The guide to Morocco for solo female travelers

Made by NomadHers with love💚

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Our score is : 😊 Fine

Morocco is a beautiful northern African country less than 2 hours flight from Europe. The country is known for its hospitality towards tourists, and for the diversity of its landscapes, but many women are still apprehensive about visiting alone. As it is a muslim country with its distinct culture and traditions.

This travel guide was created to help women navigate their stay in Morocco. It is written by both a female moroccan local - Oumaima, NomadHer intern and a solo female traveler - Hyo, NomadHer founder, giving you two different perspectives.

Words to remember

Djellaba: the traditional wear for women
Hijab: head scarf
Adan: Call to prayer, it occurs 5times/day
Medina (the old city): it’s the historic part of the city
Souk: traditional market, usually in Medinas.
Bazaar: usually found in the medina, they are shops where you can buy traditional trinkets and souvenirs
Ramadan : the month of fasting for muslims

Emergency Numbers

Allo SAMU 141: to call in case of covid symptoms
Ambulance: 150
If you’re in the city
- Police 19
- Fire brigade 15
If you’re outside the city
Gendarmerie 177

Do’s

• Do keep an open mind
  Morocco is a modern but still a muslim country, some things may seem archaic to you. But its people are among the most welcoming people in the world, and the country itself is a gem.
  Don’t base your opinion on that of others, do you research, go with an open mind, and draw your own conclusions!

• Do dress appropriately
  In Morocco, women are free to wear the Hijab or not and you will see women wearing different styles going from dresses to skirts, to jellabas.
  The trick is to know where to wear to dress accordingly.
  We advise you to wear respectable clothes in the Medina, as it is filled with mostly male shop owners and some elderly, so wearing something revealing would attract attention to you and would be disrespectful towards elderly men.
  Open your eyes and observe, see what women near you are wearing. In touristic and modern parts of the cities , you can get away with wearing, mostly what you want.

• Do Know when Ramadan is!
  Ramadan is the 9th month of the islamic calendar where muslims fast the whole day. Restaurants and cafes are closed for business and open after sunset (when moroccans break their fast and do their prayer.)
  It is surprisingly the only time where you can walk around alone at night, as everyone is out, and the streets are filled with people.
  So if your trip coincides with Ramadan, you know what to expect.

• Do carry cash with you
  Cabs and some restaurants, shops and cafes, especially in the Medina, don’t take credit cards, so if you want to go on a shopping spree, take cash with you, and always have some stowed away in your purse. You never know when you might need it.

• Do eat delicious moroccan food
  Welcome to Food Heaven.
  Moroccan cuisine is renowned for its deliciousness, gorge yourself on it, it is worth the few pounds.

Here are some of our recommended dishes

Couscous: typically served with meat and vegetables, couscous is traditionally prepared every friday (muslim holy day) and special occasions.
Harira: A moroccan soup served on the side with eggs and Chebbakia (moroccan cookie).
It is usually served in Ramdan to break the fast.
Tajine: Tajine is actually the name of the traditional cooking pot as well as the name of the dish cooked inside.
There are different types of Tajines (Vegetarian, Fish, Meat) and they come with different flavors (sweet, spicy…)
Bastila:  meat or seafood pie made with warqa dough
Maakouda: deep-fried potato ball with spices
Zaalouk: Side dish eaten with bread made with eggplant, tomatoes, garlic and other spices
Kaab el Ghzal (Gazelle horns) : are crescent-shaped sweets with
almond paste.

• Do expect sampling free food.
  As mentioned above, Moroccans are very hospitable, when buying from food stalls in the Souk, they would give you a taste to sample the goods before selling it to you.

• Do enter a Mint Tea Pouring Contest
  You can never leave Morocco without drinking mint tea, moroccans drink it the whole day!
  And it is poured from height, the higher you go without spilling it all over, the more experienced you are at making tea.
  So do your own pouring.

• Do expect to melt under the Summer
  Sun In some regions, temperatures can go up to 50°c in Summer, and you won’t find air conditioning everywhere.  So if you do not want to turn into a melting ice cream, best to visit in Spring
• Do sleep under the stars in the Sahara
  Going to the Saraha is a must do in Morocco, you can enjoy some of the most beautiful sunrises there.
  Merzouga is a small village at the foot of the dunes, it is one of the 10 must see places in Morocco that we can recommend.
• Do say “La, shoukrane”
  Moroccans will try to sell you everything, don’t fall for it.
  La, shoukrane (No thank you) will be your best friend.
• Do haggle for anything you buy.
  In most shops in the medina, items prices aren’t labeled so you could easily get scammed.
  So before buying anything, always negotiate the price, even if it takes you ages, moroccans are so used to this dance it’s become their way of life, so don’t be discouraged. It can be fun and you could even get a gift at the end of the haggling ;)
• Do expect crazy driving!
  Driving in Morocco is not for the fainthearted. Left, right, sometimes even the sidewalk, everything is a road, moroccans drive like crazy.
  They say if you drive in Casablanca, you can drive anywhere in the world.
• Do expect to get scammed by taxi drivers in Marrakech!
  Nowhere in Morocco you will find this, taxi drivers impose their own prices and sometimes double  even triple the car fair, even for a short drive.
  Be wary of them, and if you take one, always negotiate the price before getting in!
• Do expect beggars asking for pennies!
  Poverty is everywhere, and sadly, it shows in the streets of Morocco.
  You will see women and men begging with their children on their laps or shoulders, old men, children. The sight is heartbreaking so be ready for it!

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DON’TS

• Don’t expect only desert in Morocco!
  Morocco is a wonderland of landscapes, a destination full of gems and hidden spots.
• Don’t expect to find toilets in some buses:
  Before embarking on your journey, do tend to your needs in the restroom before going on the bus, otherwise, it will be a long and uncomfortable bus ride!
• Don't be alarmed by people greeting you warmly
  Moroccans are hospitable and welcoming people with sometimes no sense of personal space, you would get hugged and kissed on the cheeks as a way of greeting, it just shows that they are happy to welcome you.
• Don’t be alarmed by the Adan!
  Adan is the call to prayer for muslims, you will hear it 5 times a day from the Mosque’s speaker.
• Don’t be sad for not being allowed to enter some Mosques
  Entry to Mosques is allowed only to muslims, so don’t take it personally if they don’t permit you to go in.
  Some Mosques allow it, although you have to cover your head, arms and legs.
• Don’t engage with cat callers.
  Cat calling and harassment are a big problem in Morocco. Moroccan women aren’t spared and sadly, you wouldn’t be as well.
  We found out that the best thing to do is to not engage, wearing a fake wedding ring would help and sometimes, blending in with the crowd.
  The sad truth is, the harassment would come to a full stop if you were accompanied by a man
• Don’t walk alone in the dark
  Deserted alleys and the night are not your friends, do not venture alone at night.
• Don’t go camping alone
  You won’t be a happy camper in Morocco, camping sites are not secure, and camping in the wilderness alone is not safe.

Where to stay

Finding lodgings is easy in Morocco, you have many hotels, hostels… but to live the full moroccan experience, we recommend you book at least a night in a Riad.

Disclaimer

Our guide was made with care & love, but that doesn't mean that we always get everything right. Please know that the information above can be outdated and measures in countries may change overnight because of Covid-19. Don't hesitate to correct us with better recommendations or latest knowledge!