Planning a trip to Morocco is simpler than it looks: most visitors — including Americans and Australians — need no visa for stays under 90 days, spring and fall have the best weather, and in 8–10 days you can comfortably see the imperial cities, the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara.
I’m Soufiane. Elhoussian and I run Happy Morocco Travel from Rissani, on the edge of the Sahara, and we’ve welcomed hundreds of travellers — most of them from the US, Australia, Canada and the UK. This is the guide we send our own guests before they fly: the practical stuff first, then where to go, then honest answers to the questions everyone asks us over the first glass of mint tea.
Morocco Trip Planning: Quick Facts
- Visa: none needed for US, Australian, UK, EU, Canadian and NZ passports (up to 90 days)
- Flight time: ~7 hours direct from New York · ~20–24 hours from Australia with one stop
- Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD) — cash still rules in souks and small towns
- Best months: March–May and September–November
- Language: Arabic and Amazigh (Berber); French widely spoken; English fine in tourist areas
- Ideal first trip: 7–10 days — Casablanca or Marrakech, Fes, the Sahara, back via the Atlas
Do You Need a Visa for Morocco?
No — travellers from the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the EU and New Zealand can visit Morocco visa-free for up to 90 days. Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond arrival. Make sure you get the entry stamp at the border; you may be asked for it when you leave.
Where Is Morocco?
Morocco sits at the northwest corner of Africa, just 14 km from Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar — Atlantic on one side, Mediterranean on the other, the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara in between. We wrote a full picture-and-map answer here: where is Morocco located.
Getting to Morocco From the US and Australia
From the United States
Easier than most Americans expect. Royal Air Maroc flies direct from New York (JFK), Washington DC and Miami to Casablanca (CMN) in about 7–8 hours — leave after dinner, land in time for breakfast. United also serves Marrakech seasonally, and one-stop options via Lisbon, Paris or Madrid open up every other US city. Most of our American guests land in Casablanca and end in Marrakech, or the reverse — flying into one and out of the other saves a day of backtracking.
From Australia
There are no direct flights from Australia, but the one-stop routes are smooth: Emirates via Dubai, Qatar Airways via Doha, or Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, all landing in Casablanca or Marrakech. Count on 20–24 hours door to door from Sydney, Melbourne or Perth. Our Australian guests usually treat Morocco as the star of a bigger trip — pairing it with Europe or the Middle East since you’re already flying that way — and many tell us the long haul was worth it the moment they watched the sun set over the dunes.
You can also arrive by ferry from southern Spain — Tarifa or Algeciras to Tangier takes about an hour — a scenic option if Morocco is part of a European trip.
Getting Around Morocco
Trains: the ONCF rail network linking Casablanca, Rabat, Fes and Marrakech is comfortable and reliable, and the Al Boraq high-speed line runs Casablanca–Tangier in about two hours.
Buses: CTM and Supratours are the dependable operators — economical, and they reach towns the trains don’t, including the desert routes.
Taxis: petit taxis (up to 3 passengers) for inside cities; grand taxis for longer hops. There’s no Uber — use Careem in the big cities, or Heetch and Roby in Marrakech. Riad staff will happily arrange a driver.
Self-driving: rental cars give flexibility, but medina traffic and mountain roads take confidence. Honest local advice: for the classic city–desert–city route, a private driver costs less than you’d think and turns the drive itself into the highlight — that’s exactly how our Morocco tours work, with a private English-speaking driver-guide from airport to airport.
Domestic flights: Royal Air Maroc and Air Arabia cover the long legs if you’re short on time.
Best Time to Visit Morocco
Spring (March–May) and fall (September–November) are the sweet spots — warm days, cool nights, and the desert at its best. Summer is fine on the coast but fierce inland; winter is mild by day and genuinely cold at night in the desert and mountains.
A note for Australians: the seasons flip. Your winter school holidays (June–July) land in our hottest months — doable, but plan the desert overnight carefully. The Australian spring (September–November) is Morocco’s autumn and honestly the perfect overlap. Full month-by-month breakdown in our best time to visit Morocco guide.
Planning Around Ramadan
During Ramadan (roughly February–March for the next few years), many local cafés close in daylight hours and the rhythm of the day changes. Tourist restaurants and riads still serve meals, so travel is completely workable — and the festive evenings after sunset are something special. Come with a little flexibility and you’ll love it.
Money, Language and What to Wear
Money: the dirham (MAD) is a closed currency — you get it here, not at home. Withdraw from an ATM on arrival; cards work in restaurants and hotels (rarely Amex), but souks, tips and taxis run on cash. For US and Australian cards, a no-foreign-fee card saves a few percent on everything.
Language: Arabic and Amazigh (Berber) are official, French is everywhere, and English is fine in hotels, riads and tourist areas. Two words carry you far: salam (hello) and shukran (thank you).
Dress: modest and comfortable — shoulders and knees covered is the respectful baseline for everyone. Light layers work best; pack a scarf for mosque visits and a warm layer for desert nights, which surprise everyone. Shoes come off inside mosques, so slip-ons are your friend.
Where to Stay: Riads and Desert Camps
Skip the chain hotels for at least part of the trip. A riad — a restored courtyard house inside the medina — is half the Morocco experience: breakfast on the roof terrace, tilework everywhere, and the medina at your doorstep. In the Sahara, a night in a desert camp below the dunes of Erg Chebbi is the night guests talk about for years. We hand-pick both on every tour we run.
Where to Go: The Route Most First-Timers Love
Casablanca — the modern face of Morocco and your likely landing point. See the Hassan II Mosque (one of the world’s largest, and open to non-Muslims), then move on — the older cities are where the magic is.
Fes — the oldest medina in the country and a UNESCO site: the Bou Inania Madrasa, the royal palace gates, and the Chouara tanneries (go early, accept the sprig of mint for the smell, and enjoy the best leather shopping in Morocco).
Merzouga and the Sahara — our home ground. Camel trek at sunset into the Erg Chebbi dunes, drum music by the fire, and a sky full of stars with zero light pollution. Climb the big dune at dawn if your legs are willing; watch for flamingos on Dayet Srji lake in season. Everything you need to know is in our guide to visiting the Sahara Desert in Morocco.
Dades Valley and the Atlas — the drive between the desert and Marrakech is a highlight in itself: gorges, kasbahs, the Rose Valley around Kelaat M’Gouna, and Berber villages that haven’t changed in a century.
Marrakech — the grand finale for most guests: Jemaa el-Fnaa square waking up at dusk, the Koutoubia minaret, Bahia Palace, the Majorelle Garden, and the souks — read our Moroccan souk shopping guide before you dive in. More ideas in the 10 best places to visit in Morocco.
How Many Days Do You Need? Sample Itineraries
The honest answer: 7–10 days for the classic loop, 5–6 if you’re tight, two weeks to see it properly. These are the exact itineraries we run — each link shows the full day-by-day plan:
- 5 days: 5-Day Morocco Itinerary — the essentials at a comfortable pace.
- 6 days: Casablanca to Marrakech Desert Tour — land in Casablanca, cross to the dunes, finish in Marrakech.
- 7 days: The Perfect 7-Day Morocco Itinerary — our most-booked trip for US travellers on one week off.
- 9 days: Cultural Heritage Tour — Fes, Berber craft villages and UNESCO sites, for travellers who want depth.
- 10 days: Classic 10-Day Tour from Casablanca or the 10-Day Morocco Itinerary — the full loop without rushing.
- 14 days: 14-Day Sahara Tour from Marrakech — the deep version, popular with Australians making the long flight count.
None of them quite fit? We build private, tailor-made itineraries around your dates — that’s most of what we do.
What to Eat in Morocco
Tagine — slow-cooked lamb, beef or chicken in the clay pot; you’ll eat it often and never tire of it. Couscous — the national dish, traditionally served on Fridays; try it at the source. Pastilla — a sweet-savoury pie of poultry, cinnamon and almonds that surprises everyone. Harira — the tomato-lentil soup that breaks the fast in Ramadan. And mint tea, poured from a height, everywhere, always — accepting a glass is how friendships start here.
Shopping: Leave Room in the Suitcase
Leather, rugs, ceramics, lanterns, argan oil — the souks will test your baggage allowance. Start with our guide to what a souk is, then the practical souk shopping and bargaining guide. Short version: bargain with a smile, buy from the artisan, and real argan oil is never cheap.
Health, Safety and Final Tips
Morocco is a safe, welcoming country for travellers — we wrote an honest, detailed answer at is Morocco safe to visit. The practical basics: drink bottled water at first, take sun protection seriously, carry travel insurance, and keep digital copies of your passport. Learn a couple of Arabic or French phrases — doors open for travellers who try.
Ready? Let’s Plan Your Trip to Morocco
You can absolutely plan Morocco yourself with this guide — that’s why we wrote it. But if you’d rather land and have everything handled — private driver-guide, hand-picked riads, the desert camp, every detail from airport to airport — that’s exactly what Elhoussian and I do, for exactly the kind of trip you’ve just read about.
- Browse all Morocco tours & itineraries
- Dream of the dunes? Start with the Sahara Desert tours
- Want it built around you? Tailor-made private tours
Send us your dates and wish list — no pressure, no hard sell. We’ll sketch an itinerary, you decide. The first glass of mint tea is on us.
Planning a Trip to Morocco: FAQ
Do Americans or Australians need a visa for Morocco?
No. Both US and Australian passport holders can stay up to 90 days visa-free. You just need a passport valid for six months beyond your arrival date.
How many days do you need in Morocco?
Seven to ten days covers the classic route — Casablanca or Marrakech, Fes, the Sahara and the Atlas. Five days works for a focused trip; two weeks lets you add the coast or the deep south.
Are there direct flights to Morocco from the US or Australia?
From the US, yes — Royal Air Maroc flies direct from New York, Washington DC and Miami to Casablanca (about 7–8 hours). From Australia there are no direct flights; the smoothest routes are one stop via Dubai, Doha or Istanbul, around 20–24 hours total.
Is Morocco expensive to visit?
For US and Australian travellers Morocco is good value: excellent riads from $80–150 a night, a full restaurant meal for $10–20, and private guided touring far below European prices. The desert camp is the splurge most guests say was worth every dirham.
Can you get by with English in Morocco?
In tourist areas, yes — hotels, riads, guides and most souk vendors manage well. Off the beaten path, French helps. On our tours your driver-guide speaks fluent English, so language is never a worry.
What is the best month to visit Morocco?
April and October are the twin peaks — warm, clear and comfortable everywhere from the coast to the dunes. March, May, September and November are nearly as good. See the full month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Morocco.
— Soufiane & Elhoussian, Happy Morocco Travel · Rissani, gateway to the Sahara
