Glamping desert outdoor space setup with bonfire and pillows

7 Day Morocco Road Trip Itinerary

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In case you’re searching for a great road trip destination, Morocco should be on top of your list. Sahara dunes, red canyons, and ancient medinas are some of the landscapes that will make this road trip a memorable one.

White rental sedan car driving on an arid off road path among African desert

Driving from Marrakech to the Sahara Desert has always been on our to-do list. And what better way to escape from Europe gray weather than a drive through endless roads and beautiful sceneries? We easily did find a spacious car in Marrakesh (link at the bottom of that article) and here we went on an adventure.

Marrakesh Rental Car

Ait Benhaddou

Ouarzazate Lake

Dades Gorges

Todgha Gorge

Merzouga

Forget everything you might have heard about driving in Morocco. It is as easy as it can be. You will have to be careful as you might be in any place in the world and yes there might be traffic issues from Marrakesh to Ouarzazate when crossing passes in the High Atlas, but nothing to be afraid of really. No, Really !

The drive from Marrakesh to Ait Benhaddou should take around 4H depending on the traffic and how many stop you make. Traversing the old caravan route between Marrakech and Timbuktu, what appears to be a massive sandcastle suddenly comes into view as though it were a mirage appearing on the horizon. A collection of half a dozen mud-brick kasbahs that blend in with the surrounding red-orange sand and the High Atlas Mountains, it’s one of the most striking and best-preserved ksars in Morocco. It’s also a UNESCO world heritage site and a well-known set location for Holywood movies like Gladiator.

We stayed at Riad paradise of Silence just across the river. Make sure you arrive at Ait Benhaddou early enough to look at the sunset.

White Sedan car in front of the snow capped Atlas mountain in Morocco
White Sedan car driving through the Marrakech palm tree Oasis
Dades gorges

 

The Todra Gorges Hike requires half a day, the trail takes around 4 hours and leads you from Ait Baha up through the Gorge, off on a path to your left by Auberge Le Festival hotel, and then up the canyon into the beautiful desert surrounds, before taking you back down again into the village in one big loop.

You cannot get lost, it is all the way up to the nomadic settlement and then down all the way back. The terrain of the trail is rocky but very comfortable on most of the 14km.

Woman, at Todra Gorges
Rocky Berber Village
Woman, at Todra Gorges
Todra Gorges village
Todra Gorges 2

Morocco is unquestionably a destination where you will appreciate the beauty of the varied landscapes of the country. The drive from Marrakesh to the Sahara Desert and back will take you through the High Atlas Mountain, remote villages, lush oasis, arid rocky desert, you name it.

White Sedan car in front of the snow capped Atlas mountain in Morocco
White Sedan car driving through the Marrakech palm tree Oasis
White Sedan car driving through the Marrakech palm tree Oasis

Most of the population in Morocco is generally packed into its northern urban areas, the dazzling landscape of the considerably less populated South makes for an incredible travel adventure. Also, driving across the southern mountains and deserts of Morocco is a lot more straightforward than you might think. With low traffic, the difficulties of overtaking donkeys, camels, bulls, and dogs are almost inexistent. A genuinely stress-free adventure.

There are still a few tips to be aware of :

  • Try to avoid driving at night – a camel might pop on the road out of nowhere (plus you will be missing on the scenery)
  • Speed limits in Morocco are 50km/h in towns and cities, 80km/h on open roads, and 100km/h on motorways.
  • When driving in Morocco leave plenty of space between you and the car in front of you. Locals do tend to not use blinkers as much as they should.
  • Plan for extra time. Anything might happen and that is why we love it.
  • Download an offline Maps.me map before heading anywhere. This will save you time and ease your mind to enjoy the trip.
  • Have your car clean before you give it back. Morocco is a dusty country and you will want to give your vehicle as you did find it in the first place.
White Sedan car driving through the Marrakech palm tree Oasis

 

In a nutshell:

Ready Car – Rental Car  : 

Address: 119, Arset Sbai – Marrakech – Morocco

Telephone: +212 808652994

Mobile: +212 661243712

Website: https://rentcarsmarrakech.com/