MOROCCO ON A BUDGET Starting in Fez Getting around Morocco: Taxis You'll usually see two types of taxis in most major Moroccan cities, "big taxis" (grand taxis) and "small taxis" (petit taxis). The grand taxis are shared taxis and will cover longer distances. The petit taxis work like regular taxis everywhere. If the meter doesn't work, negotiate your fare in advance. If you don't have a lot of luggage, then always opt for a petit taxi for trips around town. It is much cheaper. You can always get a grand taxi to take you places. Walk up to the taxi rank and start haggling. A grand taxi has six seats and the rough guide price is about 35-40dh per seat per 100km, so if you hire the whole taxi you are looking at just 210-240dh per 100km. Of course they will ask for more but you will still get the whole vehicle for a fraction of the price of trying to organise things in advance over the Internet. Even better, this is a flexible arrangement so if you decide to stop longer in a place you can do. Approx $5 per person per 100km's
Backpacking in Morocco: Tips To Enjoy Morocco on a Budget Food It s really easy to eat cheaply and well in Morocco the average meal will be around 5 for a simple Moroccan curry and flatbread, or roast chicken and rice in a restaurant. Even cheaper are street stalls and fast food shops. You can get steamed broad beans, roasted nuts and barbecued corn on the cob on the street, and hot roasted chicken or huge sandwiches stuffed with french fries and mayonnaise from Rotisserie shops. Another cheap meal is Harira a soup of lentils, chick peas, tomatoes and vegetables, served with bread. Make sure you try a tagine, a spicy stew of meat and vegetables served with heaps of couscous, or Pastilla, thin pieces of flaky dough layered with sweet and spiced meat, almond paste, and dusted with icing sugar. Typical Berber dishes include Kaliya, a dish of lamb, tomatoes, bell peppers and onions. Drinking Morocco is a predominantly Muslim country, and so dry. Alcohol is usually only available in restaurants, bars, supermarkets, hotels and discos. As a rule, alcohol is easier to find in backpacker-friendly places like Essaouira, or in supermarkets out of town. If you don t want alcohol, you can drink amazing freshly squeezed orange juice or fresh mint tea for only a few cents. As a rule, do not drink the tap water in Morocco, because you might get an upset stomach. Bottled water is widely available. Any traveller will be offered mint tea, or as locals like to call it Moroccan whiskey. Often this is a chance to lure you into a shop, but it is polite to accept. Before drinking look the host in
the eye and say bi saha raha which means enjoy and relax. Transport It s quite common, and surprisingly cheap to get cabs between cities. Trains are fine to catch, and you ll sit in cabins. If you have food and drink be sure to offer it around to everyone, especially if they are Moroccan, as it is the custom. Money The local currency is the Moroccan dirham (Dh or MAD), which is divided into 100 centimes. Only local currency is officially accepted in Morocco, so it s virtually impossible to obtain local currency outside the country. Luckily exchange rates are the same at all banks and official exchanges, as required by law. To exchange your money, find a bank, dedicated exchange office, or major post office. Cash machine/atms are usually in the modern ville nouvelle shopping districts of big cities but make sure it accepts foreign cards before you put your card in! Ramadan The biggest religious event on the Moroccan calendar is the month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast during the daytime and feast at night. The dates are July 21 August 19 for 2012. This shouldn t affect travellers too much, as the restrictions don t apply to non-muslims. But it is respectful to refrain from eating, drinking or smoking in public during this time. Most restaurants are closed for lunch and things generally slow down. At the end of the month is the holiday of Eid al-fitr, when practically everything closes for about a week and the roads are packed as everybody heads back to their home village. Advice for Women Traveling to Morocco alone or in a group of girls? Then check out Lauren Smith s top tips for girls heading to Morocco. It s unusual for women to be seen travelling alone in Morocco, so some single women may find themselves being stared at or asked questions by locals. On public transport, single girls may find Moroccan women try to look after you just remember these actions are all out of a motherly instinct or concern rather than anything threatening. As a Muslim country, women should respect the culture and dress accordingly wear long trousers, skirts and long sleeved shirts. A shawl around your shoulders or over your head will also prevent you from getting harassed in the more manic cities. Blonde girls especially will find they get a lot of attention at the souks! Note that a women travelling alone may feel more comfortable in a pastry shop or restaurant rather than a cafe, as these are traditionally reserved for men. Both women and men should check before entering a Mosque in Morocco some do not allow foreigners or non-muslims of any sex inside. Hammam etiquette If you want a bit of pampering on the road, a Hammam (a type of steam bath) is an authentic and dirt cheap alternative to a hotel spa. Stripping off in a public bath can seem a little daunting, but going to a Hammam is a fun and relaxing experience, although it does have its own rules of etiquette. Just remember these rules: 1. Bring dark underwear with you, and a dry pair to change into afterwards. 2. Bring your normal bath stuff with you soap, shampoo, scrubbing mitt and towel. 3. Once inside, you collect hot and cold water in buckets. Mix the buckets for temperature and pour them on yourself as you wash. 4. Once you have paid your entrance fee, remember to tip the person who looks after your belongings with a couple of dirhams. 5. This is not one for couples men and women take their Hammam seperately!
(This trip can also be done in reverse) Day 1-3: Fes After a morning of free time to explore the beautiful Chefchaouen, we head to the bustling, imperial and ancient city of Fes this afternoon, the oldest and largest medieval city in the world. Its medina is a heady mix of aromas, sounds and sights. To navigate, follow one of the five, themed tourist circuits. There are plenty of mosques and palaces to visit, but be aware that only Muslims can enter mosques in Morocco. After Day 6 exploring dye-pits, tanneries and restaurants, we return to our hotel to get ready for an optional night of Moroccan entertainment and food at a restaurant in town.
Tours (more info TBA) From Fez you can organise tours and trips out to the Sahara desert, which is a must you can sleep under the stars in a Berber tent, ride camels across the desert at sunset, watch the sun rise over the dunes, and drive through the Atlas Mountains. All tours on this route stay in the same places, so there is a chance to meet heaps of people, and food, petrol, and accommodation are usually included in the price. Look out for tours where you sleep in Berber tents in the Sahara Desert. The staff here cook for you and host a big musical jam session, playing their drums around the fire and getting you involved in a Berber sing along! I phoned the Backpackers below and confirmed that is very easy to arrange a desert trip from Fez to Marrakech. In fact the place below looks pretty cool. http://www.funkyfes.com/in/hostel_in_fes or http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/funky- Fes/Fez/50393?dateFrom=13+Jul+2013&dateTo=15+Jul+2013&sc_sau=rt&sc_pos=2 Address: 60, Arset Lamdelssi Bab Jdid Fes Medina MOROCCO Tel: +212 535633196 E-mail : funkyfes@funkyhostels.es Facebook : Funky Fes Hostel Twitter : @FunkyFes Trips: - Guided tours of the medina and other neighbourhoods with a licensed guide (5 Euros per person) - Tour of the desert (150 Euros per person for three days) - Trips to Meknes, Volubilis and Moulay Idriss (70 Euros for up to 8 persons) - Trips to Azrou and Ifrane (price depends on the number of participants) - Trip to the natural mineral springs (price depends on the number of participants) From Marrakech: (suggest doing this trip in reverse) http://www.hostelworld.com/tours/morocco/marrakech/desert-tour-from-marrakech-to-fes-3- days/12071/itinerary
Day 4: Medelt This morning we journey over the Moyen Atlas to stop at Midelt. This is a beautiful alpine area. Surrounded by huge pine trees and a tranquil mountain setting, this is a great spot to cool down and relax after the hustle and bustle of Fes. We will enjoy a small hike in the afternoon. We spend the night in this mountain location.
Day 5: Sahara Desert Today we enjoy a stunning drive rewarded by a fantastic Moroccan lunch and an afternoon relaxing and swimming. It is now time to head towards the desert and Merzouga, where we transfer to camels for a trek into the desert for a night at our Berber Camp. We enjoy local food, music and an amazing night out under the Saharan stars.
Day 6: Todra Gorge Leaving the desert, we move on to Todra Gorge.This 1,000ft gorge is hemmed in on all sides by vertical limestone cliffs and is also called Morocco's Grand Canyon. There's time to explore the gorge, from its plunging depths to dizzying heights. The charm of Todra lies in its changing colours as the sun slowly moves from east to west.
Day 7: Ait Benhaddou Leaving the impressive Todra Gorge we make the short journey to Gorge du Dades in the Dades valley, a green and fertile valley by the Dades River that flows through it giving life to a huge variety of colourful fruit and nut trees and extraordinary red rock formations. We will lunch here then on to Ait Benhaddou for a tour of the famous Kasbah, where Lawrence of Arabia was once filmed.
Day 8-9: Essaouira
Today's drive is truly stunning as we traverse the high Atlas Mountains on our way to Essaouira. A colourful fishing town situated within 15th century Portuguese fortifications, where great beaches and surf beckon. Relax on the beach or alternatively explore the UNESCO-listed medina with its various souks and woodcarving workshops. Any city gate leads to the Medina, so you're unlikely to get lost. The beach is in front of the Medina and there are plenty of cafés with terraces, both ideal for relaxing for a few hours. Blue doors and window frames abound as do the artists shops buy a carpet or Thuya wood carving or sit on the beach sipping a mint tea as the sun sets, an antidote to the bustle of the Imperial cities.
Day 10-12: Marrakech We take the new highway back to Marrakech, one of Morocco's four Imperial cities.enjoy a traditional dinner in the famous Djemma El Fna square. Marrakech set against the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. Its great pride and landmark is the Koutoubia Tower, sister to the Tower of Hassan in Rabat and the Giralda Tower in Seville. It is said that after the third of these was completed, the sultan had the eyes of his architect put out, lest he should build another more beautiful tower elsewhere. No visit to the city is complete without a visit to the city's UNESCO-listed medina and Djemâa-el-Fna, an extraordinary gathering and market place.
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Day 13: Rabat Via Casablanca
This morning we travel up to Casablanca, made famous by Humphrey Bogart in the film of the same name. We will visit the stunning Hassan II mosque (optional), which has the tallest minaret and the third largest mosque in the world - it can hold 25,000 worshippers at any one time. We then head straight to Rabat to enjoy the evening atmosphere of Morocco's capital city.
Day 14: Meknes We will spend the morning in Morocco's capital city Rabat to visit Oudaia Kasbah, Hassan tower, the Royal palace and Chellah. After lunch we will move on to the third of our Imperial cities, Meknes, to enjoy some free time.
Day 15: Chefchaouen En route to Chefchaouen, we take a tour of the Roman ruins at Volubilis, the largest ancient site of Morocco. UNESCO-listed, the site dates back to 40AD and once ruled the entire Roman province of Mauritania. Then on to Chefchaouen - a haven of peace and tranquility. High up in the Rif mountains, Chefchaouen boasts a beautiful blue door and white-walled
medina that was originally a Berber post. The main square is the heart of Chefchaouen, with the Kasbah, central mosque and cafes. The busy market is a mix of traditional Moroccan and tourist fare.
Day 16 2 nights in Rome OR visit Positano on the Amalfi Coast
or: http://www.viator.com/tours/naples/private-tour-sorrento-positano-amalfi-and-ravello-day- Trip-from-Naples/d508-2958AMAPV
Rome to Crete (Chania)