see_the_world7

After suggestions from people on this forum, we're thinking of a family trip to Morocco. Since we'd probably do a majority of the trip on our own (probably with a guide out to the desert), can people recommend some good travel books for Morocco?
Also, can you recommend a travel map of the whole country?

the_moroccan

I can't help with the travel books for Morocco but I can send you a road map of the whole country. Let me know if you'd like to have it.

sebti

Rough Guide and Lonely Planet are pretty much the authoritative guidebooks to Morocco. The Cadogan and Footprint Guidebooks are well written and for people looking more for the cultural focus.

I've always used the Michelin map of Morocco, make sure you have the most recent edition as new tollways and roads are being built/improved.

nica

Beside previous receommenedations, the Michelin guide is excellent for sights, Michelin road map also very good. We made this trip eight years ago on our own (6 adults, 4 children , two rented cars in Casablanca airport) Everything went smooth and we did not find any problem.
I recomend this trip, although IMO food in Morocco is very bad, everything (vegetables, meat,cous cous etc) tastes sweet and cinnamon, they use a lot of spices too.

rachelanneb

Just got back from Morocco and I vote highly on the Rough Guide book, over Lonely Planet. (I had both with me and always referenced Rough Guide before Lonely Planet). I also liked the Time Out guide to Marrakech (it's purse sized as well which was nice).

Maps are harder to find. Search online beforehand, because they're hard to find there. Any medina maps you can find are highly useful.

see_the_world7

Thanks for the replies. I saw that someone on Amazon had said that the Rough Guide was good for the cities but not as good with transportation information. They complained that it did not include cost estimates for taxis and it did not contain good general information on connection options between cities. Would you agree with that or disagree?

Thanks!

WTnow

I just wanted to let you know that it is very easy to do on your own. ( we did get guides for the cities...the one in Fes & priceless, the one in Marrakech was expensive and not worth the money).

We are traveling the world, so I had to do most of my research online.

Sebti is very experienced ( & I think even lives part time in Fes). He suggested i-escape and sawdays for places to stay and that was very helpful. We found some very special places that way, so that may be something you want to look at. The riad experience is a very important part of a trip to Morocco & you will want to choose wisely as it can make all the difference.

( We ended up staying in 3 places in Marrakech as we hated our first one).

You could look at our trip report on our blog of a family trip to Morocco that included arriving from ferry to Tangier, then taking 6hr train to Fes.

We absolutely loved our experience at Dar Saffarine, so highly recommend them.

We went to the desert ( LOOOVED Les Nomades which just made our trip!!) near Merzouga....with a rainbow entrance no less.

We also loved the place we stayed at and the area of 1000 kasbahs & Ait Ben Haddou. Do not miss these two areas in the desert as they were the best of our trip ( along with Fes medina). Do NOT miss fes medina which we found soooooo much better than Marrakech).

We went onto Marrakech & it is worth seeing, but I would not stay too long as it is a real tourist trap.

Nearby Essouria by the beach is nice and has a fantastic Hammam.

You can look at our trip report info and pics on our website ( click on blog and archives for last april)

www.soultravelers3.com

If I had to do it again, i would rent a car.

We actually really loved most of the food in Morocco, although one does get tired of tangines by the time you are done. Be careful with the food as many who are not careful get sick. We were very careful and had no problems.

Hope that helps.

see_the_world7

Hi WTNow!

I read most of your blog on Morocco and read that the ride from Fez to the desert was a bit frightening. Yet you say that you would rent a car if you go there again. Would you rent and drive a car even on this stretch between Fez and the desert?

I don't know the petrol prices in Morocco or the best place to rent a car, but the few places I've looked haven't been much cheaper than a driver. If we add in the cost of petrol it might not be cheaper at all. We would like the flexibility of driving ourselves though, but we worried it might also be a really stressful drive.

Since there are no cars in the Fez medina we were considering only picking up a car as we were leaving Fez and dropping it off as soon as we arrive in Marrakech (after driving out to the desert and hopefully stay around the area of 1000 kasbahs & Ait Ben Haddou that you mentioned. It looks great in your blog. Did you only stay there one night? Is it worth staying for 2 nights, especially if we have a car and might just want to drive out in the area for pictures or hiking about?

If we hire a guide for the drive from Fez to the desert is there anywhere on the edge of the desert to pick up a rental car and drive ourselves from there? I assumed we'd only be able to pick one up at the bigger towns of Fez or Marrakech.

Thanks!

the_moroccan

Hello,
I thought I'd just let you know about the petrol prices here in Morocco:
Gasoil (Diesel): 8 Dirhams/litre

Essence (Gasoline): 11 Dirhams/litre.
Most rental car companies cost more if you book their services online. If you wait until you are in Marrakech, then you could book a car there for much less.
What type of car would you like to rent and for how long do you intend on keeping it?

laartista

We did Morocco on our own as well and found it pretty easy. We did hire a driver from Mkesh to the desert and glad we did, IMO the roads over the Atlas Mts can be pretty nerve wracking.

WTnow

HI seethe world,

Yes I think I would still drive even on the scary stretches as at least you will have seat belts and can control your speed. The lack of seat belts was one of my biggest fears, especially for my child.

Both the way to Marrakech and the way from Fes have scary stretches since you go over mountains, but neither is scary the whole time. It seemed it was a fairly short time that was most scary from Fes to the merzouga area.

Hopefully someone who has actually driven this can also post their experience or you could leave a post just for Clifford who did drive. They were very happy with driving and they did not get the nice 4x4 they had ordered ( in high season) but quite an old car if I recall correctly.

Going by Grand Taxi is not too bad if you have it to yourself and a good driver ( who will stop where ever you want & point out things to you). The seatbelt thing really bugged me though & it is not cheap. I might even consider a bus as it is quite cheap....but one can not stop where you want.

Not sure if you can rent one in the desert, but I would not be surprised at all if that was available. The drive to Marrakech from the 1000 kasbah area is actually scarier than the one from Fes to merzouga because the mountains are higher. We were just into acceptance at that point and I just closed my eyes and prayed some.

The Grand Taxi drove slow enough ( because we asked) but his brakes were squeaking all the way on endless curvy roads with steep grades...which did not give us too much confidence.

I have vertigo...so keep that in mind. I have had friends that have driven both these roads in large American sized motorhomes towing cars behind them. ( NOT something that I would do). There are high loaded trucks and natives standing on the edge of cliffs in the road as cars zip by, so many are not afraid.

We have driven on worst roads ( steeper, more switchbacks etc) with wild drivers in Greece ( Delphi and Santorini) with our motorhome. Not my favorite thing, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. I suppose seatbelts would not be all that useful if one is tumbling all the way down in an accident.

My husband is a great driver,so I feel more confident with him driving rather than anyone else..so that is one advantage for us about driving. We had good drivers both times in Morocco...but you never know until it is too late. So the control factor, stopping as much as you want & seatbelts is what makes me think drive on my own next time.

The main roads are good with just a short area in the scary zone. Much of both drives are just straight aways.

Yes, we stayed just one night in Ait Ben Haddou area and I really liked that area and would not mind going back for a whole week at Kazbah Ellouze. So yes, 2 nights would be nice depending on the time you have available. I would have liked to have more time there and less in Marrakech....which we found a tourist trap madhouse.

Kasbah area is very pretty, very interesting, not crowded, nice for hiking and walking around.

Don't assume anything about Morocco. If you are talking with Allesandra at Les Nomades for the desert...ask her about rental cars from the desert. As a mother & westerner...she is fabulous in helping families and their needs.

I hope this is not too late, I just saw it.

WTnow

Oops, I meant Clifton, not Clfford. Sorry.