Morocco Road Trips

Cross the Tizi n'Tichka pass with breathtaking switchbacks and views. Stop at the Tichka summit for photos and fresh orange juice from roadside vendors. Detour 20 km to Ait Benhaddou for the iconic kasbah. Arrive in Ouarzazate by late afternoon.

Drive the Dades Valley through the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. Stop at the Dades Gorge for a short hike. Continue through Tinghir and the spectacular Todra Gorge with 300m limestone walls. Push on through Errachidia and Rissani to reach Merzouga by sunset.

Wake before dawn for sunrise over the dunes. Optional camel trek (150-300 MAD), quad biking (400 MAD/hour), or sandboarding. Visit a Gnaoua music village and the seasonal Dayet Srji lake. Begin the return drive or continue north to Fes via the Ziz Valley (320 km, 5 hours).

Leave Tangier after exploring the Kasbah and the legendary Cafe Hafa with its views of Spain. Drive south through green Rif foothills. Arrive in Chefchaouen by lunchtime. Spend the afternoon wandering the blue-washed medina, shopping for woven blankets, and sipping mint tea in Plaza Uta el-Hammam.

Morning hike to Akchour waterfalls and God's Bridge, a stunning natural rock arch in Talassemtane National Park (allow 3-4 hours for the full hike). Return to Chefchaouen for a late lunch. Afternoon: explore the Ras el-Maa waterfall at the edge of the medina, visit the kasbah museum, and watch sunset from the Spanish Mosque viewpoint.

Drive south through the western Rif via Ouazzane, a pretty hillside town known for olive oil production. Stop for fresh-pressed olive oil tastings. Continue south on the N4 through agricultural plains. Arrive in Fes by early afternoon. Head straight to a medina rooftop terrace to take in the spectacle of Fes el-Bali from above.

Leave Casablanca on the A3 autoroute. Stop in El Jadida to explore the UNESCO-listed Portuguese cistern, an underground chamber with hauntingly beautiful light reflections. Walk the ramparts of the old Portuguese city. Continue south to Oualidia, Morocco's oyster capital, a tranquil lagoon village.

Drive south through Safi, famous for its ceramics and sardine industry. Stop to visit a traditional pottery cooperative. Continue along the coastal road to Essaouira. Arrive in the wind city by early afternoon. Walk the 18th-century ramparts, explore the vibrant fishing port, and feast on grilled fish at the harbor stalls.

Full day in Essaouira. Morning visit to an argan oil cooperative to learn about Morocco's liquid gold. Optional surfing at Sidi Kaouki beach (20 min south). Afternoon: explore the medina galleries, shop for thuya wood crafts, and watch the sunset from Moulay Hassan square with the fishing boats.

Drive south along the scenic coastal N1. Stop at Taghazout, Morocco's surf capital perched on cliffs above the Atlantic. Watch the surfers from Panorama Point. Continue to Agadir. Visit the hilltop Kasbah ruins for panoramic views of the city and coast. Relax on Agadir's wide beach promenade.

Leave Fes heading south on the N8 through green hills. Arrive in Ifrane, a startlingly European-looking town built by the French, famous for its manicured gardens and stone lion sculpture. Continue 17 km to Azrou and the Cedre Gouraud forest. Stop to see the wild Barbary macaques (the only primates north of the Sahara in Africa) living among enormous ancient cedars.

Drive south through the heart of the Middle Atlas. Optional detour to the volcanic lake Aguelmame Azigza (stunning blue-green waters surrounded by oak forest). Pass through Khenifra and the traditional Amazigh market town of Kasbah Tadla. Arrive in Beni Mellal and visit the Ain Asserdoun springs and the old kasbah overlooking the Tadla plain.

Cross the High Atlas via Tizi n'Tichka (2,260m), stopping at the summit for panoramic photos and the artisan cooperatives selling fossils and minerals. Descend to Ait Ben Haddou, the UNESCO-listed ksar (fortified village) used as a filming location for Gladiator, Game of Thrones, and Lawrence of Arabia. Cross the river on foot and climb to the top for sunset views.

Drive through Ouarzazate (optional stop at Atlas Studios, the world's largest film studio). Continue east along the N10, the legendary Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. Pass through the Skoura palm oasis (stop at Kasbah Amridil, one of the best-preserved kasbahs in Morocco). Continue through the Valley of the Roses at Kelaat M'Gouna (visit during the Rose Festival in May). Arrive at Dades Gorge.

Morning hike into the Dades Gorge narrows, past the famous "Monkey Fingers" rock formations and the tight serpentine road with its dramatic switchbacks. Drive to Tinghir and continue into Todra Gorge, where 300-meter limestone walls rise vertically on either side of a narrow riverbed. Walk through the gorge narrows. Watch rock climbers on the famous walls.

Long return day back through the Dades Valley and over Tizi n'Tichka. Alternatively, break the journey in Ouarzazate. Or, continue east from Todra to Merzouga (160 km, 2.5 hours) to extend into the Sahara Route. The return through Tichka at sunset is magical.

Drive south on the N1 to Tiznit, a walled town famous for its silver jewelry souk. Explore the old medina and buy handcrafted Amazigh silver bracelets and fibulas at artisan prices. Continue to Mirleft, a laid-back surfing village perched on cliffs above wild beaches. Watch the sunset from the cliff path.

Short drive south along the coast road. Stop at the famous Legzira beach with its dramatic natural stone arches carved by the ocean. Continue to Sidi Ifni, a surreal town with pastel Art Deco architecture from its time as a Spanish enclave (returned to Morocco in 1969). Explore the abandoned Spanish consulate, the old airstrip, and the crumbling port.

Drive inland to Guelmim, historically known as the "Gateway to the Sahara" and famous for its Saturday camel market (still active, go early morning). Continue south to Tan-Tan, where the landscape turns fully desert. The town hosts the annual Tan-Tan Moussem, a UNESCO-recognized festival of Saharan nomadic tribes. From Tan-Tan, the adventurous can continue to Tan-Tan Plage and the wild Saharan coast.

Explore Morocco's capital. Visit the Kasbah des Oudayas with its Andalusian gardens overlooking the Atlantic, the Hassan Tower and Mohammed V Mausoleum, and the Chellah necropolis with its storks and Roman ruins. Walk along the Bou Regreg river corniche. Rabat is one of Morocco's most walkable and relaxed cities.

Short drive east on the A2 to Meknes, the "Versailles of Morocco." Explore the massive Bab Mansour gate (the finest gate in North Africa), the vast Heri es-Souani royal granaries, and the underground prison of Kara. Stroll the lively Place el-Hedim, Meknes's answer to Marrakech's Jemaa el-Fnaa but without the crowds.

Drive 30 minutes to Volubilis, the best-preserved Roman ruins in North Africa with stunning mosaics, triumphal arches, and a basilica set against a backdrop of olive groves. Continue 5 km to the holy town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, perched on two hills. This is Morocco's most sacred town and was closed to non-Muslims until 2005. Walk the winding streets and enjoy panoramic views.

Short drive to Fes, the intellectual and spiritual capital of Morocco. Plunge into the world's largest car-free urban area: Fes el-Bali with its 9,000+ alleys. Hire a local guide (half-day from 300 MAD) to navigate the tanneries, Al-Qarawiyyin University (founded 859 AD, the world's oldest university), and the Bou Inania Medersa. Visit the Merenid tombs at sunset for the best views over the medina.

Long but easy drive on the A2/A7 autoroute. Break the journey at Beni Mellal or Khouribga for lunch. Arrive in Marrakech by mid-afternoon. Head straight to the Jemaa el-Fnaa square to experience the evening spectacle of musicians, storytellers, and food stalls. Alternatively, split this drive over 2 days with a night in Beni Mellal and a detour to Ouzoud Waterfalls.

Pick up your rental car. Drive to Rabat. Explore Kasbah des Oudayas, Hassan Tower, and the Chellah.

Drive north on the autoroute to Tangier. Explore the Kasbah, Grand Socco, and Cafe Hafa.

South through the Rif to the blue city. Afternoon in the medina and sunset at Spanish Mosque.

Through the Rif via Ouazzane to Fes. Afternoon exploring Fes el-Bali with a guide.

Morning: Volubilis Roman ruins and Moulay Idriss. Afternoon: tanneries, Al-Qarawiyyin, medersas.

South through the Middle Atlas. Stop in Ifrane and Azrou for cedar forests and macaques. Night in Midelt.

Through the Ziz Gorges and the Tafilalet oasis. Arrive at Erg Chebbi for sunset. Camel trek into the dunes.

Sunrise over the dunes. Drive west to Tinghir and Todra Gorge. Afternoon hike through the narrows.

Drive through the Dades Valley. Hike the Dades Gorge switchbacks and Monkey Fingers rock formations.

Road of a Thousand Kasbahs west. Optional Atlas Studios stop. Arrive Ait Ben Haddou for afternoon exploration.

Cross Tizi n'Tichka back over the High Atlas. Arrive Marrakech. Evening at Jemaa el-Fnaa.

Full day: Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, Majorelle Garden, souk shopping. Hammam in the evening.

Drive to the Atlantic coast. Argan oil cooperative stop. Afternoon on Essaouira ramparts and at the port.

Return north via the coastal road and autoroute. Stop in El Jadida for the Portuguese cistern. Drop off car in Casablanca.