Ouarzazate Travel Tips: Money, SIM Cards, Shops and Safety

These Ouarzazate travel tips cover the everyday side of a stay: getting cash, buying a SIM card, finding a supermarket or a pharmacy, staying safe and respecting local customs. Ouarzazate is a small, relaxed town where most things are easy, but a few habits, such as carrying cash in small notes and knowing how the night pharmacy works, save time and stress.

ATMs, money exchange and cards

The currency is the Moroccan dirham (MAD). It is a closed currency, so you generally cannot buy it before you travel, and you should not plan to take dirhams home.

• ATMs. Avenue Mohammed V, the main street, has many bank ATMs, and there are others around the town. Most accept international Visa and Mastercard cards. Your own bank may charge a fee per withdrawal, so fewer, larger withdrawals are usually cheaper. Carry a second card in case one is refused.
• Exchange. Banks and exchange offices in the centre change euros and other major currencies. Bring clean notes in good condition, and keep your exchange receipts: banks may ask for them if you want to change dirhams back before you leave.
• Cards. Supermarkets, larger hotels and some restaurants accept cards. Taxis, small cafés, souk stalls, fuel stations in villages and parking attendants want cash.

If you arrive by plane, our airport arrival guide explains what to expect on the cash side when you land.

SIM cards and mobile data

Morocco has three mobile networks: Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi. All three have shops in central Ouarzazate, and their prepaid SIM cards with data packages are inexpensive. You need your passport to buy one, because registration is compulsory; the shop staff usually activate the card on the spot.

Maroc Telecom is often said to have the widest coverage in rural and mountain areas, which matters if you plan to drive through the gorges or towards the desert, where signal can disappear for long stretches. Whatever the network, download offline maps before day trips. If your phone supports eSIM, you can also set up a travel data plan before departure. Most accommodation offers Wi-Fi; at Residence Chay it is free in every apartment, so a missing SIM on the first evening is not a problem.

Supermarkets and grocery shopping

Ouarzazate now has two large modern stores. Carrefour Market, on Avenue Mohammed V, was the first supermarket of a national chain to open in the town. Marjane opened its first Ouarzazate hypermarket in February 2026, with a larger range that includes household goods and clothing. Both are useful for stocking up on drinks, snacks, baby products and food for self-catering.

For everyday items, every neighbourhood has small grocery shops (hanout) that sell bread, water, milk, eggs and basics until late. Fresh fruit and vegetables are best at the market stalls in town. If you are staying in an apartment with a kitchen, a first stop at a supermarket and the market covers most of a stay. For crafts and souvenirs rather than groceries, see our guide to souks and shopping in Ouarzazate, and for meals out, where to eat in Ouarzazate.

Pharmacies, night pharmacy and hospital

Pharmacies are easy to spot by their green cross, and Moroccan pharmacists are well trained and used to advising travellers on stomach upsets, sunburn, colds and minor injuries. Many common medicines are sold without a prescription, but bring enough of any regular treatment you take, in its original packaging.

Outside normal opening hours, a duty pharmacy (pharmacie de garde) stays open on a rota. The address of the current duty pharmacy is usually posted on the door of every pharmacy in town, and your accommodation can tell you which one is open tonight.

For anything more serious, Ouarzazate's public hospital is the Sidi Hssain Bennaceur provincial hospital, and there are also private clinics and doctors in town. Travel insurance that covers medical treatment and repatriation is strongly recommended for Morocco. In an emergency, use the numbers below.

Safety in Ouarzazate

Ouarzazate is a quiet provincial town, noticeably calmer than Marrakech, and most visitors feel at ease walking around in the day and evening. Common sense is enough:

• keep your phone and wallet out of sight in crowded places such as markets and bus stations;
• politely refuse unofficial guides who offer to show you the way, especially around Kasbah Taourirt and at Aït Ben Haddou, and agree any price for a guide or a taxi before starting;
• in summer, the real risk is heat: drink water, wear a hat and avoid long walks in the early afternoon;
• on the road, the main danger is driving after dark on unlit rural roads. Our guide to car rental and driving in Ouarzazate covers the rules and police checks.

Check your own government's travel advice before you go; the UK travel advice for Morocco is a clear, regularly updated example.

Dress, Friday and Ramadan

Dress and behaviour

Ouarzazate is used to visitors, but it is a conservative town. Clothes that cover the shoulders and knees are respectful in the streets and essential if you visit a religious site or a village home. Swimwear belongs at the pool. Ask before photographing people, and accept a refusal with good grace.

Friday

Friday is the main day of prayer. Around the midday prayer, some shops and businesses close for a while and the streets near mosques get busy; things return to normal in the afternoon. Offices and banks follow a Monday to Friday week.

Ramadan

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. Daily life slows during the day and comes alive after the evening meal. Some cafés and restaurants close in daytime, while hotels and places that serve tourists generally stay open. Avoid eating, drinking or smoking openly in the street in daytime, and note that alcohol is not sold during Ramadan. In 2027, Ramadan is expected to begin around 8 February and to last until around 9 March, with the exact dates fixed by the sighting of the moon.

More Ouarzazate travel tips: tap water, plugs and tipping

• Water. Tap water in town is treated, but many travellers stick to bottled water to avoid stomach trouble, at least for drinking. Bottled water is cheap and sold in every grocery shop.
• Electricity. Sockets are type C and E (two round pins), at 220 V and 50 Hz. Bring an adaptor if your plugs are British or North American.
• Tipping. Tips are part of daily life: rounding up in cafés and taxis, a small amount for parking attendants and porters, something extra in restaurants if service is not included, and a tip for guides and drivers at the end of an excursion. Keep small coins and notes for this.
• Climate. Days are hot from late spring to early autumn and nights can be cold in winter, at around 1,150 metres. Our guide to the best time to visit Ouarzazate explains what to pack.

If you are staying several nights, an apartment with a kitchen, washing machine and reception on site takes care of much of the above; you can see what each one includes on our amenities page.