Why Morocco Keeps Moving Up My List (Even Though I Have Never Been)

Updated April 2026 | 5 min read

I have never been to Morocco. I need to say that up front because this is not a trip report or a review. This is about a place that has been on my list for years, that I keep almost booking, and that I still have not pulled the trigger on. Here is why it keeps moving up the list — and what keeps holding me back.

What Put It on the List

Riads. That is the short answer. The idea of staying in a converted mansion hidden behind a plain medina wall — chaos on the street, courtyard pool and hand-laid tile on the other side — is the kind of contrast I travel for. Marrakech riads run from $20 a night for a basic room to $200 or more for something with a rooftop terrace and proper plunge pool. Even at the high end, that is a fraction of what comparable atmosphere costs in Europe.

The Sahara is the other pull. Camel trek at sunset, sleep under the stars at a desert camp near Merzouga, wake up for a sunrise over the Erg Chebbi dunes — dunes that reach over 500 feet. Every review I have read says the sunrise is even better than the sunset, and that the scale and silence of the dunes genuinely cannot be replicated anywhere closer to the West.

The food does not hurt either. Tagines slow-cooked in clay pots, bastilla with almonds and cinnamon, fresh orange juice for about a dollar on every corner, and mint tea that Moroccans call “Moroccan whiskey” because of how central it is to daily life. Street food runs 10-30 MAD per item — that is one to three dollars.

And then there is the sheer variety. Desert, Atlas Mountains above 4,000 meters, Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, cedar forests, river valleys — all in one country smaller than Texas.

What Keeps Me From Booking

The scam reports. I have read enough forums to know exactly what to expect: fake guides who attach themselves to you in the Fez medina, lead you in circles until you are lost, and demand payment. Henna women who grab your arm and apply without consent, then charge 200-500 MAD. Taxi drivers with broken meters. Shop owners with free tea that comes with an aggressive sales pitch.

I have traveled in places with touts before — Istanbul, Bali. Morocco is consistently described as operating at a different intensity. Fez especially. The advice that comes up over and over: download Maps.me offline maps, walk with confidence, do not make eye contact with touts, and use a firm “no thank you” on repeat.

Stomach issues are the other concern. Traveler’s diarrhea is described as extremely common. The risks: tap water, salads washed in tap water, ice in drinks. One traveler specifically got food poisoning from ice in fresh-squeezed orange juice — the most iconic street drink in the country. The advice is to stick to bottled water (even for brushing teeth), eat tagines and hot-cooked dishes at busy spots, and pack Imodium and oral rehydration salts.

None of this is a dealbreaker on its own. But stacked together, it means Morocco is a trip I want to do right — with enough time, the right itinerary, and probably a private guide for at least the Fez and Marrakech legs.

What the Budget Actually Looks Like

This is the part that keeps pulling me back in. Morocco is genuinely affordable.

A mid-range riad in Marrakech runs $60-150 a night. A three-day Sahara tour from Marrakech to Merzouga with camel trek, desert camp, and meals included starts at about $100 per person. A sit-down tagine dinner is $5-10. A taxi across town is $2-5.

At a mid-range pace with riads, a desert excursion, and a few guided activities, you are looking at $100-150 per person per day. A luxury trip with a private driver, heritage riads, and curated food experiences runs closer to $250-300.

For context, that luxury tier in Morocco costs about what a mid-range trip costs in France or Italy.

The Trip I Keep Planning

Every time I open a map, the route is the same: fly into Marrakech, take a few days in the medina, drive southeast through the Atlas passes to the Sahara for two nights at a desert camp near Merzouga. Then north to Fez for the medina and tanneries. Side trip to Chefchaouen — the blue city in the Rif Mountains that is quieter and more walkable than either Marrakech or Fez. Fly out of Fez or loop back to Marrakech.

That is about two weeks, which is what most people who have done it recommend for a first trip. Less than ten days means too much driving and not enough time anywhere. More than three weeks and the cities apparently start to blend together.

The best months are March-April or October-November — warm enough for the desert, cool enough that Marrakech is not hitting 40 degrees Celsius. February is apparently the sleeper pick: quieter crowds, lower prices, and 60-70 degree weather.

Morocco is co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which means infrastructure is improving fast but prices in tourist areas are rising with it. Tourism hit 17.4 million visitors in 2024 — well above targets. The window for Morocco as an underpriced destination is probably closing.

What I Would Pack

Based on every first-timer report I have read, here is the gear list I keep updating:

Closed-toe walking shoes — the medina streets are uneven cobblestone, steep in places, and sandals are a bad idea.

A light packable jacket — Atlas passes and desert nights drop sharply in temperature, even in spring.

Noise-canceling earbuds — the medina soundscape is intense and sometimes you just need to walk in peace.

An extra packable bag for purchases — every reviewer warns about arriving without enough space for what they end up buying in the souks.

Dry bags or ziplock pouches for electronics in the desert — sand damages cameras and phones faster than you would expect.

For the Sahara specifically, Viator lists Marrakech-to-Sahara tours starting around $100 for three days — that includes the camel trek, desert camp, and meals.

Compare flights on Skyscanner — direct flights from major European hubs to Marrakech are common and usually under $200 round trip.

If you are planning to use data in Morocco, an Airalo eSIM for Morocco is cheaper than roaming and you set it up before you land.

Book Tours: GetYourGuide Marrakech, Fes, and Sahara tour packages in Morocco | GetYourGuide Chefchaouen and Atlas Mountains hiking tours

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