Here is a detailed recap of my experience doing a work exchange in Morocco. We spent just under one month in Marrakech for free!

Work exchanges are the best way to travel in my opinion! You can save money, bond with locals, have unique experiences, and stay in one place for longer.

Some of my favorite travel experiences have been through work exchanges, including my travels in Morocco.

In 2019, my boyfriend Matt and I took our first trip to Africa. We spent one month in Morocco and then flew south for two months in South Africa.

Because we had 3 months abroad, we did lots of work exchanges throughout that time to save money. Having free accommodation can make your travel budget stretch soooo much longer.

Plus, we had some incredible cultural experiences with locals that made our time in Africa so much more special!

So for anyone interested in trying a work exchange, here is a recap of my experience volunteering in Morocco. Every work exchange experience is unique, but hopefully this will give you an idea of what a work exchange can be like!

Check out Worldpackers to browse work exchanges online. My code GABBY saves you $10 USD on your membership!

My Experience Doing A Work Exchange In Morocco

Here are the details about my experience doing a work exchange in Marrakech, Morocco. I’ll cover how I found this opportunity, what the actual work exchange included, and what my lifestyle was like while living in Marrakech for 3 weeks.

Hopefully you’ll feel inspired to try your own work exchange someday! I seriously can’t recommend them enough, whether you’re looking to travel on a budget or have fascinating cultural experiences.

Read my ultimate guide to work exchanges for more information!

Getting To Morocco

Matt and I had planned to visit Morocco after spending some time with my family near Boston, USA. We weren’t sure exactly what we were going to do for the whole month. And we didn’t have the work exchange pre-planned!

We had already browsed for some work exchanges in South Africa. But we thought we would just gallivant around Morocco for fun without doing any work.

So we flew from Boston to London to Fez. Then we spent about 10 days traveling from Fez to Chefchaouen, then Casablanca, then Safi, and then Marrakech.

We had spent a bit more money than we planned after just 10 days in Morocco. So after arriving in Marrakech, we spent 2 nights in a hostel while we searched online for a work exchange. We still had around 3 weeks left in Morocco and we needed to save money for South Africa as well!

Read next: How To Afford Traveling The World In Your 20s

Finding the work exchange in Morocco

While at our hostel in Marrakech, we started browsing for a last-minute work exchange online.

I often find 1 month ahead to be the sweet spot for finding availability with hosts. But some hosts offer last-minute positions as well.

We browsed both of my go-to websites for finding work exchanges: Worldpackers and Workaway.

I’ve used both websites and had success with both. Because we were looking for a work exchange that would start immediately, we just took the first option we could find.

Hicham, a local who owned Ya Salam Hostel in Marrakech, said we could show up the next day and start our work exchange. We were going to be general hospitality help, which usually includes making beds, cleaning, and preparing breakfast. So we showed up the next day, met Hicham, and began our work exchange!

Unfortunately Ya Salam Hostel has closed so this specific work exchange is no longer available. But you can browse other Morocco work exchanges online!

Aspects of the work exchange in Morocco (accommodation, work, food, etc.)

Now I’ll dive into what the work exchange in Morocco was actually like. Every work exchange is different in terms the work, how much you work, and what’s included.

Almost every work exchange includes free accommodation at the very least. Make sure you clarify what the other inclusions are with your host before committing.

Some work exchanges are very structured and organised. Others are much more laid-back.

This particular work exchange in Marrakech was super random and didn’t have much structure. It was confusing at first, but we quickly adapted to the chill, go-with-the-flow vibe that Hicham and his friends had.

Accommodation in Marrakech

Like most work exchanges, Ya Salam Hostel offered us free accommodation in exchange for our work.

The hostel was tucked away in a quiet alley that branched off of a busy street. Its location was south of the city centre, near Saadiens Tombs and Badi Palace.

Ya Salam Hostel was a small, 2-story building with a kitchen, seating area, bathroom and a few rooms for the owner and family/friends downstairs.

Upstairs there were 2 private guest rooms and one dorm room with 4 beds. When we first arrived, we stayed in the dorm room with an Argentinian girl. After a few days one of the private rooms opened up so we moved into there.

There was also a small laundry machine and clothesline upstairs next to an open space where I liked to do yoga. This communal area and the communal sitting/dining area downstairs had no roof over them. So there was always fresh air and sunlight (although Marrakech in August is pretty stuffy and hot so we only chilled outside in the mornings and evenings).

Read next: Important Morocco Travel Tips

The work exchange: Working at Ya Salam Hostel

On our first morning of the work exchange, Matt and I woke up early and sat around the hostel waiting for Hicham to tell us what work to do. We sat around for HOURS, and there was no sign of anyone.

Hicham emerged from his room around 11am and told us to just chill for the day.

This was the routine we eventually settled into! We quickly learned that Moroccans are super laid-back, and Hicham in particular was not a strict boss at all.

We prepared breakfast for some guests once and made some beds maybe twice during our whole 3 weeks at the work exchange. Honestly, we barely worked. We were willing to work, but Hicham never needed us to do anything!

Hicham also has a tour company called Awesome Morocco Tours. Once he realized I was a writer, I started helping him email clients and write out itineraries for them. It was good to feel like I was contributing somehow; Matt and I often felt like we should be doing more in exchange for our free accommodation.

But Hicham was such a gracious host. He was a genuine, kind man and we really enjoyed getting to know him and his family and friends. As long as he was happy with us there, we were happy!

Find more ways to save money with my Ultimate Budget Travel Guide To Morocco.

Food in Marrakech

Some work exchanges include food and some don’t. This one didn’t include food, but again, we weren’t working that much so we were happy to fend for ourselves.

With 3 weeks in Marrakech, we settled into a routine. Every day we walked to the street market around the corner and bought fruit, veggies, eggs, rice, olives, and spices for super cheap.

We ate fresh peaches, plums, oranges, figs, and dates in the mornings. For lunch we had a big bowl of rice, veggies, olives, and eggs.

Our favorite dinner spot was a tiny pizza joint around the corner from the hostel. They sold delicious, personal-sized pizzas for 10 Dirhams (1 USD). Sometimes we dined out at cafes as well, but we loved our little routine.

Occasionally we joined Hicham and his friends for a group meal at the hostel. We helped his friend Mohammed make a traditional Moroccan tagine, which we all shared around a table using strips of bread as cutlery.

Moroccan food is super fresh and flavorful. Moroccans usually eat as a group and use their hands, so it’s a fun and messy experience.

Living in Marrakech

While doing a work exchange in Morocco for 3 weeks, we had lots of time to experience Marrakech. When we weren’t helping Hicham at the hostel or eating delicious food, we were exploring the chaotic city.

We walked to the city’s most famous landmarks, including Jardin Majorelle, Saadien’s Tombs, and Jemaa El Fnaa Square.

There was also plenty of time for getting lost in the Medina, sipping mint tea in cafes, and sampling all the weird products in the natural medicine stores.

We bought massive bags of juicy dates and guzzled orange juice from street vendors. We browsed rug shop after rug shop and chatted with the charismatic shop owners. Most of our time in Marrakech was spent just walking around, admiring the cool architecture, and snacking on local produce.

Marrakech is a crazy city with intense heat, passionate locals, and never-ending tornados of sounds, sights, and smells. Whenever we felt overwhelmed by the overzealous locals and the headache-inducing traffic, we just retreated to a cafe or back to the hostel to chill.

Check out my list of the 13 Best Things To Do In Marrakech, Morocco

Exploring more of Morocco

Marrakech was cool and I appreciate the time we spent in the iconic city. But our favorite memories were made outside the city! Matt and I have learned that we’re not big city people, so we always enjoy getting out of the hustle and bustle.

Luckily, Hicham was so easygoing that he let us go away on day trips or weekend trips whenever we wanted.

It was handy to have Marrakech as our home base and just plan quick trips from there. Here are some of the best things we did during our work exchange in Morocco!

Sahara Desert

The first excursion we did from Marrakech was to the Sahara Desert! Right after we arrived at the hostel, Hicham asked us to join the weekend tour with his company. He offered us a very discounted price and we were thrilled to get out to the famous desert. (Again, Awesome Morocco Tours is Hicham’s company – highly recommend!)

We spent one whole day driving in a hot minivan from the city to the remote Sahara Desert. It’s a far journey, but a stop at the historic and scenic village, Aït Benhaddou, broke up the ride.

Then we had one epic day of exploring the Erg Chebbi Dunes in the Sahara Desert. We strolled on the rippling golden dunes, went for a camel ride, had a drum circle at dinner and stayed in glamping tents.

I remember our group walking out onto the deserted sand dunes after dinner and telling jokes and stories for hours. I fell asleep on the sand and woke up to a shimmering array of stars and it was honestly magical. Then we retreated to bed for a few hours before waking up for a hazy sunrise over the dunes and driving back to the city.

Essaouira

Matt and I also went on our own day trip to Essaouira. This coastal town is a super easy day trip from the city.

The highlight of the day was on the drive from Marrakech to Essaouira. Our bus driver pulled over so we could check out the goats in trees. Actual goats in trees! They climb up there to eat the fruit of the argan trees.

I’ve heard that some Moroccan farmers tie their goats to trees to get tips from tourists. So I was skeptical, but I was happy to see that the goats were not tied and were definitely up there of their own free will. It was beautiful.

After admiring the goats, we spent the day wandering around this charming seaside Moroccan town. Essaouira has a more relaxed vibe than Marrakech, which we loved. We explored the Medina, admired the colourful arts and crafts, and walked along the city walls by the ocean.

Check out my full Budget Travel Guide to Essaouira, Morocco!

Imlil, Atlas Mountains

Visiting the Atlas Mountains was 100% my favorite part of Morocco! Matt and I took a 3-day trip to Imlil from Marrakech. We stayed in a beautiful homestay on the outskirts of the village, complete with stunning views of the dramatic mountains.

This humble, small, mountaintop town has some gorgeous hikes, and we tackled 3 of them. Our first day consisted of a scenic loop walk around the whole town, followed by a short walk to a waterfall.

On the second day, we joined up with the other backpackers in our hostel to take on a massive, full-day trek to a remote village and waterfall.

Our hostel owner, Abdul, recommended this hike to all of us and told us where to go. It was incredibly challenging and so epic!

Because I love nature and hiking, the pure natural beauty and adventerous hikes in Imlil really made an impression on me.

Ouzoud Waterfalls

The last day trip we took during our work exchange in Morocco was to the Ouzoud Waterfalls.

This remote location doesn’t have any public transport so we joined a cheap group tour. It’s a long drive through the Moroccan countryside, and Ouzoud Waterfalls are pretty touristy.

Locals were constantly trying to rope us into a guided tour or corral us into their restaurant. But once we followed the steep steps away from the crowds and down to the base of the massive, powerful falls, we had a great time.

Much of Morocco is very dry and hot, so it was cool to find a lush spot with water and greenery. We swam in the cool water and listened to the thundering of the giant waterfall.

Browse the best day trips to Ouzoud Waterfalls – they are all super cheap!

Is doing a work exchange in Morocco worth it?

It’s definitely worth doing a work exchange in Morocco if you want to meet locals, immerse yourself in the culture, and save money on accommodation.

Looking back, Matt and I might have had a better time if we picked a work exchange on the coast or in the mountains. We just prefer nature and a more relaxed vibe, and Marrakech was very intense.

But I’m glad we had the experience to get an in-depth look into this famous city. Marrakech has its charms, and it has its flaws. But it was cool to see them both, and we were so lucky to enjoy the hospitality of Hicham and his friends and family.

We also achieved our goal of saving money for South Africa! Having free accommodation and shopping at the cheap local markets made it super easy to explore Morocco on a budget.

As Hicham would say, “Thank you very Marrakech” to the city, the work exchange, and the people in Morocco for the memories!

Thanks for reading about my work exchange in Morocco!

Read about some of my other work experiences around the world:

Working For A Student Travel Company In Rome

Volunteering In The Wild Coast Of South Africa

Learning Permaculture in the South African Forest

Work Exchange In Guatemala: How I Lived On Lake Atitlan For Free

How I Lived in Portugal for One Month and Only Spent 200 Euros

Living In Cape Tribulation, QLD, Australia

Work Exchange In Peru: How I Lived In Cusco For Free