From hammams to haggling, cultural etiquette to animal welfare, Morocco can be complex. But it’s always compelling. One of the best starting points is to remember that Marrakech, and its manic reputation, is not representative of the whole of Morocco. For hiking, it’s the Atlas Mountains and Berber culture that feature most highly on our adventures. For many visitors it feels like you’re entering a very different world – one that’s full of mystery, mountains, magic and a lot of mint. We recommend reading our top tips for travelling in Morocco, so that you can make the most of this North African nirvana.
Let the Berbers lead the way
It’s important to go hiking with an expert guide in the Atlas Mountains. In fact, it’s illegal to climb Mount Toubkal without one. All of our tours are privately-guided anyway, because we fundamentally believe that by having a Berber guide by your side, you experience the indigenous people’s landscapes and homes in the most memorable way. Please note that all of our tours are privately-guided, not small group tours.
Adjust your western lens
Morocco is a Muslim country and so it’s not only important to respect local people’s traditions, but it’s also responsible to do so. So, beware of cultural faux pas by dressing in appropriate ways, avoiding public displays of affection, and don’t reveal too much skin. Be sensitive about stereotyping too, especially with regard to religion and Africa. Take the time and educate yourself, try to understand where those stereotypes come from and, in short, just read the room, and be respectful.
We’re flying the flag for LGBTQ+ rights
In terms of PDAs, this is even more complex for our queer travellers. Although Morocco tours are popular with many LGBTQ+ travellers, they are aware of the fact that homosexuality is still illegal here. We are all for you campaigning against this with organisations like Human Rights Watch, but please never take risks while holidaying there.
Take a breath, and don’t judge
Even if you don’t agree with the cultural norms and practices while travelling in Morocco, it’s important to try and flick a switch in your brain when you’re there. You may not approve of the way they treat non-binary or homosexual communities, or that women don’t have the same rights as men. But when you’re travelling in their country, it’s not the time to judge. Learn and try to understand, of course, but you’re not there to preach. And if you’re not comfortable with that, it’s possible that Morocco isn’t the right place for you to travel right now. Read more in our blog, Don’t judge, join the responsible travel movement.
Hang out in a hammam
Step off the hills into a hammam, even if it means also stepping out of your comfort zone. These traditional steam rooms are where Moroccan, and especially Berber people living in the mountains, bathe. They host men and women separately, then they scrub you, strip off every last toxin as well as every last worry, then plaster you with local rhasshoul clay. The hammam is a rite of passage for anyone on truly responsible Morocco tours. And it’s definitely a place to leave your modesty at the door, as you’ll find out in our blog, Top tips on visiting a Moroccan hammam.
Get in training for Toubkal
You don’t need technical climbing skills to top Toubkal (4,167m). You just need a good level of fitness, an excellent local guide, at least two days to ascend and descend, a willingness to clamber or don crampons, and a taste for strong mint tea. Climbing Toubkal is a tough trek but it’s a stupendous one and, in order to summit it safely and sustainably, with plenty of fun thrown into the magical Moroccan mix, all our Toubkal tours are fully guided by mountain experts. Read more in our blog, How to prepare for a hiking trip.
Get ready to tough it out on Toubkal
If you are hoping to climb Mount Toubkal, then you will be roughing it a bit on the ascent. That’s because you need to stay overnight at a mountain hut (refuge), as the ascent is done over two days, and you head for the summit early in the morning on the second day from the refuge. Here you sleep in mixed-gender dorms and, if there’s availability, there may be a chance to upgrade to your own room. However, it gets very busy, and sometimes trekkers have to use a tent outside the refuge instead of the dorms, depending on availability. Summiting isn’t glam, but it is glorious.
Get your tongue around the language
Classical Arabic and Berber (or Amazigh) are Morocco’s two official languages. The spoken Arabic here is Moroccan Arabic (or Darija), which differs from the classic form and, if you can manage to nail a few words, you’ll be given a warm smile of appreciation. And more mint tea, no doubt. French is spoken but don’t always presume it’s the case, as this comes from a time when the country was colonised by the French of course. So some people also don’t like to speak it. What they do like is their own language, and you can see some of the most useful Darija words below.
Get the hang of haggling
Haggling is part of the culture here and generally you should never accept a seller’s first offer. But remember also that tourism income sustains many families in Morocco, so a good tip is to half the price they are offering and then chill out. It may be fun to haggle over a quid or a dollar, but these coins might be fundamental to someone else.
In addition, be wary of being dismissive about prices. It’s tempting to say out loud, ‘wow that’s nothing’ when you’re told how much a bowl of fruit is, or an item of clothing. For local people, however, it might be a lot, and whilst many western travellers are used to higher prices, we also benefit from higher income.
Ramble responsibly during Ramadan
If you choose to travel during Ramadan, it’s important to be patient and respectful. It’s an interesting experience travelling to Morocco during this time, but it’s also not for everyone. One of our top tips is to remember that your guides may be fasting and also that you may have to alter plans because restaurants may be closed. For more details, see our blog, Travelling during Ramadan.
Tips on tipping
The first tip on tipping is that you can’t buy Moroccan dirhams (Dh) outside the country so when you do your first currency exchange, ask for small amounts so that you can tip easily. It’s more common, particularly on our hiking and cycling tours, all of which are privately-guided, to tip your guide, muleteer and cooks at the end of the week in a lump sum. This ranges from 50-300Dh per day. In restaurants, tipping is not part of the local culture, but in more touristy areas, they sometimes add 10% to the bill, which is a good amount. Even if it’s not done all the time, rounding up to the nearest zero is always a cool thing to do.
Go surfing
If you’re adding the day trip to the coastal town of Essaouira onto your itinerary, we highly recommend extending this and getting some surf in. They have superb instructors (full disclosure, our team all surfed on our retreat last year and had a ball!) and, even better, time it for sunset. If you thought Morocco was all souks, Sahara, mountains and Marrakech, this is a whole other side to the country you have to discover.
Leave your drone at home
Although the landscapes are spectacular, and more and more keen photographers are becoming licensed drone operators, don’t even think about it. They are illegal in Morocco, and there are signs all over the airport banning them. And X-Ray units to search your bags as you leave Marrakech Airport too.
We hope that you’ve enjoyed our top tips on travelling in Morocco. We have plenty more blog content to inspire and inform you more about an Atlas adventure. These include: Best time to go to Morocco, Meeting the people who know the place and Hidden gems of the Atlas Mountains. For any more information, please don’t hesitate to contact our adventure specialists.
Hiking in the High Atlas Mountains Short Break
Cycling in the Atlas Mountains
Walking in the Sahara
Mount Toubkal Classic Climb with Marrakech
Mount Toubkal Trek
Highest Peaks of Atlas Mountains
Mount Toubkal and Sahara Desert Trek
Mount Toubkal Express
Hiking the High Atlas and Mount Toubkal
