Morocco is one of our most-recommended first-time-abroad destinations for South African travellers, partly because the visa is straightforward (no Schengen required) and partly because the country itself is so different from anywhere most travellers have been. The two most-asked options are the 10-day Morocco-only tour and the Morocco + Spain combo, which adds Andalusia at the front or back of the trip.
The comparison
| Detail | Morocco 10-day | Morocco + Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Land cost (from): | R31,500 | R48,500 |
| Length: | 10 days | 14 to 15 days |
| Cities: | Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Marrakech, Sahara | + Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Madrid |
| Meals included: | Breakfasts + 6 dinners | Breakfasts + 8 dinners |
| Group size: | 22 to 34 | 25 to 38 |
| Departs from: | JHB or CPT via Casablanca | JHB or CPT via Madrid or Casablanca |
| GO English: | Year-round | Year-round |
Morocco-only: depth over distance
Ten days in Morocco is a proper visit, you get the Imperial Cities (Fez, Meknes, Rabat), an overnight in the Sahara at a desert camp with camel ride at sunset, Marrakech for the souks and Djemaa el-Fna square, and usually a day or two in the Atlas Mountains. The pace is moderate; you're moving every couple of days but never rushed.
Morocco + Spain: best-of-both
The combo adds 4 to 5 days in Andalusia at one end, typically Seville, Cordoba, Granada (Alhambra), and a finish in Madrid. This is genius geographically because Andalusia is the Moorish bridge to Morocco. Seeing the Alhambra one week and then the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca the next gives you a story arc that staying in just one country doesn't.
The price gap
R17,000 more for the combo. You add 4 to 5 days, an extra country, a Schengen visa requirement, and Spain's higher hotel and meal prices. On a per-day basis you're paying about R3,400 per day for the extra Spain leg, which is actually cheaper than other Spain-only tours because the longer overall booking gets group rates.
The visa question
This is the practical difference that matters most. Morocco-only: SA passport gets a 90-day visa on arrival, no application needed. Just walk in. Morocco + Spain: you need a Schengen visa for the Spain portion (10 to 12 weeks application time, R2,000+ in fees). If you're already planning to apply for Schengen for another trip, the combo makes more sense.
Flights
JHB to Casablanca via Doha (Qatar) is around R16,000 to R20,000 economy return. JHB to Madrid via Dubai is similar. For the combo, an open-jaw ticket (in to one, out of the other) is the smart move and adds R1,500 to R3,000.
Who should pick which
Morocco-only: this is a short-leave trip; the visa-on-arrival is a deciding factor; this is your first time and you want one country to focus on; budget matters.
Morocco + Spain: you have the leave days; you've been wanting to do Spain anyway; you want a more layered cultural experience; you're a history reader.
Read our 10-day Morocco piece and Spain & Portugal article. Browse Morocco tours.
