since 2009

Travel to Morocco 2023- is it safe ?

TRAVEL TO MOROCCO FROM USA AND MOST OF THE WORLD

Update 10.04.2023: If you are fully vaccinated, a PCR test is no longer needed to enter Morocco, unless you have been in mainland China less than 2 weeks prior.  A health passsenger form ( download here) has to be presented on arrival.

amtoudi small granary                           Fortress – granary in Morocco’s south 

MOROCCO TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

Since reopening of the borders in February 2022, wearing a mask is no longer compulsory nation- wide in public spaces. There are no curfews in place as of April 2023. Public monuments are now open to public and Majorelle Gardens, Dar El Bacha museum, Le Jardin Secret, Maison de La Photographie or Kasbah des Oudayas ( most privately- owned tourist attractions) have been  open since 2021.  Most of our partner guest houses, riads, desert camps and eco lodges are now open.

Jemaa El Fna square Marrakech                                                                                                   Jemaa El Fna square, Marrakech 

MOROCCO TRAVEL ADVICE:

# The Global Terrorism Index measures the impact of terrorism in 162 countries. To account for the lasting effects of terrorism, each country is given a score that represents a five year weighted average. On this index, Syria ranks #5, United States ranks # 28 and Morocco ranks #76 out of 163 countries: https://www.visionofhumanity.org/maps/global-terrorism-index/#/

# In 2019, just before the onset of the pandemic, Marrakech made the Trip Advisor’s Top 10 Choice destinations in the world, after having already made the list in 2015;

# The US State Department lauded Morocco’s “comprehensive” counter-terrorism strategy, underlining the country’s adherence to human rights standards and the increased transparency of law enforcement procedures. Among other things, the report states that: “in the past decade, Morocco has focused on upgrading mosques, promoting the teaching of relatively moderate Islam”

# On the map below crafted by International SOS, you can appreciate that Morocco is faring quite well when it comes to the assessment of threats posed by political violence, social unrest, pandemic impact, violent and domestic petty crimes, sharing the same security risk as Spain or France and most of Europe;

Screen Shot 2022 04 11 at 16.59.18

ANY FURTHER TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS IN MOROCCO ?

We can not foretell the future, but since the onset of the Covid pandemic, this April 2023 feels like the closest to normality we’ve been in the last 36 months. With the opening of the land borders with Spain, the discarding of the nightly curfew and the restarting of the tourism services along with most flights from Europe and the US, we find it highly unlikely for Morocco to backtrack. If not for any other reason, the population of Marrakech, a city close to 2 million inhabitants that we’ve called home for the last 16 years, has been tremendously impacted by the disappearance of tourism overnight and is seeing a huge resurgence in number of tourists. Nevertheless, we encourage you to purchase travel insurance to cover any eventuality.

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Discounted rates and flexible cancellation terms: It is no secret to anyone that everyone working in tourism in Morocco has toiled and strained for the two years following the onset of the pandemic, from the spontaneous food stalls on Jemaa El Fna square to the booking department of uber– luxury hotels such as La Mamounia or Royal Mansour. Therefore, you are likely to be offered last minute and/ or early- bird discounts, part of a nation wide effort to attract tourists back and ensure a more than necessary money flow to a depleted trade.

Help local populations: The pandemic has hit everyone, indeed, but unevenly. Before the pandemic, populations in remote areas of Morocco, where climate change and rural exodus are contributing to social inequalities were helped by the slight, yet constant passage of visitors. The few teas with the nomads, guided tours, bread- baking classes and the like helped making ends meet. These populations living on a day to day basis are currently the most affected. Each of us can make a small difference in our own way by inspiring people to travel again to those areas. 

Sunset over Marrakech palm grove                                                                                                             Sunset over palm grove

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Sun Trails
5.0
Based on 25 reviews
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Zach TobinZach Tobin
22:16 29 Jan 23
Traveling alone internationally with a 7-year-old for the first time had me a bit nervous, but Sun Trails made our week-long visit to Morocco a flawless and unforgettable experience (we toured the south of the country). Daoud was an exceptional driver through all sorts of terrain while also being so kind, patient, and personable to my daughter and me. The accommodations, food, and activities throughout were excellent in terms of value. I would recommend Sun Trails to anyone who is looking to have an incredible time in Morocco.
gosia lukomskagosia lukomska
13:46 29 Jan 23
We had the trip of a lifetime with Cristian's company. We feel like we made life long friends with his amazing guides who are knowledgeable, kind, and excellent at their profession. The hotels that he chose were boutique gems and our itinerary was so well executed. We even had some surprise desert picnics! The attention to detail and level of customer service surpassed our expectations. I would highly recommend anyone visiting Morocco to do so with this company.
Henri OrmusHenri Ormus
19:43 15 Jan 23
We had a great off-the-beaten-track experience with our guides Majid, Daoud, Leila and rest of the crew. The whole trip was well organized and our wishes were handled with care. Our group of adventurers got some very real local experience. We had too many interesting experiences to describe but of course the Western Sahara desert hike was superb (but I would recommend definitely 3 days instead of 2 days what we did) but actually the best was the hike in the deserty mountains with staying overnight in large tent carried by donkey... beautiful landscapes, very different actually, over the hills and through the valleys and dried-out rivers. One evening dinner was a goat bought from local nomads once arrived at the camping site. End of the hike was beautiful pools of water to swim in. Thank you Sun-Trails crew, it was great! Henri from Estonia
Rob MRob M
22:51 27 Dec 22
I highly recommend Sun Trails for your Morocco adventure. Our guide, Mustafa, was top notch and an incredibly fun and knowledgeable person for our 6-day journey from Marrakesh to Fes (via Merzouga). Sun Trails has some fantastic vehicles that can get you through the toughest terrain (including through sand dunes). The staff seem to know someone or something cool to see (or something delicious to eat) in just about every town on your journey. We felt safe and secure with our wonderful guide and friend. Yes, a private tour with Sun Trails is going to cost a bit more than the ones you may stumble across online. But trust me when I say you get what you pay for with Sun Trails. I’ve already recommended them several times to friends and strangers.
Kristi HarmarKristi Harmar
08:09 03 May 22
I wish I could give this review more than 5 stars. We are doing a world tour - and this trip with Suntrails (with Daoud as our guide) is by far the highlight of the entire trip. We did a 4 day tour to the Erg Chigaga dunes in the Sahara and it was incredible. The accommodations, sights and car were great but what made this trip so amazing for us was our guide, Daoud. In order to see the things we wanted, we had several long days in the car and we did the trip with 2 small children (2 and 5). Daoud was fantastic with our kids - playing with them and entertaining them and the kids are still asking me to see him 2 months later.We decided on the "dreamer" level of accommodation with an upgrade to a luxury tent for the night in the Sahara. I deliberated a lot about which level/price point to choose but what we chose was perfect. The tagines were amazing and the riads were beautiful. Cristian took care (and a lot of emails) to help me include everything I requested out of this trip: camel riding, adventure off the beaten track, hiking to a kasbah, etc. Our guide, Daoud even walked to the next closest desert camp to find us a sand board one morning.I could go on and on about this experience but I will just say that I have recommended it to anyone I have spoken to about Morocco. I never repeat trips but I am planning a future trip to come back to Morocco just to do another trip with Suntrails to explore more of the country off the beaten track.
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EARLY BIRD

Book your private tour with us in December, January ( outside holidays) or February before 1 September and enjoy 10 % discount on our normal rates. Send your enquiry using #earlybird here.