Preparing for your Morocco Retreat

Hello!!

We are excited you are joining us on an adventure in Morocco! We want to give you some information to help you start planning your trip. More to come on our itinerary closer to the retreat.

Important traveling information:

Where are we staying?

  • We are staying at the amazing Peacock Pavilions, about 20 minutes outside of Marrakech. This place is one of a kind, we rent the entire property for our retreat. There are two houses and two bungalows along with a artist tent where we will create, dining tent and pool. Check out their website to see more, www.peacockpavilions.com

  • A couple of things about staying at Peacock:

    • We will be having most of our meals here - we will send a request for dietary preferences about a month before we go.

    • Spirits will be offered at the Welcome Reception and Farewell Dinner for no additional charge. Wine and beer are available in your rooms for purchase during the day and you can bring some along from your house bar to enjoy at meals.  The mini bar also has soda and some snacks for purchase. There is also coffee and tea for no charge in your room.

  • Here is the resort address if you need it for airlines or customs:

    • Peacock Pavilions

      Km 18, Route de Ouarzazate

      Douar Ladaam, Marrakech

Retreat start/end time:

  • We will start at about 4:30p on the first day of the retreat and complete after breakfast around 10:00a on the last day

Where to stay before/after the retreat

  • If you are staying a few extra days in Marrakech – which we highly suggest there is so much to see. Here is a list of Riads that Val has stayed at as well as some we would like to.

Riad Idra - www.riad-idra-marrakech.com

Riad Jardin Secret - www.riadjardinsecret.com

Riad Due - www.riaddue.com

Riad Bindoo - www.riadbindoo-marrakech.net

Riad Cinnamon - www.riadcinnamon.com

Riad Star - www.riadstar.com

Riad Yasmine - www.riad-yasmine.com

All of these riads are in the Medina – the name for the old city. We find that staying in the Medina gives you a real taste of Marrakech. You can also search AirBnB or Booking.com for other options.

Travel Insurance:

  • Absolutely get travel insurance. There are a lot of options out there.  We have used World Nomads in the past. https://www.worldnomads.com/travel-insurance/lovedby/lonely-planet

Travel to Marrakech:

  • Airport is Marrakesh international airport (RAK)

  • You do not need a visa ahead of arrival, that will be granted upon arrival at the airport.

  • We recommend starting to look for flights 4 months before our retreat but wait to purchase until around 3 months out. You tend to get the best prices at this time.

  • Majority of the flights will take you through a European country. This may change as more flights open up. The national carrier for Morocco is Royal Air Maroc. We have flown TAP(gives you free layover in Lisbon!) and then this past year we both flew Delta and United. We suggest investigating these and others since flight patterns and availability has changed since.

  • Val follows a blog called Maroc Mamma - it is full of great resources for traveling to Morocco, customs, things to do, recipes, etc. https://www.marocmama.com

What to pack?

  • Passport - most important! You do not need a visa to travel to Morocco. Your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months after the date you leave the US

  • Weather is predictably unpredictable so be sure to check on the estimated conditions the week before you travel. Even though Marrakech can be quite warm by day, it is usually quite cooler at night so pack light clothes that you can layer. We recommend cotton pants, long skirts, wraps or large scarves over tank and tee shirts, and a sweater or light jacket for chilly nights. Morocco is a Muslim country and it is respectful as a woman to cover your shoulders and chest, skirts and dresses covering your knees.

  • Your most important fashion asset: comfortable shoes for traversing the Medina on sightseeing and shopping adventures! Marrakech is a city that requires a lot of walking.

Other miscellaneous items we suggest to pack for the trip:

  • Hand Sanitizer

  • Tissues

  • Cold medicines

  • Handi-wipes

  • Tums or Pepto bismal

  • Pain Relievers

  • Allergy Medications

  • Snacks - there will be three meals provided each day for the retreat but Moroccans don’t really snack so if you are a snacker bring some protein bars, dried fruit, nuts, etc.

  • Bring Earplugs in case your roommate snores.

Money

  • Most of your day to day expenses have been covered by your retreat fees. You may want to do some shopping or indulge in a little dessert or alcohol while on retreat. You will need a small amount cash for those items. However for larger purchases, most vendors do accept credit cards. 

  • Moroccan Dirham is a closed currency, which means that you won’t be able to get cash until you arrive in Morocco. I exchange cash at the airport when I arrive, the exchange rate is the same as it is in the city.  If you plan to exchange cash and bring large bills ($100’s and $50’s) to exchange be sure that they are newer bills with holograms. Otherwise they will not accept them.  Another good option for padding your wallet with dirhams is to use the ATM machines which are located around the Medina.

  • Be sure to notify your bank of your foreign travel destination so they don’t flag you for fraud. Most banks limit withdrawals to 2000 Dirham per day and are typically dispensed in 100 Dirham bills. Smaller increments of cash will most likely be needed, so ask for small coins or bills when you get change. 

  • Typically the only tipping that is customary in Morocco is at restaurants and it is in the 5% to 10% range. You will not need to worry about tipping when we eat out in the Medina - we take care of this.

  • The money in Morocco is call a Dirham - you can check the exchange rate closer to the time of the retreat.

Communication

  • Contact your phone carrier to see if you can get service in Morocco and possibly get set up for Global Roaming. Or consider an E-SIM card of you are staying longer than a week.

  • Please download the app “WhatsApp” for your smartphone. It’s important to have an easy way to keep in touch with the group and other friends and family when WIFI is available.  Once you have downloaded the app and added our contacts to your list (mind and Kelly’s numbers are at the end of this letter.) I will add you to our Whats App group. It’s a great way to communicate and an even better way to share all of your beautiful Moroccan pictures. 

  • Download Maps.me (free version) because it is the only mapping system that will work inside the old city thoick walls. Pleased download this before the retreat begins.

Things to do if you are coming early

  • We will be having some grand adventures but certainly won’t cover all the amazing museums, gardens or shopping in Marrkech.

  • Here are a few places you might want to visit before or after the retreat if you are staying in Marrakech.

    The Orientalist Museum of Marrakech

    Museum of Marrakech

    Perfume Museum

    Women’s Museum – Marrakech

    Boucharouite Museum

    Medersa Be Youssef

    Maison de la Photographie de Marrakech

    Le Jardin Secret Garden - www.lejardinsecretmarrakech.com/en/

  • And then there is shopping and people watching from the cafés.  Seriously, there is tons of great shopping and the prices are super low compared to what you would pay for Moroccan goods here. Generally people like to shop for scarves, jewelry, rugs, pottery, fabrics, Moroccan slippers, etc.

  • If you plan to do a lot of shopping we suggest you bring an extra suitcase. If possible, pack a suitcase within a suitcase for checked baggage, or pack something that is collapsible, Val packs a duffel bag in her suitcase. Or, you can also easily buy inexpensive, extra soft-sided bags in the Medina.

The Language in Morocco

  • Most Moroccans, especially in the areas we will be, will speak at least a little English. They speak their own dialect of Arabic (Darija) and may also speak Berber. As Morocco was a French Protectorate for many years, most people also speak French.

  • The most important Darija words to know are: Shukran (Thank You) and La Shukran (NO Thank You!)

Lastly, Please sign up for the “What’s APP” app and let Valori know when you do so she can create our group.

Let us know if you have any questions. Val‘s email is valori@valoriwells.com or feel free to text or call her 541-408-5756, Kelly’s number is 805-746-6255.

xoxo

Kelly & Valori

 

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