Article mis à jour le 17 Feb 2025
One-week itinerary for your road trip in Morocco
Morocco is a fascinating tourist destination, rich in history, culture and varied landscapes. I had the opportunity to discover some of it during my road trip to Morocco. Many travellers are content to visit Marrakech in 3 days (see our guide). That said, there are plenty of other must-see places! Before I start telling you about my one-week itinerary in Morocco, here are a few pointers to help you get organized:
➡️ For practical information: when to go, budget, currency, etc. I’ll meet you at the end of the article.
💌 For information and reservations for the road trip with Morocco Nomads, visit their website.
Road Trip itinerary: what to do in Morocco?
To visit Morocco, I went with the agency Les Morocco Nomads, which offers a turnkey trip. They take care of booking hotels, renting cars and creating a week-long road trip itinerary. Once you’ve got your road book and your car, all you have to do is let yourself be guided, in complete autonomy.
As usual with Travelbase, I recommend them 100%. I’ve already taken road trips with them to Jordan, Iceland, Italy, Namibia and Lapland, and each time I’ve had a great time!
One-week trip to Morocco
During this road trip itinerary, we’ll be visiting 2 regions of Morocco: the Atlas and the Souss.
Day 1: Arrival in Morocco
You’ll take your first steps into Morocco at Marrakech airport. Once you’ve arrived, it’s time to take a cab to your riad. Today, you can take the opportunity to start visiting the medina. In the Travelbase road book and app, you’ll find Marrakech’s must-sees with an itinerary to follow. It’s very practical and easy to use: a real added value!
If your flight arrives late, don’t worry: you’ll also have time to visit Marrakech at the end of the road trip.
Yann also detailed his favorite places in his article 3 jours à Marrakech.
Day 2: Start of your road trip in Morocco
This morning, a shuttle will pick you up and take you to the car rental agency. Morocco Nomads is a semi-autonomous trip: in other words, you have the Travelbase guides (roadbook and app), but you’re totally free to move around. That’s really what I love about the Nomads: there’s no mental burden as everything is already booked and organized for you, but you can still do what you want.
For example, there were places on the itinerary that I didn’t visit because I wanted to enjoy a place more.
➡️ The Atlas Mountains
It’s time to leave tumultuous Marrakech for the calm of the Atlas region. You’ll pass through the Outilla valley, over the Tizi N’tichka pass and along route 1506. The landscapes of the High Atlas rise proudly all around you: open your eyes wide on the road, they are magnificent.
We stopped for lunch at the Assanfou restaurant, recommended in the app, for our first tagine.
➡️ Ait Ben Haddou, a must-see in Morocco
A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Aït Ben Haddou kasbah was my favorite part of this itinerary. Here you’ll discover the characteristics of adobe architecture, typical of the south of the country.
The site dates back to the 17th century and was used as a crossing point for trade between Marrakech and the Sahara. Aït Ben Haddou has also been used as a film location for Gladiator and Game of Thrones!
💌 Entrance fee: 20 dirhams per person (€2). There are small souvenir shops on site if you’re interested. Locals will offer to show you the inside of houses, but be warned: it’s not free.
➡️ The Fint Oasis
At the end of the day, we were able to admire the Fint oasis in the soft light of golden hour (just before sunset). I loved this landscape of palm trees and mountains, right in the middle of the desert.
What makes it magical is the river that runs through the vegetation, albeit not at an optimal level. Indeed, Morocco has been experiencing a terrible drought for several years. Water sources are therefore not at the levels they should be.
😴 Night under the stars near Ouarzazate
Morocco Nomads take care of booking accommodation every day during the trip to Morocco. For this second night, we slept in the heart of nature in an ecolodge. Its name in French means “I would like stars”. ⭐️ You’ll definitely see some, as we’re far from any light pollution.
♥️ Travelbase’s plus: the cooking class organized at the lodge for dinner. We learned how to prepare a chicken-lemon-olive tagine, and enjoyed it with the whole group!
Day 3: Visiting Morocco off the beaten track
Today, we’ve got quite a few kilometers to cover to visit some less-touristy places. On the road, the scenery is reminiscent of a road trip in the American West.
➡️ Tislit Gorge
The Tislit Gorge, located in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco, is the result of thousands of years of erosion. A short 45-minute round-trip walk will get you there. The water level was very low, which is a pity, but the landscape is still beautiful! There are hardly any tourists on the horizon.
The area is inhabited by Berbers, who will probably offer you to drink tea in their homes or buy saffron.
💌 Access: free. The last few km are on track, so drive slowly and be careful.
➡️ Lunch in Taliouine
For lunch, stop off in Taliouine, the saffron capital of Morocco. We followed the restaurant recommendation in the road book and had a wonderful time!
You can take the opportunity to visit a saffron cooperative and buy some.
😴 Overnight in Taroudant
I fell in love with this hotel in Taroudant: the Riad Jasmin. The peaceful setting, the pool, the vegetation were sublime. The hotel staff were very friendly. We had dinner by the pool, it was super romantic. 🥰 I recommend eating there, the chef cooks local and seasonal produce: it was the best tagine I’ve eaten in Morocco!
♥️ Travelbase’s plus: a 1h massage at the Riad to relax and the choice of this perfect accommodation.
Sunset on the ramparts of Taroundant
Day 4: From the Atlas mountains to the Atlantic coast
Before leaving the land to reach the ocean…
➡️ Claudio Bravo’s Palace
A few minutes from downtown Taroudant, painter Claudio Bravo has built a majestic palace on several hectares of land. I must admit that I was initially skeptical about the price of the visit: €20 per person.
In the end, I don’t regret it at all, because I loved Claudio Bravo’s palace! For 1h30, a guide will show you around the palace and tell you the story of this artist. Not only is it an iconic place for art lovers, it’s also steeped in history and beauty.
Claudio Bravo left us in 2011, so this palace is now a hotel. Some of his works are displayed on the walls, while his room and studio remain intact.
➡️ Morocco’s Atlantic coast
It’s time to tackle the second part of this Moroccan road trip and admire the ocean. Unfortunately, we didn’t have great weather for these two days. ☁️ It had been very hot the week before, so the heavy evaporation of water had led to foggy weather along the coast.
However, I can tell you that Tamraght and Taghazout are very nice fishing villages. This part of Morocco attracts surfers, beach-goers and people with a relaxed vibe.
For dinner, there were quite a few recommended addresses in the app. We chose the Windy Bay restaurant for a pizza by the beach.
Day 5: Morocco road trip continues
Today, we’ll be driving along the ocean. As I said, the weather wasn’t crazy, so I’ve come up with some photos that really pay tribute to the places recommended by the Nomads!
➡️ Timlalin Dunes
The Timlalin Dunes are a real natural gem. I recommend going there for the sunrise, which is usually magical in this type of landscape. Between ocean and golden sand dunes, you’re bound to fall in love with this place. Take a look at the photos below to see just how much a beautiful light can transform its appearance!
In the application, you’ll also find GPS coordinates for a small canyon and coves. In terms of on-site activities, quad bikes and sandboards (like on snow, but on sand) are available for hire.
💌 Access: free. Don’t stop at the first parking lot, continue a little along the sandy path to park on the second.
➡️ Lunch in Imsouane
Imsouane is a charming fishing village located between Agadir and Essaouira. It’s a peaceful destination, popular with surfers. The bay of Imsouane is reputed to have one of the most beautiful straight waves in the world, stretching for 800 meters!
I recommend stopping off for lunch at one of the restaurants recommended by the app.
➡️ Sidi Kaouki
♥️ Travelbase’s plus: Just before arriving in Essaouira, you can take a surfing lesson on the lovely Saidi Kaouki beach. Otherwise, you can just enjoy a swim and sunbathe on the beach, which is very large.
➡️ Essaouira, a must-see in Morocco
Essaouira is a coastal town renowned for its handicrafts, landscapes and historic medina. The latter is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Be sure to pick up some bargains in the souk, visit the still-active fishing port and admire the sunset over the town’s Sqala.
Day 6: En route to the Agafay desert
Take advantage of this morning to continue visiting Essaouira. You can even take time for a leisurely lunch before hitting the road again.
➡️ The Agafay Desert
Our Moroccan road trip ended on a high note. We were lucky enough to experience Glamping (= contraction of “Glamour” and “Camping”) in the Agafay Desert south of Marrakech. The camp the Morocco Nomads chose was magnificent. 🤩 It’s very pleasant to take advantage of the many areas set up outside to sunbathe, swim or contemplate the stars at night. The little extra: the breakfast was excellent!
In the Agafay Desert, many activities are possible: hot-air balloon rides, quad bike excursions… There are also camel rides, but personally I’m not a fan of activities exploiting animals.
💭 My comments: pack a small padlock in your suitcases, as the tents don’t lock. The camp restaurant for dinner was expensive and not very good, we had a table of 12 and we all thought the same, so I prefer to warn you.
Day 7: End of Moroccan road trip and return to Marrakech
Before returning your rental car, wake up early for the sunrise you lazy bastards! 🤣 No kidding, it’s very pretty, if there are no clouds of course…
➡️ Visiting Marrakech’s must-sees
Car returned, deposit collected: take a breather!
Now you’re free to follow the second Marrakech itinerary in the app. You can also shop for your best souvenirs in the souks. Personally, I was exhausted by this activity – the atmosphere is intense. For dinner, we tried the rooftop La Pergola at Riad Monceau. The prices are worthy of a Parisian restaurant, but I’m 100% behind the beauty of the place and the food.
Road Trip in Morocco: Practical information
☀️ When to go?
Morocco is an all-year-round destination. However, for the itinerary I recommend with Les Morocco Nomads, the trip takes place between October and November, as well as during the months of April, May and June. In my opinion, these are the ideal periods, as the temperatures are perfect and the weather (generally) sunny.
In early October, we had between 25 and 30 degrees all week.
Do I need a visa to travel to Morocco?
No, as an EU citizen you don’t need a visa! A passport is all you need.
What budget should I allow?
Les Morocco Nomads offers week-long road trips with good value for money.
💵 Budget for a one-week itinerary
Here are the details of my expenses:
4×4 rental with programmed GPS + accommodation with breakfast: 690€ per person with Morocco Nomads
Gas: 90€ per person
Food: 20€ / day / person for 2 meals
Flight: count between 120€ and 200€ return. Prices may vary according to departure dates and cities.
Airport cab: €30 return
SIM card: €20 per person.
Budget for a one-week road trip in Morocco: €1,030 per person, excluding activities.
→ Click here to book your trip with Les Morocco Nomads
Organize your trip: other information
💰 Currency
In Morocco, the local currency is the dirham. Don’t worry, the conversion calculation is very simple! Roughly speaking, 10 dirhams = about €1.
You absolutely must have cash on you, as many places don’t take credit cards. If you’re stopped by the police, you’ll also have to pay your fine (official or unofficial…) in cash.
Is Morocco a dangerous country?
I didn’t feel at all unsafe in Morocco. The only thing that bothers me is the people who come up to you in the street to supposedly help you, but end up trying to take money from you when you haven’t asked for anything. On the other hand, there was no violence, just heavy insistence.
My advice: never follow someone on the street who wants to guide you to a place, even if the person seems friendly, say no and leave. Every time, they’ll take you to a store where they’ll try to force you to buy something you don’t want. We managed to get away with it after 15 minutes of saying “no”, but it’s a real pain in the ass and the tone escalated by the end! I found that every time someone came to talk to us, it was unfortunately with a quid pro quo behind it….
👮 Police controls on the road
During your road trip in Morocco, you’re bound to come across police roadblocks along the way. They’re very common indeed. When this happens, don’t panic and keep smiling! And don’t forget to pay attention to speed limits, as there are mobile radar controls. Sometimes the fine will be for a justified reason and other times… it will be for a totally made-up reason 🤣.
So I’d advise you to put only around 200 dirhams in your wallet and keep the rest of your money elsewhere. If you’re in a situation where you feel you’re going to have to give a baksheesh to get by, it’s best to show that you don’t have any more cash at your disposal.
How can I get Internet on my phone?
As Morocco is not included in most telephone packages, we bought a SIM card with 20 GB of data at the airport (from Orange). The price is €20, and all 3 operators charge the same rate.
Otherwise, if you don’t want the hassle, we recommend ordering your eSIM card on Holafly in advance, so you can be connected anywhere in the world! You’ll get a 5% discount thanks to our promo code AMOUREUXDUMONDE.
I hope I’ve helped you find out what to do in Morocco for a week-long road trip! If you have any questions, I’d be grateful if you’d use the comments section below, so that we can all benefit from the answers. To dream elsewhere… Discover the itinerary of my road trip to Namibia with Travelbase.
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Je suis Aurélie, co-créatrice du blog et de l’Instagram Amoureux du Monde. Depuis 2016, j’ai eu la chance de visiter de nombreuses destinations et de me former à la photographie via ces expériences. Ce que je recherche en voyage, c’est l’apaisement devant un magnifique paysage, l’émerveillement devant la beauté de la nature et l’émotion devant un coucher de soleil.
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