Practical information about Morocco

Morocco is located in North Africa and boasts a varied climate, depending on the region and time of year. Along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, the climate is generally mild, characterised by warm summers and cooler winters, while the inland areas and mountains experience greater variations in temperature.

In the coastal regions, you can expect pleasant temperatures throughout the year, whereas the summers in the interior can become extremely hot – often exceeding 40°C in places such as Marrakech and the desert. In the mountains, particularly the Atlas Mountains, winters can be cold and snowy, and even in summer, evenings here can feel quite cool.

Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are often considered the best times to visit Morocco, as temperatures are more moderate and the weather is generally stable. Summers (June–August) can be very hot inland, while the coast remains pleasantly mild. Winter (December–February) brings cooler temperatures, especially in the mountains and in the desert at night.

You can find average temperatures and rainfall for selected Moroccan cities here:

As a UK citizen, you must hold a valid UK passport. Your passport must remain valid for the entire duration of your stay in Morocco.

UK citizens can visit Morocco without a visa for up to 90 days. Upon arrival, your passport will be stamped, serving as your entry permit.

You do not need to apply for a visa in advance, and no administrative fee is charged upon arrival. At passport control, you may be asked to provide the address of your accommodation in Morocco (for example, a hotel booking) and show your return ticket or onward travel ticket.

If you wish to extend your stay beyond 90 days, you must apply for an extension at a local police station at least 10 days before your permitted stay expires.

Please note that UK extended passports and emergency passports may only be used for leaving Morocco for the UK, but are not accepted for entry.

Passport and visa regulations may change at short notice, so we recommend that you keep up to date by checking the website of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office here, as well as the Moroccan embassy, before you travel.

Morocco – travelling with children under the age of 18

If a child is travelling with only one parent, written consent is required from the parent who is not travelling with them in the form of an authenticated power of attorney and a signed copy of the passport. This also applies despite joint custody. The child must also bring a birth certificate translated into English. If one parent has died, a death certificate translated into English must be brought.

If the child travels without any parents, the same rules apply as those described above.

Please note that a letter of attorney is only valid when legalised by a public authority. In the UK, this can be done by the Legalisation Office. You can contact Citizen Services in your district or the local church office to get a birth certificate.

Prior to your departure, you can download our App here to find your travel documents and your contact details for TourCompass and our local partners.

We recommend that you download the WhatsApp app to your smartphone and add the phone numbers of our business partners. You can send messages and call them for free using the app when you have a Wi-Fi connection.

We recommend that you contact your GP or an authorised private vaccination clinic for information about vaccinations. You can also read more about the rules regarding travel vaccinations here.

Please be aware of the rules about yellow fever – especially if you are entering via another country where yellow fever is present. Some countries require proof of yellow fever vaccination upon entry. Your vaccination certificate should therefore always be carried with you in your hand luggage when you travel.

Please read our general travel terms and conditions carefully, as these are part of the agreement terms for tours purchased at TourCompass. Tours purchased from us are covered under the “Package Travel Act”.

Click here to read our travel terms and conditions.

All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay, you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels, and other services) is listed on it.
Please see our booking conditions for further information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate, click here.

We always advise you to obtain comprehensive travel insurance when heading off on your dream holiday. It is also highly recommended to acquire cancellation insurance for extra protection. 

Click here to proceed to our page on insurance, where you can read more about our recommendations.

The currency in Morocco is the Moroccan dirham (MAD). You can find the current exchange rate for the Moroccan dirham here.

Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted at most hotels, restaurants, and larger shops, and there are ATMs in all major cities. It’s a good idea to carry some cash with you, especially at markets and in small shops, where cards are rarely accepted.

Price level:

Get an idea of the prices in the country here.

Tipping:

Tipping is an established part of Moroccan culture and is expected in many situations. In restaurants, it’s customary to add 5–10% to the bill unless a service charge has already been included. Small gratuities for hotel staff, drivers, and guides are also common and very much appreciated.

The following is a guideline:

• Guide/driver: 50–100 MAD per person per day
• Porter: 10–20 MAD per suitcase
• Housekeeping: 10–20 MAD per night
• Local guides: 50–100 MAD depending on the length of the tour
• Restaurants: 5–10% of the total bill

At the vast majority of our destinations, we are able to take allergies, as well as allergens or preferences, into account when it comes to food; however, it is important that you inform us of this when you book the tour.

Telephone & Wi-Fi:

Using data and roaming abroad can be expensive if it is not already included in your mobile plan. We recommend contacting your mobile provider to check which services are covered by your contract as well as the specific rates for your chosen destinations.

If your mobile plan does not include international data and roaming, we recommend you take advantage of the free Wi-Fi available at your hotel or in restaurants. This way, you can make calls and send messages to loved ones at home free of charge using services such as Facetime, Messenger, or WhatsApp.

Almost all hotels offer Wi-Fi, but please note that the connection can sometimes be slow or unreliable. If you’d prefer to be online at all times, you can purchase a local SIM card upon arrival in Morocco, replacing your own SIM card in your phone. This will give you a Moroccan phone number and access to data throughout your tour, and you can easily top up your data allowance as needed.

It is now also possible to purchase an eSIM card for most phones, allowing you to keep your own SIM card in your phone whilst still having mobile data access throughout your tour. The eSIM card should be ordered prior to departure and activated upon arrival in Morocco.

Read more about how to get online while travelling on our blog here.

Electricity:

In Morocco, the electricity supply is 220 volts AC at a frequency of 50 Hz. Plug sockets are of types C and E, as in much of Europe. Therefore, if you are travelling from the UK, you will usually need to use an adaptor.

Always make sure to keep all essential and irreplaceable items in your hand luggage. This includes, for example, your passport, visa, vaccination certificate, credit cards, cash, insurance documents, travel documents, laptop, mobile phone, as well as any information about your health and any vital medication.

Visitors are not permitted to bring plants, seeds, fruit, and other plant products into the UK from their travels outside the UK, unless they are accompanied by a plant health (phytosanitary) certificate. These rules also apply to smaller quantities of plants and plant products.

Read more about the rules here.

Please note that this tour is not generally suitable for people with impaired mobility. Please contact us for information about your options in relation to your specific needs.

Most airlines have electronic tickets (e-tickets).

It is important that you check your name for spelling errors, as the name on the reservation must be exactly as it appears on your passport. If your name needs to be corrected, please contact us as soon as possible. Please note that this may incur a fee from the airline.

The airline will assign you a seat on the plane at check-in. If you have specific wishes regarding where you sit on the plane, you can make a seat reservation yourself on the airline’s website or in their app. Please note that most airlines require payment for a seat reservation.

It varies when airlines open for seat reservations, but as a general rule, you can book seats from the time of booking and up to 48 hours before departure.

We also point out that the airline has complete control over all seats on the plane and that they are therefore entitled to make changes to the reservation at any time.
If you do not make a seat reservation before departure, the airline will assign you a seat at check-in.

Your passport and your booking reference, which appears on your itinerary, are required to check in.

We recommend that you download the airline’s app on your phone. In the app, there is an option for online check-in, which typically opens 24 to 48 hours before departure. The app also allows you to stay informed of any flight changes and other important information about your flight.

Please note that the flight times may have changed in relation to those listed on the travel itinerary you received when you booked your holiday. It is always the flight times in the airline’s app or on the airline’s website that apply.

We recommend that you arrive at the airport to check in at least two hours before departure. It is a good idea to check the airport’s website for the latest updates.

We use a range of different airlines for our destinations. You can check the exact rules for hand luggage and checked-in luggage on the airline’s website or in their app.

If your itinerary includes domestic flights, please note that the permitted luggage allowance may differ from that of your international flight. It is usually always possible to purchase additional luggage locally if required.

If your luggage is delayed, please contact the staff in the luggage reclaim area to report your missing luggage.

It is important that you have your luggage receipt when completing your PIR (Property Irregularity Report).

Please note that you must not leave the luggage area at the airport until you have completed the report.

In the event of delayed luggage, we ask you to contact our partner, who will ensure that your guide/driver waits for you.

Should any changes occur in connection with your flight reservation before departure, we will of course contact you to let you know.

Should your flight be delayed after check-in, the airline is responsible for rebooking your flight. They will typically book the next possible flight and arrange any meals and accommodation if necessary.

Our partner checks for any changes in arrival times and will naturally still wait for you, even if your flight is delayed.

If, due to a delay or cancellation, the airline books you on another flight number after you have arrived at the airport, please contact us on TourCompass’ emergency number.

Immigration:

Upon arrival at your final destination, you will proceed through immigration control. Here, your passport and any required entry documents or visas will be checked. In many destinations, you’ll be asked to provide fingerprints and have your photograph taken for biometric identification purposes. You may also be questioned about your travel plans in the country or asked to provide the address of your accommodation.

Customs:

After clearing immigration and collecting your luggage, you’ll move on to customs. If you have nothing to declare, you may proceed through the ‘nothing to declare’ channel. However, if you do have items to declare, it’s important to go through the ‘declare’ channel. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with the specific customs regulations for the country you are visiting.

When you come out into the arrivals hall at the airport, you will be met by a guide/driver holding up a TourCompass sign with your name on it, who will make sure you get safely to your hotel.

In the unexpected event that you cannot find your guide/driver, please contact our partner on the emergency number which appears on the travel documents.

Morocco is a moderately Muslim country. It is considered polite to avoid wearing very short shorts or skirts, and to keep your shoulders covered when walking around town.

Please note that visiting mosques in Morocco is not permitted if you are not Muslim. The only exception is the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca.

You can certainly travel during Ramadan, but you’ll find the streets are generally quieter and some shops may be closed.

Many of the smaller hotels and riads in Morocco do not serve alcohol as a rule, and during Ramadan, it is strictly forbidden to sell alcohol.

Outside of Ramadan, many hotels and riads are happy for you to bring your own wine or beer to accompany meals. With this in mind, we recommend picking up supplies at a well-stocked supermarket at the beginning of your tour if you’d like to enjoy a glass of wine or beer after a day of exploring. Your guide will ensure there’s a stop so you can do so. Morocco, incidentally, also produces some excellent wines!

The standard hotel check-in is usually from 2:00 pm, so you should not expect access to your room before this time. If you would like to arrange an early check-in, you can do so for an additional fee when booking your tour.

At check-in, the receptionist will usually register your credit card and may reserve an amount on it. This is not an extra charge, but a standard hotel procedure to cover any additional expenses such as items from the minibar or similar facilities. Upon check-out, this reserved amount is automatically released if you haven’t made any extra purchases.

It is very common for hotels to make a copy of your passport. In some locations, this is a requirement from the local authorities.

The standard check-out is around 10:00 am. If you are not departing until the afternoon or evening, most hotels allow you to store your luggage until you are ready to leave. If you would prefer a late check-out, you can request this when booking your tour, subject to an additional fee.

Our tours to Morocco are individual tours; however, all excursions are conducted in small international groups of 1–14 people, exclusively with TourCompass’s own guests.

In the event of unforeseen circumstances, such as poor weather, road closures, or similar situations, it may become necessary to adjust the order of sightseeing tours and attractions outlined in the daily programme.

Trains in Morocco:

Trains in Morocco are generally of a reasonable standard, offering comfortable seats, air conditioning, and often Wi-Fi. However, please note that the standard may not quite match what we are accustomed to in many parts of Europe.

We provide a 24-hour emergency hotline, allowing you to contact us at any time if something unexpected occurs during your tour. You will also be sent the telephone numbers and emergency telephone numbers of our partners at the destination. In some cases, it may be easiest and fastest to contact our partners due to time differences, if, for example, you find yourself in a situation where your pick-up for an excursion or transfer is more than 15 minutes delayed.

Our livelihood depends on satisfied guests, and we would therefore very much like to hear from you after your return home. Send us an email at info@tourcompass.co.uk or call us on tel.: 01279 704 135.