Group tours to North Africa

Spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) offer mild temperatures, ideal for exploring cities and the desert, while summer heat in inland and desert areas can become intense. There are some differences, though:

• Upper Egypt: in Luxor and Aswan, spring and fall are not mild, with highs of 95-102°F in April, May, September, and October. The comfortable window is November to March. Cairo follows the classic pattern.
• Atlantic Morocco and the north: spring is not dry, with some rain in March and April in Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, and Tangier. Spring and fall are still ideal for the desert.
• Summer: best avoided inland and in the south, but the Atlantic coast stays pleasant, with Casablanca and Rabat at around 79-81°F in July and almost no rain.
• Rain: in the north the rainy period runs from October to April, while Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan get very little rain all year.

For a single country like Morocco, 7-10 days are enough. For a multi-country itinerary with several stops, such as Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt, plan at least 2-3 weeks. A few distances help with planning:

• Morocco, desert: the classic route from Marrakech through Ouarzazate, Zagora, Tinghir, Errachidia, and Midelt to Merzouga is about 310 miles and 8 hours of driving in all. It includes a night in a bivouac among the dunes and a dromedary excursion.
• Morocco, train: the Al Boraq serves Tangier, Kenitra, Rabat, and Casablanca, with Tangier to Rabat taking about 1 hour 20 minutes.
• Egypt: Cairo is about 417 miles from Luxor and 546 miles from Aswan. The sleeper train takes about 10-11 and 13-14 hours, and there are also domestic flights.
• Tunisia: the TGM line links Tunis to La Goulette, Carthage, and Sidi Bou Said, so Tunis and its surroundings fit in a few days, and Tunis to Djerba is under an hour by air.

It depends on the country and your nationality, and the rules change often, so before you book check the country page on travel.state.gov and the embassy's website. Morocco and Tunisia offer visa-free entry for short tourist stays to many nationalities.

• Morocco: the official portal acces-maroc.ma lets you check whether a visa is needed for your nationality and offers the e-visa and the electronic travel authorization.
• Egypt: the e-visa is requested on the official portal visa2egypt.gov.eg, with online payment by card.
• Tunisia: contact the country's embassy or consulate.

Use only the official portals, since unofficial sites that charge fees exist.

North Africa is full of history and desert landscapes:

• Morocco: the medinas of Fez and Marrakech, with the lively Jemaa el-Fna square, plus Ait Ben Haddou, Volubilis, Essaouira, and Rabat, all UNESCO sites.
• The Sahara: in Morocco, Merzouga and Erg Chebbi are one of the main gateways to the dunes.
• Egypt: the pyramids of Giza and Memphis, ancient Thebes with Luxor, Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings, the monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae, and Historic Cairo.
• Tunisia: the ruins of ancient Carthage on the Gulf of Tunis, the Medina of Tunis, and the El Jem amphitheater, with Kairouan, Sousse, and Dougga also on the UNESCO list.

Each country has its own currency:

• Morocco: Moroccan dirham
• Tunisia: Tunisian dinar
• Egypt: Egyptian pound

The rules differ from one country to another, so it's best to exchange money locally and keep the receipt. In Tunisia you can't take dinars in or out, and foreign visitors can convert leftover dinars back with the exchange receipt. In Egypt there are limits on entering or leaving with local cash, so check them before you go.

In Morocco there are exchange offices at airports, banks, and hotels (bring your passport), ATMs are widespread, and cards are accepted at many hotels and shops. Elsewhere you need dirhams. Check your card's foreign transaction fees.

The budget is generally affordable. The flight from the US is a major part of it, while lodging, meals, and transport vary a lot between a tourist city and a small town. The Egyptian e-visa is paid online by card, and tips are customary in Egypt (baksheesh) and expected in restaurants in Tunisia.

Trains connect the main cities in Morocco and Egypt, shared taxis are cheap for shorter routes, and for the desert most people join organized excursions. In detail:

• Morocco: the national railway links Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, and Marrakech, with branches to Fez and Meknes. Grand taxis run on fixed routes and can be shared, while petits taxis stay in the city, with a meter. CTM and Supratours run buses.
• Egypt: trains connect Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, and Aswan, with sleeper trains to Upper Egypt. Taxis often have no meter, so agree the fare first. Cairo has Uber, Careem, and a metro with women-only cars, and between Luxor and Aswan there are Nile cruises.
• Tunisia: louages are shared minibuses that leave when full. Tunis has a light rail and the TGM, and buses are run by SNTRI.
• Desert: in Morocco, dromedary excursions and nights in a bivouac at Merzouga are the classic way to experience the dunes.

Schedules vary, so always check the operators'.

The Mediterranean coast has a mild climate, with hot summers and rainy winters in Tunis and Algiers, while Morocco's coast is mostly Atlantic, with cooler summers (July highs of 79-81°F). Egypt has the sea breeze of Alexandria and, in Upper Egypt, intense summer heat that can reach about 106°F. Marrakech and Fez are hot in summer and mild in winter.

In inland desert areas, days are warm and nights drop sharply: in Errachidia and Ouarzazate in January, temperatures go from about 60°F by day to about 35°F at night. Layered clothing is a good idea.

It's advisable to dress modestly outside the most touristy areas, for women and men. In Morocco this applies away from beaches and hotel pools, especially in rural areas and at religious sites. In Tunisia tourist areas are more relaxed, and in Egypt you cover shoulders and knees and take off your shoes in religious buildings.

• Ramadan: it shifts every year, so opening hours for shops and restaurants may vary. Non-Muslims aren't expected to fast, but it's best to avoid eating or drinking conspicuously in public during the day.
• Alcohol: in Morocco it is sold in licensed shops, hotels, restaurants, and bars, and many outlets suspend it during Ramadan. In Tunisia it is sold mostly in hotels, some restaurants, and select shops. In Egypt it is found in licensed venues, widespread in Cairo, Alexandria, and the Red Sea.
• Greetings: men wait for a woman to offer her hand, while friends kiss on the cheek.
• Photos: ask permission before photographing people, and avoid military sites and police buildings.

The signature dish of the Maghreb is couscous: hand-rolled semolina, steamed and served with vegetables and meat or fish that change by region, season, and occasion. In Morocco, Friday is the traditional day for it. Here is what else to try:

• Egypt: ful medames, fava beans with oil, lemon, garlic, and cumin, often eaten for breakfast; koshary, a vegetarian mix of rice, lentils, pasta, and chickpeas with spiced tomato sauce and fried onion; taameya, the Egyptian falafel; and molokhia, a green soup with garlic and coriander.
• Morocco: tagine, a stew cooked in a conical clay pot; pastilla, a flaky pastry with chicken and almonds; harira, a legume and tomato soup; and tanjia, lamb or veal in a clay jar, a Marrakech specialty. Mint tea is an expression of hospitality, and Jemaa el-Fna has juice stalls.
• Tunisia: harissa, a chili, garlic, and coriander paste; brik, a thin fried pastry with egg, tuna, and capers; lablabi, a chickpea soup with garlic, cumin, and harissa; and ojja, a spicy tomato and pepper stew with eggs.

The situation changes over time and can differ from one country to another, and even from one area to another within the same country, so there is no single answer for the whole region. Before you book, and again before you leave, check the current country page on travel.state.gov, where the State Department's Travel Advisories use a four-level scale and give details for specific areas.

• Enroll your trip in the free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov to receive alerts from the embassy and so it can reach you if needed.
• Travel insurance: it's worth telling apart travel health insurance, medical evacuation insurance, and trip cancellation insurance. Your home policy may not cover you abroad, and credit cards don't replace these policies.