TRAVEL INFORMATION

ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE INFORMATION

Arrival Airport: You should arrive at Casablanca's Mohammed V International Airport (airport abbreviation: CMN). Casablanca is a major metropolis that is serviced by a variety of airlines. Among others, the following airlines fly into Casablanca: Delta Air Lines, Air France, Royal Air Maroc, Iberia, Lufthansa, and Easy Jet. Please plan to arrive at anytime on Day 1.

Departure Airport: You will depart from Marrakech-Menara Airport (airport abbreviation: RAK). Among others, the following airlines fly into Marrakech: Royal Air Maroc, Iberia, Ryanair, Easy Jet. Airport transfers are included until 10:30am. If you prefer to depart from Casablanca, we can arrange your transfer for the 2.5 hour drive.

Pick-up & Drop-off information: We provide complimentary airport pick-ups and drop-offs on the first and last day of the trip. We will be waiting for you with a sign saying 'Access Trips' as you exit customs at Casablanca's airport. If you would like to be picked up or dropped off on a different day or to somewhere other than the airport, please contact us.

Airlines and Checking Equipment: If you intend to bring any sports equipment, please check with your airline regarding policies for checking and transporting sports gear and equipment before you book your flight. This includes inquiring as to weight, charges and liability.

Flights: We do not book flights or insurance for our clients. For recommendations, click here

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Travel Insurance: Medical insurance, including emergency evacuation coverage, is compulsory for all our trips. Please do not attend any of our trips without purchasing appropriate insurance coverage and providing the details to Access Trips. We recommend that you purchase travel insurance that includes cancellation protection so that you will be covered in the event that you are unable to attend our trip (due to injury, illness or other unforeseen circumstances). We do not provide travel insurance for our clients. Please contact your local travel agent to purchase travel insurance. Additional details are on our website at: http://www.accesstrips.com/company/insurance/

Passports & Visas: All countries require a valid passport (with a minimum of 6 months validity). Citizens of some countries will also require a visa. To learn more about visa and entry requirements for Morocco, please check out the Morocco Tourism website at: http://www.visitmorocco.com or consult your local travel agent. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documentation.

Age: Most of our trips do not have any age restrictions. The majority of our clients are between the ages of 28 and 50, but we also have many clients who are older and younger than this. Please contact us with any questions.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Emergency Contact: If you need to contact Access Trips in an emergency, you can reach us at the following:

Email: customer_service@accesstrips.com
Mobile-phone: +1 (415) 260-7270

Dialing within North America: 1 (650) 492-4778
Dialing outside of North America: +1 (650) 492-4778

If you do not receive an immediate answer when calling the above numbers, please leave us a detailed message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Health requirements: Please carefully review the health information section of the following webpage for up-to-date health information, including information on the quality of medical care, the availability of medications and the necessity for vaccinations in the destination country: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_975.html . We strongly recommend that you visit a travel doctor before embarking on international travel. You are responsible for ensuring that you receive any necessary vaccinations before traveling on your trip with us.

Fitness requirements: Our cooking trips are open to anyone who wants to learn to cook in a fascinating destination. Nevertheless, many of the countries we operate in do not have adequate facilities for the disabled. The accommodations may not have elevators, the sidewalks may not be even- or even paved!- and we do a fair amount of walking during our sightseeing tours.

Safety & Security: To maximize your safety during our tours you should exercise common sense and caution at all times. We recommend that you always stick to set travel arrangements, and avoid unknown areas. We also recommend that you wear minimal jewelry and that you keep valuable items safely stored. Always keep a copy of your passport, airline tickets, travelers checks and credit card numbers separate from where you keep the originals.

Women walking alone in certain areas of cities and rural areas are particularly vulnerable to harassment from men. Women are advised to travel with a companion or in a group when possible and to ignore any harassment. Responding to verbal harassment can escalate the situation. The best course of action is generally not to respond or make eye contact with the harasser.

For more information on safety and security in Morocco, please review the safety and security section of the following webpage:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_975.html

Drinking water: As a rule, do not drink tap water at all in Morocco, even in hotels. We strongly recommend buying bottled water.

Climate, Currency, Banking & Electricity

Climate: Our Moroccan cooking vacation takes us to a wide variety of Moroccan villages and cities. All of the locations we visit have lovely, mild weather most of the year, and we don't offer this tour in the hottest summer months. Spring and autumn are the best time to visit Morocco, but the winter months can be quite lovely as well, with fewer crowds.

In bustling coastal Casablanca, the weather is quite moderate year-round, but can get cooler and wet in the winter. In the relaxed fishing village of Essaouira, the weather is mild, although quite windy - a great place to try windsurfing. While in the Berber mountain village, we stay at an altitude of about 1200 feet (365m), so the weather remains mild year-round, although plan for it to get fairly cold in the evenings during the winter months (November to March). And in Marrakech the weather is lovely and warm most of the year. In October and November, the average temperatures are 70F-80F during the day and in the 50's during the evening. December through April, you may expect temperatures between 65F-75F during the day and 45F-55F during the evening.

NOTE: During winter months (November to March), please be prepared for some rain and low temperatures ranging from 32F-50F at night and 59F-70F during the day, depending on the location.

Currency & Banking: The national currency is the Moroccan Dirham (MAD). The importation and exportation of Moroccan currency is strictly forbidden. There are exchange bureaus in airports, certain hotels and most banks. Some counters require your passport for the transaction. Remember to exchange your remaining Dirhams before leaving; you cannot do this for more than 50% of the amount exchanged for your vacation. For the latest currency exchange information please go to: http://finance.yahoo.com/currency

ATMs are available in all cities and major towns.

It is recommended to notify your bank or card issuer that you intend to travel abroad so that no block will be put on the usage of your credit or ATM cards.

Electricity: Morocco uses 220V, 50Hz and plugs are two prong rounded.

WHAT TO TAKE

Clothing Norms: In general both men and women should dress modestly, wearing loose-fitting clothes below the knees and with shoulders covered. It is not necessary to wear a headscarf. You should not wear shorts or short skirts. Local dress is more conservative outside of major cities and tourist areas.

Equipment: We provide all the equipment you will need for your cooking classes.

What to bring: Many of our trips require us to move our base several times, so we recommend that you pack as lightly as possible. There will not always be someone available to help you carry your bags so you should only bring as much as you can carry on your own.

We suggest that you bring the following items:

Clothing & Equipment
* Season-specific casual clothes (men and women should always dress modestly- no tank tops, low cut tops, or shorts- out of respect for the culture they are visiting. It is not necessary to wear a headscarf.)
* Sandals with straps and sturdy walking/hiking shoes
* A warm jacket (NOTE: It can be quite cold in the High Atlas Mountains from November to March. Please pack appropriately for cold, winter evenings.)
* Power adaptor for 220v, 50 Hz (outlets are two-prong rounded)
* Toiletries
* Money belt
* Sunscreen, sunglasses and hat
* First-aid kit with lip balm, aspirin, band aids, cream for sore muscles (e.g. deep heat), Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, any extra prescription drugs you may be taking

Documents & Money
* Passport (with photocopies)
* Travel insurance (with photocopies)
* Airline tickets (with photocopies)
* Any entry visas or vaccination certificates required
* Credit and/or debit card and/or cash (MasterCard and Visa are the most commonly used; Maestro card is difficult to use in Morocco.)

Spending Money
Meals: All breakfasts, one lunch and four dinners are included in the price. Please plan to bring at least USD $10-$20 per lunch and USD $20-$30 per dinner for those meals that are not included, as well as money for snacks, drinks, and bottled water.

Tipping: For tourists, a 10% tip for meals is often included in the bill. In taxis, just round up to the nearest 5 dirhams. For someone who carries your bags to your room or from your hotel to a taxi, 10 dirhams would be appropriate, unless your bags are extremely cumbersome. Most public restrooms are staffed and a tip of 1 - 5 dirhams is expected - keep a few coins handy!

Discretionary tips to your tour staff for good service are much appreciated. For your cooking instructors, USD $3-$5 per guest is recommended for each cooking class and the ceramics workshop. For city guides, $5 per guest is recommended. For trip leader/driver, USD $10 multiplied by the number of days in the tour (per guest), and USD $5 multiplied by the number of days in the tour, for the other guide, would be appreciated.

Other expenses: there are no required additional expenses for this trip, but you might like to take spending money for such things as souvenir shopping, nightlife, internet cafes, and bottled water.

Reminder: This is a tool meant to help you decide what you should bring on your Moroccan adventure. It is by no means comprehensive. While we do our best to be as thorough as possible, we cannot foresee every possible condition. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at customer_service@accesstrips.com

USEFUL LINKS

Country Information: For additional information about traveling in Morocco check out http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_975.html
http://www.visitmorocco.com

Currency Exchange: The currency in Morocco is the Moroccan Dirham. For the latest currency exchange information please go to: http://finance.yahoo.com/currency

FINAL NOTE
The information contained in this document is provided in good faith. Due to the nature of travel, details in this document may change. You should thus use the above information as an indication only and not as a contractual obligation on the part of Access Trips.