Morocco, the country of a thousand contrasts, where it is good to walk all year round to discover another culture, hospitable people and splendid landscapes. Morocco is also a country to know for its gastronomy, its royal cities, its many historical and magnificent monuments, its coasts bordering the Atlantic and part of the Mediterranean, but also its mountains and its deserts. You want to take the time to discover this superb Maghreb country, so go and discover it by motorhome. Here are some tips and routes you can follow to get the most out of it.
To go to Morocco by motorhome, several choices are available to you. It is possible to embark in Algeciras or Gibraltar to arrive at the port of Tangier. You will pay just over €200 for the round trip. The registration of the vehicle will be done at the port and the customs formalities, on the ferry. You can also land in Ceuta which is a Spanish enclave in Morocco. You can do all customs formalities on site. Allow about 5 hours from Algeciras to arrive in Tangier.
If you need a visa, it will be issued at customs. If you have a registration document for your motorhome, everything is fine, but if you are towing a trailer covered by a second registration document, be careful, it is absolutely recommended that this second administrative document not be your name, because customs officials assume that one vehicle owner can only drive one vehicle at a time.
If you go down to Tarfaya or even lower, you must fill out a police card, because the police, if they stop you on the road, will be likely to ask you for it. While driving, respect the Highway Code, because the police and the Royal Gendarmerie are present on the roads and install latest generation speed cameras. So you can be fined. Always be polite and friendly with them, because they maintain order and security and thus allow you to walk around safely.
Once there, you will need some information. Note that a liter of gasoline is cheaper than in France and costs around one euro. If you need a gas bottle and need propane, have your own bottles filled which you will pay around €15. Attention, this supply can be done at the exit of Marrakech, in Meknes and on the road to Safi only. For electricity, you will find it in all campsites, but the power is not always constant. The water remains drinkable, but be careful when drinking it, especially near desert areas. If you need to withdraw money, you will find ATMs everywhere in the cities, but the bank card is not accepted everywhere. If you have a pet with you, it must be up to date with its vaccines and especially the one against rabies, indicated on its health record.
Wild camping is prohibited throughout the country and especially on the Atlantic coast. You must therefore go to a campsite or to welcoming families in the south. You will pay derisory sums to individuals, will always be very pleasantly welcomed and will do a good deed, because you will allow them to live more correctly. There are still places where tourists are still wild camping and are not fined by the police who do not necessarily circulate. You should know that wild camping, wherever it is, always involves insecurity. You can stop during the day to admire the desert or go to the forest in the Atlas, for example, but it is not advisable to stay there at night even if you are not controlled.
Here is an itinerary to discover Morocco by motorhome if you have never been there. We advise you to plan three weeks to one month of vacation to be able to take full advantage of it. Although this tour of the country is quite comprehensive, it will only show you part of the Kingdom of Mohamed VI, but you can come back to it many times afterwards, if you catch the virus like many other motorhome owners.
When you disembark in Tangier, you will go along the coast towards Kenitra and Rabat. You can stop at Asilha to discover a first typical place of the country with a beautiful fort and often very decorated white houses. Continuing your journey, you can stop at the Moulays Bousselham campsite or park in Rabat when you visit the city. You can still spend a day or two in Casablanca to stroll on the beaches and discover the great mosque and its colorful souks.
From El Jadida to Essaouira, you always continue along the Atlantic coast. You will find several campsites that can seduce you for a stopover of one or more nights. Do not miss the visit of the pottery workshops of Safi. You then arrive in Essaouira by the coastal road which is a little less good from Safi. There, you will be dazzled by the immense beaches, the port with its small restaurants and the superb fortifications of the old town that spread out before your eyes. Visit Essaouira from top to bottom, the place is so wonderful and authentic. Then you can go to the south of the country.
Leaving Essaouira, you will really follow the sea. This route is magnificent. In Agadir, you can take long walks on its seafront and visit the city. The next town where you can stop is Taroudant. If you spend a night at the campsite, take the horse-drawn carriage to see the old town and its superb fortifications. You will then pass through Tiznit where you can stop at the municipal campsite and meet many French people on holiday. You can then go all the way to Tan Tan or turn off just before town to reach Tata.
In Tata, you will be in the south of the country and it is often very hot there from the first months of spring. This city is interesting if you decide to spend part of the winter in Morocco, precisely for its climate. You will then attack the Draa Valley and cross many ksars in the colors of the mountain and in the heart of verdant palm groves. The landscape is fabulous there, however, you will never meet the river since it is dry. Arrived in Zagora, you will be at the gates of the desert. From this town, you can reach Mhamid where you will find the sand desert or go to Rissani and then Merzouga. In Merzouga, you can climb the huge sand dune by camel or 4X4 and watch the wonderful sunset. Then go through Erfoud to buy pretty fossils found on site and polished by local craftsmen. You can then attack the Dades gorges which are grandiose and not to be missed. For the occasion, you can rent a 4X4 if you prefer.
This part of Morocco is certainly one of the most remarkable. Leaving the Dades gorges, you will arrive in Ouarzazate where you can visit the film studios and filming locations for Asterix films. Going up towards Marrakech, do not miss Ait Benhaddou which is an inhabited ksar and which has been used for the filming of many films. You then arrive in Marrakech where you can stop for several days. Go to the famous Jema-el-Fna square where you can see the snake charmers and witness a unique atmosphere as there are so many people. Nearby, you can get lost in the souk and shop which is, of course, to haggle. Also take a walk in the huge palm grove with luxurious houses from where you can see the Atlas on a sunny day, whose peak is always snow-capped.
Leaving from Marrakech, go see the Ouzoud waterfalls which are the most beautiful in the country. You will then arrive in Meknes which is an imperial city of great beauty. You can go around the city in a horse-drawn carriage, visit the tomb of Moulay Idriss, the royal stables and the buildings around it as well as the magnificent ramparts. Then go visit the other magnificent imperial city of Fez. On site, you can enter through one of the majestic old doors connected by a superb wall. In the medina, you will discover the famous vats of dyes of all colors used to color the leather of the tanneries. For the occasion, you can put fresh mint in your nostrils because the smell is so pestilential. Then visit the zellige art workshops. You will see craftsmen cut enamels that they have baked in artisan kilns to make various objects like tables, mirrors, fountains and other works of art. Do not miss the superb faculty whose decorated buildings have several centuries of history.
In each of these cities or a few kilometers away, you will find municipal or private campsites to welcome you. If you can't find it, ask passers-by, some will take you there and others will suggest you stop in their garden. After visiting Fez, you can go back up to take the ferry, but pass by the blue city of Chefchaouen first to visit the magnificent ancient site of Volubilis.
