Morocco is a long way from Australia, which changes how you should plan it. Here are the routes, the visa position, and why you should not come for less than ten days.
Morocco is roughly 17,000 km from eastern Australia and there is no direct flight, so getting here means 22 to 30 hours of travel with at least one connection. That single fact should shape your whole plan: it means coming for longer, combining Morocco with something else, and choosing your arrival airport carefully. Here is the practical guide.
Note: airline routes and schedules change often. Treat the routes below as a planning guide and confirm with the airline. Check entry requirements with the Moroccan consulate and Smartraveller close to your departure date.
Getting there
Every route involves at least one stop, and often two. The realistic options:
Via the Gulf — usually the best
Via Dubai (Emirates) — the most straightforward, with a non-stop Dubai–Casablanca leg. Sydney or Melbourne to Dubai is about 14 hours, then roughly eight hours onward. One stop, total around 25 to 28 hours.
Via Doha (Qatar Airways) — strong frequencies to Casablanca, similar total time.
Via Abu Dhabi (Etihad) — usually needs a further connection.
Via Asia and Istanbul
Via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, then Istanbul (Turkish Airlines) — two stops, but Istanbul has the best onward coverage in Morocco, including direct flights to Marrakech, Casablanca and Tangier. Often the cheapest.
Via Europe
Via a Gulf or Asian hub to Paris, Madrid, London or Lisbon, then a short hop to Marrakech, Casablanca, Fes or Agadir. Two stops and longer, but it puts you down exactly where you want to start and pairs naturally with a European leg.
From Perth, routings are meaningfully shorter — Perth to Dubai or Doha is around 11 hours, which takes several hours off the total.
Which airport to arrive at
Because the journey is so long, do not waste a day repositioning inside Morocco.
Marrakech (RAK) — the right answer for most first trips. Marrakech, the Atlas, Essaouira and the Sahara all start here. Reachable in one hop from Istanbul or any European hub.
Casablanca (CMN) — the direct arrival from Dubai and the widest choice of flights. Good if you want Rabat, Meknes, Volubilis and Fes. Casablanca to Marrakech is a two-and-a-half-hour train if needed.
Fes (FEZ) — ideal if you plan to run the country north to south, ending in Marrakech.
Tangier (TNG) — if you are arriving from Spain or starting with Chefchaouen.
The strongest plan for Australians is an open-jaw ticket: into Fes or Casablanca and out of Marrakech, or the reverse. It costs little more and saves you an entire day of backtracking.
Visas for Australians
Australian passport holders enter Morocco visa-free for stays of up to 90 days. No application, no fee, no e-visa. You present your passport and complete an arrival card.
Travel with at least six months’ passport validity beyond arrival and two blank pages.
Have the name and address of your first hotel or riad to hand; immigration officers ask.
An onward or return ticket is occasionally requested, particularly on one-way bookings.
New Zealand passport holders are also visa-free for 90 days.
Always confirm current rules before you fly, and see our fuller Morocco visa guide.
How long to stay
Given 25-plus hours each way, a short trip makes no sense. Our honest recommendations:
Less than 10 days — not worth the flights. If that is all you have, go somewhere closer.
10 days — the realistic minimum. Marrakech, the Atlas, the Sahara and Fes, or Marrakech, the desert and the coast. See our 10-day itinerary.
14 days — the ideal length. Both great cities, the Sahara, Chefchaouen and the coast, with rest days. See our 14-day grand tour.
3–4 weeks — Morocco plus Spain or Portugal, or Morocco plus a week in the deep south.
Combine it with something
Because you are flying through a hub anyway, the marginal cost of adding a stop is low. The natural pairings:
Spain and Portugal. The obvious one. Tangier is under an hour by ferry from Tarifa, and there are short flights from Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Lisbon to Marrakech and Casablanca. Andalusia and Morocco share a great deal of history, and seeing the Alhambra and then the Fes medersas in one trip is genuinely illuminating.
Dubai or Doha. A two- or three-night stopover on the way, which also breaks the journey usefully.
Istanbul. Excellent as a stopover and a natural companion to Morocco.
Egypt or Jordan. Easy to reach from the same hubs.
Paris or London. Short onward flights to Marrakech and a break in the journey.
Best time to go from Australia
Worth noting that Australian and Moroccan seasons are inverted, which creates a useful pattern.
Australian spring (Sep–Nov) = Moroccan autumn. Excellent. Warm, clear, ideal desert conditions. Our favourite window.
Australian autumn (Mar–May) = Moroccan spring. Equally good. Green valleys, roses in the Dades, comfortable everywhere.
Australian summer (Dec–Feb) = Moroccan winter. Convenient for Christmas holidays, and good value. Pleasant days in the south, cold nights, snow on the Atlas, and possible rain in the north. Pack proper warm clothes — Australians consistently under-pack for a Moroccan winter. Note the price spike over Christmas and New Year.
Australian winter (Jun–Aug) = Moroccan summer. Marrakech past 38°C and the Sahara past 43°C. Aligns with school holidays but is the hardest season inland. If you must come then, base the trip on Essaouira, Agadir and the Atlas.
Jet lag. Morocco is 9 to 11 hours behind eastern Australia depending on daylight saving. Plan an easy first day; do not schedule the desert drive for day one.
Currency. The dirham is a closed currency — you cannot buy it in Australia. Withdraw from ATMs on arrival, and expect a largely cash economy.
Plugs. Morocco uses European two-pin, 220V. Bring an adapter; Australian plugs do not fit.
Insurance. Essential, and make sure it covers medical evacuation, particularly for trekking or desert travel. There is no reciprocal health agreement.
Language. Arabic and Amazigh, with French as the second language. English is widely spoken in tourism but less so in rural areas, so a few French phrases help.
Driving. Morocco drives on the right. If you self-drive, factor that in, and read the road-safety notes in our safety guide.
Tipping is expected and modest, unlike Australian practice. Budget for it.
Smartraveller — check the current advisory and consider registering your trip. Australia has an embassy in Rabat.
Flights are the big cost. Once you are here, Morocco is inexpensive by Australian standards — food, transport, guides and mid-range riads all cost a fraction of home.
Let us plan the ground
Australians are a large part of our clientele and we build itineraries around long-haul arrivals: an easy first day, open-jaw routing so you never backtrack, and enough days to justify the flights. Send us your dates and flight options and we will tell you which airport to fly into, or browse our multi-day Morocco tours.
No. Australian passport holders enter Morocco visa-free for stays of up to 90 days, with no application or fee. Travel with at least six months of passport validity beyond arrival and have the address of your first hotel or riad ready for immigration. New Zealanders are also visa-free for 90 days.
How long does it take to fly from Australia to Morocco?
There is no direct flight. Via Dubai or Doha with one stop it is roughly 25 to 28 hours from Sydney or Melbourne; via Asia and Istanbul or via a European hub it is two stops and longer. From Perth the total is several hours shorter.
How many days should Australians spend in Morocco?
At least ten, and fourteen is ideal. Given 25 or more hours of travel each way, anything shorter is not worth the flights. Ten days covers Marrakech, the Atlas, the Sahara and Fes; fourteen adds Chefchaouen or the coast with rest days.
What is the best time for Australians to visit Morocco?
The Australian spring, September to November, and the Australian autumn, March to May, which correspond to Moroccan autumn and spring. Both give warm days and ideal desert conditions. The Australian winter school holidays fall in Moroccan summer, when Marrakech passes 38 degrees inland.
Should I combine Morocco with Spain or Portugal?
It is the natural pairing and very easy. Tangier is under an hour by ferry from Tarifa, and there are short flights from Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Lisbon to Marrakech and Casablanca. Since you are flying through a hub anyway, the marginal cost of adding a leg is low.
