Morocco driving travel advise
Replies: 4 - Last Post: Jun 25, 2012 2:11 AM Last Post By: khamlia
jump to
Morocco driving travel advise
Dear all,My wife and me are planning a trip driving around Morocco next November for two weeks. Our preliminary itinerary is the following: Casablanca-Rabat-Fes- Marrakech-Casablanca (Our flight tickets arrive and depart from Casablanca) but we would like to travel out off the beaten track but we are not sure about the road conditions, down to earth posibilities of doing them, security,etc so we would be really pleased if you may help us with some tips:
1) From Fes to Erfoud to Ouarzazate to Marrakech: Do you know if it's possible to drive from Fes to Erfoud (spend the night there), next day Erfoud to Ouarzazate (night there) and then Ouarzazate to Marrakesh? In the worst of the cases we are thinking about doing Fes- Ouarzazate (night on there) - Marrakesh. What do you think about these two plans?
Do you know if there are any places that you may consider a must to stop and see on the road between Fes to Erfoud, or Fes - Ouarzazate?
2) What do you think about the Tizi-N-Test road from Marrakesh to Agadir? Is it safe enough?
3) Finally Agadir- Essaouira (night on there)- Casablanca
Please bear in mind that we will be driving with a 4WD car, we are not expert navigators and we don't speak Arab at all (Spanish, English and some French).
Looking forward for your reply
Thanks in advance
Fran
1
..... too much driving to enjoy the country, reduce it.Better to drop Fez, if going to Rabat and Marrakesh you'll have enough city sites to see.
The Tiz-n-Test Pass is safe if you allow plenty of time and don't rush, its unforgiving otherwise. Watch out for loose scree strewn on the road especially when descending and negotiating bends, can be dangerous.
I travelled across it in a very small cars, Fiat Uno and Kia Picanto, got one puncture from a pothole. You can manage well enough in a normal car, 4x4 not really necessary but nice.
Once through the Pass and down into the Sous Valley head for Taroudannt at the centre of the valley. This fabulous walled town is well worth while visiting, there's a unique hotel here in the Casaba, formally the home of the Pasha of Taroudannt, whether you stay a night, or just have a meal / coffee, to view and photograph this beautiful complex and some of its little secret gardens and fountains. This is the best place to stay in the valley, in the past 10 years huge repairs and improvements have been carried out on the town's walls, gates and parks, few tourists venture here so its not spoiled like Marrakesh or other big tourist sites.
You'll manage well enough with English and French.
The weather on Atlantic coast south of the High Atlas in November is beautiful, that's Agadir and south of it.
Research on this interactive map... http://www.looklex.com/morocco/map02.htm
2
In my opinion 2 weeks for this travel is not so little, it is enough to drive and even relax somewhere and enjoy. As moroccotraveler wrote, you not need 4x4. You can good navigate because there are good signs everywhere, so it would not be problem.If you not have in intention to stay in Erg Chebbi, you not need to drive to Erfoud either. Go from Fes via Midelt (there you can sleep over if you want) to Errachidia and from there right against Tinjdad - Ouarzazate etc.
On other side, Ziz Valley is nice to see, but honestly there are not so much to explore, even if I like this piece to look at. It is just from Errachidia to Erfoud.
Edited by: khamlia
4
I am agree with Truman, but I like Ouarzazate anyway. It is nice, clean city and there you can visit one old kasbah and Palace of Glaoui. You can overnight in Ait BenHaddou which is near.Or you can stay in Skoura, I never have explored it but heard it is nice there. What is worth the visit is Todra Gorge or Dades or both.
