Before I set off on my first road trip in Morocco, I had imagined things to play out like some chase sequence from a Bond or Indiana Jones film: traffic zig-zagging in every possible direction, getting funneled through impossibly narrow streets and tiny archways, maybe narrowly avoiding a fruit cart or two while driver and passenger yell at each other about every coming obstacle.
Well, I’m here to tell you that driving in Morocco is, umm, exactly like that.
At least, during the first 20 minutes or so while trying to get the heck out of central Marrakech. The busy, narrow streets and anarchic roundabouts near the medina here can definitely result in some high-intensity driving.
Luckily, it’s over very quickly! The truth is that driving in Morocco is for the most part really easy.
After braving the soup sandwich of traffic that is central Marrakech, driving in Morocco becomes unexpectedly relaxed. Once you find yourself on the open road, you’ll be in perfect road trip territory: fun to drive, mostly easy, and safe. (Oh, and those chaotic sections of Marrakech? You can entirely avoid them if you want to. We were just foolish enough to go through the old centre.)
If you have any misgivings about driving in this North African country, I can maybe help to dispel them here. I know that many travellers imagine it to be adventurous, but it is only somewhat so — at least, as long as you know a few things before you go. I’ll also share a specific road trip route from Marrakech that will let you see some incredible sights in a timeframe of 1 to 2 weeks.
Views of High Atlas Mountains from the N9 road through Tizi n’Tichka Pass 
Heavily laden trucks – a common sight on the roads of Morocco 
No, it’s not Route 66! Passing by The Hills Have Eyes film set on the way to Ait Benhaddou
Exploring Morocco with your own set of wheels offers many advantages over using public transportation or tours, which was the approach I’d used on a previous backpacking trip in Morocco. You can go at your own pace, stop anywhere, and get to know this country much more intimately.
What follows here is everything you need to know before you go, including driving tips, how to rent a car, and where it’s best to go for a road trip from Marrakech.
Driving conditions in Morocco
TD;LR: I don’t really recommend driving in central Marrakech due to the chaotic traffic there (unless you are a confident driver). However, this is moot anyway, as the highly compact old center is really meant to be explored on foot. Once you leave Marrakech, the driving becomes overall rather easy and highly rewarding, but stay alert to irregular traffic.
Road conditions
Firstly, know that the road quality on the main routes is far beyond what you might expect from a developing country. I’ll be sharing some photos throughout so you can see what I mean.
As far as the physical infrastructure goes, Morocco has clearly made some major investments. Don’t assume that just because Morocco is in Africa its infrastructure must be lacking. For the most part, the opposite is actually true. Most of the main roads are very well maintained.
The N9 between Marrakech and the interior / Sahara makes for a very smooth drive
Of course, not literally every road is exactly five-star material. For instance, I remember taking a bus along a heavily potholed road in the Atlas Mountains on a previous trip. However, the highways and primary national roads in Morocco tend to be in great condition.
On our Morocco road trip, we mainly drove along the N8 and N9 roads connecting Marrakech with the coast and the mountains. They’re in great shape and similar to any motorways or expressways you might find in Europe.
Driving behavior
While the road quality is generally good, it’s wise to always keep an eye out for anything unexpected on the road. We didn’t encounter anything too crazy, but a few things may be different from driving in Europe. Be vigilant and expect animals or road users other than cars to be a possibility anywhere.
On the provincial roads, you may be sharing the road with other forms of traffic. Pedestrians, scooters, or bicyclists may be off to the side and sometimes going in the opposite direction. However, in our experience, they still gave a wide berth to the car lanes, so this is a lot less concerning than it may at first seem. What might look like a ghost rider at first is just someone using the berm until they can cross to the other side.
We encountered a few sheep herders and their flocks as well, sometimes necessitating us to stop for a while to let them pass. But that’s just part of the fun of driving along rural roads.
That said, local driving behaviors can be a little unexpected sometimes. Several times we had cars on roundabouts give way to us even though we were outside the circle. We wondered if this was maybe some odd attempt at courtesy because my fiancé was behind the wheel, and women drivers are somewhat rare. Or perhaps we are simply unaware of how traffic circles work in Morocco!
Pedestrian crossings are another peculiarity. Zebra stripes seem to be mostly for decorative purposes as no one really seems to stop for pedestrians. A few times, we actually had cars honking behind us because we had the nerve to actually stop at a crossing to let some pedestrians pass.
Shown here above and below, the traffic in Marrakech can be a little hectic. Luckily it’s easy to put behind you quickly! 
However, apart from somewhat more cluttered traffic at times, the driving in Morocco is mostly easy, overall with high-quality road surfaces and almost all road signs being both Arabic and French, making wayfinding easy even without GPS.
One thing to be aware of, though, is the high likelihood of police stops. Yes, there are indeed loads of them in Morocco. The police officers we encountered were friendly and professional. However, they are quite stringent.
We got stopped thrice and were once fined for driving 7 km/h over the limit, which in our home country would probably still be within the margin of error. So watch your speedometer and keep an eye out for any stop signs where police may be pulling people over.
Car rental in Marrakech
Convinced a road trip is the way to go? Then the next step is to get yourself a vehicle, assuming you’re not arriving in one already. (There’s a car ferry from Spain to Tangier, though it’s quite a long way from southern Morocco, which we’ll focus on here.)
In Marrakech, there are lots of options for car hire with pick-ups either at the airport or inside the city itself. Since we flew into Marrakesh Menara Airport, we picked up our rental there.
We always use DiscoverCars to find the best local car rental deals. The ratings on this platform help us find well-rated suppliers that won’t give us a hard time with upsells or scams, something we really want to avoid at all costs after a few negative experiences in other countries. We arrived at Marrakech airport already with a Discovercars voucher on our phone and the check-in process was super smooth.
I should mention that our supplier, Locationauto (and many other local suppliers), doesn’t have an office at the airport. Instead, there’ll be a staff member with a sign waiting for you outside the arrivals hall.
At first it was a bit odd seeing them operate basically out of a van parked at the back of the car park. However, they were easy to find (right in front of the airport terminal), very friendly, and got us on our way in a jiffy. All in all, I’m very happy to recommend them! They are rated 7.5 on Discovercars, which is the highest we saw for Morocco.
Tip: on Discovercars be sure to spell “Marrakesh“, not Marrakech, to be able to select all of the pickup points including the airport. Or simply use the widget above.
Stopping at viewpoints along the way to Ouarzazate
I do advise getting full insurance with your rental and taking pictures of your vehicle from all angles before you drive off. We had a scratch on the car (we had no idea how it got there), which caused a bit of stress when returning the car at the end of our trip. Luckily, they let us off without having to file an insurance claim. But bigger accidents can happen, so it’s always wise to have proper rental car insurance.
You can either opt to get car insurance through Discovercars or through the local supplier. Discovercars offers a compelling deal for full insurance so it’s worth considering.
Car hire tends to be very affordable in Morocco. We found ourselves a compact for just around 20 EUR/day.
Want to start planning your Morocco road trip? Then check availability with Discovercars, which will scan all local suppliers to find you the best deals.
Find the Best Rates here
Tips for renting a car in Marrakech – FAQs
Here are the most frequently asked questions to help you rent your car and avoid any surprises along the way.
What document do I need to rent a car in Morocco?
You’ll need a valid driver’s license (in Roman script) – with driving experience of at least 1 or 2 years (varies by agency) – and your passport.
Do I need an international driver’s permit in Morocco?
Most foreign driving licenses are accepted, provided they have your photograph and are in a language the local rental company can understand.
Generally speaking, if your license is in Roman script (e.g., English, French, Spanish), you won’t need an international driver’s permit.
Is there any age requirements for driving in Morocco?
Yes. To legally drive in Morocco, you must be at least 18 years old. However, most car rental companies have stricter rules and usually require drivers to be:
- 21 or 23 years old minimum (varies by agency)
- Held a license for at least 1–2 years
What type of car should I book?
While minis like a Fiat 500 or Fiat Panda offer some of the lowest costs, I would advise getting at least a compact if you’re planning to head into the mountains or onto rural roads.
What are the cancellation fees for car rentals in Morocco?
Cancellation policies vary by agency, but most allow free cancellation if done at least 24 to 48 hours before the rental start date.
Driving through the Todra Gorge 
POV: through the High Atlas roads 
The N9 leading east out of Marrakech
Where to go on a road trip
Marrakech makes for an excellent starting point for a road trip, being just a few hours’ drive from the coast or the Atlas mountain range.
There are three directions that we explored from Marrakech, each with varying potential for sightseeing and overnight stops.
Our trip became a bit of an ‘8-loop’ beginning in Marrakech, going into the High Atlas, then back to Marrakech and towards the coast. A more common road trip is to go through the Atlas range and to the Sahara Desert, and then back to Marrakech.
Going east via the Tizi n’Tichka pass
If you’re in any doubt about where to go, simply put the N9 road into your navigation system and go! After about an hour’s drive east, you will hit the Atlas Mountains, where the landscapes are simply spectacular.
Marrakech to Aït Benhaddou via the N9 – crossing the dramatic Tizi n’Tichka Pass and the heart of the High Atlas 
N9 winding through Tizi n’Tichka, passing roadside villages 
A little pitstop with a view along the way
This road snakes its way between the High Atlas peaks, but the driving is comfortable thanks to the N9 having had many upgrades in recent years.
It’s a very well-maintained 2-lane road with occasional 3 or 4-lane sections for overtaking. Along the way, there are cafes and restaurants where you can stop for a coffee with some incredible views of the mountains, often with snowy peaks visible in the distance.
We drove this way mainly to reach Aït Benhaddou, an ancient fortified village that’s a UNESCO World Heritage site as well as a recognizable backdrop from many films and TV shows.
While most visitors will probably stay for just one night, we were in Aït Benhaddou for 3 nights so we could do some extra sightseeing in nearby Ouarzazate and other places. You can check my guide to Aït Benhaddou for detailed tips.
Following this, we returned to Marrakech, but this time via the highly scenic backroad P1506. You’ll drive through some stunning Moon-like rocky landscapes, interrupted only by a river valley dotted with ocher-red adobe houses, crumbling ksars, and patches of mint-colored palm groves. It’s a stunning side route that you definitely don’t want to miss.
Driving through the p1506 road 
We kept our itinerary simple as it was a family trip and we didn’t want to burden our 3-year-old daughter with too many long drives. I actually loved taking it slow and staying in Aït Benhaddou longer.
However, if you are motivated to explore further, I highly recommend driving further east to the Roses Valley, Todra Gorge, and to Merzouga on the edge of the Sahara (all places I went to on a previous trip). If you want to go the whole way and back, I recommend having at least 4 days, but preferably 5 if you want to take it easy and look around.
Travelling west to Essaouira
The next direction to consider heading from Marrakech is west to Essaouira. The bad news is that the N8 is straight as a nail, the landscapes are flat and boring, and there are no real notable stops along the way… so, prepare for a dull 3 hours or so of monotonous driving.
N8 road stretching through the arid landscapes of Essaouira
On the plus side, the seaside town of Essaouria is amazing and highly worth the drive. If you thought Marrakech was too chaotic and overwhelming, then Essaouira should be just the tonic for you. It’s utterly calm and soulful, feeling like a light ocean breeze.
The dunes and rocky cliffs make the coast here wild and highly photogenic. Having a car will make it easier to do sightseeing in the area, to visit argan oil cooperatives (a product for which this area is famous), or to hit up smaller villages along the coast like Sidi Kaouki.
You can even go all the way down in the direction of Agadir and stop at the surfing community of Taghazout, then loop back to Marrakech via the Tizi n’Test pass — a road that is much more scenic than the N8 that passes through flat and barren areas.
Heading south to Agafay or Ourika
I’d seen the Agafay Desert recommended quite a few times as an alternative to going all the way to the Sahara. Whereas Marrakech to Erg Chebbi — a popular spot along the Sahara edge — takes about 10 hours to drive to, getting to Agafay takes just 40 minutes.
However, know that it’s a very different experience. Agafay is not sandy, as most tourists are probably hoping, but a rocky desert on the outskirts of Marrakech.
We only explored it a bit, but found the northern sections near the village to be underwhelming, the landscape here intersected by electricity pylons and a web of dusty roads.
If you’re desperate for a desert experience closer to Marrakech, I can see it being really cool to stay in one of the many luxury boho chic-style tented camps that are set up here, some with permanent swimming pools and other amenities.
You can watch the stars at night and enjoy the traditional Berber music and fire eaters that provide entertainment here at night. The area doesn’t quite have a remote feeling, though, especially during the day when hundreds of ATVs are cross-crossing the rocky hills.
I didn’t think Agafay was a must, but going in the direction of Ourika — on the edge of the Atlas range — seems a lot more promising. We had sadly run out of time and couldn’t make it to Ourika, but this village is known for its ceramics production, so you can buy earthenware here straight from the source.
I had marked the André Heller Garden for a visit, as well as Setti Fadma, a riverside leisure area inside the Ourika Valley. With an extra day to spare, I would have headed here for some nice mountain views, scenic roads, and some time at the waterfalls and springs. Having already been to the Sahara, I would skip Agafay, which seems better experienced as an organized day trip tour from Marrakech.
So there you have it: from Marrakech, you can head into multiple interesting directions and put together a fantastic road trip route. Don’t forget you can find affordable and reliable car rentals by searching on DiscoverCars.
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