When you plan a trip to Morocco by car, most of it is spent traveling from one place to another. It’s good when the road and surrounding landscapes are also an exciting adventure. There are many such picturesque and interesting roads in Morocco. Therefore, I offer my TOP 5 most beautiful routes, where you will admire not only cities, architecture and landscapes, but also the road itself, which is breathtaking.
How to plan a trip to Morocco – transport, accommodation, itinerary, money and interesting places
Route in Morocco
We’ve created an ideal 10-day itinerary for ourselves:
Agadir (arrival airport) – Sidi Ifni(Legzira) – Essaouira – Marrakech – Ouarzazate (Ant Ben Haddou) – Merzouga (Sahara Desert) – Fez (leather dyeing factories) – Chefchaouen (the blue town) – Tangier (departure airport).
I have already written about our route separately – you can read about it here.
Here I would like to lay out a map of the route again to make it easier to understand which areas we are talking about.
1. The road in the Dades Gorge
Route N10 – from Skura to Dades Gorge;
117 km, about 2 hours without stops
A trip through the Dadès Gorge is one of the most exciting parts of the Moroccan route. There are rocks of incredible red color, along which Berber villages are built and the remains of fortresses (kasbahs) rise.
To reach the Dades Gorge, drive east from the palm-lined oasis town of Skoura. Then, be sure to stop to see the ancient kasbah in the village of Ait Yul. This ochre-colored fortress is well preserved and rises above the road against the backdrop of fig and almond trees.
From Boumalne Dadès, follow the turns of the gorge.
Soon you will see the Monkey Fingers rising from the dried riverbed. The otherworldly sandstone rock, sculpted by time and natural elements, has bizarre shapes and evokes various animal images.
In the north, the gorge narrows, and the road climbs up a series of steep, dangerous bends and narrow sections. Take a break for mint tea on the terrace of the Timzzillite Hotel & Restaurant to admire the serpentine road view before turning around and heading down.
Planning tips:
Buy souvenirs and products made from roses (cosmetics and oil) grown in this valley when you pass through Kalaat M’Guna. It is here that the festival of fragrant roses takes place every May.
If you get to the gorge in the afternoon, there is a wide range of hotels where you can spend the night in comfort. Enjoy your stay in the beautiful rooms, swim in the pool, and taste traditional tagine in one of the restaurants.
Hotels in the Dodes Gorge:
2. Legzira – Essaouira: along the ocean and argan forests
Route N1 – from Legzira to Essaouira;
330 km, approximately 5.5 hours without stops
Not all tourists choose this route, because not everyone plans to go to the south of the country to Legzira. And in vain! Because Legzira and its stunning arches are worth seeing in your life.
By the way, one of the arches no exists now – it was destroyed by the wind and ocean. The second one is still standing, but it will inevitably disappear thanks to the work of Mother Nature.
The route itself runs partly by the ocean, through huge cactus thickets and along the dune formed near Agadir. And because of the huge plantations of argan trees from which argan oil is made, cosmetologists use it and make magical creams with it.
Planning tips:
Plan a stop in Agadir, which is in the middle of the route. Here you can eat in a restaurant, walk along the huge beaches, where you can even swim in the ocean. The beaches of Agadir are absolutely touristy and have all the necessary infrastructure.
On the route among the argan groves, you can see wild goats climbing trees to eat the fruits of these trees. And this is not an attraction that you pay for on the highway from Essaouira to Marrakech. Here they graze by themselves, even without shepherds.
In the end, you will find yourself in the very atmospheric city of Essaouira, which stands on the ocean. It’s worth spending at least two days here to enjoy the flavors and views of this Moroccan highlight.
I advise you to read it: 8 things to do in Essaouira
Hotels in Essaouira:
3. Tizi-n-Test pass – a road and pass in the High Atlas
Highway R403 Marrakech – Taroudant;
230 km, approximately 5 hours non-stop (the pass is 49 km miles long and takes approximately 1.5 hours)
Tizi n’Test is one of the most beautiful and dangerous tracks in Morocco. It is an impressive result of French engineering, this pass in the High Atlas Mountains reaches an altitude of 2100 meters.
This is not a route for the faint of heart – in some places the road is only wide enough for one car, there are many steep drops, and local drivers often overtake on blind curves at high speed. But take your eyes off the road for a moment, or better yet, stop at a roadside café, and the scenery will definitely take your breath away.
Make your first stop in the picturesque Ouirgane Valley. Here you can spend a few days hiking or horseback riding or simply relax at Ouirgane Ecolodge. Then follow the winding road to the architectural wonder of the 12th-century Tin Mal Mosque, 18 km from Mauldicht, and the start of the pass.
The road winds down to Taroudant, framed by the peaks of the Anti-Atlas and the High Atlas, which is called “mini–Marrakech” for its majestic honey-colored ramparts. Although there are no sights worth visiting, its leisurely pace and lack of tourists make it a place where it’s easy to linger for the red rock views.
Planning tip:
High mountain passes can be closed due to snow from November to March, so check it before you go there. Either ask on-site or check the weather forecast for Tizi n’Test Pass.
When booking a rental car, you should not save on engine capacity. It is better to take a more powerful car, because at an altitude of 2100 meters, a weak engine may not pull on the pass due to low oxygen levels in the air.
Hotels in Ait Benhaddou:
4. Merzouga – Fes: from the desert through mountains and oases
Highway N13 – from Merzouga to Fes;
485 km; about 8 hours without stops
A very long and somewhat difficult road leading from the Sahara desert in the village of Merzouga to the colorful city of Fes. But it’s worth traveling through – it’s very picturesque and beautiful.
I advise you to read – Merzouga, Morocco – how to plan an adventure in the Sahara Desert
The route starts in the desert – the road is slightly sprinkled with sand that came from the neighboring dunes, which are 120 meters high.
There are signs along the road that say “Beware of camels!” You can’t see it everywhere.
And for about a hundred kilometers along the stone desert, you can see kasbahs, clay islands of life, with green gardens and people living inside.
Then the road leads to the Ziz Gorge, along which the river flows. Before entering the canyon, you find yourself in a huge palm oasis that stretches for ten kilometers inside the gorge.
I advise you to stop and go upstairs to see this incredible beauty.
Then the mountainous terrain begins, with flowering meadows and pine forests near the almost European city of Ifran, which resembles Switzerland in some ways. Monkeys live in the forests near Ifran, begging for food from car drivers by the roadside.
Tips for patching:
Fill the tank with gasoline before you start from Merzouga to Fes. Because there are not many gas stations along the way.
Also, buy food for the trip – there are not many restaurants and cafes on this route. Also, you have a long distance to cover and may not have enough time to find a cafe.
Hotels in Fes:
5. Fes – Chefchaouen – road between colorful towns
Highway N13 – from Fes to Chefchaouen;
200 km; about 4 hours without stops
The same highway continues north through the Rif Mountains, where the blue town of Shefshuaen is hidden in the middle of the mountain range. To get to this town, you have to drive through picturesque passes and reservoirs, along which sheep graze.
On the way, make a small detour to see the ancient Old Roman city of Volubilis – its ruins still stand among the mountain valleys. The Roman columns and arches have now been taken over by storks, who make nests here and raise their chicks.
And then you will find the cozy Chefchaouen, a once isolated outpost known for its blue medina. He will stay here for a few days to take photos, to see the sun go down behind the Reef Mountains and the city turn yellow and blue with evening lights.
It is very well visible from the observation deck above the town, where tourists and locals gather every evening to watch the sunset.
Travel tips:
The road is very simple compared to the previous sections. You just have to drive and enjoy the colors of the mountains, blue lakes and yellow fields that surround the highway to Schefshauen.
I advise you to read it: Chefchaouen – 10 things to do in Morocco’s blue city
Plan to hike the trails of Thalassemtane National Park. We walked the route along the river to see the Gods Bridge.
Hotels in Shefshauen:
What you need for traveling in Morocco
- First, you will need a car – it will be quite difficult to see Morocco without one. In ten days, you can see the best cities and most interesting sights. Rent a car right after arrival and travel along the beautiful roads of this country. I recommend looking for a car on Rentalcars.com – here you can find budget and more comfortable car options.
- Second – check if you need a visa to visit Morocco. You can do it on the IATA official site.
- Almost all roads in Morocco are free of charge and of good quality (except for those undergoing repairs). There are only a few toll highways in the country and they are not very expensive. The payment system is easy: before entering the toll road, you take a ticket in front of the barrier. And at the exit, you pay for the kilometers you have traveled. Actually, all roads in this article are free of charge.
- Gasoline in Morocco can be paid for in cash and by card. We paid with a bank card, but it is not accepted at all gas stations. Ask at the place if you don’t see the Mastercard or Visa sign.
- Do not forget about your health insurance before your trip!
- Book your accommodation in advance! It’s very easy to do with Booking.com which allows you to find discounted options, as well as book accommodation with the possibility of free cancellation.
- You don’t need much money to get to Morocco. Ryanair and WizzAir fly here from Europe.
I advise you to look for flights. We flew from Poland to Agadir, rented a car there, and then flew back from Tangier to Milan, leaving the car in the parking lot of the rental office.
Useful articles and links:
- Traveling alone to Jordan – visas and rules
- Where to live and what to see in Morocco
- Car trip in Jordan
- TOP 10 to see in Jordan during the week’s travel
Booking of hotels and apartments – Booking.com
Rent a car with Rentalcars.com – you can compare the best offers of the rental companies
