley with a stop at the non-touristy village of Skoura
Lunch at Ouarzazate, the center of the film industry in Morocco
Continue driving until we reach Tisseldei
Check-in to our beautiful riad
Home-cooked dinner prepared by our local hosts

➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
➜ Accommodation: Maison d’Hôtes Irocha

May 3rd: Tisseldei ➜ Marrakech

Drive to Marrakech through the grand High Atlas Mountains with several stops along the way
Short orientation through the city

➜ Included meals: Breakfast
➜ Accommodation: Ibn Batouta

May 4th: Marrakech

Walking tour of the amazing city of Marrakech, including the Bahia Palace, Jemaa el-Fnaa, the tin workers lane and much more
Free time to roam the market and time to shop
Dinner at the local pop-up food market

➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
➜ Accommodation: Ibn Batouta

May 5th: Marrakech ➜ Essaouira ➜ Marrakech

Day-trip to the seaside town of Essaouira, including a delicious fish lunch and free time to roam around the laid-back medina
Visit to an argan oil collective
Return to Marrakech

➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
➜ Accommodation: Ibn Batouta

May 6th: Marrakech

Free day to explore the markets, get pampered at a hammam, relax at the hotel and many other options
Farewell dinner

➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
➜ Accommodation: Ibn Batouta

May 7th: Marrakech / DEPARTURE DAY

Transfer to the Marrakech Airport or Casablanca (2.5 hour drive)

➜ Included meals: Breakfast

What’s Included?

➜ Wandering Earl Tours expert leader throughout the tour
➜ Small group (maximum 12 participants)
➜ Accommodation (13 nights – 3* riads, hotels, desert camp)
➜ Transportation within Morocco (deluxe vans)
➜ Local guides in each destination
➜ All mentioned activities, entrance fees and workshops
➜ Breakfast every day, 4 lunches and 8 dinners
➜ Water throughout the trip
➜ Gratuities at hotels/included meals
➜ All airport transfers (Casablanca arrival / Marrakech departure)

What’s Not Included?

➜ Flights to/from Morocco
➜ Meals and activities not mentioned
➜ Travel insurance
➜ Gratuities

Covid-19 Disclaimer

Please note that in the event of any interruption to your tour experience as a result of your testing positive for Covid-19, our staff will be on hand to assist with making any arrangements that need to be made. This could include accommodation booking, transportation, scheduling additional Covid-19 tests, etc. However, it is important to understand that you would be fully responsible for all expenses incurred related to interruptions to the trip and/or medical treatment needed as a result of a positive Covid-19 test before, during or after the trip. We highly recommend having a travel/health insurance policy that covers Covid-19 related situations. By participating in the tour, you are confirming your understanding of the above

That’s all for now! If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to send us an email at team@wanderingearl.com.