COVID-19 - Morocco Master Thread

[Chris Scott]

Thanks for your info.

Have you not thought of leaving your van and flying back to US until it's all cleared up?
You can do so easily with Customs at the airport for up to six months.
Van can be left anywhere you choose. See sticky thread on this topic.
That's what I did with my bike back in March.

[Chickadee]

Originally Posted by Chris Scott

Thanks for your info.

Have you not thought of leaving your van and flying back to US until it's all cleared up?
You can do so easily with Customs at the airport for up to six months.
Van can be left anywhere you choose. See sticky thread on this topic.
That's what I did with my bike back in March.

Chris,

Thank you for your response. We have thought about that option multiple times over the last few months, but don't want to leave our van in Morocco when we don't know when we will be able to return to Morocco and continue to travel. Temporary import is also limited to 6 months. We are aware that the whole lockdown has changed the timeline, but exactly how, we don't know. We have already been in Morocco with this vehicle almost 5 months.

With all that has been happening around the world, we feel that "overlanding" will be heavily effected by COVID-19 for the next year or two. It may be best for us to pause our travels and return to the US. Our van is our "home" and we don't want to leave it behind.

Too bad our paths didn't cross while you were in Morocco. We have used your book, "Morocco Overland" when we have been able to move and have found it very useful. We planned on sending you some tracks we did between Icht and Samara with some comments on current information if you are interested in it. Thank you for sharing your information.

-LeeWhay

[Chris Scott]

In that case I think Casablanca port is your best option for shipping to North America.
The advice is choose the busiest port – Casa or Tangier I'd guess.
If it doesn't fit in a container and needs to go on a rack, try and seal off the cabin, lock gear in screwed down trunks, then sprinkle it all with holy water for good measure.
It may be an idea not to leave Mk before your van does.

Glad the book was useful.
New routes and updates always welcome.

[Chickadee]

Originally Posted by Chris Scott

In that case I think Casablanca port is your best option for shipping to North America.
The advice is choose the busiest port – Casa or Tangier I'd guess.
If it doesn't fit in a container and needs to go on a rack, try and seal off the cabin, lock gear in screwed done trunks, then sprinkle it all with holy water for good measure.
It may be an idea not to leave Mk before it does.

Glad the book was useful.
New routes and updates always welcome.

Chris,
Thank you for your assistance. We appreciate your thoughts.
LeeWhay

[TheWarden]

Rumour has it that the Government will discuss the state of Emergency tomorrow.

So we can probably expect an announcement at 17:59 on Friday. Gut feeling is the State of Emergency will be extended again after the increase in cases and the need to lock Safi down last weekend.

What this means for the borders remains to be seen

[Tim Cullis]

My musings posted yesterday on TripAdvisor...

"Whilst the number of detected cases continues to rise, with a recent spike in the Atlantic coast town of Safi, the overall situation remains under control with many of the cases being asymptomatic and only detected through test-and-trace procedures. Total recorded infections are around 14,500 and active cases are about 4,000. Deaths thankfully at a low figure of 237.

Since the state of emergency was declared, Morocco has assisted with the return of tens of thousands of European, American and other tourists to their home countries. The majority of those with vehicles have also been enabled to leave.

More than 45,000 Moroccans living abroad who were stranded in Morocco when the borders closed have been assisted to return to their country of residence, whilst additional repatriation ferries are being organised 13-20 July to allow 1,800 Moroccan families with vehicles to exit to Spain and France.

Initially Morocco asked all citizens who were away from the country to stay in place and more than 30,000 were affected. In the last three weeks 10,700 have arrived home on 74 repatriation flights. At the moment these passengers are being checked for Covid-19 on arrival and if positive the passenger would be removed to hospital. Those testing negative are housed in otherwise empty tourist hotels across the country for nine days and if they remain negative for a second test, they are then allowed home where they are expected to self-isolate for a further five days.

Many thousands more stranded Moroccans are expected to be repatriated and plans are afoot to change the procedure. Those who test negative will be allowed to return home to self-isolate for 14 days. They will have to sign a declaration agreeing to honour the terms of the quarantine, have to download and activate the Wiqaytna tracking application on their smartphones, and also repeat blood tests every day of the quarantine period.

The current state of emergency is due to end 10 July though restrictions may continue after this date even if the state of emergency is not extended.

Morocco has not announced or even given any indication when it will open its borders for foreign tourists by ferry or airplane. Some days of notice will be required by the companies concerned before they can resume flights."

____________

I know many businesses in Morocco are really hurting and desperate to welcome visitors once more, but I still feel this can't happen just yet.

Firstly, I can't see the government, on one hand saying the thousands of Moroccans returning from abroad in the next couple of weeks have to quarantine for 14 days, and then on the other hand allowing tourists in without quarantine.

Secondly, Morocco cancelled Marharba Operation which was pencilled in to start 15 July, and which would have welcomed probably in excess of 1.5 million Moroccans living abroad, returning for their summer holidays. Why would they do this if the borders were likely to be opened?

I would love to be proved wrong on this, but can't see much change before the end of July.

[Tim Cullis]

And then today...

"From midnight 14 July, which I take to mean from 00:01 on Wednesday 15 July, Morocco will reopen its border, allowing foreign residents normally living in Morocco who have been unable until now to return, to enter the country. Moroccan citizens currently out of the country will also be allowed to return.

Ferries will only be allowed from Sète in France and Genoa in Italy. Airlines will be allowed to operate. All passengers will be required to be screened for Covid-19 with 48 hours of boarding ferries or airlines.

Foreign tourists will NOT be allowed to enter the country at this stage."

More information:https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/202...dents-july-14/

___________

There seems to be some reluctance on the Moroccan side to restart ferries with Spain, or to reopen Ceuta and Melilla borders. Not sure what's behind this.

[lbendel]

Anybody here also have a bike stranded in Morocco ? I've managed to catch a flight back in March but my bike is still stuck in Merzouga.


If it opens between October and December then I'm game for a ride down South into the desert (which was the plan to start with).



Laurent

[Chris Scott]

Just got a message from someone telling me Morocco is open.

Seem's like he's right, at least for fly-ins.

https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/202...enter-morocco/

[Tim Cullis]

Heard about it earlier but it was said to be business travellers with an invite on a Moroccan company letterhead.

[barrier911]

Originally Posted by Tim Cullis

Heard about it earlier but it was said to be business travellers with an invite on a Moroccan company letterhead.

https://mobile.telquel.ma/2020/09/06...qM66K6RI4XYdtg

Tourists now as well.

[TheWarden]

Its still very limited. Only via the special flights operated by RAM, Air France and Air Arabia, for people who don't need a visa and only with negative COVID tests dated within 48 hours of departure.

Its not clear what a "Hotel Reservation" means, eg does an AirBnB booking count or is it just hotels, whether once there you can stay in several hotels or just one.

There are also a lot of regional travel restrictions in place needing permits from the Moroccan authorities to move about in country, from today travel in and out of Mrirt and Khenifra is prohibited.

I wouldn't rush to book just at the moment but it gives scope for those with vehicles still in country to retrieve them, if you're prepared for it not being straight forward and either returning via Sete or Genoa or waiting for a place on a Spanish Repat ferry