Morocco, seen from Sub-Saharan Africa
Morocco is part of Africa, and the ties run deep: in the music of Essaouira, in the zawiya in Fes where Senegalese pilgrims pray, and in the Casablanca hub that links the continent's capitals.
What will feel familiar
The music. Gnawa, the trance music of iron castanets and the three-stringed guembri, has West African roots; UNESCO listed it as Morocco's heritage in 2019, and you'll hear it in Essaouira and on Jemaa el-Fnaa.
Faith. Ahmad al-Tijani, founder of the Tijaniyya order, lived and died in Fes, and his zawiya there draws thousands of Senegalese and West African followers every year; one follower called the visit a return to the roots of the order.
The continent. Morocco returned to the African Union in 2017, and Royal Air Maroc's hub in Casablanca connects some thirty African destinations. French will carry francophone visitors everywhere.
What may surprise you
Darija, which takes time even for Arabic speakers. How varied the country is, from the Mediterranean to the Sahara. And the haggling, which is expected in the souk.
What many visitors love
Fes and its zawiyas, the Gnawa nights of Essaouira, the food. Some Black travellers write of being warmly welcomed, in Chefchaouen and Fes for example.
Small differences worth knowing
Salam alaykum, a handshake, the hand on the heart; long greetings are a courtesy, as in much of West Africa.
Darija and Amazigh; French is widely used, so francophone visitors are rarely lost.
Expected in the souk, with patience and humour.
Close and central; invitations to share a meal come easily.
How people here tend to see you
Experiences differ, and we want to be honest about it. A Black woman who travelled across Morocco wrote that she loved Fes and felt welcome in Chefchaouen, and also that she faced stares, comments and harassment, worse in Marrakech. Moroccan and Arab researchers have written that anti-Black racism exists in Morocco and is often denied.
Most visitors meet kindness; some meet prejudice. Knowing that both happen is part of travelling well. Report anything serious to the tourist police.
A way in
Casablanca → Fes → Chefchaouen → Marrakech → Essaouira · 9–11 days
Arrive in Casablanca, take the train to Fes for the medina and the Tijani zawiya, rest in Chefchaouen, then go south to Marrakech and finish with Gnawa music and sea wind in Essaouira.
Practical, in two lines
- Flight: Casablanca is Royal Air Maroc's hub for Africa, with direct flights from some thirty cities on the continent.
- Visa: Rules differ a lot across African passports: some are visa-free, some need an electronic authorisation (AEVM), some a visa, and several changed in 2024. Check yours on the visa checker before you book.
Written from travellers' own accounts, forums and travel writing: tendencies, not rules. Everyone's trip is their own.
Sources, checked 2026-11-14
- UNESCO: Gnawa (inscribed 2019)
- Le360: Senegal's Tijani community keeps its centuries-old ties with Morocco alive
- Johara Berriane: When Senegalese Tidjanis meet in Fez
- Wikipedia: Zawiya of Sidi Ahmed al-Tijani, Fes
- CS Monitor: with Morocco's return, the African Union is complete (January 2017)
- North Africa Post: Royal Air Maroc Cargo and the Casablanca hub for Africa
- Intrepid Travel: tips for Black travellers visiting Morocco (a first-person account)
- Arab Reform Initiative: ending the denial of anti-Black racism in Morocco
- Wikipedia: Visa policy of Morocco
Other angles
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