Hi there,

I'm planning a trip to Morocco with my partner in May and have mapped out a basic itinerary but have a few queries. I'd really appreciate any comments and/or help to assist my organisation!

We'll be spending time in Portugal beforehand and Spain afterwards, so we are planning on driving our hire car to Morocco. So:

Day One: Ferry to Tangier, drive to Rabat.

Day Two: Drive Rabat to Marrakesh (stopping in Casablanca for lunch).

Day Three: Marrakesh

Day Four: Drive Marrakesh to M'Hamid.

Day Five: Join an overnight trip into the desert. (I'm thinking this will be pre-booked, possibly with Sahara Services).

Day Six: Drive M'Hamid to Casades d'Ouzoud (or somewhere else between M'Hamid and Fes to break up our journey - suggestions welcomed!)

Day Seven: Drive on to Fes.

Day Eight: Fes.

Day Nine: Drive Fes to Tangier and catch ferry back to Spain.

I realise there are some big driving distances involved, but I'm not too worried about that as we won't be driving every day.

My main questions are:

1. Will all the roads on our planned route be accessible with a non-4x4 vehicle?

2. Can anyone recommend cheap-ish places to stay at any or all of our destinations? (We're happy to stay in hostels but I can't seem to find them in all the places. Also happy to stay in reasonably-priced riads if anyone has suggestions).

I'd really appreciate any advice or comments. We are a little it flexible and could probably manage another day or two if necessary.

Thanks!

First, you cannot take a hire car into Morocco from Europe.

You can either rent a car here in Morocco or use public tranport. The train is the best option from Tangier to Rabat/Casa (not a good tourist destination - even for lunnch) and then on to Marrakech.

From Marrakech, you cuold eitehr join a tour that includes transport, or negotiate your own transport with a grand taxi - or even rent the car in Marrakech and drop it off in Fes (from Fes you can pick the train up to Tangier). I think this would be the best option as it gives you a lot more flexibility. You will not need a 4x4. I did your route several years ago with a little Fiat.

From Zagora/M'hamid, the best route to Fes is not the one via the Cascades, but the road that goes via Skoura and Errachidia. In fact, in my opinion, the Sahara at Merzouga (near Errachidia) is much more scenic than the desert at Zagora/M'hamid.

Thanks for the advice! In that case, can you recommend any good tour operators running desert trips from Merzouga?

We will be leasing a car through Peugeot Eurolease. The cars can only be picked up in mainland Europe, but Morocco is one of the countries we are allowed to drive it in according to the lease website, so I had assumed it would be possible. I will double check this though ... wouldn't want to get turned back at the border!

Actually, I seem to recall meeting somenoe who had done something similar (had a lease as a opposed to a rental) and - it did work.

If thats the case, dont go with a tour operator!! The roads are fine and most auberge/hotels in Merzouga will arrange a night in the desert. Check out www.i-escape.com and www.specialplacestostay.com for good accommodation options in the area.

Thanks for those options jenmaroc.

I know you have recommended the desert at Merzouga as being more scenic, but I quite enjoy getting off the beaten track a bit and I have heard the desert near M'Hamid is far less touristy. I am therefore still investigating all options ... especially as we'll have our own car to get to the edge of the desert.

You've obviously been to both places though so I do value your opinion. What exactly do you mean by 'more scenic'? I'm really just after a huge expanse of nothingness where I can lie under the stars and visit some impressive dunes!

In my experience, M'hamid was a large expanse of nothingness - not even any really impressive dunes (they're much smaller there than at Merzouga). The desert at Merzouga just seemed to me to be more colourful, bigger and more extensive dunes - but yes, more "tourist-ed" (no matter, what, its difficult to call the Sahara "touristy"...thankfully, no Starbucks or McDonalds yet.

Indeed. Let's hope it stays like that!!!