Morocco Self Drive | Magnificent Morocco

Magnificent Morocco

Route: Casablanca – Rabat - Meknes - Fes – camel trek and desert bivouac- Aït Benhaddou - Marrakech – Essaouira - Agadir / Marrakech. Map of Morocco

This two-week Morocco self drive will take you to all the magnificent highlights of Morocco. You’ll kick off your trip with a visit to the four imperial cities where you can lose yourself in the maze of alleyways and soak up the unique atmosphere of each city. Then, you'll collect your hire car and begin your Morocco self drive adventure south to the orange sand dunes of the Sahara desert to plod into the great expanse by camel and sleep under the stars in a traditional Bedouin camp. Next, you’ll drive on to one of the world’s most beautiful valleys and ancient kasbahs via the towering cliffs of the Todra Gorge. After a few days in magical Marrakech, you'll end your Morocco self drive on the beach in the picturesque fishing village of Essaouira. During our Morocco self drive itinerary you'll stay in authentic accommodation including small-scale traditional Moroccan hotels, stylishly decorated riads and a bedouin tent in the Sahara.

Duration	15 days / 14 nights departs daily from Casablanca	Accommodation	Charming hotels, stylish riads, bedouin tent. Comfort levels 2 - 4 (see accommodation).
Price	£798 per person - based on 2 people sharing £958 - Special stay option (see bottom of page for more information)	Includes	13 nights' accommodation with breakfast, 1 night in desert with breakfast and dinner, train tickets, coach, car hire (A-class), private transfers as described.
Transport	Train, private transfer, coach, hire car	Excludes	Return flights UK-Morocco, insurance, other meals, entrance fee Volubilis (approx £1.50 per person), cooking workshop in Marrakech, camel/horse trek in Essaouira

Day 1: Arrival - Rabat

Travel time: 1.5 hours

On arrival at Casablanca airport, you’ll be greeted by our driver and transferred directly to your hotel in Rabat (1 ½ hours). Your hotel for the first two nights of your Morocco self drive itinerary is located opposite the old train station in the Ville Nouvelle, the newer part of Rabat, with a real Moroccan atmosphere and small terrace where you can sit down with a drink and watch the world go by. Once you’ve unpacked and freshened up, you can head out to explore the city.

Morocco self drive - Moroccan street scene

Morocco self drive - Take it easy in Rabat

Day 2: Rabat

In the morning you can make your way down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. After breakfast, Rabat beckons. The easiest way to get around the city is by blue ‘petit taxi’ and you'll see these driving around everywhere. Ask the petit taxi to drop you off at the impressive Kasbah Oudaias on the edge of the old part of the city (the medina) and then continue on foot. As you walk out of the kasbah in Rabat you’ll see a lovely little street (Rue des Consuls) with lots of small shops selling aromatic spices, leather, silver, rugs and wood carvings. Other interesting sights include the Bab Chellah, considered by many to be the most beautiful city ramparts in Morocco, the Parc du Triangle, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the uncompleted Hassan Minaret. In the evening you can stay in the hotel for dinner, or try one of the local restaurants.

Day 3: Rabat - Meknes

Travel time: 2.5 hours

In the morning once you’ve checked out, simply cross the street to the train station. The train journey to Meknes takes about 2 hours. The rail service in Morocco is excellent - comfortable and fast. Just sit back and relax as orchards, vineyards, cacti, and (in the spring) fields full of bright yellow rapeseed speed by. You’ll arrive in Meknes late in the morning. In the 17th century, Meknes was little more than a small provincial town, but Sultan Moulay Ismail transformed it into a majestic walled city with more than 20 monumental gates (Babs) and over 50 palaces. From the station, you can take a blue petit taxi to your riad hotel. We’ve selected a typical Moroccan riad in the historic part of the city (see photos below). It’s also home to one of the best restaurants in town though luckily, not many people know about it.

For lunch, try one of the small food stalls on the Lalla Aouda square, just a short walk from your riad. If you want to enjoy fantastic views across the valley and the Ville Nouvelle as you tuck into your lunch, you can cross the square and follow the signs to the Collier de la Colombo. If you like, the staff at your riad can arrange a local guide for you (approx. £8). From the riad, follow the small street to the Place El Hedim with its grand Bab Mansour, Bab Jemaa and Nouar Gate.

On your right the covered souks (local market) are full of rows of spices in all shapes and colours, and dozens of varieties of olives, figs and dates just waiting to be tasted. Other interesting sights include the Dar Jamai Museum with its fine collection of Mid-Atlas rugs. On the other side of the Bab Mansour lies the Kouba el Khayatine where royal kings once received ambassadors who came to negotiate the ransom of Christian prisoners. Diagonally across the square is the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, the founder of what is now Meknes. After a day of Moroccan sights and sounds, head back to your riad to relax and freshen up for dinner. As it gets dark, the riad becomes filled with candlelight and you’ll be treated to a magical dinner in true Moroccan style.

Day 4: Meknes - Volubilis - Fes

Travel time: 2 hours

After a tasty breakfast, it’s time to bid farewell to your little Moroccan palace. You’ll be collected at the hotel around 9.30am by our driver for the 45 minute journey along winding roads to the ruins of Volubilis, the most remote city in the Roman Empire. Surrounded on all sides by green hills, Volubilis was built as an outpost from which to conquer the tribes beyond the Atlas Mountains. It never came to that, but the remnants and particularly the colossal pillars and mosaics are astonishingly well-preserved. If you want to know more about the ruins, one of the official guides waiting at the entrance will be happy to show you around for about £8-£12, plus tip.

When you’ve finished exploring the ruins, it’s another 30 minute drive through the rolling hills and via the pilgrimage site of Moulay Idriss to what’s considered the most spectacular of the three imperial cities: Fes. You’ll be dropped off at your cosy hotel in the Ville Nouvelle, the newest part of the city, ideally located in a little side street of the Avenue Mohammed V where you’ll find of shops, tea and juice stalls and restaurants. You'll arrive in the afternoon which is why we recommend saving the old medina until tomorrow morning, when you can see it at its best. Fes has plenty of small restaurants where you can get a delicious tajine for less than £3. A tajine is a clay pot filled with chicken, beef, goat’s meat and vegetables, stewed over a charcoal fire for about an hour. Just bear in mind that everything closes fairly early.

Day 5: Fes

After breakfast, you can start to explore Fes and it's easiest to begin by taking a petit taxi to the medina in the old part of the city. This is the most authentic, inhabited ‘medieval’ city in the Arabic world. The medina is divided into separate quarters, each with its own bakery, mosque, fountain and hammam. Fes is journey back in time. Walking through the narrow streets, you'll sense medieval Morocco coming to life as you peer into the workshops and ancient tanneries. To get the most out of your stay in Fes, buy the travel guide 'Fez from Bab to Bab', available at one of the many book stalls close to your hotel for a couple of pounds. The book is an interesting read and has some great tips for thing to see and do this afternoon, like the doors of the Royal Palace and the Jewish Quarter with its pretty balconies. There are two good viewpoints for an unlimited panorama of the city and beyond. The Borj Nord is best to visit in the afternoon, the Borj Sud in the morning. You can also pay a visit to one of the many potteries on the edge of the medina to see how they make the colourful Moroccan pottery as well as hand-painted fountains, tables and traditional tajines.

Day 6: Fes - Errachidia - Erfoud - Rissani

Travel time: 8 hours

In the morning your hire car will be delivered to your accommodation in Fes and your Morocco self drive trip will really begin. It’s a full day’s drive to Rissani, so you might want to set off early so you can take it easy and stop off on the way. Driving in Morocco is a lot easier than you might expect. The roads are well maintained, everything’s well signposted and you can go as you please. For more information check out our driving in Morocco page. The rental company representative will hand you the car in exchange for your ‘deposit’, in the form of a blank credit card slip. Your car will be dropped off with a (nearly) empty tank, so at the end of your trip you can hand in the car again with an empty tank. You’ll have just enough petrol to get to a petrol station at the edge of town where you can fill up before you head out. The first day of your Morocco self drive will take you past some spectacular valleys and mountain rims. On the way stop off at the Gorge du Ziz, a huge gorge near a lake that you’ll pass just before Errachidia and the turn-off to Erfoud.

From Erfoud it’s another 20 minutes drive to Rissani where we’ve selected a charming Kasbah hotel on the outskirts of this small desert town. The hotel is tastefully decorated by the friendly and extremely welcoming owner Hassan, who also designed the sets for famous films like "The Mummy". Hassan and his brother Ibrahim will make you feel at home in their beautiful desert hotel. After your long Morocco self drive, take a refreshing dip in the pool or relax with a cool drink in the bedouin tent. You’ll be well looked after by Hasna and Said. In the evening enjoy a wonderful home-cooked tajine and a glass of wine after the first day of your Morocco self drive adventure.

Day 7: Rissani - Erg Chebbi desert at Merzouga

Travel time: 40 minutes

Today, you can take it easy and recover from yesterday’s long journey. After breakfast go for a swim in the beautiful pool, or sit in the shade on the terrace with a good book. If you want to explore the town, there’s an old Kasbah that’s open to the public just across the road. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, you can pay a visit to the local market in Rissani.

Towards the end of the afternoon, as the Moroccan sun loses a bit of its strength you’ll jump in your car and drive to the awe-inspiring sand dunes of the Erg Chebbi desert at Merzouga. It’s an easy 40 minute Morocco self drive across a brand new tarmac road. As you peer ahead, you'll see the orange dunes shimmering on the horizon.

Morocco self drive - The peace of the Sahara

The last section of the drive will take you along a dirt track, and before long you'll see the majestic sand dunes loom up on the horizon as you get closer and closer. You can park your car close to your kasbah hotel, where the friendly owner Mohammed will give you a warm welcome. After a refreshing drink in the garden, you'll clamber onto your camel and wobble your way into the desert as cheerful camel boys lead the way. After about an hour and a half into camel trek, you'll spot a small tented camp nestled in the Moroccan dunes. The basic camp is little more than five bedouin camel hair tents and stone water jugs. Mattresses and blankets are provided so you don’t need to bring your own. As the camel drivers prepare the traditional desert dinner you can go for a walk into the surrounding sand dunes. The unusual shapes, colours and deafening silence make this place seem almost unearthly. When the whistle blows for dinner, you’ll be treated to a steaming tajine and glass of hot mint tea. Later on, you can crawl under your camel wool blanket or drag your mattress outside and sleep under the stars.

Day 8: Erg Chebbi desert - Todra Gorge - Dades Valley

Travel time: 6 hours

At the crack of dawn you’ll be woken by camel drivers to see the sunrise. Climb up to the top of one of the dunes for the best view. As the sun slowly creeps up from behind the dunes in the distance the expanse of sand is basked in a soft purple, red and finally golden glow. Once the sun is up and the temperature you'll climb back onto your camel and make your way back to the inhabited world. There's enough time for a breakfast and a refreshing shower before it's time to hop back in the car and continue your Morocco self drive adventure. If you have time, it's great to spend an extra day in the kasbah hotel in Rissani after your night in the desert.

Around 10am, you'll set off on your Morocco self drive again and head for one of Morocco's most scenic places - the Dades Valley. You'll drive through several small villages to Tinerhir. You could drive straight on to the Dades Valley, but we definitely recommend taking a short detour and turn left at Tinerhir to the Todra Gorge. It’s less than an hour there and back. If you have the time, we can recommend spending an extra night at Todra Gorge and we've selected a great little mountain hotel with a pool here on the edge of the palm oasis. Next you'll drive back to Tinerhir, turn right at the junction to the town of Boumaines Dades. After about an hour you'll enter the town and from here follow the signs to the Dades Valley.

The road here cuts straight across one of the most spectacular areas of Morocco. Bizarre rock formations, deep green palm valleys, rugged mountain peaks and small traditional villages form breathtaking views ahead of you. After about an hour, you’ll pass a restaurant (‘Panoramic’), with an outdoor terrace overlooking the valley and the colourful cliffs. It’s a great place to stop off on your Morocco self drive for a cup of coffee, mint tea or even better, the fantastic chicken and prune tajine. From here, it’s another 40 minutes drive past yet more weird but wonderful colourful rock formations.

When the cliffs begin to get narrower and you enter a kind of gorge, you’ll know you’ve nearly reached your small mountain hotel. It's basic, but the staff are extremely friendly and welcoming. In the evening, you'll be treated to a delicious dinner after which you can spend the rest of the evening relaxing out on the terrace under the bougainvilla.

Day 9: Dades Valley - Ouarzazate - Aït Benhaddou

Travel time: 3 hours

After breakfast, our guide will take you on a hike through the mountains. The hike takes about three hours and it’s a wonderful way to see the countryside. If you’re not into hiking, you can drive on for another hour to see more fantastic views. The tarmac road stops in the small mountain village Imilchil, so when you reach the village turn around and head back to the hotel.

Early in the afternoon it's a short one hour Morocco self drive to the palm oasis of Skoura. Just as you drive out of the town you’ll see a sign on the side of the road for ‘Kasbah Ben Moro’. We recommend stopping here to take a look at what's in store at Aït Benhaddou. You can park your car here and take a 10-minute walk through the palm gardens to the kasbah. A kasbah is a kind of citadel that used to house entire village communities. Some of the kasbahs are still inhabited, but many are now deserted. If you want to visit the older kasbah, you might want to ask for a guide at the hotel (£3-4).

Morocco self drive - Kasbah Aït Benhaddou

From here, your Morocco self drive will continue for another hour to the picturesque town of Ouarzazate, built in kasbah-style. You can stop off to buy some snacks for on the way and use the cash machine before you continue across this barren lunar landscape. Soon afterwards, you'll reach Aït Benhaddou, fringed by lush palm trees and a shallow river. Before you visit the kasbah make a stop to check in at your stylish kasbah-style palace hotel. This small oasis has a couple of tastefully decorated rooms, a lovely pool surrounded by shaded bedouin tents and a terrace overlooking the kasbah where they serve wonderful food in the evenings.

In the afternoon you'll make your way across the river. At the gate to the kasbah you’ll need to pay a small entrance fee (approx £1)and you'll pass through the gate into a medieval warren of narrow lanes winding deep into the kasbah. At the top of the kasbah there’s a fantastic view across the citadel and the surrounding countryside. You can also book a camel ride or rent mountain bikes here from your hotel.

Day 10: Aït Benhaddou - Marrakech

Travel time: approx 4.5 hours

After breakfast your Morocco self drive continues across desert-like plains to the famous Atlas mountains. After an hour or so, the road will turn into one of the most scenic routes in Morocco, passing terraced wheat fields, cacti, waving palm trees and endless views. On the roadside, young boys selling crystals and minerals will try to flag you down. You’ll pass through tiny villages, see old men on donkeys slowly lumbering uphill and watch excited school children cheer you on as you make your way up to the highest pass. In the distance, you'll be able to make out the snow-capped peaks of the Atlas Mountainds. As the road begins to descend, you'll drive through fertile valleys before you enter the magical world of Marrakech.

On arrival you'll drop off your car at the car rental company and this will be the end of the self drive section of your Morocco trip. In Marrakech, we've selected a friendly little hotel round the corner from the famous Djemaa el Fna square. If you'd prefer to stay in a real Moroccan riad, just let us know and we'll arrange it for you. Once you’ve settled into your hotel and freshened up, it’s time to explore and the moment that you set foot out of your hotel door, you’ll be greeted by intoxicating smells and colours.

The Djemaa el Fna and surrounding souks form the beating heart of the city and it’s probably where you’ll spend most of your time in Marrakech. During the day the area is quiet except for the odd storyteller, snake charmer or group of musicians catering to the tourists. The roof terrace of the café restaurant Argana or the café du Grand Balcon have the best views of the square. Sipping on a glass of mint tea you can spend hours here just watching the day go by and relaxing after your Morocco self drive adventure. The souks border the square, a warren of little streets lined with stalls and shops selling everything under the sun, from Moroccan rugs to live tortoises. You could also choose to visit the hammam, a traditional Moroccan bathhouse. It’s an everyday ritual for most Moroccans but for us it’s pure pampering: steam bath, scrub, massage.

As the sun begins to set, you can stroll back to the Djemaa el Fna. As if by magic, the square will have transformed into a huge open-air restaurant with groups of acrobats, musicians and storytellers entertaining the crowds. The stalls are numbered an each has its own speciality. For fresh fish go to number 14, for kebabs and grilled vegetables try 55, and number 5 does a mean Harira, the national Moroccan soup made of tomatoes, chickpeas, vermicelli and green lentils.

Day 11: Marrakech

Today is free for you to spend as you wish, but if you want to get a taste of the every day life of Marrakech, then join us for our Marrakech city tour. You'll be picked up at your hotel around 11am by Gemma, a Dutch lady who's lived in Marrakech for quite some time. She’ll take your into the souks to buy ingredients for tonight’s meal and as you follow Gemma through the dark alleys you’ll see Marrakech like a local. She knows the way like the back of her hand and everyone knows her. When you’ve filled your bags with ingredients it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get cooking in Gemma’s Moroccan cooking workshop. Ghita and Khadija will show you the ropes and teach you how to prepare a traditional tajine - a stew prepared and steamed in a triangular clay pot. You’ll also learn how to make proper couscous and Moroccan salads.

After two hours of chopping and stirring you’ll sit down to feast on your homemade Moroccan dinner. In the evening, you can go back to the Djemaa el Fna, take a mint tea at one of the outdoor cafes or hit the Marrakech nightlife at one of the many hip bars or clubs (we loved the KosyBar).

Morocco self drive - Haggling is a way of life in the markets

Day 12: Marrakech - Essaouira

Travel time: 3 hours

Today, you'll take the bus from Marrakech to Essaouira. We'll arrange your bus tickets for you and it's a 3.5 hour drive to this picturesque village by the sea. Essaouira is friendly coastal town halfway between Casablanca and Agadir, where the sea breeze always blows. It’s a lovely spot for sun-worshippers, shopaholics, surfers and seafood lovers, who congregate with the musicians and artists that have made Essaouira their home.

You'll stay in one of our riad hotels. They're all quite easy to find but spare yourself the effort and ask one of the men with the blue pushcarts to carry your bags to the hotel. This little luxury costs no more than £1.50. Just a couple of minutes walk along the narrow alleyways and you’ll find yourself at the door of one of our authentic riads. They are all centrally located in the medina, within walking distance of both the beach and the Place Moulay Hassan.

Once you’ve freshened up you’ll have the rest of the afternoon to explore this authentic coastal town. If you want to hit the beach, just walk towards the harbour, turn left at the gate and you’ll see a beautiful wide sandy beach stretched out before you. You can rent a sunbed at the parasols for about £2 a day. It’s worth it, as there’s always a breeze blowing here. The eternal sea breeze attracts lots of wind surfers and kite surfers and you can rent a surf board and equipment at one of the many surf shops along the beach.

The street scene here is an eclectic mix of locals buying their groceries in the souks and foreign visitors wandering along the shops and stalls. You could lose yourself forever in the labyrinth of little streets. Essaouira is also a centre for local arts and music, and you’ll find that the souvenirs here are just a bit different to those in Fes or Marrakech. When you’re all shopped out, head to the Place Moulay Hassan next to the harbour to enjoy an ice cream at Gelateria Dolce Freddo. In the evening, you can enjoy a drink at one of the outdoor cafes and enjoy the live music before strolling back to your lovely little riad.

Morocco self drive - The camel is a friendly beast

Day 13: Essaouira

The next morning, you can enjoy a lie in and then have breakfast on the roof terrace. You can spend the rest of the day relaxing on the beach or strolling through the souks. We also offer an optional but fun excursion - a camel ride along the beach and dunes (cost not included). If you go for this option, you’ll be picked up around 10am and taken to meet your camel. If you’d prefer to go horse-riding just let us know on your quote request form and we’ll arrange it for you. Perched on the hump of your camel you’ll slowly plod along the beach and into the dunes. After about 2-3 hours wobbling about on your camel you’ll arrive back in Essaouira in time for lunch.

For excellent fresh fish, follow the narrow street back to the square and you’ll see several white stalls with rickety wooden benches and tables out front. You can pick your own fish and have it prepared just the way you like it - fried or grilled. A simple, but delicious meal of fresh fish, tomato salad and a basket of bread costs no more than £7. You can spend the rest of the afternoon lazing on the beach or strolling through the souks it's completely up to you. For something more active, you can rent a quad bike and go racing through the dunes. Half a day costs around £47.

Day 14: Essaouira - Agadir

Travel time: 3 hours

After a lovely breakfast on the roof terrace, you'll bid farewell to this pretty little coastal town and travel by bus to Agadir. You can pick up your bus ticket at the reception of your riad. It's about a 3 hour drive along a beautiful coastal road.

Agadir is the number one beach resort in Morocco and we've selected a small, authentic hotel in a small side street just off the boulevard. You’ll be right in the middle of it all, but without the noise and the beach is less than 5 minutes walk away. If you’d prefer to be right on the beach and would like to splash out on something extra special then no problem. Just ask our Morocco specialists.

Once you’ve checked, in you can go for a stroll along the boulevard but you might want to head straight to the beach. You can walk there, or take a petit taxi for less than £1. There are three beach clubs are right next to each other, and for about £4 you'll get a comfy sunbed with a parasol and usually a nice chilled background music. Next door, the Voile Rouge and Palm Beach Club are slightly cheaper at £2-3. In the evening, the boulevard is a great place to grab a bite to eat and watch the locals on their daily evening promenade.

Day 15: Agadir - departure

Today marks the end of your Morocco self drive trip, and you'll make your way to the airport. Many people like to stay on the coast a little longer before flying home. If you’d like to book a couple of extra days in Agadir, just let us know on your quote request form. More information on Agadir can be found on our Agadir beach Morocco page.

We’ll take care of your airport transfer for you. From Agadir it’s about 20 minutes drive to the airport. If you have any other questions about this Morocco itinerary, drop us an email at info@moroccotravelplan.co.uk or call us on 01273 322056. You can book this Morocco self drive itinerary using our online booking form.

Travel tip: special stay

During this Morocco itinerary, you'll stay in small, atmospheric hotels in a central location. However, if you would like a couple of really special nights along the way, you can upgrade your accommodation in one or more locations. Our special stay options feature traditional riads, small palaces where wealthy merchants once lived, set in the heart of the medinas. Our riads are truly Moroccan experiences, with courtyards and roof terraces available when you need a break from the bazaars. If you would like to try our special stay options, just let our Morocco travel specialists know on your quote request form.

Morocco self drive accommodation

Morocco self drive - authentic accommodation

Morocco self drive special stays

Click here for the quote request form

Build your own trip using our Morocco adventure tours