Documents and entry:
a passport that is valid for at least 6 months a copy of your passport which you should keep separately and which can be very useful in case of loss please note the Covid 19 entry requirements
Money and Currency:
- The national currency of Morocco is the dirham MAD (1 € = 10.82 DH approx.)
- You can easily withdraw cash at the many ATMs across the country. Please note that you have to have your debit card / EC card unblocked for non-European countries.
Time:
- CET ie no time difference, except during Ramadan
Beverages:
- Drinking water / mineral water (e.g. Sidi Ali): can be bought packaged in the many shops along the way. A 1.5 l bottle of water costs around 6-10 DH. You need at least 3 bottles of water per head per day in the desert. Remember to bring enough drinking water with you for your desert tour; You can buy water in Mhamid before entering the desert.
- Alcoholic beverages: alcohol is not allowed in Islam, but in tourist places like Marrakech or Agadir many restaurants sell alcoholic beverages; alcohol is also available in large supermarkets. You can also buy alcohol (wine, beer) in a few places in Ouarzazate and Zagora; ask your driver about it. Please remember that you are going to a Muslim country and behave accordingly discreetly and respectfully. Please do not encourage Muslim people to consume alcohol.
Luggage:
Clothing:
be aware that you will be traveling to a country with a different dress code. The luggage includes:
- Comfortable, breathable cotton clothing (other shirts, cotton trousers, trousers that are not too short, skirts that are not too short)
- Jacket, fleece or windstopper for evenings in the desert and in the mountains (also in the warm season, as it is a little lighter)
- For trekking in the mountains functional clothing (trekking pants, trekking shoes, hiking sticks)
- Sandals (flip flops) or walking barefoot in the desert
- Light sneakers, lighter hiking shoes for the desert hike. During camel trekking, you can ride your camel or, like your camel guide, hike next to the camel
For the desert:
- Sun protection, sun hat or turban (Chech a wrapped headscarf of the Tuareg and other Sahara peoples; you can buy this in Mhamid and are then “desert suitable”), sun cream
- Flashlight
- Pocket knife
- Sleeping bag (only if you are going on a multi-day trek and stay overnight in the mobile camp); You don’t need a sleeping bag in the desert camp, there are fresh sheets and blankets.
- You need at least 3 bottles of drinking water per person and day in the desert (more in the warm season).
Shopping:
Especially in the big cities like Marrakech and Agadir there are many big supermarkets where you can buy everything you forgot at home.
Medication:
For diarrhea, fever, cold, personal important medication.
Personal things:
- Glasses
- Camera (protect your camera from the very fine sand in the desert, e.g. with a plastic bag), charger (no adapter required), memory card with sufficient capacity
- Binoculars for the desert
Travel guide and dictionary (French, Arabic)
Culture and norms:
Morocco is a Muslim country and the people are hospitable and tolerant. We encounter a different, fascinating culture, ancient traditions, customs and usages based on religion and the Arab culture. Listening and observing, without necessarily understanding and without judging, enriches and makes a trip an unforgettable experience; we discover and learn from foreign traditions and are fascinated by a world so different from ours. When we travel through this country, we also leave traces of ourselves and our own world; it is nice when we leave the impression of warmth, generosity, openness, curiosity, modesty and respect for our host country and its people.
Tips (Bakshish):
Tipping is part of everyday life in Morocco, and tips are expected for practically all services. We pay our teams according to local and fair wages, but our companions are happy to receive recognition of their performance in the form of a tip. Usually the tips are collected from the participants and at the end of the tour divided among the crew, a distinction should be made between guide, cook and the companions who supervise the mules or dromedaries, our drivers are also happy to receive a tip. The tip should ideally be paid in dirhams, but can also be given in dollars or euros.
Environment:
The desert is very lively, you can see it in the numerous animal tracks in the sand when you climb a dune in the morning to enjoy the sunrise. It is also the living space of other people. With this in mind and taking into account that the drought in the desert can only rot even a paper handkerchief very slowly, we ask you not to leave any rubbish in the desert. In all of Morocco, a country threatened by drought, it is important that we are aware and careful when dealing with water as a resource.