I spent 2 6 month winters in Morocco - 2009 and 2011 - in my Hymer S700.
Basically I had a great time and I consider it safe .... occasionally challenging, but basically safe.
It is the most moderate of the Muslim countries and the people are as nice(and occasionally bad!) as they are anywhere else. But it's not Europe, and most of the negativity I have encountered from others can be traced to cultural misunderstandings. Things work differently over there, but they do work.
What's really good about Morocco is that it is motorhome paradise! You will see vans everywhere, mainly French. Thousands of French people, usually retired, spend the winter there. So basically there is plenty of infrastructure to support them.
It helps if you speak some French, but as almost everywhere, someone will have a few words of English.
The roads are good and getting better, you can see just about everything you would want on decent roads, and even the dirt roads are OK.
Arriving at Tangier and the first few days are a bit of an assault on the senses, but you soon get used to it. It pays to remember that you are not pioneering an expedition to Mars....you really are one of several thousand other European vans on the road.
If you want my advice for a first winter, I would give the north a miss and head straight for the sun - the really good winter weather doesn't start until you get to Agadir, a leisurely 2 or 3 days drive down the coast. On the N1 coastal road just north of Agadir you will find plenty of proper campsites full of vans, and this is a great place to talk to others and settle in and get the feel of the place.
After that you can choose - mountains and desert, or coast and sand. The further south you go the hotter it gets.
I went all the way down to the Western Sahara as far as Dahkla and consider Agadir to Dahkla one of the top road trips it is possible to do in Europe, while still covered by normal insurance.
There are plenty of campsites - ranging from basic to very modern. It is also a wildcampers dream - you can park almost anywhere, and if you are approached, it is usually out of curiosity, or a desire for a small fee - and I mean small. Small fees for services rendered are a part of their culture.
The cities are very hectic and commercial, especially Marakech, which is the most popular tourist destination for people who fly in. Prices are sky high and attitudes poor. But other cities off the normal trail are great - Fez, Meknes and Agadir, and all the towns are great. The markets are crazy and there are plenty of supermarkets.
Basically I had a great time and I consider it safe .... occasionally challenging, but basically safe.
It is the most moderate of the Muslim countries and the people are as nice(and occasionally bad!) as they are anywhere else. But it's not Europe, and most of the negativity I have encountered from others can be traced to cultural misunderstandings. Things work differently over there, but they do work.
What's really good about Morocco is that it is motorhome paradise! You will see vans everywhere, mainly French. Thousands of French people, usually retired, spend the winter there. So basically there is plenty of infrastructure to support them.
It helps if you speak some French, but as almost everywhere, someone will have a few words of English.
The roads are good and getting better, you can see just about everything you would want on decent roads, and even the dirt roads are OK.
Arriving at Tangier and the first few days are a bit of an assault on the senses, but you soon get used to it. It pays to remember that you are not pioneering an expedition to Mars....you really are one of several thousand other European vans on the road.
If you want my advice for a first winter, I would give the north a miss and head straight for the sun - the really good winter weather doesn't start until you get to Agadir, a leisurely 2 or 3 days drive down the coast. On the N1 coastal road just north of Agadir you will find plenty of proper campsites full of vans, and this is a great place to talk to others and settle in and get the feel of the place.
After that you can choose - mountains and desert, or coast and sand. The further south you go the hotter it gets.
I went all the way down to the Western Sahara as far as Dahkla and consider Agadir to Dahkla one of the top road trips it is possible to do in Europe, while still covered by normal insurance.
There are plenty of campsites - ranging from basic to very modern. It is also a wildcampers dream - you can park almost anywhere, and if you are approached, it is usually out of curiosity, or a desire for a small fee - and I mean small. Small fees for services rendered are a part of their culture.
The cities are very hectic and commercial, especially Marakech, which is the most popular tourist destination for people who fly in. Prices are sky high and attitudes poor. But other cities off the normal trail are great - Fez, Meknes and Agadir, and all the towns are great. The markets are crazy and there are plenty of supermarkets.
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