Road Trip in Morocco: the 5 Best Driving Routes

Between the Atlantic, the Atlas and the Merzouga dunes, Morocco fits into a few days behind the wheel, on roads that are paved almost everywhere. Here are five routes, with measured distances, enough time to stop along the way, and the right car for each.

Photo: Demonius42 — CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Published on 17 September 2025

The imperial cities (Casablanca to Rabat, Meknes, Fes and Marrakech, 7 days)
The road of the kasbahs (Marrakech to Ouarzazate, Dades and Merzouga, 5 days)
The Atlantic coast route (Tangier to Rabat, Essaouira and Agadir, 6 days)
The north (Tangier to Chefchaouen, Al Hoceima and Nador, 5 days)
The deep south (Agadir to Tiznit, Sidi Ifni and Dakhla, 7 days)
Morocco vacation by car: practical advice for planning your road trip
Morocco travel destinations in North Africa: the must-visit tourist cities and attractions

The imperial cities (Casablanca to Rabat, Meknes, Fes and Marrakech, 7 days)

This is the starter loop, and the only one you can drive almost entirely on motorways: about 90 km from Casablanca to Rabat on the A1, 140 km to Meknes on the A2, around 60 km to Fes, then some 530 km back down to Marrakech via Casablanca. Around 820 km in all, under 120 km a day over a week.

The stops: the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, the Kasbah of the Oudayas in Rabat, El Hedim square in Meknes with the ruins of Volubilis close by, the Fes medina and the Koutoubia in Marrakech. Keep two full nights in Fes and two in Marrakech.

A city car or a compact is plenty. The real issue is parking: you can't drive into a medina, so book accommodation with parking or close to a guarded car park. An automatic gearbox earns its keep in Casablanca and Marrakech traffic, not on the motorway.

The road of the kasbahs (Marrakech to Ouarzazate, Dades and Merzouga, 5 days)

The route everyone wants to drive, and for good reason. From Marrakech to Ouarzazate, the N9 crosses the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 metres: barely 200 km, but allow at least four hours with the hairpins and the lorries. Then comes about 110 km to Boumalne Dades and 250 km to Merzouga via Tinghir and Erfoud. Around 550 km in total, with five days so you don't rush them. Marrakech and Ouarzazate both have a rental page on Loccor.

Don't miss the ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, about thirty kilometres from Ouarzazate, the Dades gorges and their hairpins, and the Todgha gorges near Tinghir. Reach Merzouga in the late afternoon to see Erg Chebbi at sunset.

As for the car, the Tichka is paved all the way and an ordinary car handles it: you need an engine that copes with long climbs, not four-wheel drive. In winter, snow can close it for a few hours. The Merzouga road is paved too, but the last kilometres to the camps in the dunes are sand: leave the car in the village and let the camp drive you in.

The Atlantic coast route (Tangier to Rabat, Essaouira and Agadir, 6 days)

About 880 km along the ocean: some 245 km of A5 motorway from Tangier to Rabat, about 460 km from Rabat to Essaouira via Casablanca, El Jadida and Safi, then a little over 170 km from Essaouira to Agadir on the N1. Six days is enough if you accept two long driving days.

Along the way: the Portuguese city of El Jadida, the potters of Safi, the Essaouira ramparts, the argan trees and the beaches of Taghazout. The stretch between Essaouira and Agadir is the most beautiful and the slowest: a winding national road through villages where you crawl along. A compact or a saloon is fine.

You can also drive it the other way round, starting from Agadir. Loccor's choice in Agadir changes from week to week, so check the city page for your dates.

The north (Tangier to Chefchaouen, Al Hoceima and Nador, 5 days)

The Rif is the greenest region of Morocco, and few travellers explore it by car. The route covers about 470 km: 125 km from Tangier to Chefchaouen via Tetouan, about 220 km to Al Hoceima on the N2, then 127 km to Nador. Five days is the right pace: the N2 twists through the mountains and your average speed soon drops.

The stops: the blue medina of Chefchaouen, Talassemtane national park, the coves of Al Hoceima and the Marchica lagoon at Nador. Avoid an underpowered small car, as the climbs are long: a compact with a decent engine or a compact SUV suits. Drive in daylight, the N2 has no lighting.

Tangier, Tetouan, Al Hoceima and Nador each have a rental page on Loccor. The choice in Nador is still limited, so check availability before you set off. If you want to return the car in a different city, ask the agency before you book.

The deep south (Agadir to Tiznit, Sidi Ifni and Dakhla, 7 days)

The trip for wide open spaces, and by far the longest: about 1,150 km south. The Tiznit-Dakhla expressway, which carries most of the route, is 1,055 km long on its own; add the hundred or so kilometres from Agadir to Tiznit and the coastal detour via Mirleft and Sidi Ifni. Seven days for the outward leg is the minimum, and the return needs planning ahead.

The stops: the silversmiths of Tiznit, the cliffs of Mirleft, the art deco buildings of Sidi Ifni, Legzira beach, then the coastal desert down to the Dakhla lagoon. The road is paved, but petrol stations grow sparse south of Tan-Tan. Take a recent car, saloon or SUV, and fill up whenever you see a station.

Agadir, Tiznit, Laayoune and Dakhla each have a rental page on Loccor, but the choice varies from week to week. Check availability before you plan the route, and ask the agency whether you can return the car in another city; if not, plan a round trip from Agadir.

Morocco vacation by car: practical advice for planning your road trip

Book early in high season: in July and August and during holidays, cars get scarce. On 10 September 2026, the average price on Loccor was 284 DH a day in Tangier, 348 DH in Marrakech and 506 DH in Casablanca, with entry prices of 250 DH in all three cities. An economy car averaged 297 DH and an SUV 476 DH: worth weighing against your route.

Check the gearbox before you confirm. On the same date, more than two in three of the cars available were automatic.

Each agency sets its own conditions and shows them on the car's listing. Practice in Morocco is consistent: minimum age 21, a licence held for at least two years, an ID card or passport, with some premium categories reserved for drivers over 25. A national licence is enough if it is in the Latin alphabet. The deposit, required or not depending on the agency, and the mileage policy are shown on every listing before you book. Finally, avoid driving at night off the motorway.

Morocco travel destinations in North Africa: the must-visit tourist cities and attractions

Most of the tourist attractions in Morocco sit on the five routes above, grouped by landscape: medinas and monuments in the imperial cities, kasbahs, gorges and dunes beyond the High Atlas, ramparts and beaches on the Atlantic, mountains and the blue city in the Rif.

Among the must-visit places, each has its own pace. The Fes medina and the Koutoubia in Marrakech are explored on foot, with the car left outside. The ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, the Dades and Todgha gorges and Erg Chebbi at Merzouga are where a car makes the difference, because you stop when the light is right rather than when a coach decides.

On the coast, the Essaouira ramparts, the Portuguese city of El Jadida and the Kasbah of the Oudayas in Rabat fit into the Atlantic route, while the blue medina of Chefchaouen and Talassemtane national park are the highlights of the north. If you only have a week, pick one route rather than trying to tick off every city: the distances in this guide add up fast.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of car do you need for a road trip in Morocco?

For motorway and national-road routes, such as the imperial cities or the Atlantic coast, an economy car or a compact is enough. For the kasbah road and the Rif, choose a car with a decent engine; an SUV is more comfortable on poor surfaces. A real 4x4 is only needed if you leave the tarmac, which most rental contracts forbid: read that clause before you set off.

Do you need a 4x4 to get to Merzouga?

No. The road is paved all the way to Merzouga village and an ordinary car gets there easily. Only the last kilometres to some camps deep in the dunes are sand. Leave the car in the village: the camp usually arranges the transfer.

How much does renting a car for a Morocco road trip cost?

On 10 September 2026, the average price on Loccor ranged from 284 DH a day in Tangier to 506 DH in Casablanca, with 348 DH in Marrakech, 371 DH in Fes, 375 DH in Tetouan and 496 DH in Al Hoceima, and entry prices of 250 DH in several cities. Each listing shows the rate for your dates. Add fuel, tolls and, if the agency asks for one, the deposit.

First trip to Morocco: what to see and do by car?

Among the best places to visit in Morocco by car: the Fes medina, the ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, the Merzouga dunes at sunset, the blue medina of Chefchaouen and the Essaouira ramparts. They sit on four of the five routes in this guide. If you are still deciding what to do in Morocco with one week, the imperial cities loop runs almost entirely on motorway, while the kasbah road takes more driving but fits into five days.

What are the best places to visit in Morocco by car?

The imperial cities (Rabat, Meknes, Fez and Marrakech), the road of the kasbahs to Merzouga, the Atlantic coast from Tangier to Agadir, the north around Chefchaouen, and the deep south towards Dakhla: these are the five routes detailed above, each with its distances and the right car.

What activities to do in Morocco on a road trip?

Walk the Fes medina and the Essaouira ramparts, watch the sunset over the Merzouga dunes, visit the ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, hike the Akchour trails near Chefchaouen and surf at Taghazout: the five routes in this guide string these activities together by car, from the imperial cities to the deep south.

Morocco travel guide: is travelling through Morocco by car a good idea?

Yes, if you plan around the distances. Most big cities are linked by motorway, and the paved road reaches the foot of the Merzouga dunes, so an ordinary car covers the classic routes. Book early in high season, check the gearbox before you confirm, and avoid driving at night off the motorway.

Visiting Morocco for the first time: which route should you choose?

For a first week, the imperial cities loop (Casablanca, Rabat, Meknes, Fes, Marrakech) runs almost entirely on motorway. If you want the desert, the road of the kasbahs from Marrakech to Merzouga fits into five days but means more time at the wheel.

Morocco travel tips for drivers: what catches first-time visitors out?

Three things. You cannot drive into a medina, so book accommodation with parking or close to a guarded car park. Mountain roads take far longer than the map suggests: the 200 km from Marrakech to Ouarzazate over the Tichka need at least four hours. And south of Tan-Tan, petrol stations grow sparse, so fill up whenever you see one.

Is there a Morocco travel advisory to check before a road trip?

Yes: read your own government's travel advice for Morocco before you book, such as the UK Foreign Office pages or the US State Department's travel advisory, and check it again a few days before you leave, as it can change. On the road itself, the advice in this guide still applies: avoid driving at night off the motorway.

Trips to Morocco: how many days do you need for a road trip holiday?

It depends on the route. Allow 7 days for the imperial cities loop, 5 for the road of the kasbahs to Merzouga, 6 for the Atlantic coast from Tangier to Agadir, 5 for the north and 7 just for the outward leg of the deep south. A one-week holiday therefore suits one route, not two.

Which is the best city or place to visit in Morocco, and where should you base yourself?

There is no single best city: it depends on what you want. For a medina, Fes; for the Atlas and the desert road within reach, Marrakech; for the blue lanes of the north, Chefchaouen; for the ocean, Essaouira. On a first trip, Marrakech is the natural start for the road of the kasbahs, while the imperial cities loop starts from Casablanca.

Traveling to Morocco and traveling in Morocco by car: what should you sort out first?

Check that your passport is valid and what the entry rules are for your nationality (our passport and visa guide covers them), pack your driving licence, and read the deposit terms of your rental before you book. Pick the car up at the airport or in the city where you land, and keep a few dirhams for tolls and parking.

Sources

Visit Morocco — visitmorocco.com

France Diplomatie — diplomatie.gouv.fr

The Smart Choice in Morocco

Ready to Hit the Road in Morocco with Total Freedom?

Written by the Loccor editorial team, the platform connecting travellers with car rental agencies in Morocco.

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