Egypt vs Morocco: Which North African Trip Is Right for You?

Egypt or Morocco: which should you visit?

Visit Egypt if your heart is set on the ancient world, from the pyramids to the tombs of Luxor; visit Morocco if you are drawn to living cities, mountain villages, desert road trips and food. Both are wonderful, and the right choice depends on what you want to spend your days doing.

The two countries share Arabic, Islam, mint tea, haggling and the Sahara, but the trips feel very different. Egypt's highlights are monuments thousands of years old strung along the Nile, best seen with an Egyptologist. Morocco's highlights are its medinas, where centuries-old neighbourhoods are still full of life, and its landscapes, from the High Atlas to the dunes of Erg Chebbi.

A note on where we stand: Noble Travel specialises in Egypt and doesn't sell Morocco. We have tried to be fair to both, and many of our travellers have loved Morocco too.

Egypt vs Morocco side by side

Egypt leads on ancient history and the sea; Morocco leads on medina life, mountains and road-trip variety.

Check entry rules for both on Smartraveller before you book.

Which has better history and sights?

For ancient monuments, nowhere in the world matches Egypt; for living historic cities, Morocco is one of the best places on earth.

Egypt's sights are its trump card. In one trip you can stand at the foot of the pyramids of Giza, walk the hypostyle hall at Karnak and go down into painted royal tombs, then see Tutankhamun's treasures at the Grand Egyptian Museum. Islamic Cairo adds a medieval city of mosques, madrasas and gates that is far less visited than it deserves.

Morocco's history is woven into daily life. Fes el-Bali is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world, a UNESCO-listed maze of lanes, tanneries and medieval madrasas such as Bou Inania. Marrakech's medina, the earthen kasbah of Aït Benhaddou and the Roman ruins at Volubilis are also on UNESCO's list. The appeal is less about single monuments and more about the experience of wandering through places that still work as they have for centuries.

What is the travel experience like in each?

An Egypt trip is built around guided sightseeing and a cruise; a Morocco trip is built around road journeys between cities, mountains and desert, with more free time to wander.

A typical two weeks in Egypt might be three nights in Cairo, a flight to Luxor, a 4-night Nile cruise to Aswan, Abu Simbel and perhaps a few days on the Red Sea. Days start early at the monuments and slow down on the cruise. A typical Morocco loop runs from Casablanca or Marrakech to Fes and the Sahara, with long drives: Marrakech to the dunes near Merzouga is roughly 9–10 hours on the road, usually split over two days through the Atlas and the Dades or Todra gorges.

Language and accommodation differ too. Moroccans speak Darija (Moroccan Arabic) and Amazigh languages, and French is widely used, while English is spreading in the tourist trade; in Egypt, English is the main foreign language in tourism and widely spoken by guides, hotel staff and shopkeepers. In Morocco, the classic stay is a riad, a traditional townhouse turned guesthouse around a planted courtyard, deep inside the medina. In Egypt, the memorable stays are historic hotels such as Mena House and the Old Cataract, and the Nile cruise itself.

Both countries involve haggling in markets and some persistent selling at the main sights; see our haggling guide for Egypt. In both, a good local guide makes a big difference.

Which is better for desert, beaches and food?

Morocco's Sahara is easier to include in a first trip; Egypt's Red Sea is far better for swimming, snorkelling and diving; and both have food worth travelling for.

• Desert: a night in a camp among the high dunes of Erg Chebbi is a highlight of most Morocco trips. Egypt's deserts are more remote but extraordinary: the chalk formations of the White Desert and the oasis town of Siwa reward those with a few extra days.
• Beaches: Egypt's Red Sea has warm water, coral reefs a few metres from shore and some of the world's best diving. Morocco's Atlantic coast is cooler and better for surfing and seafood lunches than for snorkelling.
• Food: Moroccan cooking, with slow-cooked tagines, couscous and pastilla, is among the most celebrated cuisines of the region. Egyptian food is humbler, built on beans, bread and vegetables, and delicious; try koshari and a Cairo food tour.

How do flights, cost and season compare from Australia?

Egypt is the shorter journey from Australia, the two cost broadly similar amounts on the ground at a given level of comfort, and their best seasons overlap in autumn and spring.

There are no direct flights from Australia to either. Cairo is reached with one stop via Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi; Casablanca and Marrakech are further west, so total journey times are usually longer, often with a connection through the Gulf or Europe. Costs vary more by hotel style than by country: a riad in Fes and a good hotel in Luxor are in a similar range, and both countries offer good value compared with Europe. Egypt is at its best from October to April, including mid-winter; Morocco's sweet spots are spring and autumn, since inland summers are very hot and winter nights in the mountains and desert are cold. That makes March, April, October and November ideal for either.

Egypt or Morocco: which should you choose?

Choose by your main interest, then by season.

• Ancient history lovers: Egypt.
• Food lovers and anyone who loves wandering cities: Morocco.
• Divers, snorkellers and beach lovers: Egypt, for the Red Sea.
• Hikers and road-trippers: Morocco, for the Atlas and the drive to the Sahara.
• Families: Egypt, if a Nile cruise with a pool and a Red Sea finish appeals; Morocco, if the children enjoy markets and camel treks.
• Travelling in December or January: Egypt, which is warm while Morocco's mountains and desert nights are cold.
• Combining with Europe: Morocco is closer to Spain and Portugal; Egypt pairs well with Greece, Italy or Turkey. See Egypt and Europe.

If Egypt wins, our first-timer's guide is the place to start.