Best travel time for Morocco

General information on the climate and weather in Morocco

The best travel time for a Morocco tour is spring and autumn . The temperatures are average, not too cold and not too warm (between 24 and 30 degrees). But the same applies as in Germany: The weather in Morocco remains unpredictable in every season.

The Moroccan summer is warm: Inland, an average temperature of 38 degrees can be expected. It’s a bit cooler on the coast, with a temperature of around 28 degrees. The coldest months in Morocco are December, January and February. The temperatures then vary between 16 and 19 degrees. During this time it can rain a lot and snow falls in the mountains. 3 Days tour From Marrakech to Fes

Weather in Morocco’s desert

You can visit the desert all year round. However, we recommend that you do not plan your desert trip in July or August, as temperatures can then rise to 40 degrees or more. A visit is not impossible during this period either: Our camel tour, for example, does not start until the late afternoon. In our autumn and winter, the temperatures in the Moroccan desert are pleasant during the day, but it cools down considerably in the evening. Make sure you take a warm (fleece) sweater with you on your trip to Morocco !

Climate in the cities

The royal cities of Rabat, Meknes, Fes and Marrakech can be visited all year round. The temperature in Rabat, Meknes and Fes is very pleasant in our spring. In the summer months it can get quite hot, especially in Marrakech. In the winter months it is autumnal and pleasantly sunny in Morocco’s cities. In Marrakech it is usually around five degrees warmer than in Rabat, Meknes and Fes in the north.

Trekking in Morocco

The best travel time for trekking in Morocco is from May to October. However, you should bring warm clothing with you, as it can cool down significantly in the evening. Few treks are offered in the other months. In winter, some mountain passes may be closed due to the (heavy) snowfall in Morocco. Viajes al Desierto Marruecos

Weather at the sea and the beach

The climate on the Moroccan coast is relatively dry and mild in winter and pleasantly cool in summer. The temperature is between 20 and 27 degrees all year round. May to September is generally excellent beach weather and you can sunbathe in Agadir, for example. There is always a pleasant breeze in Essaouira, and it can be a bit chilly in the evenings.

Morocco climate table: average daily temperatures

Currency, prices & tips

Currency in Morocco

The currency in Morocco is Dirham (DH). A Moroccan dirham is divided into 100 centimes. There are banknotes of 20, 50, 100, 200 DH, as well as coins of 0.20, 0.50, 1, 2, 5, 10 DH.

The exchange rates :
1 euro = 10.86 dirham
1 dirham = 0.09 euro
1 CHF = 9.60 dirham
1 dirham = 0.10 CHF

You are only allowed to import or export dirhams up to a maximum amount of 1000 dirhams. The local currency must stay in Morocco. Since the exchange rate is usually better on site, we recommend that you exchange money after arriving in Morocco or withdraw it from the machine with your EC card. Don’t change too much money. It would be a shame if at the end of your Morocco tour you still have money that you are not allowed to do.

EC cards, credit cards and cash

We recommend withdrawing money right at the beginning of your tour so that you have cash to get through the first day. There are ATMs at airports and in cities. Well-known banks are: Attijari-wafa, BMCI, BMCE. The best thing to do is to ask your bank again whether it is possible to withdraw with your card and what fees will apply. When you withdraw money with your credit card, you will need your PIN number.

If you are traveling through Morocco by rental car, it is advisable to have enough cash with you, as most petrol stations can only pay with cash. Sometimes the ATM is empty or not working. In this case it is helpful to have some reserve money with you.

In the larger hotels and shops, and even in some souks, you can pay by credit card. However, we recommend that you do not rely on it and always take some cash with you, as our Morocco tours lead to the small, cozy places. When renting a rental car, you will need a credit card for the deposit.

Tip in Morocco

In Morocco it is customary to tip as soon as you use any service such as in hotels, for guides, drivers, taxis and in restaurants. Tipping in Morocco is the way you show that you are satisfied with the service provided. Therefore, it is good to always have some change in your pocket during your trip to Morocco.

In Morocco, wages are low, so you have to rely on tips. There are no hard and fast rules about how much to tip. You decide how much you want to give. For a small service, 10 dirhams (approx. 1 euro) are enough. For example, if you have a private driver on a Morocco tour and are really satisfied with the service, then give a little more if you want. A tip of around 10% is common in restaurants and around 1 dirham per drink in cafes.

Donations & Beggars

In the cities you will come across many beggars and begging children. Of course it is neither possible nor necessary to give something to everyone. Some faces, gestures, and behaviors tell stories that will appeal to you, so it’s good to have some change with you. In addition, giving alms in Muslim societies is one of the five pillars of Islam, so that it can be quite normal for travelers from abroad to spare a few dirhams here and there.

Local prices in Morocco

Morocco is quite close to Europe and yet it is a different continent with a completely different lifestyle and shopping culture. In general, one can say that the cost of living in Morocco is lower compared to Germany.

For orientation we have a few sample rates listed below:

• Bottle of water: 6 dirhams
• Flatbread or baguette, small approx. 180g: 2 dirhams
• Moroccan chocolate with almond, 150g bar: 7 dirhams
• Couscous 1kg: 10 Dirham
• Dates 1 kg: 15-35 dirhams
• large coffee with milk (= nus nus): 6 dirhams
• Green tea with peppermint: 5 dirhams
• Pastries: 1-2 dirhams per piece
• Tajine im Restaurant 30-100 Dirham
• Glass of wine 50-80 dirhams
• Gasoline ab ca. 11 Dirham pro Liter
• Cosmetic Cloths (a la ˋKleenexˋ): 5-7 Dirham

Haggling in Morocco

Haggling is in the Moroccans’ blood. If you want the seller to respect you, negotiate the price. You should bargain, especially when buying souvenirs in the souks. You can start with about 1/3 the price. Think how much you are willing to pay for the item and you will never pay too much. An extensive haggling game will surely be a special memory of your Morocco trip . The dealer is also happy to do a little small talk – he certainly has a family member or friends in Germany. You don’t need to have any remorse about trading down, the merchants just respect you anymore. Also, you always expect haggling, so start with a high price.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Interesting facts about Morocco

Language in Morocco

The population speaks Moroccan Arabic (darija) among themselves . There are also many Berber tribes who have their own dialect and sometimes cannot speak Arabic at all. Most Moroccans also learned French at school. So if you speak French, you can make yourself understood without any problems. English is also spoken in many places . But be prepared for the fact that you sometimes have to explain something in more detail in sign language. Since the Spaniards also spent short periods in the country, there are some villages in the north where Spanish is still spoken.

Small phrasebook

Communication in Morocco

Telephone and internet
Calling to Europe, especially from a cell phone, is expensive! Inquire with your provider whether your cell phone works in Morocco and what the roaming charges are. The receipt of SMS is usually free of charge. To make cheaper calls to Europe, it is best to buy phone cards that you need for the public telephone booths. These are available from Maroc Telecom with different call credits. In every town there are also so-called teleboutiques, in which you can find coin-operated telephones and computers with internet access. In addition, there are internet cafes almost everywhere and you often have the opportunity to access the internet in the hotels. If you want to make calls within the country, the cheapest option is to buy a Moroccan SIM card. These are available for approx. 5 euros with a small starting credit. Providers are z. B. Orange or Maroc Telecom (Carte Jawal). A SIM-lock-free mobile phone is required for this.

Post in Morocco
You can post your international post in a post office in any major city during your trip. For postcards you can usually get the corresponding stamps at the point of purchase and the (yellow) post boxes can also be found in smaller towns. A postcard to Germany is franked with 8.40 DH. You can also hand in the cards at the hotel, so there is no need to look for a mailbox.

Electricity in Morocco

In Morocco the voltage is 220 volts. You do not need an adapter and can simply bring your electronic devices with you from home, as the voltage is almost identical to that in Germany (230 volts). This means that you do not need to worry about this topic in preparation.

Time difference in Morocco

The time difference is Central European Time (CET) -2 hours in summer and CET -1 hour in winter.

Time change In Morocco, summer time was also introduced in 2008, as in Germany. However, it is only valid until the beginning of the fasting month of Ramadan, if this falls in the summer months. At the end of this period, the clocks will be set one more time.

Time change during Ramadan
For the fasting month of Ramadan in Morocco, according to the Ministry of Public Affairs, the clocks are set back one hour. After Ramadan, the clocks are switched back to summer time.

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