There is a minimum number of four participants required in order to guarantee each departure. Please wait until you've received confirmation from Encounters Travel before making any travel arrangements.

Yes! Private departures are available, however pricing will vary depending on date and group size. Please contact our Adventures Team to explore pricing and check on availability.

Fly into Casablanca airport (CMN) where you’ll be met by a representative from Encounters Travel and transferred to your hotel. Please note that this trip ends in Marrakesh, so you should arrange your departing flights at the end of the tour from Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK).

You'll be staying in good quality hotels rated at the Moroccan 3 and 4-star level on this tour. You'll also be spending one night in the desert in a simple, traditional Berber camp on the edge of the Erg Chebbi sand dunes. This is a great spot to enjoy a sunrise and sunset over the Sahara. Accommodations are in a large Berber tent (with all bedding provided), or you can take your mattress outside and sleep under the stars. Blankets are provided but your guide recommends that you bring a sleeping bag for the colder winter months from November to April. Shared western-style flushing toilets are available.

Local hotel star ratings may vary slightly from international standards. Accommodation is based on double or twin en-suite rooms with air conditioning. All couples will be given a private double room.

Group sizes range between four and 16 guests.

This tour is based on twin-share accommodations, with solo travelers paired up with another traveler of the same sex. If the final group make-up means that no room share is available, you do not need to pay this supplement. However, if you would like to guarantee yourself a single room throughout the tour, there is a single supplement fee. Please contact our Adventures Team to explore pricing and availability.

Meals provided will be served in the various accommodations and will generally be served buffet style with a mix of different local Moroccan cuisines. You will also find good selection of vegetarian options. Please see the itinerary for specific meals provided.

The local currency in Morocco is the Dirham. Encounters Travel recommends you bring some cash in a hard currency (US Dollars, GB Pounds, Euros) and a good ATM card. Most major currencies can be converted at most banks, but it's not wise to carry too much. Euros and US Dollars are welcomed more than GB Pounds. Travelers checks are not easily exchanged. It can be difficult outside of Marrakesh to find an ATM machine that takes your card as many Moroccan banks have ATMs that only work with Moroccan cards. Don't put your card in an ATM unless you see the symbol that matches your card on the machine, as you might lose your card! They also suggest trying to avoid using Post Office ATMs. In some smaller towns there are no ATMs that take foreign cards, so be sure you get enough cash to carry you until the next major city. BCM seems to be the best bank, accepting foreign cards in most of their ATMs.

While in Morocco you'll need sufficient funds to cover meals not included in the itinerary, drinks, snacks, souvenirs, tips, and personal expenses such as laundry. These should generally all be paid for in Moroccan Dirham. It is difficult to recommend a level of personal spending money which will suit everyone as this can differ greatly, but as a guideline, $15-25 per person per day should suffice. Allow more if you plan on doing lots of shopping or buying many alcoholic drinks.

Tipping and haggling is an accepted and usual part of life in Morocco. Wages for service staff are very low and tips are a necessary supplement to meagre incomes. See below for some general guidelines on what to expect.

Tipping kitty
On this trip Encounters provides a tipping kitty for your convenience and to remove the hassle of being asked for tips by main people you may come across during the tour. This kitty will be collected in US Dollars cash at the start of the tour, and administered by your tour guide. You may ask for information on who they are tipping along the way as often they will do it out of sight for politeness. However, the tipping kitty amount covers people like hotel porters, hotel waiters, local guides for city tours, airport drivers, Berber camel herders, and restaurant tips. It does not cover your main tour guide. On this particular tour, the tipping kitty is priced at $50 per person (this is for adults only - children on family tours do not need to pay).

Other tips
Your main tour guide is not included in the tipping kitty. It is suggested that you budget around $2-4 per person per day to cover the main guide's tip, subject to your personal budget, and your satisfaction with the level of service provided. On private/tailor-made tours it is recommended that you budget a bit higher. Throughout your trip you may at times also have a local guide in addition to your main guide. These are covered in the tipping kitty. In local markets and basic restaurants you can leave loose change as a tip. For more up-market restaurants, 5% to 10% of the bill is an appropriate tip.

Haggling
Haggling is a traditional necessity, so never pay too much regard to initial prices. Instead, fix an item's value in your mind then negotiate towards it unhurriedly (Moroccans never rush their bargaining), and don't be afraid to simply walk away if the price isn't right. However, if you do mention a price, then you should be prepared to pay it or risk causing offense.

Luggage: Small or medium sized suitcases, rucksacks or duffel bags are all fine to bring with you to Morocco. Check with your airline for weight and size restrictions. You should also bring a small daypack/bag to take out during the day. Your main luggage will often be left in the hotel during your sightseeing trips - you won't need to carry it far, and there are nearly always hotel porters to assist.

Clothing: Modesty is very important in Morocco (especially for women), so to respect the local culture and people, please ensure all clothes are loose fitting and not revealing. Shorts (not hot-pants) are OK in tourist sites, as are t-shirts, but these should not show too much bare flesh (it is suggested that your shoulders remain covered). In the center of towns and cities outside tourist areas, and when visiting any mosques, legs and arms should be covered for both men and women. As temperatures can vary greatly between day and night, you should pack clothing suitable for both hot and cold conditions. Other recommended items include a sun hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, a basic first aid kit, toiletries, money belt, small flashlight, camera, and charger.

Other items: At the Berber desert camp all bedding is provided. However, as sand has a nasty habit of getting everywhere, for comfort, it is recommended that you bring a light sleeping sheet or sleeping bag liner all year round, and a light sleeping bag in the winter months (November to February) when it can get very cold in the desert.

The Moroccan climate varies according to season and region. The coast has a warm, Mediterranean climate tempered on the eastern coast by southwest trade winds. Inland areas have a hotter, drier, continental climate. In the south of the country, the weather is very hot and dry throughout most of the year, though temperatures can drop dramatically at night, especially in desert and mountains and in the months of December and January. It rains from November to March in coastal areas, and the rest of the country is mostly dry with high temperatures in summer and a cooler climate in the mountains. Marrakesh and Agadir enjoy an average temperature of 70°F (21°C) in the winter. Depending on the time of year, you should be prepared for both hot and cold conditions.

The following activities are available throughout the tour and bookable locally. For information on pricing, please contact our Adventures Team.

Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
Dinner and an evening’s entertainment in Fes
Rock climbing in Todra Gorge
Quad Biking in Ouarzazate
Visit to film studio in Ouarzazate
Guided city tour of Marrakesh
Hammam spa in Marrakesh

Travel insurance is required for this tour and needs to cover personal accident & liability, medical expenses and repatriation, travel delay & abandonment. It is strongly advised that you take out coverage against cancellation and lost/stolen baggage. Personal medical insurance does not normally provide sufficient coverage and is generally not suitable for travel on this tours. You will not be able to join your tour if you have not provided Encounters Travel with details of your insurance or if you arrive without cover in place (no refunds will be due in this event). You should take a paper copy of your insurance policy with you as you may be asked to show this at the start of the tour. We recommend VisitorsCoverage as a travel insurance provider.

If you are taking expensive camera gear or other electronic equipment with you then please check the coverage and the fine print of your policy to ensure that you have sufficient coverage.

We recommend you visit the local government websites where you plan to travel and review the required documentation for entry, current restrictions, and general recommendations for travel within the area. We encourage you to also visit your home country's embassy website if you are traveling to a foreign country. Requirements can change rapidly. Please be sure you stay abreast of the requirements and restrictions for anywhere you plan to visit. You can also enroll in the U.S. government’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and you will be sent updates if the situation in your destination changes. You can find the program link at https://step.state.gov/.

Yes! Book confidently with Free Cancellations within 72 hours of booking. After 72 hours, cancellation fees will apply.

New For 2022 Departures: We’re providing more flexible booking options on this trip.

Up to 60 days prior to departure*
You may postpone or modify your trip up to 60 days prior to departure.

You will have the option to:
1) Select a new travel date within one year and travel within two years of your original travel date. Additional trip costs may apply.
2) Receive a lifetime store credit toward a future trip. Standard cancellation fees will apply.

Up to 30 days prior to departure
You may postpone or modify your trip up to 30 days prior to departure.

You will have the option to:
1) Select a new travel date and travel within one year of your original travel date. Additional trip costs may apply.2) Receive a lifetime store credit toward a future trip. Standard cancellation fees will apply.

Less than 30 days prior to departure
In some cases, you may have the option to postpone your trip within 30 days prior to departure.

If this is available at the time of your request, you will have the option to:
1) Select a new travel date. Additional trip costs may apply and new dates are subject to availability, or
2) Receive a lifetime store credit toward a future trip. Standard cancellation fees will apply.

For more information on our Travel Cancellation Policy please Click Here.