FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Get all the answers to your questions before starting your adventure
Planning a vacation to Morocco is exciting, but you may have a lot of questions. We want you to be prepared and have all the facts to have a carefree trip.
Below you will find detailed information about your upcoming tour in Morocco.
If you have other questions, please contact us at Info@cherg.com.
FAQs: General
Our standard tours include:
- Transport by climate controlled 4x4, minivan and/or minibus, driver, tolls, and gasoline
- Lodging in boutique hotels, riads, guesthouses, or desert camps
- Meals noted in your itinerary
- Camel trek in the Sahara
- Private, experienced, certified tour guides if included in your itinerary
- Taxes
- 24-hour contact number
Our custom tours include enhanced services which are reflected in your tour itinerary.
Our standard tours do not include:
- Airfare, visa, and other air related fees
- Beverages (nonalcoholic and alcoholic)
- Entry fees for attractions
- Travel, medical and personal insurance
- Spa and hammam services
- Items you choose to purchase along the way
- Gratuities for our drivers, guides, and lodging staff, at your discretion
- Baggage portage
Our custom tours normally include most of these items and enhanced services noted in your tour itinerary.
Ecotourism combines the idea of discovery and education about a natural environment, while preserving ecology and supporting the well-being of the local population. For instance, saving energy, conserving water, and creating economic opportunities for local communities.
It is important that you are aware of the impact that you have as a traveler on our fragile environment. We encourage you to leave a zero footprint whenever possible.
We want you to get everything you hope for from your tour. If a change happens at the last minute, rest assured, we will do our best to accommodate your needs. However, for lodging, last-minute changes are difficult and depend on availability, especially during high season. If you want to change your itinerary before arriving, contact us for options.
As soon as we receive your deposit, your tour is confirmed and we begin making arrangements for lodging, drivers, and other aspects of your tour.
It's best for you to travel with 1 main suitcase, if possible. For the desert, we recommend that you also bring a small travel bag or a light backpack which is the one you will take with you to the desert camp. Your main suitcase will be securely stored while you are at the camp. In addition, a small daypack to use during your tour is recommended for items you need to access easily (camera, sunscreen, water, money, etc.).
Our suggestion for clothing is conservative and casual.
The best dress is in layers, cotton or other fabric that is lightweight and absorbs moisture. A light jacket, sweater, or wrap (pashminas are abundant and reasonably priced here) is recommended. Ladies do not need to wear a head scarf however you will show respect in the small villages and the mosque if you cover your head with a light scarf.
Good walking shoes and/or sandals, and those with an ankle strap are necessary in the desert, as is a hat or ceche (wrapped turban), which you can buy locally in a variety of colors and sizes.
We can also provide you with other suggestions specific to your tour.
As they say here, Morocco is a cold country with a very hot sun.
Morocco enjoys well over 320 days of sunshine each year. In the desert, you are subject not only to the rays of the sun coming from above, but also from below, because they are reflected off of the sand.
Bring good anti-UV sunglasses, sunscreen with high protection index (50-70 SPF is recommended), head covering, and a good water bottle.
Moroccan cuisine is a mélange of Arab,
Berber, Moorish, French, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean African, and Jewish
influences resulting in dishes only found in Morocco. Meals are enhanced with dried and fresh fruits, nuts, spices, and olives.
Breakfast is always included on our tours and sometimes lunch and dinner as noted in your itinerary.
Meals are prepared by local chefs and served in the traditional Moroccan way. Please let us know in advance if you have specific dietary needs, such as allergies, vegetarian or gluten free.
Short List of Things to Bring
- Passport and extra copies
- Copy of your itinerary if needed at passport control
- Proof of medical and travel insurance
- Insect repellent if you are sensitive
- Band-aids or moleskin for foot blisters
- A strong, prescription anti-diarrheal medication (Cipro), just in case
- Electrical adaptor and portable phone charger
- Good water bottle
- Sunscreen (50-70 SPF recommended)
- Hat or head covering
- Backpack or daypack
- List of prescription medications and medical alert bracelet
We accept payment by VISA, MasterCard, and bank transfers. A 4% fee is added to payments made by credit card. Bank wires can take up to 30 days for us to receive at our bank in Morocco. We may make other payment methods available to you depending on your specific tour.
Your deposit must be received by us at least 30 days in advance of your tour start date. or as we otherwise inform you. The balance will be due before your tour begins and the date depends on your itinerary and the number of travelers. If you reserve your tour 30 days or less before the start date, full payment is due upon booking.
We understand that sometimes things happen that might prevent you from attending your tour and we want to work with you in the best way possible when this occurs.
Your tour is only confirmed upon our receipt of your deposit. Once we receive your deposit, you can cancel more than 35- days before the start date of your tour and we will refund money, less any costs we incur, such as lodging cancelation fees. If you cancel your tour between 35- and 10- days from the start of your tour, we will refund half of money paid less the any costs we incur. If you cancel your tour 10- days or less from the start of your tour or do not show up for your tour, your deposit paid is nonrefundable.
If you are on a group tour or 6 or more people, or as we otherwise notify you, once we receive your deposit, you can cancel more than 60- days before the start date of your tour and we will refund money, less any costs we incur, such as lodging cancelation fees. If you cancel your tour between 45- and 30- days from the start of your tour, we will refund half of money paid less the any costs we incur. If you cancel your tour 30- days or less from the start of your tour or do not show up for your tour, your deposit paid is nonrefundable.
For these and reasons related to flights, we strongly encourage all travelers to purchase adequate travel insurance with cancel for any reason coverage.
If you have special circumstances that require you to cancel your tour, we will work with you in good faith on available options.
Morocco has a generous culture of giving to those in need. However, we do not endorse giving money to children. You can give them small gifts of chewing gum, candy (they love chocolate and hard candy, which you can buy locally), art supplies, small note pads, etc. if you like. In the spirit of the Moroccan culture, we endorse giving to the elderly, handicapped, and others in need.
Given Morocco is a Muslim country, some facilities and locations may not serve alcohol. We understand that this is your vacation and that you may choose to imbibe, and if so, please be respectful (i.e., discreet).
To respect your privacy, your tour leader, lodging accommodations, guides, and driver will not collect your contact information. We also advise you not to give your contact information to anyone.
It is customary for you to ask in advance before taking any photos of or with locals, and if they agree, they may ask for a few dirhams for allowing the photo.
Photos may be taken by our team which you agree may be used in our marketing efforts. If you do not wish for us to use your photo, do not include yourself in the photo.
FAQs: Traveling to Morocco
To enter Morocco, you need a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of your exit from Morocco with at least 1 blank page. Generally, Visas are not required for a stay of less than 90 days. However, check with the Moroccan embassy in your country to find out what entry conditions are specifically required for you.
The currency is the Moroccan dirham, but the Euro and US Dollar may also be accepted in some places. You will need to exchange money for dirhams to pay for things that are not included in your tour, such as meals, drinks, snacks, shopping, gratuities, and personal expenses. Your driver can take you to change money.
Make sure to bring new issue bills (preferably hundreds) in pristine condition. Change houses and banks will not accept bills that are not current issue, are torn, or with writings or other markings, regardless of how small. There are also ATMs in most locations that dispense dirhams (remember to notify your bank of your travel plans).
It is common for travelers to underestimate their cash needs while touring Morocco, and we encourage you to incorporate mechanisms to obtain additional dirhams if needed.
Credit cards are usually only accepted in the larger cities. Plan to have cash for shopping, especially in the souks and the desert. Using ATMs and credit cards in Morocco can result in foreign transaction fees, unless you use a fee-free card.
Businesses generally charge an additional 3-5% for using a credit card, depending on the total amount of the transaction.
Remember to notify your bank before the trip if you plan to use your ATM or credit card abroad.
In Morocco, shopping is one of the main attractions and it’s an exciting experience where you can buy almost anything. Vibrant souks (traditional markets) and bazaars are staffed by vendors selling their wares. In the cities, medinas offer history and a glimpse into daily Moroccan life. Medinas hold an abundance of hand-made goods including hand-tanned leather products, lighting, textiles, fine carpets and pottery.
Bargaining and price haggling is an art form in Morocco. All you need to know is the value you place on the product you are interested in, and the price you are willing to pay.
Also remember that the price you are willing to pay should be reasonable with respect to the seller.
Morocco is on Greenwich Mean Time. The same time zone as France, and 5 hours ahead of New York most of the year, unless there are changes for daylight savings time or Ramadan.
Morocco is a land of contrasts and as they say here, it is a cold country with a very hot sun. Lapped by the water of the Mediterranean in the north and the waves of the Atlantic Ocean to the west, it is also crisscrossed by the Rif and Atlas Mountains, which means the country is affected by a host of climatic influences.
Due to these varied geographical contrasts (ocean, mountain, oasis, and desert), Morocco benefits from all climates. December and January are typically the coldest months of the year; July and August are the hottest.
Weather can vary widely in Morocco, depending on where you are: coastal beaches, mountains, or desert, and is difficult to predict. Temperatures can vary between 10 to 15 degrees between sun and shade, even in the summer.
You may wish to bring a small umbrella or light rain jacket just in case.
Morocco has a great linguistic diversity. Moroccan Arabic (Darija) is the most spoken language and Amazigh (Berber) is the native language. French and English are commonly spoken, as well as other languages.
Guides are a necessity in Morocco, especially if you are traveling solo. They know the best and off-the-beaten path sites to show you and help you navigate in the medinas and souks.
Currently, no vaccinations are required to enter Morocco. Depending on your health, your doctor may recommend other vaccinations.
Tap water is generally ok to drink in the big cities, but you may not like the taste. Most travelers prefer bottled water which is available everywhere. You should also bring good anti-diarrhea medication (Cipro or stronger), just in case.
Medical and travel insurance is recommended.
Morocco uses 110 V and 220 V power outlets. Generally, you will only need a 2-pin power adapter, the same as used in Europe. Since power outlets can vary in voltage, a universal converter is ideal for electronic and small devices. A portable phone charger also comes in handy.
Our suggestion for clothing is conservative for both men and women. You can dress however you like especially in the larger cities, but our suggestion is geared to make you fit in with and show respect to the locals. If you are on one of our luxury tours, you may wish to bring appropriate clothing for evenings out.
The best dress is in layers, cotton or other fabric that is lightweight and absorbs perspiration. A light jacket, sweater, or wrap is recommended, except the hottest of summer months. Ladies do not need to wear a scarf however you will show respect in the small villages if you cover your head with a light scarf.
Good walking shoes and or sandals with an ankle strap are also necessary, especially in the desert.
We can also provide you with suggestions specific to your tour.
Cell phones work in most places in Morocco but using your home network for calls and texts can cost a small fortune while roaming. Check with your phone operator if they offer a special rate for Morocco.
You can buy a local, prepaid SIM card at the airport and virtually everywhere. You can usually make free calls and send texts through Facebook and WhatsApp if on wi-fi or with a local SIM card within Morocco.
Wi-fi is generally available for free or a small fee in the airports, and for free in most lodging facilities and cafes, however connection speeds vary considerably. Wi-fi may or may not be available at the desert camp (enjoy the night off!) and may or not be available during the transport portions of the tour.
Our tours are comprehensive and fast-paced and cover a fair amount of ground each day. While not requiring extreme physical exertion, expect 3 to 5 hours of walking each day, where you may encounter uneven surfaces, stairs, steps, significant slopes, and steep grades, as well as considerable time standing. Many historic sites have specific driving regulations or limited accessibility, with set drop off and pickup points, that result in additional walking to and from the sights. Please advise us before your tour if you have any physical challenges or limitations.