Morocco

I traveled to Morocco with OAT in February 2025, and I loved all of it except Casablanca, which is not a very nice or interesting city in my opinion. I had no negative experiences on this trip.

You can read about the itinerary I did here: https://www.oattravel.com/trips/land-adventures/africa/morocco-sahara-odyssey

(I did the pre-trip extension to Northern Morocco, which was one of the best parts of the trip. I didn't do the post-trip to Essouira.

If you're thinking about independent travel, I can't really offer much perspective, but I'd recommend getting a good guidebook and reading about it so you can get an idea of where you'd like to go, how much time, what time of year, how to get around, etc.

ABSOLUTELY GO! I don't know your comfort level with travel, but we are reasonably experienced travellers. We visited Morocco "independently" (ie: not a package tour - we made all arrangements for travel, hotels and tours ourselves). It is totally doable.

Morocco is a good entry point to Arab and North African culture, because its one of the more "European" of those countries. If you don't speak Arabic, anything official can be done in French, and almst anything touristic can be done in English. They have good cell and wifi coverage and most things are well connected.

We also found Moroccans to be outstandingly tolerant. None of the whistling, catcalls or insults we had been warned about. Of course, we were respectful of them, learning some Arabic and Berber phrases. People that may not be well tolerated in other Arab countries (Jews, LGBTQ, single women alone) will be well accepted there.

Positives: Beautiful people. Beautiful countryside. Very interesting mix of Arab, Berber and French culture. Pleasant weather and mix of climates (not all desert). Relatively cheap accommodations and food. Biggest positive is the friendly faces we met there.

Negatives: Be prepared for lack of some conveniences; I used a squat toilet more than once. There will be touts trying to get you to try their shop, restaurant or walking tour; try to avoid them with a simple "No, shukran". And I personally did not love Moroccan food; its not like the food of Lebanon/Israel/Egypt (which I love, and expected to find there); they use more sweet and less spice.

I just got back and posted my report to this forum. The link (if you want to read it): https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/tr-morocco-april-may-2026

We were mostly self-guided other than the 4 night tour from Fes to Marrakech. I would recommend the one we did very highly, but I also know there are several companies that do it, and I believe it can be arranged without a company.

Even though the roads were good, I am not sure that I would drive in Morocco for long distances. (I drive in Washington, DC regularly, so it isn't a traffic thing). The driving culture was a bit different than I was used to, and there are many many many speed checks/checkpoints/places to get pulled over. While I would not plan on speeding in a foreign country, our guide let us know about the fines that must be paid on the spot in cash or else your license is taken. My French is not strong enough to deal with a situation like that. However, if aggressive driving and some wild passing choices don't bother you, then maps are correct and roads are generally well-maintained.

Happy to discuss anything at all as you plan!

We've had some recent posts here about Morocco.
Here is one: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/beyond-europe/morocco-pre-trip-advice
And a trip report: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/tr-morocco-april-may-2026

I went to Morocco last October and loved it. I'm a female in my late 40s and went alone to Marrakech. I was there for a couple of days on my own, and then joined a small Portuguese group tour for a loop around the country (9 days). It was the easiest/safest way for me to travel alone. All my trips are usually solo and it had been over 20 years since I had joined a tour. The tour included Rabat which I didn't care for, but otherwise the itinerary was great and met what I had in mind as to cities I wanted to visit. We had a couple of hours of guided tour in each major city.

This was my itinerary: Marrakech - Atlas Mountains - Ait Benhaddou - Ouarzazate - Dates Gorges - Merzouga desert/Sahara night/glamping - quick stop in Azrou - Fes - Chefchaouen - Rabat - Casablanca. Casablanca was only a half day to visit the Mosque, then I was dropped at the airport around 1pm. I think visiting the Mosque is worth it but I can't talk about the rest of the city.

My itinerary was very similar to this one but in the opposite direction and included Casablanca at the end: https://www.kimkim.com/c/highlights-of-morocco-10-days This website actually gave me great ideas on what to see and then I started searching for tour companies that included cities I wanted to visit. I looked at groups in English, Spanish and Portuguese, so I had more options to choose from.

If you decide on Morocco, go with an open mind that it's a different culture with different costumes than you might be used to. I felt safe but used common sense to avoid pickpocketing in crowded areas like the medinas. Do spend a night (or two!) in the desert if you can make it work with your schedule. I was impressed with the roads as we drove around the country (I was in a bus).

And I loved to travel in mid-October. It was warm and a few hot days in Marrakech, but otherwise pleasant weather in the evenings. The desert was as expected, hot during the day and chilly at night at that time of the year. Northern Morocco was definitely cooler as was in the mountains.

Hi! Morocco was on my "someday" list for years too, and I'm so glad I went there with my little family. I did a 10-day private tour with Morocco Family Vacation, and it was genuinely one of the best trips our family has ever taken.

Here are some highlights that might help you picture it:

Merzouga / Erg Chebbi dunes: We spent a night in a luxury desert camp near Merzouga. Watching the sunset over the Sahara, doing a camel ride into the dunes, and sleeping under an absolutely insane sky full of stars was otherworldly.

Skoura : A quiet, beautiful oasis town on the way to the desert. A lovely place to slow down, walk among the palm groves, and take it all in before the drama of the dunes.

Fes Medina: this was probably the most overwhelming (in the best way) place I've ever been. The old medina is a genuine, living medieval city, tanneries, souks, artisans, the call to prayer echoing off ancient walls. Having a knowledgeable local guide here was absolutely essential. Without one, you will get lost and miss so much context.

Marrakech: the Djemaa el-Fna square, the souks, the riads… it's chaotic and magical at the same time. Again, our guide made all the difference, he knew which areas to avoid at certain times and which hidden gems to seek out.

Since you're used to planning independently, you might actually love having a private driver/guide rather than a group tour. You still get all the logistical support (Morocco roads and navigation can be tricky!), but you move at your own pace and can linger where you want. Morocco Family Vacation team were very responsive and tailored everything to us.

A few honest notes on the "negative" side, since you asked:
- The medinas are intense, sensory overload is real, especially in Fes and Marrakech. Give yourself downtime.
- Touts and persistent vendors can be tiring, though having a guide largely shields you from the worst of it.
- The country is mostly cash-based outside of hotels, so plan accordingly.

Overall: Morocco exceeded every expectation. It feels genuinely different from anywhere else, culturally rich, visually stunning, and incredibly hospitable once you get past the surface chaos. For a planner like you, I'd say go for it. The research time is absolutely worth it. Feel free to ask me anything specific!