A single Moroccan week can swing from the cool stone shade of the Fes medersas to a snow-dusted Atlas pass to the furnace of a Saharan erg. That is why packing here is about layers you can build and shed, not a wardrobe of complete outfits. Below is the kit we hand to guests through the year, sorted by where you are headed and when.
Which season are you arriving in?
More than anything else, the time of year decides what goes in your bag. Fes turns through four clear seasons:
- Spring (March–May): The sweet spot. Warm afternoons (20–28°C in the medina), cool nights, and almond and orange blossom scenting the courtyards. Pack thin layers and a light jacket for any run up into the Middle Atlas cedar country.
- Summer (June–August): Fes bakes — the interior pushes past 40°C and the medina holds the heat into the night. Live in linen and cotton. The Atlantic at Essaouira stays a merciful 25°C on the wind; if you climb in the High Atlas, carry SPF 50+ and a wide brim.
- Autumn (September–November): The other fine season. The summer crowds thin, the light softens over the tanneries. Pack as for spring and slip a fleece in from October onward.
- Winter (December–February): Daytimes in Fes are gentle (15–20°C) but the nights bite (5–10°C), and the medina's stone never warms. The Atlas holds snow from December. Dress for a crisp European autumn and add a proper warm layer for the evenings and any mountain road.
What to wear inside the Fes medina
No law dictates how visitors dress, yet what you wear genuinely shifts how Fes receives you. The simple version: keep shoulders and knees covered through the souks, along Talaa Kbira and anywhere near the Qarawiyyin or a working medersa — the same for everyone, men and women alike. A loose linen shirt over a vest, trousers in place of shorts, and you blend in rather than draw a crowd.
On your feet, choose cushioned, closed walking shoes. The derbs of Fes el-Bali are crooked and worn, damp underfoot through autumn and winter, and a motorbike or a laden mule can round any corner. Grippy trainers or sturdy slip-ons are exactly right.
What to pack for High Atlas trekking
Jebel Toubkal (4,167 m), the roof of North Africa, can be climbed in any season provided your gear is sound. Whenever a multi-day Atlas trek is stitched onto your Fes trip, these are the things that earn their place:
- A full layering kit: base layer, fleece mid-layer, windproof shell on top
- Warm hat and gloves — above 2,500 m the nights stay cold even in July
- Trekking boots that support the ankle and have already been broken in
- Poles, to spare your knees on the long descents
- Strong sunscreen and UV sunglasses — altitude sharpens the burn
- A 2-litre bladder or bottles, with purification tablets in reserve
- A compact first-aid kit with blister plasters and ibuprofen
What to pack for a Sahara overnight
From Fes the desert is a long, beautiful drive south — to the great wall of Erg Chebbi above Merzouga, or the remoter Erg Chigaga out past M'Hamid. Both pay you back for packing properly:
- Layers: a warm fleece, and a down jacket for winter nights, when the dunes can drop close to 0°C between November and February.
- A long scarf or cheche: shade for your head and a shield against the sand on a breezy camel ride.
- Closed shoes for the fireside — the sand loses its heat fast once the sun is down
- A headtorch with fresh batteries
- Sealed or zip-lock bags for phone, camera and passport
- Lip balm and a saline nasal spray — the desert air is brutally dry
- A power bank; not every camp has steady electricity to charge from
What to buy in the Fes souks instead of packing
A few things are simply better acquired here — cheaper, finer, and a souvenir into the bargain. A cotton or silk djellaba makes a graceful evening layer and is welcome anywhere. Argan-based sunscreen sits on every pharmacy shelf at a fraction of European prices. Soft leather babouches, cut and stitched in the Fes tanneries, are made for medina walking. And a local SIM from Maroc Télécom or Orange buys you strong data across the whole circuit for around US$5–8.
Documents, money and tech essentials
- A passport with at least six months left to run beyond your dates
- Travel-insurance papers — print one copy and keep a PDF offline for the dead spots where there is no signal
- A debit card with low foreign fees (Wise, Revolut and Charles Schwab all behave well in Moroccan machines)
- A working float of dirhams — withdraw the equivalent of US$100–150 as you land
- A universal adapter; Morocco runs European type C/E plugs at 220V
- A local SIM or a roaming plan — turn-by-turn navigation is worth its weight here
- Offline maps downloaded in advance (Maps.me or Google Maps offline), because GPS loses its mind in the tight stone canyons of Fes el-Bali
For packing notes pinned to a specific route, or a pre-trip document built around your own itinerary, browse our Morocco travel guides or look through our private tour options.
Frequently asked
Can I wear shorts and vest tops in Fes?
By a hotel pool or out on the Atlantic coast, no one minds. But Fes is one of Morocco's most devout old cities, and threading the lanes of Fes el-Bali, passing the Qarawiyyin or stepping into a medersa, you will be far more comfortable — and far less stared at — with shoulders and knees covered. There is no rule aimed at tourists; it is simply good manners in a conservative place. A thin linen layer weighs nothing and goes on or off in seconds.
What shoes are best for the Fes medina?
Closed, cushioned walking shoes with a low heel win every time. The stone of Fes el-Bali is steep, worn smooth, treacherous after rain and shared with mules carrying gas bottles and hides — sandals are a mistake here. Trainers are perfect. If you mean to enter a medersa or a permitted shrine, slip-ons spare you fumbling with laces at the threshold.
Do I need to bring cash, or can I use cards in Morocco?
Carry both. Riads, larger restaurants and hotels take Visa and Mastercard, but the brass stalls of Place Seffarine, the souk vendors, your guide, your driver and every petit-taxi deal only in cash. Cash machines (GAB) sit on most squares in Fes and pay out dirhams without fuss. Pull a working float the moment you land — about US$100–150 in MAD will see you through the first days.
How much luggage should I bring to Fes?
Less than instinct tells you. Laundry is no trouble in Fes — most riads wash and return things next day for a few dirhams, and linen and cotton dry overnight. A medium carry-on or a soft duffel covers a fortnight. Overpack and you will regret it quickly: Fes el-Bali is car-free and stepped, riad stairs are narrow and near-vertical, and the final stretch to your door may ride on a handcart or a mule.
What should I pack for a Sahara desert overnight?
It all comes down to layers. The Sahara can hit 40°C at noon and slide to 10°C past midnight from October to March. A warm fleece or a down layer, a hat and closed shoes for the cool of the evening are non-negotiable. Add a real headtorch rather than your phone, lip balm, strong sunscreen, and a sealed bag for camera and phone — the sand finds its way into absolutely everything.
Is there anything I should definitely not pack for Morocco?
Alcohol in quantities that look like a shipment can be seized at the border, though a personal bottle or two passes without comment. Leave drones at home unless you hold a Moroccan civil-aviation permit — they are routinely confiscated on arrival. Prescription medicine is no problem; just keep it in its original box and carry a doctor's note for anything that might raise an eyebrow.
One less thing to worry about
Every guest gets a pre-trip briefing built around their route.
It carries a packing list matched to your exact itinerary, the forecast for your travel window, and our latest notes from the ground in Fes. Only have to ask.
Request an itinerary