Travel Tribe Morocco – Final Details

Morocco: Textiles, Colors and Traditions!

May 8th – 21st, 2023

Important Details

Tourist Visas

Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and most European countries are allowed to enter Morocco 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.

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 who will be holding a sign with your name. (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, Sakai, at +1 510-806-5488 or our local representative, Ismail, at +212 5224-52967. (These two people can also be reached at any time in case someone needs to get in touch with you from home.)

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

Tour Leader

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

Local currency

The local currency in country is the Moroccan Dirham (MAD). The current exchange rate is $1 USD = 10.20 MAD.

In terms of spending money, you should estimate an average of $30 USD per day for all of your needs. This would be for meals that are not included in the tour, basic purchases (laundry service, snacks, etc) as well as any activities you choose to do on your own.

As for exchanging money, the best method is via ATM machines which are everywhere in country. This is the easiest so that you don’t need to carry around large amounts of cash. However, check with your bank at home as some banks charge high foreign transaction fees every time you withdraw money overseas.

If using an ATM is not an option, or the fees are too high, simply bring USD, Euros or GBP to exchange at money exchange offices that are located all over the country.

*US dollars are not accepted anywhere in Morocco. You must make purchases in the local currency.

*Credit cards are widely accepted at restaurants, cafes and shops in cities and larger towns. In more rural areas, cash is generally the main payment option, so it’s always better to have local currency.

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.

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

May 8th: Casablanca / Arrival day

• Private transfer to the hotel
• Welcome dinner

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

May 9th: Casablanca ➜ Meknes ➜ Fes

• 3-hour drive to Meknes
• Walk through the sprawling local markets
• Lunch in the medina inside a beautiful local inn
• 90-minute drive to Fes
• Home-made dinner prepared by our hosts

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

May 10th: Fes

• Half-day textile and craft-focused walking tour of the colorful souks with a visit to leather tanneries, garment makers, traditional weavers and so much more
• Free time to wander through the local markets
• Group dinner

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

May 11th: Fes ➜ Sefrou ➜ Fes

• 45-minute drive into the mountainous countryside
• Visit to the Cherry Buttons women’s co-operative, the longest running female-organized cooperative in Morocco
• Hands-on lesson on how to create these unique woven buttons
• Group lunch
• Overnight in Fes

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

May 12th: 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

May 13th: Sahara Desert

• Morning at leisure
• Visit to a local Gnaoua village for a traditional music performance
• Group lunch in the Gnaoua village
• Walk through the desert town of Merzouga
• 1.5 hour camel trek or 30 minute jeep safari across the sand dunes
• Settle into our tents
• Enjoy the sunset and the peaceful atmosphere
• Dinner at the desert camp

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

May 14th: Merzouga ➜ Tinerhir ➜ Dades Valley

• Head back to Merzouga
• Visit to the Tinerhir weaving cooperative for a demonstration and lesson
• Stop at 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

May 15th: Dades Valley

• Visit to a local friend’s home, where you will be able to interact with local women, learn about their culture and enjoy a home-cooked lunch in their home
• Free time to wander through the village
• Head out to meet some local craftspeople in this remote region
• Group dinner back at our hotel

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

May 16th: Dades Valley

• Weaving workshop at a local women’s cooperative in one of the villages in the valley
• Free time to wander the village, lounge at the pool, go for some light hiking at the nearby Monkey Fingers Gorge or taking a drive up to the narrowest part of the valley for breathtaking views

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

May 17th: Dades Valley ➜ Ouarzazate ➜ Marrakech

• 8-hour drive to Marrakech
• Stops at a local rosewater cooperative, the sparkling town of Ouarzazate and at viewpoints where you’ll stare in awe at the unbelievable scenery
• Group dinner

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

May 18th: Marrakech

• Walking tour of the amazing city of Marrakech, including the Bahia Palace and local markets, focusing on textiles, crafts, clothing, leather shoes, ceramics, metal work, and so much more
• Free time to roam the market and time to shop
• Visit to the Al-Nour cooperative, where women with disabilities are given an opportunity to create beautiful products such as carpets, weaving, clothing and embroidery
• Group dinner

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

May 19th: Marrakech ➜ Essaouira ➜ Marrakech

• Day-trip to the seaside town of Essaouira
• Guided tour, with the chance to observe and interact with potters, weavers and silversmiths
• Fish lunch
• Visit to one of the oldest wood workshops in town
• Free time to roam around town
• Visit to an argan oil collective
• Return to Marrakech

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

May 20th: Marrakech

• Visit to the splendid Jardin Majorelle, with time to walk around the colorful lush gardens and the unique Berber Museum
• Afternoon at leisure
• Farewell dinner

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

May 21st: Marrakech / Departure day

• Transfer to the Marrakech Airport or the Casablanca airport (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*/4* riads, hotels and a desert camp)
➜ Transportation within Morocco (Mercedes vans)
➜ Local guides in each destination
➜ All mentioned activities, entrance fees and workshops
➜ Breakfast every day, 6 lunches and 11 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
➜ Passport/visa fees
➜ Meals and activities not mentioned
➜ Travel insurance
➜ Other 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 liz@wanderingearl.com.