In this post we share our 10 week itinerary of travelling Morocco in a camper van. It was a last minute impromptu decision to go to Morocco in our camper van so this 10 week itinerary was not a planned one! We were on the beach in Punta Umbria, near Huelva in Spain, on a wet Sunday afternoon in mid-March 2025 when we made the decision to go to Morocco. Armed with nothing more than the excitement of going to a new country we set off towards the port city of Algeciras in southern Spain!
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Table of Contents
- Planning Our Tour of Morocco in a Camper Van
- Getting to Morocco in a camper van
- Arriving in Morocco in a camper van
- Driving in Morocco in a camper van – 10 week itinerary
- Week 1 of Morocco in a camper van
- Week 2 of Morocco in a camper van
- Week 3 of Morocco in a camper van
- Week 4 of Morocco in a camper van
- Week 5 of Morocco in a camper van
- Week 6 of Morocco in a camper van
- Week 7 of Morocco in a camper van
- Week 8 of Morocco in a camper van
- Week 9 of Morocco in a camper van
- Week 10 of Morocco in a camper van
- 10 weeks in Morocco in a camper van
- Highlights of Morocco in a camper van
- Lowlights of Morocco in a camper van
Planning Our Tour of Morocco in a Camper Van
At the time of this last minute planning we didn’t know how long our tour of Morocco in a camper van would be! We knew we could stay for up to 90 days as tourists. Spring felt like the ideal time to visit. We would miss the cold, snowy winters in the mountains, and the scorching hot inland temperatures of summer. We were also aware that our first couple of weeks of touring would coincide with Ramadan, the holiest month for Muslims. Ramadan this year was from 1-31 March 2025. (The exact dates for Ramadan change every year).
[Read our blog post here about some of the things we noticed while travelling in Morocco in a camper van during Ramadan].
Our other time constraint was the fact we had to be back in the UK by late June for the van’s annual MOT. All things considered we were roughly planning a tour of Morocco in our camper van for about 8-10 weeks.
Given that we’d made such a spontaneous decision, our pre-trip planning for our tour of Morocco in a camper van was minimal at best! Everything was last minute. Most of the trip planning was online research done from the comfort of our van while a wet, winter storm swept through Southern Spain! Joining the Van Life Morocco group on Facebook was a really helpful starting point.
Travel Guide Book
In an ideal world we would’ve bought a good old fashioned hard copy guide book to help us plan our trip to Morocco. But living in a van where space is at a premium, we had to settle for the Kindle version of Lonely Planet’s Morocco travel guide (published in February 2024). For us guide books are just that – a guide. We used the Lonely Planet Morocco guide for itinerary ideas, and combined some of their suggested itineraries to make up our own. We have been long time followers of Lonely Planet and have used their books to help plan many an itinerary!
After a couple of days of very rough planning we set sail from Spain and made the rest up as we went along!
[You can see our last minute checklist of the 10 things to do before you take your camper van to Morocco, and the one thing not to do, in this blog post [LINK]
On a side note our Shola Coach House bed and breakfast business in Portrush, Northern Ireland, was listed as a “must visit” recommendation in the Lonely Planet Ireland 2018 edition!
Getting to Morocco in a camper van
Ferry
We chose to sail the route from Algeciras in Southern Spain to Tanger Med in the north of Morocco. There are several different ferry companies operating this route and sailings go regularly throughout the day. The crossing takes about 90 minutes. We bought our tickets by going to the family owned Viajes Normandie travel agency in Los Barrios (www.viajesnormandie.com), about a 20 minute drive from the port of Algeciras. Carlos and his travel agency came highly recommended by many other camper van and motorhome travellers. We paid €270 for an open return with Armas Transmediterranea which included a bottle of wine and a box of biscuits from Carlos!
We got to the ferry terminal at about 6.15am for an 8am sailing. It was the day after a big storm, and it was also during the holy month of Ramadan. Because of weather cancellations from the previous day, and the holiday traffic, there was a backlog and our ferry only started boarding at 10.20am! We eventually set sail at 12.20pm, more than four hours after our scheduled departure.
It was only after one of our Instagram followers saw our delayed ferry story that we found out that we were entitled to compensation! Thanks to @team_ateem for bringing this to our attention. EU rules state that any ferry delay from an EU port of at least one hour on a scheduled trip of less than four hours means passengers have the right to compensation. See your travel rights here: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/ship/index_en.htm
We contacted Armas Transmediterranea directly by email and we eventually received €54 compensation!
Visas
Most nationalities including the UK and the majority of European passport holders can enter Morocco for tourism purposes for up to 90 days without a visa. But remember you do need to have at least six months validity on your passport from your date of arrival. You need to complete an Entry Card on board the ferry and queue up at the Immigration desk on board to have your passport checked and stamped. We queued for at least an hour! But it could’ve been a lot longer had we waited to go through Passport Control on arrival in the port at Tanger Med.
Arriving in Morocco in a camper van
Clearing Customs
Tanger Med is a huge port. Once you exit the ferry it is about a 10 minute drive to the Customs area. This is where your camper van will get checked by the customs officials and sniffer dogs. It did not take us long to clear customs. Along with providing our paperwork (passports and the V5 vehicle document), we were asked a few questions about our trip before the sniffer dogs came on board for a check. It is worth noting that there were dozens and dozens of market trader type vans queued up to clear customs, all with their entire contents emptied on the ground waiting to be checked!
Withdrawing Cash
Once you have cleared customs, and before you exit the port, there is an area sign posted for Change, Insurance and Parking. There are several Bank/ATM booths where you can withdraw cash, but they all charge a withdrawal/transaction fee. The rough exchange rate at the time of our trip was GBP£1 = MAD12 or EUR€1 = MAD10. (Note there is also free WiFi in this area of the port with good enough signal to get a Google map started with directions to your first stop).
If you don’t need cash at this point it is better to wait until you get to a town where you can use the Al Barid Bank/Post Maroc ATM’s for free cash withdrawals, there is no transaction fee. Cash is king in Morocco, and the Al Barid Bank or Post Maroc ATMs are easy to find in every town.
Buying SIM Cards
Do not buy SIM cards at the Tanger Med Port. You will get better options at the telecom shops in towns and cities. The best deals are with either Maroc Telecom or INWI. The prices seem to vary depending on where and when you buy them, and the package you choose e.g calls only, data only, or calls and data.
We bought a Maroc Telecom SIM card for €10 from Carlos’ travel agency when we were getting our ferry tickets. This was as an emergency back up to make any local calls from our spare phone.
We primarily use a local SIM card for data only. We slot it into our TP-Link Portable WiFi router which we use as a hotspot to connect all our mobile devices (two phones, iPad and laptop).
When we arrived in Martil (our first stopover) we went to the Maroc Telecom shop and paid MAD200 for a 30GB SIM card valid for 30 days. We later bought an INWI unlimited data SIM card in Erfoud for MAD200 – much better value, lasted for the entire time, and the coverage was excellent.
Getting vehicle insurance
If your camper van is not already covered by your vehicle insurance company for travel in Morocco, then you can buy Third Party cover only from the CAT Assurance & Reassurance booth. It is the final booth on the right hand side next to the ATMs before you exit the port. You will need to present your vehicle V5 certificate and the passport of the registered vehicle owner, and you will need cash. They accept payment in Euros or Dirham only. They do not accept credit card payments.
We paid 2,010 Dirham for 90 days of cover for our Citroen Relay L3H2 vehicle (it is the same price whether you pay for two or three months).
With a little cash in our pocket and the camper van insured we were ready to hit the road in Morocco!
Driving in Morocco in a camper van – 10 week itinerary
Our 10-week driving tour of Morocco in a camper van started by driving straight from Tanger Med to the Mediterranean Coast. We had decided to take a more or less clockwise route of the country. The actual itinerary we made up as we went along!
Week 1 of Morocco in a camper van
Tanger Med – Martil – Tetouan – Chefchaouen – Akchour – Ouazzane – Volubilis
We chose the comparatively low-key town of Martil on the Mediterranean Coast of Morocco as our first stop. It was an easy drive on the well maintained toll road (MAD16/GBP1.35), and just over an hour from Tanger Med. It had a few choices of places to park up, had all the shops and services we needed, a nice seaside location, and easy running routes! All in all a perfect base for the first couple of nights to familiarise ourselves with a new country, a new culture, and a new language. It is worth noting that in this northern area of Morocco, Spanish is more widely spoken than French.
From Martil we headed towards the Rif Mountains. We stopped in the town of Tetouan where it felt like time had stood still in the old medina (a feeling we experienced in many parts of Morocco). It was here where we had our first sight (and smell!) of a traditional tannery. Unfortunately the Royal Artisan School was closed while we were there due to Ramadan.
Next up was a couple of nights in Morocco’s famous “blue pearl” town of Chefchaouen. Why the town and its homes are painted in a myriad of shades of blue remains a mystery, but some believe it was the Jewish refugees who settled in the town in the 1930s and used the colour blue to connect to their faith. Whatever the reason it has meant Chefchaouen is now a hot spot on the “Gram”. It is attracting the floaty dress Instagrammers posing for photos, much like the same crowd you see in Cappadocia, Turkey! But the good news is you can avoid them by walking the streets early in the morning to get your own posed shot! At least that’s what we did! And if you’re after something to smoke (cannabis or hashish) in Chefchaouen you will have no shortage of offers from the locals trying to sell their stuff morning, noon, and night!
A stunning scenic drive to the Talassemtane National Park for some hiking around Akchour was our next stop. During the short, but challenging hike to and from God’s Bridge (about 45 minutes) we felt like we had the place to ourselves. Bar a few monkeys we didn’t see a soul. We attempted the hike to the big waterfall, but after about two and a half kilometres and four river crossings we gave up. The recent and heavy spring rainfall meant the river was flowing very fast and very deep, covering some of the stepping stones and making it a tad treacherous to cross. We still managed a cold water dip in one of the smaller waterfall plunge pools. Whether it was due to the heavy rain or the fact that it was during Ramadan, all the food stops en route to the waterfalls were closed while we were there.
We lost count of the number of donkeys we saw as we drove south from Akchour through the rolling green hills to Ouazzane. Donkeys and mules we would soon come to realise are an integral part of daily life in Morocco, not a day goes by when you don’t see a donkey! As blue as Chefchaouen was, Ouazzane was as green. This little gem of a mountain town with its more than 40 shades of green was well worth a visit. Their ancient medina was full of friendly woodworkers and cloth makers, many of whom dress in their djellabas, the traditional hooded cloaks, and all were keen to show us their skills and wares. No hard sell, they seemed genuinely pleased to see us. And the added bonus was there wasn’t a single Instagrammer in sight!
Volubilis is the site of an ancient Roman city set amongst lush agricultural land. The views alone from Volubilis make the visit worthwhile. Its historical and architectural significance led to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are dozens of impressive ruins to explore and some really well preserved mosaic floors. Due to its location near Meknes and Fes it gets bombarded with day trippers and tour buses. We got there for the advertised opening at 8.30am and although it didn’t actually open until 9am, we did manage to see most of it before the big groups arrived.
Week 2 of Morocco in a camper van
Volubilis – Moulay-Idriss – Meknes – Fes – Ifrane – Azrou – Sources de Oum-er-Ribia – Khenifra – El Kebab – Midelt – Gorges du Ziz
Moulay-Idriss is one of Morocco’s most important pilgrimage sites, often deemed second only to Mecca as a place of pilgrimage. This little hilltop town overlooks Volubilis which is only a short drive away. We were struck by the lack of tourists on the day we visited. We strolled up the hill through a maze of narrow streets and countless steps for panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. It is the perfect place to get a glimpse of everyday life in a rural Moroccan town. Note that the mosque/mausoleum complex in the main town square is not accessible to non-Muslims.
The massive walls enclosing the imperial city of Meknes make for a majestic entrance. This was especially so when we arrived on a hot mid-afternoon during Ramadan as the streets were fairly empty except for a few horse-drawn carriages. It was such a different place in the evening when the streets came alive with people and traffic! If you want to escape the heat, then a visit to the Dar Jamai palatial residence is a must. It is now the the National Museum of Music. For an entrance fee of 30 dirham per person we enjoyed the shaded courtyard surrounded by fabulous Moroccan architecture, and learned a bit about Morocco’s musical influences.
The covered market in Meknes is a must visit to see how locals shop. The heat, the noise, the smells, and the flies, especially in the meat department, meant our stay was short-lived. It is not for the faint hearted, and definitely not for vegetarians or vegans! We will spare you the images!
If you’re planning on visiting Meknes it’s worth noting that there’s lots of restoration and building works going on around the historic sites. Many of the sites were closed and have been inaccessible for some time, and to us it looked like they are a long way off from completion.
For our visit to Fes, the oldest city in Morocco, we opted for the ‘free’ Funky Walking Tour with local guide Abdelalia [https://www.guruwalk.com/walks/43624-funky-walking-tour-15-of-the-best-things-to-do-in-fez-morocco]. He led us through the maze of the medina for three hours. It was fascinating to see all the traditional souqs and learn about life within its ancient walls. The Chouara Tannery was a particular feast for the senses!! Thankfully some sprigs of mint helped to stem the smells a little!
We explored the much quieter El Jdid neighbourhood, and the Mellah (the Jewish quarter) on our own, and were impressed by the size and scale of the entrance to the Royal Palace with it’s seven doors.
If it’s steps you’re counting you will have no problem racking them up in a couple of days walking around Fes!
Running through the fragrant trails in the Cedar Forest between Ifrane National Park and Azrou in the Middle Atlas was our next stop. Running at altitude was a shock to the system so there were plenty of breaks to stop and grasp the fresh mountain air!!
We were lucky enough to hit the Amazigh mountain town of Azrou in time for its traditional weekly (Tuesdays) outdoor market. We were too late for the early morning livestock market, but since we weren’t planning on buying a sheep or a goat it wasn’t a problem! There were still enough piles of potatoes and pungent onions laid out amongst peppers, peas and aubergines, fresh fruit, nuts and dates, for us to pick up and pay for our weekly shop for practically nothing!
The drive through the Middle Atlas spectacular mountain scenery from Azrou to the Sources de Oum-er-Rbia, Morocco’s second largest river, was much more rewarding than the destination itself. The natural course of the river seems to have been changed and spoiled by the construction of concrete platforms. On top of that the amount of rubbish generated by the huge volume of Moroccan tourists was really off putting for us. As fascinating at it was to see the traditional style Amazigh village along the banks of the cascading river, we felt it was ruined by becoming a tacky tourist trap with no regard for the natural beauty of the place.
We left after one night and continued south to Khenifra and El Kebab, joining the N13 route near Midelt through to the very windy Gorges du Ziz. A fabulous dramatic landscape of gorges and valleys with lush green palm groves and mud-brick houses in all their earthy colours. Running through the Ziz Gorge in the early morning sun under sharp blue skies, and watching the golden hour colours change as sunset approached are magical memories of Morocco.
Week 3 of Morocco in a camper van
Gorge du Ziz – Erfoud – Hassi Labied/Merzouga – Rissani – Ait Yahya – Tazzarine
From the Gorges du Ziz it was south to the Sahara Desert! Not before a quick stop in Erfoud for a shave for Dave. Apparently the best one he had in all of the ten weekly shaves in Morocco!
After an overnight stop at a roadhouse we headed straight for Merzouga, the gateway to the Sahara. Long tarmac roads with the massive golden sand dunes of Erg Chebbi visible from miles away. Merzouga was much much smaller than we had imagined, but despite its size it was packed with touts trying to sell desert trips and activities. We opted to turn back to the smaller village of Hassi Labied where no one hassled us. We hiked freely up and down the razor sharp ridges on sky high dunes. The desert landscape was picture perfect with the swirls of sand and the curls of the corduroy lines spectacular in their shades of burnt orange and gold. It was still and serene except for the occasional swarm of buzzing quad bikes and 4WDs churning up the sand.
We parked with Ibrahim and his brother at Camping Auberge Ocean des Dunes and they organised our overnight camel safari for a very reasonable price (400 dirham each). An unforgettable Sahara experience and definitely well worth doing. We trekked across the desert on camelback, tried sand-boarding down the dunes, stayed overnight in a traditional style Berber tent, had traditional dinner and breakfast cooked for us, music and stories by the campfire, and watched the stars in the dark night sky. We chose a small and secluded basic tented desert camp – four double tents (we were a group of seven) and no fancy en suites! It was perfect.
Driving Cloud Nine to the edge of the sand dunes for another night of seclusion in the Sahara was something really special. If it wasn’t for the dust and the extreme sultry heat of the day we would’ve stayed longer in this spellbinding place.
It was time to head west. We stopped off in the bustling market town of Rissani to stock up on supplies. Probably one of the best souqs we visited in our 10-week trip. And it was here we had the best Berber pizza of our trip! Flatbread stuffed with meat and vegetables and baked in the fire for 100 dirham. We wanted to visit the 8th century (lost) city of Sijilmassa, but the local police stopped us saying it was closed!
We ended our third week camping somewhere off the N12 near Tazzarine where the friendly locals invited us to work with them in their oasis tending their vegetables.
Week 4 of Morocco in a camper van
Tazzarine – Zagora – Amezrou – Tamegroute – Drâa Valley – Tamezmoute – N’Kob – Bab N’Ali – Tizi n’Tazazert – Ikniouen- Tinerhir/Tinghir – Gorges du Todra
Our first stop on week four was the oasis town of Zagora lined with its lush palmeraies. We were hoping to relax by the campsite pool for a day or two, but a sudden sandstorm followed by huge thunder and lightning storms put a stop to that idea! Instead we had to deal with desert dust and sand everywhere, and we mean everywhere. A constant crusty nose plus very dry skin, and on top of that loads of insect bites! Don’t say we didn’t warn you! Pack your moisturiser and insect repellent.
A visit to the village of Amezrou, once home to 400 Jewish households, was fascinating. Before we found local man Abdul to guide us through the historic mellah and show us the old synagogue, we felt like the pied piper as the number of kids following us around grew with every corner we turned! The artisans cooperative in Amezrou was a proper Aladdin’s cave and a treasure trove of some of the best hand crafted curios we have ever seen. The range of handcrafts with intricate Amazigh, Muslim, Jewish & African designs was staggering. There was room after room packed to the rafters with woodwork, metalwork, jewellery, leatherwork, ceramics and carpets. If we were going to buy anything from Morocco then this was the place we would’ve shopped. Its probably a good thing we have no space in the van for such luxuries!
The green tiles that top the roof of almost every mosque in Morocco are made in the town of Tamegroute. We walked around the maze of streets and alleyways watching as families and generations of pottery makers moulded the clay on their potter’s wheels. The streets are lined with all shapes and sizes of pots and tiles all drying out before adding the distinctive green glaze for baking in the huge hot ovens. The families are well used to having the eyes of tourists on them and many will demand money for the privilege. Of course you can also support the community by buying the finished pottery from the local co-operative shop.
Tamegroute is also home to a library of ancient Koran manuscripts. For a donation the English speaking curator of the library gave us a quick tour of this very significant collection showcasing Morocco’s cultural and religious heritage.
From Tamegroute we took the road north through the stunning Drâa Valley where it was all about the mud brick homes and centuries old kasbahs. It was one village after the next in their earthen colours and all surrounded by palm oases. At first the buildings look deserted, but a run/walk through the villages saw the locals stop their daily life to come out and wave and smile at these foreign passers-by. The ever-changing colours and mountain views from our isolated park up in Tamezmoute were starkly beautiful. Another perfect backdrop for our outdoor gym sessions!
We veered north east towards Nkob and further into the Jbel Saghro mountain range before parking up for the night at a roadhouse cafe at the foot of Bab n’Ali. We felt like we were on the set of a western film! The friendly owner made us dinner to order (the usual tagine with bread and salad). With heavy rain and thunder it felt like the most unlikely of places to get a good WiFi signal in the van. But as we know every cloud has a silver lining. We had a great WiFi signal in CloudNine and we managed to stay awake to watch Rory McIlroy eventually lift that elusive Masters trophy!
The trekking through this dramatic lunar landscape with its bizarre rock towers and unique pinnacles was enough to make you jump for joy and feel truly alive.
Driving the high mountain pass of Tizi-n-Tazazert (2,200m above sea level) through the Anti-Atlas mountains via Iknouen to Tinerhir was more than stunning. The panoramic views of the arid rocky landscape were outstanding from this practically empty quality road.
Arriving in Tinerhir we treated ourselves to our first Moroccan hammam, an essential part of Moroccan culture We found a local public hammam with separate areas for men and women. It cost 25 dirham each which included the soap/clay and exfoliation glove. We paid an additional 15 dirham each to have our own attendant to scrub us, apply the clay and massage us. What a way to get rid of the dry skin and dust from the desert! It is no wonder the women of Morocco have such beautiful skin. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so invigorated, and can safely say never had a massage quite like it.
The other bonus of Tinerhir was a liquor shop! The first one we’d spotted in Morocco. We stocked up with a few local beers and some Moroccan wine to try before we drove on to the Todra Gorge. It was at Todra Gorge where we encountered by far the most tourists and coaches we had seen in Morocco so far. The place was mobbed with day trippers, but it did quieten down dramatically at night. Our way of escaping the crowds was to take an early morning run through the towering narrow canyon walls and then hike up to the panorama viewpoint of Jbel Asstef (about 1hr 15mins from the gorge) for 360 degree views of the High Atlas mountains.
Week 5 of Morocco in a camper van
Gorges du Todra – Tamtattouchte – Agoudal – Tilmi – Msemrir – Gorges du Dades – Tamellalt – Skoura – Ouarzazate – Ait-Benhaddou – Tazenakht – Taliouine – Azarhar-n-Irs – Igherm – Tafraoute
From Todra Gorge we took the R703, a perfectly paved road, north to the Amazigh village of Tamattouchte where we had a lovely overnight stop with a local family. It was the R704 road from Agoudal where we wanted to turn south towards Dades Gorge, that was in doubt. The recent heavy rain had meant the road had been closed for a few days, but our host said we could now pass through.
There were a dozen or so low fords to cross, and many rockfall slips, but thankfully we managed to manoeuvre around them. It was a little bit more hairy and narrower on the approach to Dades Gorge, but still very doable in a van of our size. There was little or no traffic until we hit the top of the serpentine road, and even then not very much. More donkeys than vehicles!
Unfortunately when we got down to the bridge/river crossing (which had been closed for the previous 4/5/6 days depending on who you speak to!) it was closed. A digger working on the bridge had fallen into the river and was in the process of being pulled out. After a short wait they allowed some traffic to squeeze through, us included. After what was a relatively long driving day for us (6-7hrs), we made it unscathed to our park up near the village of Tamellalt.
The hiking in this area was superb. Unique and impressive sandstone rock formations rising from the (very flooded while we were there) river bed. The Monkey’s Fingers are like digits of boulders which can be seen from the road. But for the best vistas, and tons more bizarre rocks, it is well worth hiking further up, or around, the gorge. We used the Komoot app to plan our hikes and even with that getting lost is still a real possibility! There was a lot of scrambling and climbing over, and crawling under boulders as we descended down through the canyon walls. An older local gentleman appeared out of nowhere when we were unsure of the way to go. He guided us down a real tricky bit, only to turn up later in the day as we faced crossing the very fast flowing river. He kindly took us one at a time, hand by hand, and led us across the river to avoid getting our feet wet!
En route to the oasis town of Skoura to see its shady palm groves and mud brick kasbahs, we stopped at a petrol station to have the van washed (a pretty thankless task as it was covered in dust again five minutes later!). And it was here at the least unlikely of places that we had the very best tagine and traditional stone baked bread of our trip!
We visited the kasbah, Ait Ben Haddou near Ouarzazate, famed for its use as a backdrop in many movies, early in the morning to try and avoid the heat of the day and the crowds. It certainly got busier as the day went on with coach loads coming from all directions.
Our next move was to head cross country to Tafraoute and the southern mountains of the Anti-Atlas region. An isolated park up just off the road near Azarhar-n-Irs was the perfect spot for a peaceful night and an early morning run. The first 30kms drive of the morning were on a rough gravel road. It took about two hours before we hit tarmac again! Driving up and over the panoramic mountain passes through remote villages with views that went on forever was breathtaking and beautiful before the descent into the tiny dusty town of Tafraoute.
Tafraoute was the perfect place to pitch up for a few days. It was here we took the time to get the bikes out for a bit of riding around the giant granite boulders strewn everywhere. More crazy rock formations, (the Anti Atlas mountains are probably a geologists dream), and the controversial Painted Rocks. So called landscape art, painted in the 1980’s by a Belgian artist in tribute to his wife. The vibrant colours were in stark contrast to the area’s natural earthy tones. To us definitely a negative blot on the landscape and environment, but to others probably an Instagrammable shot!
Week 6 of Morocco in a camper van
Tafraoute – Ait Mansour – Afella Ighir – Tiffermit – Ifrane Atlas Saghir – Guelmim – Plage Blanche – Sidi Ifni
The amazing Ait Mansour Gorge was our next stop after Tafraoute. Yet another stunning drive navigating a few hairpin bends and down into the steep sided red gorge where we brushed sides with huge leafy palm trees loaded with dates. The oasis of the valley floor where we watched the always friendly locals work, provided plenty of shade in the sweltering heat, and such a peaceful night’s sleep under a starry sky. We drove out the other side of the gorge, passing by mud brick villages clinging precariously to the sides of the rock. It was all like scenes from an Indiana Jones film!
The road from the turning point at Had-d’Afella Ighir was sealed for the most part. There were many sections where the original road had slipped away, but clear and obvious gravel tracks led the way on yet another almost traffic-less scenic road.
We reached Tiffermit in time for lunch. We picked the meat we wanted from the butcher and his neighbour cooked it for us over the hot coals on the side of the road! Beef kebabs, salad, fresh bread and mint tea all served up in no time! At our request our ‘chef’ then took us to a local shoe maker to buy a pair of the traditional handmade leather Babouche shoes (100 dirham), beloved and worn by all Moroccans, male and female, young and old.
The next part of our journey was all about discovering distant family ancestry, and it took us to the small town of Ifrane Atlas Saghir (Anti-Atlas) in southern Morocco, once home to Africa’s most ancient Jewish community. We were on a search for the site of where ancestors of Dave’s cousin’s husband were among the 50 Jews who burned to death by jumping into a fire to avoid converting to Islam under the ruling of the tyrannic Sultan. (You can read more about the legendary story here: https://moroccanjews.org/home/sites-of-jewish-interest/anti-atlas-mountains/ifrane-anti-atlas-oufrane/.
On our quest for information we ended up being invited in to a classroom of local Amazigh women who were learning to read and write Arabic. We joined in and learned how to write our names too! Although the Jewish Mellah in Ifrane Atlas Saghir has long since been abandoned, the Jewish history of the area has been preserved. The lovely young teacher who spoke English helped us track down the key holder of the restored synagogue so we could organise a visit. This local man also guided us to the Jewish cemetery. At first glance it looked like a field full of rocks to us, but on his guidance we could see clearly the Hebrew inscriptions on the headstones, some of which were more than 2,000 years old.
Not only did the young teacher help us find the information we were looking for, she very kindly invited us to her home for tea with her family. A sumptuous affair with copious amounts of mint tea, dates and nuts, and lots of home baked biscuits. A very treasured memory of real Moroccan hospitality and kindness. This was followed in the evening when we parked up near the local police station with offers of help for anything we needed. The Moroccans are undoubtedly the most welcoming and genuinely kind people we have met in all of our years travelling.
As we headed towards the Atlantic Coast, we missed the largest camel market in Morocco, held in Guelmim every Friday, by a day. That’s something to do next time! We drove the long empty roads (except for seeing the occasional camel) as far as Plage Blanche where the Sahara literally meets the sea. After weeks of blue skies and sunshine we hit this long stretch of wild beach on a very grey day, made more miserable by the amount of rubbish and stray dogs around. With limited visibility and motivation to move, a couple of runs on the 40km stretch of hard packed sand was as much as we did here. It was onwards on the scenic coastal road to Sidi Ifni and blue skies once again!
Week 7 of Morocco in a camper van
Sidi Ifni – Mirleft (Aftas Beach) – Tiznit – Souss Massa NP – Agadir – Tamraght
Sidi Ifni was a lovely wee seaside town to spend a few days eating fish and seafood, something that was to become a habit for our final couple of weeks in Morocco! We even found a restaurant by the beach that served alcohol, and not at exorbitant prices. We also had the chance to get our awning fixed by fabulous local tradesmen for a fraction of the price it night have cost elsewhere.
The nearby Plage de Legzira was a stunning place to watch the Moroccan sunset through the natural rock arch formation. Its a steep climb down to the beach (and back up), but worth it.
We continued on the coastal road and were spoiled with a perfect park up by Aftas Beach near Mirleft. Great for runs and walks along the clifftops too. The only downside was the sea was like a washing machine! Dave still has the scars from being tossed and turned and tumbled through the waves!
We hit Tiznit, once home to a thriving Jewish silversmith community, in the hope of checking out some Amazigh antique silver jewellery, but sadly it was a Sunday and most of the medina was closed. The timing probably saved us a small fortune!!! Instead we diverted to the Souss-Massa National Park for a sunset over the river. From there it wasn’t long before we hit the traffic going into the sprawling seaside city of Agadir. The seaside area had tonnes of holiday resort type hotels and villas, mostly relatively low-rise buildings, but construction and development is well underway in the city in anticipation of hosting some of the Africa Cup of Nations games later this year, and the FIFA World Cup in 2030.
The 10km beachfront promenade (or long sandy beach) was an ideal morning running route. And if that’s not enough steps for you, a visit to the giant Souq Al Had will up your daily total before you know it! We only stayed one night in Agadir, beside the pétanque club in the eclectic Talborjt neighbourhood, and for what its worth, really enjoyed it.
After Agadir we took the short jaunt up the coast to Tamraght, where the sea was full of surf schools, and the beach chockablock with camels!!! We walked the 5km paved trail all the way to Taghazout,and back,passing by a string of luxury hotels en route. And we don’t think we’ve ever seen as many surfboards (in and out of the water) anywhere else in the world! Surf shops and surf schools around every corner!
Finding a place for fresh drinking water in this area was a challenge. We tried a few places that were listed on Park 4 Night, but to no avail. There is a real shortage of water in this area. Thankfully a local gardener answered our prayers and allowed us to fill up from his hose. The Moroccan people truly go out of their way to help you.
Week 8 of Morocco in a camper van
Tamraght – Taghazout/Anchor Point – Imsouane – Sidi Kaouki
With a tank of fresh water from the gardener in Tamraght we returned to the cute and colourful fishing/surfing village of Taghazout in the van and pitched up for a few nights at Anchor Point.
Great sea views and lots of local day trippers. The down side is the sheer volume of rubbish left behind. Many Moroccans are completely unaware of the negative impact of throwing rubbish behind them. And granted often there are no bins, but in this case there were. Our litter picker was in constant use in this area! The upside of course is that these ever friendly people, mostly groups of men picnicking together, always offered us to join them for tea and fruit.
The stray dogs are another major issue in this area. We had a different dog/dogs sleep outside our van everyday. Besides giving them water and food, we chose not to touch or pet them. Most of the dogs we encountered were well fed and not aggressive, but rabies is rife in this part of Morocco so it is best to avoid contact with all stray animals. Please learn from my experience by reading this blog post on the importance of being vaccinated against rabies if you are planning a trip to Morocco.
From Taghazout it was another scenic coastal drive north via Tamri, where we stopped for a roadside tagine, before dropping down into the idyllic laid back surfers town of Imsouane. The busy port with the traditional blue wooden fishing boats constantly being towed in and out of the sea by tractors, is sat in between the two very different surfing bays. La Bay with its long waves often dubbed the longest wave in Africa, can be seen from great vantage points up on the cliffs to watch the surf come in. La Cathedrale Point is for more expert surfers, and an ideal spot to watch the sunset.
Rather than surf we spent time on the beach, swimming, running, and sampling the freshly caught catch of the day each lunchtime!
Driving north from Imsouane on the N1 (south of Tamanar) we were lucky enough to spot several herds of tree-climbing goats grazing on the argan trees endemic to this area. It wasn’t long before we were regularly being waved down by locals selling their argan oil products on roadside stalls!
We went from goats in trees to camels on beaches (again)! This time at Sidi Kaouki, 25kms south of Essaouira on the Northern Atlantic Coast. (We had heard that Essaouira was not camper van friendly, which is probably true in the high season, but in early May there were definitely (paid) places to park for both day time and overnight).
Week 9 of Morocco in a camper van
Sidi Kaouki – Essaouira – Plage de Bhaibah – Had Dra – Marrakech
We pitched up at Camping Soleil at Sidi Kaouki for a few nights. The small village, and wild, windy, and empty beach (apart from the occasional camel) was only a five minute walk away. There is a bus service to Essaouira. The small mini bus takes about 25 minutes to the medina and cost us 10 dirham each. The larger bus on the way back was slower (about 40 minutes) and two dirham cheaper!
Be prepared to be blown away in Essaouira, both literally and figuratively! There is a really cool, but traditional vibe, and laid back feeling to this blue and white (small) city, with a fantastic fresh fish scene. In the buzzing port we bought a fresh catch of enough prawns, calamari and dorado to feed both of us for 100 dirham. We paid an additional 20 dirham per rack (3 racks) to have it cooked over hot coals and served alongside bread, salad and water. But hold on to your hat at the table, the wind whips up from the Atlantic and blows everything with it!
We splashed out on another campsite, Mogador Oasis, this one with a pool, in Plage de Bhaibah, less than an hour’s drive north of Essaouira. Our timing meant we were there for the Moroccan tradition of “couscous Friday”, a bit like fish on Fridays in Ireland! We had freshly made couscous delivered to the van for lunch! We were treated to deserted beaches for long walks, sundowners on the deck, and got to watch the local fishermen building and repairing their traditional blue wooden fishing boats.
From here we headed inland through the countryside on our way to Ounara do a bit of Moroccan wine tasting at Les Domaines du Val d’Argan, a vineyard created by Charles Melia, the owner of Font du Loup in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. But before we could get there we came across the town of Had Dra and the road we wanted to take was closed. Nothing else for it, but to park up and see what was going on.
There were horses and carts, and donkeys and carts everywhere, all loaded with people. The noise was deafening from stall after stall of market traders shouting through loud speakers. This was like no place else we’d seen in Morocco so far. Turns out this was more than just the weekly souq.
We’d arrived in the middle of a 3-day festival and it felt like everyone in Morocco was here, or making their way here by the bus load! Unfortunately the language barrier meant we didn’t really understand what the festival was about, but something about it travelling to 40 different places in the region/country. There were tents of entertainers, musicians, and dancers, a parade of men on horses carrying muskets, pipes and drums as if they were going to battle, and food tents full of animals that we didn’t dare try. It was such a magnificent insight to Moroccan culture, and definitely up there with the highlights of our trip.
We eventually managed to drive through the melee, got parked up at the campsite, and made it to the vineyard just before it closed. We paid 420 dirham each for wine tasting. The staff left us sitting alone by the pool with four bottles of wine, bread, olives, cheese, and oils to try as they headed off to the festival!
The following morning we squeezed into a grand taxi with half a dozen locals to soak up more of the crazy festival atmosphere. We left the mayhem behind at lunch time and drove into Marrakech by mid-afternoon on a Sunday. The traffic in Marrakech was not nearly as bad as we’d anticipated, in fact it was a breeze compared to Had Dra!!! But it does pay to have your wits about you, and two pairs of eyes definitely help.
For our first three nights in Marrakech we choose to park up north of the city in a quiet neighbourhood about a half hour walk from Djemaa El Fna, and very close to Jardin Majorelle and the Yves Saint Laurent museum. The combined ticket for the gardens and museums at 330 dirham per person we felt was way overpriced, especially as the Wifi to access the QR codes for English interpretations in the museum wouldn’t work, but the gardens were lovely. Tickets are available online only and need to be booked in advance. We only learned this when we turned up without a ticket and there was no availability! Also the museum is closed on Wednesdays.
The ‘free’ medina walking tour we did with Ismael from Marrakech with Locals [https://marrakechwithlocals.com/] was really great and money well spent.
The street food stalls in the main square of Djemaa El Fna are great value and such a good opportunity to sit down and share a table and a chat with local people. The stalls start opening up from about 5pm, and its fascinating to watch them being wheeled in and built up, before being dismantled again at the end of the night. We can recommend Stall 14 for fried fish, and Stall 66 for bread stuffed with boiled egg and potato – cheaper than chips!
If you’re a meat eater then lunch at Chez Lamine Hadj Mustapha just off the square is for you. We had the Tangia Marrakachia, not to be confused with the typical tagine, and the Mechoui Lamb. Slow cooked in the fire of a hamam, both were melt in your mouth meats. It was the most expensive meal of our trip at 380 dirhams (about £30), nothing fancy, but so tasty, and well worth it.
Week 10 of Morocco in a camper van
Marrakech – Oualidia – El Jadida – Azemmour – Dar Bouazza – Rabat – Asslah – Tanger – Tanger Med
Our final week in Morocco!
Marrakech is kind of crazy, but leaving it to nearer the end of our trip meant it was less daunting and overwhelming than it might’ve been if it was your first stop in Morocco in a camper van. A couple of nights relaxing by the pool at Camping Le Relais on the northern outskirts of Marrakech was a chilled way to unwind from the sensory overload of this crazy city. Plus we had the absolute privilege of being hosted for a night on the most peaceful property outside the city by a couple who had stayed with us in our Portrush B&B many moons ago!
From Marrakech it was back to the North Atlantic coast, and on the recommendation of our friends we headed cross country to the Oualidia area. This is where the farming communities and fishing villages live side by side. Everything seemed to be growing here in the neatly planted fields which roll gently downhill to meet the sea. Beautiful walking/running trails with views in all directions, and the beaches/lagoons were the perfect spots for swimming. The fish and seafood in the Oualidia area was up there with the best we’ve ever had. Fantastic free places to park up, plus great value campsites like Camping Plage Mrizika behind the sand dunes for 50MAD per night. If we hadn’t had to make moves back towards the UK for the MOT we would’ve definitely stayed in this area longer.
It was time to start making our way north towards the ferry, but before we did we had our first ever puncture in CloudNine to get fixed! An emergency visit to a tyre shack at the side of the road and within 10 minutes the father and son team had removed the screw, patched the tyre up and had us back on the road for less than a fiver!
We stuck to the coastal road heading north, and we made a couple of stops. One to walk the ramparts of the historic Portuguese city of El Jadida, where we watched kids dare each other to make the jump into the water below. The other was to see the street art in Azemmour, but it was barely worth it. We had a perfect seaside pitch in Dar-Bouazza for the night, and the next morning we avoided Casablanca and took the toll road (153 dirham) to Morocco’s capital city Rabat. We were at the point where we’d had enough of historical sites and souks, and fatigue was definitely setting in. The only thing we did in Rabat was visit the National Museum of Photography, and we were the only ones there!
By this stage the average daily temperature was reaching 35C+ and the air conditioning in the van hadn’t been working since we arrived in Morocco! In the search for shade and somewhere to get the a/c fixed we parked up at a campsite in Asilah for our penultimate night of this 10-week trip. We got neither, but we did cool off with a swim in the sea.
The first half of our final day in Morocco we spent negotiating the traffic in Tanger trying to find a mechanic to fix the air conditioning! Thankfully we did as within 24 hours we were driving through southern Spain in 40C degree heat!
Tanger looked like a thriving vibrant city with throngs of people (we saw loads of cruise ship tourists), but we explored very little. We finished our day with a nice sunset walk on the beach to reflect on our fantastic time in this amazing country. After the most disturbed sleep of the entire trip (lots of boy racers hooning through the car park the entire night) we got up with the sunrise and made the short drive to the port at Tanger Med for the ferry back to Algecerias in Spain.
Leaving Tanger Med Port
At Tanger Med Port we recommend you allow enough time before your scheduled ferry departure to get your ticket validated. The ferry company we were travelling with (Armas Transmediterranea) didn’t open their booth for validating tickets until 8am. Once your ticket is validated you can go through customs and passport control. Then there is mandatory vehicle scans through the x-ray machine which can only take two or three vehicles at a time – this is where the queue can build up. Once your vehicle is scanned the sniffer dogs do their thing before you can proceed to boarding your ferry.
10 weeks in Morocco in a camper van
Our 10 weeks of travelling in Morocco in our camper van were so special and so memorable. Morocco was the 28th country we have visited in our self-converted camper van, Cloud Nine, and the 55th country we have travelled in together.
The Moroccan people might be the friendliest people we have ever met on all of our travels to date.
We stayed 72 nights in Morocco. We stayed in a mixture of guarded car parks, free park up spots, campsites and auberge homestays. The majority of places we found on the Park4Night app.
We spent a total of MAD2,935/£238 on overnight accommodation, an average of MAD41/£3.30 per night.
We covered a total distance of 4,572km/2,840 miles. [Check out our blog post on Driving a camper van in Morocco.]
We spent MAD4,775/£386 on diesel. Diesel was on average between MAD10-11 per litre or less than £1 per litre.
We’ve no idea what we spent on eating out, but whatever it was, it was worth it!
Highlights of Morocco in a camper van
Our highlights in no particular order:
Having a traditional hamam
Hiking/running through valleys, gorges and canyons and mountains
Walnuts – the best we’ve ever tasted!
Staying in the Sahara Desert, both in the camper van and in a tent
Meeting the local people and being invited to homes for tea
Sleeping under the shady palm groves in an oasis
Berber pizza
Eating fresh fish and seafood caught and cooked by local fisherman
Wandering through the mazes of medinas in small towns and cities
Shopping in the local souks for fresh fruit and veg
Festival in Had Dra
Lowlights of Morocco in a camper van
The lowlights in no particular order:
Sand and dust – get used to it, it gets everywhere, and we mean everywhere! The van will forever carry bits of Morocco!
The stray animals – heartbreaking to see the number of stray dogs and cats trying to salvage scraps to survive
Rubbish – unfortunately you’re never far from a pile of rubbish in Morocco whether you’re in the middle of a medina or in the middle of the desert, its everywhere
If you’ve read this far, thank you! And if you’re going to Morocco in a camper van, have a fantastic trip. Let us know how you get along with your itinerary.
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