Welcome to Run Morocco: Gorges & Sahara!

Please see below for pretty much everything that you need to know in advance of your upcoming adventure. You can also click "My Trips" at the top of this page to access and edit your personal information, register for early arrival or a private room and view/pay your remaining balance at any time.

 And of course, feel free to refresh yourself on the full itinerary and inclusions/exclusions any time at this link: https://www.roguexpeditions.com/morocco/details/s2025

Your main RE contact for any pre-trip questions or concerns is kara@roguexpeditions.com.

Your Rogue Expeditions guides for this trip will be Kara Folkerts & Alain Pernau; contact info for your guides will be provided prior to departure!

Note: Please do not book flights until you've received confirmation from us that we've hit the minimum group size.

Once you have booked your flight, please submit your flight details here.

For this trip you will need to arrive in Marrakech (RAK) no later than 4pm on Saturday, February 8, 2025 and depart the same place on Monday, February 17 (any time is fine).  We will be there to meet you at the airport, and we will take you back there at the end of the trip. 

If you have registered for early arrival then you should arrive in Marrakech no later than 4pm on Friday, February 7.

Want tips & tricks for landing flight deals? Check out this article.

READ THIS: Packing (light) tips for your next adventure

GENERAL THINGS TO CONSIDER *Think lightweight, quick-drying, interchangeable items/colors, and layers; there won't be any true laundry opportunities, though a quick shower or sink rinse works great for running gear!

*There is a lot of sand in/around the Sahara, and it will find its way into everything – just keep that in mind.

*Any type of luggage is fine, but backpacks tend to be the most durable, easy to move around with and can hold a lot. Luggage will be strapped on top of the vehicles, so leave the designer bags at home!

*Have some sort of ‘day bag,’ whether it’s a small backpack, messenger bag, etc. It should be big enough to carry money, a camera, a water bottle, and a jacket. Messenger bags are handy for crowded tourist areas in the city, so that you can easily carry it on your front and away from any sticky fingers.

*We encourage cultural respect, and conservative dress is the name of the game! Ladies, we recommend avoiding shorts and tank tops (think knees + shoulders) for the days that we are running through villages - capri length tights or jogger pants are great, and short sleeves are totally fine. We will have two desert runs well away from villages where shorts and tanks are no problem at all. Guys, please keep your shirt on at all times. Swimsuits at a hotel pool are fine!   

CLOTHES

*2-3 pairs running shorts (men) / 1-2 pair running capri/pants and 1 pair running shorts (women)

*3-4 short sleeve running shirts + jog bras and 1-2 long sleeve running shirt

*2-3 non running shirts/tops

*2 pairs pants (lightweight travel-type are a worthy investment! Jeans are heavy and can be too warm) or 1 pair paints/1 long skirt  *1 rain jacket for running (you can get away with water-resistant, rather than -proof, for this trip)

*1 warm jacket (fleece or down)

*Underwear 

*1 set of sleepwear

*Swimsuit (most hotels have pools)

*1 pair of running/warm up/loose pants (this makes it easy to have your actual running clothes on underneath, so that you don’t have to mess with changing clothes when it’s time to run - if you're running in jogger pants then you've already got this handled)

ACCESSORIES + SHOES

*1 pair running shoes (road shoes are best for this trip) + 1 pair flip flops + 1 pair non-running shoes 

*1 pair light running gloves (probably won't need them, but sometimes you do!)

*5-6 pairs socks + Compression socks (GREAT for plane travel!)

*Running hat + warm hat/beanie

*Sunglasses!!!!

*Day bag *Handheld water bottle or hydration pack (required)

TOILETRIES 

(Everything can be found in Morocco, so don’t feel that you have to pack huge amounts of any one item)

*Travel bottles of shampoo/soap/conditioner

*Toothbrush/toothpaste

*Brush/comb

*Few travel packages of kleenex and/or wet wipes (emergency/backup TP)

*Feminine products

*Razor

*Contacts/solution if needed

*Sunblock

*Chapstick

*Dramamine (if you tend to get motion sickness – there will some winding mountain roads)

*Moleskin or bandaids – we’ll have some of this for the group, but blisters are a common problem and it’s good to have some of your own on hand

*Any other medication you may need (we will have a basic first aid kit for the group, and pharmacies abound)   

DOCUMENTS

*Passport (US citizens must have 6 months validity when you enter Morocco)

*1-2 credit/debit cards (make sure to call your bank the week before departure and tell them the dates that you will be in Morocco, as well as any other stops. This way they won’t put a security hold on your card).

*Contact info for your guides 

*Copies of flight itineraries (no guarantee of pulling it up in your email)   

OTHER STUFF

*Camera and/or phone + chargers

*Books and/or journal as desired 

*Pens (handy for immigration forms upon arrival!)

*Headlamp or small flashlight (helpful for the desert camping)

*Electrical adapter: Morocco uses two round prongs, like this

Country: Morocco
Language: Arabic, Berber and French
Currency: Moroccan Dirham (MAD)
Landscapes: High alpine mountains, canyons, palm oases, open desert

Food: Fresh and local! A typical breakfast will include a spread of just-baked bread, pastries, local fruit jam, butter, cheese, eggs, fruit, coffee, mint tea and fresh-squeezed OJ. Lunches will typically be pre- and post-run spreads of fresh fruit, nuts, dates, olives bread, salads and meat dishes prepared by our cook team. Dinners feature tajine – chicken, beef or lamb simmered in a clay vessel with an assortment of vegetables and spices – and couscous dishes along with fresh bread, olives, light soup and fresh fruit.

Drinks: Most Moroccans do not drink alcohol, though it’s widely accepted behind closed doors. Bars are rare but full liquor stores can be found in the cities; you will have the chance to stock up on the first day. Nothing happens in Morocco without mint tea; you’ll be served many times per day. Coffee is very good, and the orange juice is phenomenal. Avoid drinking tap water, though it's fine for brushing your teeth and whatnot. We will provide purified and/or bottled drinking water throughout the week.

Weather: Generally you can expect clear nights with temperatures around 50F/10C, bright, sunny days with high temperatures around 70-75F/20-24C (likely a bit warmer in the Sahara) and little to no humidity. Rain is rare, but does happen on occasion

Connectivity: Everywhere that we stay (aside from the Sahara camp) will have wifi, though connection strength can be anywhere from great to unusable. You can count on good wifi in Marrakech, and then hope for the best elsewhere. Cell signal and 3G/LTE data coverage is very good most everywhere; if you really want to stay connected, consider an international plan for your cell phone. 

Cultural Notes:
Morocco is full of extremely hospitable, friendly, wonderful people, and you’ll meet many of them throughout our trip! There are of course a number of cultural differences, and it’s good to take note of some before you arrive:

> Drinking. Alcohol is by no means outlawed, but Morocco is an Islamic country and it’s rare to find locals who drink or sell alcohol outside of the cities. Few hotels will sell alcohol, though we can bring our own - it’s no problem! We will take everyone to a supermarket with a liquor store upon arrival to stock up for the week. Enjoy yourself, but please avoid getting loud or sloppy.  

> Along the same respecting-customs lines, keep the clothing on the conservative side. Guys, there aren’t many rules here, but please do not run shirtless – it will be considered inappropriate. Ladies, there are no actual rules, but we suggest avoiding shorts and tank tops when passing through rural villages (which is most days!). Capri-length bottoms are great, as are jogger pants. Short sleeves are fine any time, and swimsuits at hotel pools are fine. Always run in a shirt, no jog bras. Shorts and tanks in the desert, away from villages, are totally fine.  

> Marrakech is home to one of the most interesting, colorful, vibrant markets in the world, and there is so much to see and buy! The vendors that you’ll encounter are some of the most talented salespeople on the planet, but tactics can come off as pushy if you aren’t prepared for it. Go in with the right attitude, have fun with it and be prepared to bargain - a good rule of thumb is to start at half of whatever price they tell you and meet somewhere in the middle. If you engage in bargaining, know that it means you are serious about buying whatever the item is. And remember that it’s not about getting the cheapest price, but rather about finding a price that satisfies both parties.  

> The medina is full of performers, snake charmers, henna artists - it’s amazing and so much fun, but know that most photos and performances will have a price attached - these people are trying to make a living. If you want the photo or the entertainment, be prepared to pay a small amount in exchange.

> Moroccans are not in a rush. This is a place where every conversation and visit is precluded with mint tea, questions about the family, etc. There is a significant amount of travel time on slow, but beautiful roads. The entire trip is a wonderful time to slow everything down, enjoy meals, conversation... you’ve got nothing to do but run, eat, drink and explore amazing new places!  

> Useful phrases to start with (these are Arabic, written phonetically, as our American ears hear them:
* Salaam - greeting
* Shukran - thank you
* Naa-am - yes
* La - no
* La Shukran - no thank you
* Min Fadlik - please
* Yallah - let’s go
* Safi - I’m good, satisfied, full  

You’ll learn more words throughout the week of course... and those of you who speak French will get along great!

Most everything is already paid for, so you shouldn’t need much in the way of cash. There are ATMs and exchange kiosks all over Marrakech, and we can make a secondary stop halfway through the trip if necessary. Credit cards are not widely accepted - plan to use cash.

Things you’ll want to plan for:
> Alcohol and other drinks/snacks that you might find along the way. We will take everyone to a modern supermarket on the first day to stock up on alcohol - we have two guesthouses with bars, but otherwise this will likely be the only place you find it throughout the week. The supermarket does take credit and debit cards.

> Souvenirs. Even if you claim that you’re not a shopper, you WILL find things to buy in Morocco. Pottery, silver, leather, scarves, paintings spices, rugs - Morocco is packed with skilled artisans and their beautiful handmade wares. Get ready to bargain, and consider bringing an extra bag to fill for your trip home.

> Tips. Our Moroccan team - guide, drivers & cooks - will be going above and beyond for you all week, and tips are certainly appreciated. We will take a group collection on the last evening for those who wish to contribute; the amount is of course up to you though we suggest 1000-1500DH (about $100-$150 USD) as an appropriate contribution. Tips for your Rogue Expeditions run guides are at your discretion - never expected, always appreciated.

If you have the time, we strongly encourage you to take advantage of early arrival! This gives you a chance to explore Marrakech and, most importantly for those coming from North America, recover from all of the travel before we hit the road. You can make your own arrangements, or let us handle it - our early arrival option includes airport pickup, dinner, hotel, breakfast, lunch and a walking tour of Marrakech with a licensed city guide. Those choosing the single option will be given a single room for their first two nights.

Single room upgrades for the remainder of the trip may become available closer to departure; we will reach out to those who indicated interest after balances are paid (three months prior to departure).