Hi all,

Fully aware that things are locked down for a UK traveller to Morocco, however I thought I'd try and get a steer on things before heading out when possible to do so.

My main concern is the 'Public health passenger form' that is to be completed for entering Morocco and has a section, for tourists, asking where you are staying in the country.

My question is, if you are planning to move about to different places, do you need pre-booked stays listed for the whole duration when in country?

Ideally I'd want to travel across and stay on-the-fly as we come across something at the end of a day's riding, so this could throw a spanner in those works.

"For foreign nationals not subject to Visa, formalities to enter Morocco a confirmed hotel reservation in a classified hotel and tourist establishment (including Riad) must be presented at the airport." - Source https://visitmorocco.com/en/travel-info/covid-19-news

Obviously, I'd be looking to go at a later time, when Covid subsides, but planning to be outside away from people most of the time anyway as it's the roads I'm going for more than anything.

Many thanks,
Tris

There's been several threads about this on the Tripadvisor Morocco forum. The best solution appears to be to book a hotel on booking.com or elsewhere that accepts cancellations, print out the booking, then cancel.

Check out some of the threads at https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowFo...5-Morocco.html

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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)

Hi Tim,

Thanks for your response, I'd never have thought to look on trip advisor, but good to know there could be good nuggets of info there in the future.

It's all a bit of a difficult for travel atm, the original idea of riding there just doesn't seem achievable in the current climate/this year (due to having to hop through multiple countries and needing negative tests in each at the current time, and work to get back to), and with the trip being set back nearly 2 years already due to another issue in 2019, I'm really keen to just get the monkey off my shoulder, hence the reluctant idea to fly and rent.

With some further reading, it seems they also have road blocks set up to try and police the travel and checking where/why you are going, hopefully things get better near the tail end of the year, but always good to stay informed and see how the scene is changing and plan for as much as you can.

Also I'm very blind, just came across a relevant covid thread in the Morocco section I must have missed somehow when glancing the posts there... apologies, link below to anyone who might be looking for it.

https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...-thread-100729

There are often police checkpoints on main roads in Morocco, it's not specifically to do with covid, it's their way of keeping a check on what's going on. Normally bikers and vehicles with foreign plates just get waved through. The few travellers that there are in Morocco at the moment haven't reported problems.

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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)

As Tim noted in his post above, this is entirely normal and has been going on for years & years now.

It's actually very much to the benefit of tourists that all these police checkpoints exist. They are typically found at the entrance and exit points of towns, or at major road intersections. The Moroccan government has no patience at all for crime, terrorism, extremism, etc., and they keep pretty close tabs on movement around the country.

I have always found the police (& occasionally military) at these checkpoints to be extraordinarily courteous and friendly every time I have stopped. Frequently, they offered me a small cup of mint tea. They really have no interest at all in monitoring tourists.

Just have your passport ready to show, and have your import papers for your vehicle within easy reach if you are asked for them.

See this post in Tim's "Morocco Knowledgebase" forum that explains the benefits of printing up a whole bunch of little 'fiches' (tickets) that contain all the information that the police or military need to record when you get stopped at a checkpoint. I went through about 40 of these fiches in the process of riding from Tanger Med down to Mauritania and back. The police really appreciate the fiches, it makes their life easier and gets you back on the road faster.

To sum up: be grateful for all those checkpoints, they are a big part of what keeps Morocco such a safe country to tour in.

Michael

I totally agree with your post, most times i have just been waved on , but got stopped for speeding and sat in police car filling in my conviction forms ! and he spilled his coffee al over my papers ................. nice policeman let me off !!

I have friends who travelled to Morocco this week. they departed from the EU and were required to show hotel reservations covering their entire stay.

In Morocco, they have not encountered any unusual checkpoints from the area around Agadir to pass TanTan but there is a heavier than usual military and police presence once out of the cities.

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Usually on two wheels