Destination

Internet in Morocco: eSIM, SIM cards, medinas and the Sahara

How to get online in Morocco: signal in Marrakech, Fez and Casablanca, why you need offline maps in the medina, and what to expect in the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara.

Published September 23, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 · 8 min read · MoreSim editorial team

Plan for your trip: Morocco · 5 GB · 30 days — See plans →

The easiest way to get online in Morocco is a travel eSIM you install at home: mobile data comes on as soon as you land in Marrakech, Casablanca or Agadir, and your home SIM stays in the phone. In big cities and along the coast the mobile network usually works without surprises; the trouble starts deep in the old medinas and outside the cities, on Atlas mountain passes and at desert camps in the Sahara. Local SIM cards are sold at the airport and carrier stores and are registered with your passport; they’re worth it if you need a Moroccan number.

Where do you get signal in Morocco, and where don’t you?

Morocco has good mobile coverage in the new districts of big cities, along the coast and on the highways between them. Old medinas, mountain valleys and the desert are a different story: the signal there is weaker or gone. Actual quality depends on the carrier, the location and how busy the network is, so treat the list below as a guide, not a guarantee.

• Casablanca and Rabat: big modern cities where mobile internet is usually stable.
• Marrakech: fine coverage in the new town and on Jemaa el-Fnaa square; it can weaken deep inside the medina.
• Fez: a huge, famously tangled medina where the signal is patchy in narrow passages and navigation apps get confused.
• Chefchaouen: a small town in the Rif Mountains with coverage in the center; it can be weaker on the trails around it.
• Agadir: a beach resort coast where the signal is usually solid in hotels and along the promenade.
• Essaouira: the internet usually works in the medina and by the port, though the signal can be weaker behind the thick ramparts.
• The Atlas and the road to the Sahara: some mountain passes and valleys have no coverage at all.

Is there internet in the Marrakech and Fez medinas?

The Marrakech and Fez medinas usually have mobile internet, but in narrow alleys, covered passages and between blank walls the signal is weaker than on an open street. Inside a riad with thick walls and an inner courtyard it can drop noticeably. Riads usually have Wi-Fi, but it only works inside the house.

Navigation in the medina is a problem of its own. GPS wanders in narrow passages, your dot jumps around the map, and the app confidently leads you into a dead end. Many alleys are labeled inaccurately on maps or not at all. It’s especially noticeable in Fez, where the medina is huge and every turn looks like the last.

Is there mobile coverage in the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara?

In the Atlas and the Sahara you get coverage in towns and villages along the way, but on passes, in valleys and at camps among the dunes there may be none at all. The trip from Marrakech to Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi dunes is one of Morocco’s most popular tours, and the road crosses High Atlas passes, valleys and oases. Between villages the network can disappear for a long time.

Merzouga itself usually has internet. But at desert camps among the dunes there may be no signal at all, or only in certain spots. Some camps offer Wi-Fi, but don’t count on it. The same goes for trekking in the Atlas: the higher you go and the farther from villages, the lower your chances of a signal.

Local SIM, roaming or eSIM: what’s best for Morocco?

For a vacation in Morocco a travel eSIM is the simplest option, and a local SIM is for people who need a Moroccan number. Local SIM cards from Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi are sold at the airport and at carrier stores in cities. They’re registered with your passport; the process and requirements can change, so check on the spot. It’s a solid option if you’re staying a long time or need a local number for calls.

A travel eSIM sorts out data without hunting for a carrier store after a late-night flight. With MoreSim, the QR code arrives in the chat in about 30 seconds, and the profile works as a second line: your home SIM stays in the phone while data runs through the Morocco plan. MoreSim plans are data-only, with no phone number. You can call over messaging apps where they aren’t restricted, and bank texts keep arriving on your home SIM.

The third option is your home carrier’s roaming. Not every carrier or plan covers Morocco, so check the terms and availability with your carrier before you fly. MoreSim covers 200+ destinations, and Morocco is one of them.

How much data do you need for Morocco?

How much data you need in Morocco depends on how long you’re staying and how you use your phone: maps, messaging and taxis use very little, while video, stories and automatic photo backups eat up the most. Match your trip to the table below, and check the data and validity options on the Morocco catalog page.

If you run out of data before the plan ends, use “Top up data” on the eSIM card in your account or in the bot’s app, if top-ups are available for that plan. You don’t need a new eSIM and there’s nothing to reinstall.

A special case is the Spain + Morocco route, when you take the ferry from Andalusia across the Strait of Gibraltar. Here a single regional Europe plan can work if both countries are on its list. As of October 2026, Morocco and Spain are both included, along with Portugal and France, but the list can change, so check the plan card before you buy.

How to get online in Morocco on arrival day

Getting online in Morocco on arrival day is easiest when the eSIM profile is already on your phone: after landing, you just switch it on for mobile data.

1. At home, check whether your phone supports eSIM: it depends on the model and OS version, and the @moresim_bot Telegram bot has a compatibility check.
2. Buy a plan and install the profile over your home Wi-Fi.
3. After landing, turn off airplane mode.
4. Set the Morocco eSIM as your mobile data line and turn on data roaming on it: most travel eSIMs connect to the local carrier as a roaming partner, so there’s no data without it. If your plan’s instructions say otherwise, follow them.
5. Turn off mobile data on your home SIM so your data doesn’t go through your home carrier.
6. If the network doesn’t show up within a couple of minutes, toggle airplane mode on and off again.

Leave your home SIM in the phone and keep the line on if you’re expecting texts from your bank; your carrier needs roaming available for that. Banks and other services send verification codes to your home number, and whether you can receive texts abroad depends on your carrier and plan, so check before you fly.

If your map app keeps sending you in circles in the medina, it’s usually the narrow alleys, not your plan: head to a gate or a square, where both the signal and the landmarks are better. If the internet still doesn’t come up there, message us; we’re here.