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Many travellers to Morocco experience difficulties with obtaining and using money, so the following notes will hopefully be of use to those visiting the are for the first time. The local currency is the Moroccan Dirham (DH), and in 2009 the exchange rate was approximately 14DH = £1, or 10DH = 1 Euro. The Dirham is a controlled currency, but can be obtained in the UK before your journey from Bureaux de Change beyond Passport Control. A much better exchange rate, however, will be available from the bank in Tafraoute, so it?s only worth changing as much as you will need for the journey, or for your hire-car and petrol if it?s not pre-paid. Note that a maximum of 1000DH can be exported from the country, and officials in Marrakech airport have been seen searching wallets of passengers going through security.Taking plenty of cash with you from the UK will prevent any time-consuming difficulties with ATMs and banks. Outside of Marrakech it is safest to assume you will require Dirhams to obtain petrol, food, and accommodation. A tank of petrol will cost between 300DH and 600DH (depending on where you get the fuel). In Tafraoute there are two cash machines, and whilst they have proved more reliable than the one at Marrakech airport they have still been known to eat credit cards. If this happens, you can just go into the bank and retrieve your card from inside (as long as they?re open).
