How To Stay Safe As A Solo Female Traveler In Marrakech

UPDATED MAR 2020. When I returned home from Morocco I felt overwhelmed. I had so much information I wanted to share but couldn’t decide what to post first. I needed some help, so I put a call out on my Instagram stories. In a landslide majority, how to stay safe as a solo female traveler in Marrakech was the most asked about topic. Side note – a big thanks to everyone who gave me their suggestions. You asked for it so here it is. Let’s delve into some safety tips to keep you as safe as possible during your travels.

How To Stay Safe As A Solo Female Traveler In Marrakech

Disclaimer

There are affiliate links included in this post. This means at no extra cost to you, I earn a commission if you book through the link.

Basic information for solo female travel in Marrakech

Accommodation: Riad Star

Dress code: Conservative, cover from shoulders to knees – read my full guide on how to dress in conservative countries here

What to look out for: Pickpocketing, street harassment, sexual harassment

Emergency numbers to save in your phone:

• Police +212 19
• Tourist Police +212 05 24 38 46 01
• As well as the number for your Consulate and accommodation

General solo travel safety advice: Here’s my full guide on practical solo female travel safety tips

It has a lot of real-world, common sense (but not so commonly followed), general safety tips that are relevant to any destination.

In today’s post, I am going to share some more Marrakech specific safety tips.

Is Marrakech safe for solo female travel?

I can only speak for my own experience, and it’s not to discredit anyone else’s, but I had a wonderful time as a solo traveler in Marrakech.

Overall, I think it is safe for solo female travel but I wouldn’t recommend it as your first solo trip.

If you are a little more seasoned and follow the guidelines in this post, then I think that yes, it is safe for solo travel.

My room at Riad Star

What to wear as a solo female traveler in Marrakech

Before I visited I read many blog posts and reviews which said things like ‘there’s no need to cover up because people know you’re a tourist’.

Insert massive facepalm here. 

Ok, the first thing is anyone who gives that advice has completely missed the point of why you cover-up.

It’s not to blend in.

It’s out of respect for the local culture and to reduce the amount of negative harassment.

Put it this way, when I visit America and I go to a restaurant, I can’t use my ‘get-out-of-tipping-free-because-I’m-a-tourist’ card. Instead, I leave a tip because that’s the way they do things there – I’m a guest and will be respectful of the social norms.

The last thing you want to do as a solo female traveler in Marrakech is to bring negative attention to yourself because you are flaunting too much skin.

Yes, it is uncomfortable in the heat but it’s important to show respect when you travel and helps to keep you as safe as possible.

If you are not married, I recommend wearing a gold band on your wedding ring finger. Marriage is well respected in Morocco and men are less likely to harass another man’s wife.

If you are a solo female traveler in Marrakech, cover up in loose fitting clothing and don’t forget sunglasses

Avoid eye contact

As a woman traveling alone you will attract attention.

One tip I read before I visited was to avoid making a lot of eye contact with men as you walk around. The eye contact is almost seen as an encouragement for more attention.

Avoiding eye contact is a little easier said than done when you are in a new place though because it’s natural to be looking all around you to soak in your new surroundings.

When someone calls out at you, which I promise will happen, your eyes are naturally going to look that way. Eye contact seemed a little unavoidable.

My tip is to wear sunglasses to give your eyes a little shield, not only from the sun but also from accidentally inviting unwanted attention.

Be careful who you ask for advice

With all of the narrow alleyways in the Medina, chances are you will be lost at some point. It kind of goes with the territory.

As you walk around people will offer to give you directions – don’t accept them.

One of the things I noticed was that people would stop and give me wrong directions as I was walking as if to try and confuse me.

I never took the directions because I had a great offline map app from the Riad where I was staying. So I knew where I was going, but what happens is a tricky little money-making scam.

Once you accept directions, they will charge you for it. I even heard from other travelers who were charged one amount, handed over the money, then the person asked for more and made a scene until they got the money.

To prevent finding yourself in this kind of situation, walk with the confidence of 1000 Beyonce’s. If approached, just say thanks and that you know where you are going (even if that’s a lie).

Then go into a nearby store before pulling out your map to check where you are going.

Use your resting bitch face

Whether it was knick-knacks in the Souks, Henna tattoos in the main square or bags of Oregano at the Ouzoud Waterfalls, there is always someone trying to sell you something.

Remember these people aren’t trying to harass you. They’re just trying to make a living and their persistence helps to put food on their table so keep that in mind before you respond rudely.

I found it quite easy to navigate these situations by just saying “No mercie” or “no shukran” in a firm but polite way and moving on. Always keep walking. Don’t stop to engage if you don’t want to buy from them.

Where to stay as a solo female traveler in Marrakech

During my solo visit, I stayed at Riad Star.

This was helpful for me as a solo female traveler in Marrakech for 3 main reasons.

Firstly, it is located in the heart of the Medina meaning that I could walk easily to the souks, main square and a range of restaurants without having to deal with taxis.

Secondly, as I’ve already mentioned, the Riad has created an app that has an offline map. Google Maps doesn’t recognize all of the little alleyways in the Medina, so this app was a huge help to me.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the personal service at the Riad is what set it apart for me as a solo traveler.

Aziz was the host during my stay and he helped me set up the app on my phone, testing it to make sure it was working properly, gave me lots of helpful advice on getting around, and made sure I had his number so that if I was ever lost or stuck I could call him.

Read my full review of staying at Riad Star for solo travel here.

How to get around

Staying in the Medina is a great idea for solo female travelers because it will make getting around easier.

If you stay in the Medina, it is easy to get around by walking.

As with anywhere, be wary of walking alone late at night. If you plan to be out for dinner or something after dark, I recommend asking the staff where you are staying what the best way to get back to your accommodation is.

Taxis are also available if you plan to explore outside the Medina.

If you prefer to have a guide, I have heard many great reviews about Said from Morocco Daily Tours. I have not personally toured with them, but they come recommended highly.

Here is the guide I wrote on things to see and do in Marrakech.

Most important safety tip – use common sense and trust your gut

A huge element of keeping yourself safe is to be mindful of your own actions and the amount of risk you place yourself in.

Sure, in a perfect world we would be able to walk around wherever we want at any time of the day or night and not be in danger, but it’s simply not the world we live in.

No matter where you are traveling, it is so important that we are aware of the situations we place ourselves in and how much risk is attached.

Don’t make yourself an easy target and always trust your gut if something doesn’t feel right.

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