Morocco with a camper?!
- Kelly & Richard
- Mar 21
- 6 min read
Our second travel period (January to April) is not over yet, but we have already left Morocco. This seems like a good time to look back and share our experiences about this special country with our Globus 2 with you. What did we really like and what did we not like. And we share some tips.
General
Let's start with the conclusion: Morocco is a real camper country. You hardly see any caravans or tents or the like. It is really ideal for a camper trip. The roads are generally very good and there are many campsites where you can spend the night for between € 5 and € 10. Do not expect too much luxury. It often looks a bit run down and hot water is not always standard. We had heard in advance that you really always have to stay on a campsite in Morocco for safety reasons. However, we have 'wild camped' several times and we always liked it. We did not feel unsafe anywhere, while we sometimes do feel that way in large cities in Spain, for example.
Route
Most camper tour operators such as NKC ,Endless on Wheels or ANWB all make approximately the same round trip. And that is also a good decision. You pass all the important sights and cross beautiful areas. We would always do the round trip counterclockwise, because the surroundings become more and more beautiful. We would also skip the west coast next time. We are not water sports enthusiasts and nature is simply much more beautiful in the mountain areas. We really enjoyed the period January/February. Even though it was often only between 17 and 20 degrees. As soon as the sun comes out, the perceived temperature is immediately a lot higher. In the High Atlas we deviated from the standard routes a number of times. That gave us a number of beautiful, but also very challenging roads such as driving in the snow and muddy roads with deep abysses.
To get used to
Our experience is also that you really have to take some time to get used to the culture. As soon as you enter the country, everything seems different. Not only the Arabic texts on the traffic signs, but also the enormous piles of plastic (especially in the north and near the big cities) that lie along the road. In addition, the chaos, there seem to be no traffic rules. Everyone walks and drives criss-cross through each other and once you get used to that, it works surprisingly well. The donkeys that are still used here as working animals, the clothes that people wear, the shops, etc. Everything is so different from what we are used to.
Practical matters
Some practical matters that may be useful to know before you start your Morocco trip;
Near almost every city you will come across a police post. Approach them very calmly and really wait until you get the signal that you can drive on. We, as foreigners, have never had to stop.
Stick to the speed limit! There are many speed checks, especially in the north of Morocco. And they are often on 60km roads where you are just driving down a mountain. Despite the fact that we were so aware of it, we unfortunately still got two fines that had to be paid in cash. For 150 MAD (€15,-) you can drive on and you also get the apologies from the officer on duty that they find it so annoying.
Speaking of money. Despite the fact that the dirham (MAD) conversion rate is so simple (10 MAD is €1,-), we just couldn't get used to it and a mistake is easily made. Is something really expensive or really cheap. In addition, everything has to be paid for in cash, including diesel (€1.16)! So you pay for a night at the campsite with a 100MAD note.
" Happiness is only real when shared."
At the market (souk) you can buy vegetables very cheaply. You can get a whole bag full for just a few euros. Bread is also for sale everywhere and costs about € 0.20. There are small supermarkets everywhere where you can get most other groceries. In the larger towns there are sometimes supermarket chains such as Marjane or Carrefour. We mainly bought meat there. However, these supermarkets are very expensive and you pay more than in the Netherlands. Because we drink from the tap in the camper, we decided to always fill the water tank of Globus 2 with 5L barrels that you can buy everywhere here.
The people are so incredibly friendly and helpful that it really stands out. It has really positively adjusted our image of Moroccans. People who actively approach you, you have to know that they want something from you. They want to sell you something or show you the way, but then ask for money afterwards. They can be quite persistent and you often have the feeling that it is difficult to get rid of them. Keep smiling friendly and clearly indicate that you are not interested works best. If we have to name something that is really a negative point of Morocco, it is these 'salesmen'.
We have had good experiences with the internet coverage of Inwi. For €20,- we had unlimited internet for a month. With the hotspot of your phone we had enough with one sim card. Note: when you get off the boat you can buy the same sim card there, but you pay the main price of €50,-
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Poverty
In many areas (outside the big cities) people are, by our standards, a lot poorer than we are. They sometimes live in mud houses without furniture or any luxury whatsoever. We also experienced these people as very hospitable and before you know it you are invited for a cup of tea. Children have learned that if they see a camper, there is something to be had. We also brought balloons, markers and sweets. Once you have given something, there is often no thank you but a request for more. It also spreads like wildfire through the village and in no time there is a whole group of children around your bus. If you do not give anything, these children can become quite annoying. From swearing, a middle finger to throwing stones. That is why we have completely stopped giving things to children. We do not want to participate in the conditioning camper = gift. It is much more grateful if you are invited for tea at someone's house and leave a pack of markers for the children in the family. Or donate a bag of pencils to a local school.
Clothing
Especially for women this can be a thing. The locals do not wear shorts and especially in the countryside many women wear a hijab. In the big tourist cities you see many tourists wearing shorts and sleeves. Despite the fact that we believe that we are guests and therefore have the right to adapt to local customs, we have also regularly worn short clothing and have never been looked at.
Videos
During our route through Morocco we published a video almost every week. Below are the seven videos in order of the route, a link to the corresponding blog and some negative and positive points about the region.
Blog week 3 - roads bad due to bad weather in 2024 + here the natural beauty begins + viewpoint Ait Mansour Canyon | |
Blog week 4 + highlight of the trip!? + buy a tagelmust, nicer than you think + book an overnight stay in the desert, our preference: from M'Hamid (+/- €150,- pp) | Blog week 5 - on google it is not clear which roads are paved and which are not. So pay attention! + really beautiful nature + Todgha and Dades gorge + Aïd-Ben-Haddou |
Blog week 6 Marrakech visit to Djemaa el-Fna square: - vendors that are difficult to get rid of + many nice souks + Ouzoud waterfalls + driving through the snow | Blogweek 7 + beautiful nature again! + lots of monkeys at Azrou + love lakes Isli and Tislit |
Blog week 8 - eastern Morocco somewhat more monotonous in terms of nature - also in Fez persistent sellers + Fez very nice medina and don't forget the tannery. + north/east Morocco hardly any tourists + green again after all that sand :-) + Chefchaouen (blue city) super nice |
Conclusion
We can be brief, Morocco with a camper: DO IT! Give yourself time at the beginning to let all the impressions sink in, you can't prepare for it at home. It's a big country, so take a lot of time for it. Although we were really saturated after two months. Below is a short list of lesser-known gems. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them below in a comment.
Hidden gems
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