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Morocco Road Trip Itinerary (10–14 Days)
After road-tripping the UK, France and Spain, I crossed into Morocco by ferry from Spain to Tangier and spent just under 90 days driving the country with my dog Roly.
This wasn’t a quick highlights loop. It was a full, lived-in route: coastal towns, big cities, long slow workweeks, then a final push north through the Atlas, the desert edge, and Morocco’s deep interior, because I needed to exit within 90 days to stay compliant with visa-free rules.
Morocco is one of the most rewarding road trips I’ve done because the contrast hits hard and fast. You can go from Atlantic surf towns to red-earth medinas to snow-dusted mountain roads and desert highways in the space of a few drives.
What follows is:
- the full route I actually drove (90 days) and why it worked so well
- plus 10-day and 14-day versions that keep the magic without burning you out
Table of Contents
- My Morocco Road Trip Route Overview (my 90-day route)
- Alternative Morocco Road Trip Variations (10 days vs 14 days)
- Arrival City Logic (Tangier vs Marrakech vs Agadir vs Casablanca)
- 10-Day Morocco Road Trip Breakdown (daily format)
- 14-Day Extended Version
- Practical Notes: Drive Times, Road Conditions, Timing & Pacing
My Morocco Road Trip Route Overview (My 90-Day Route)
The route I actually drove
Ferry Spain → Tangier → Asilah → Rabat → Casablanca → Marrakech → Essaouira (base) → coastal breaks (Imsouane / Taghazout / Tamraght)
Then on the way back north (to exit within 90 days), I took a completely different interior line to get the full breadth of terrain:
Essaouira → Marrakech → Ouarzazate → Zagora → Mhamid (Sahara desert → back to Ouarzazate → Errachidia → Fes → Chefchaouen → Tangier
Why this route worked (especially as a digital nomad with a dog)
1) It starts soft, then gets wild
Coming in through Tangier and drifting down the coast via Asilah/Rabat lets you acclimatise to driving style, currency, pace, noise before you hit the intensity of Marrakech and the south.
2) Essaouira as a long base changes everything
I based myself in Essaouira for 8 weeks, and that’s honestly what made Morocco feel livable instead of chaotic. It gave me:
- a stable work routine (without moving every 2–3 days)
- beach walks and medina life on repeat
- an artsy, easy social vibe
- and it’s genuinely one of the most dog-friendly places I’ve travelled in Morocco
Plus, it’s perfectly positioned for coastal mini-breaks:
Imsouane, Taghazout, Tamraght - easy to do as day trips or 1–3 night escapes.
3) The return route north is where Morocco expands
Most people do Morocco like a checklist. What changed it for me was the northbound interior route:
Atlas edges, desert roads, cinematic landscapes, and cities that feel totally different (Fes, Chefchaouen). It made the trip feel like “multiple countries” in one.
4) It’s realistic for the 90-day visa-free window
Morocco gives many travellers 90 days visa-free (depending on passport). That constraint actually helped as it forced a clean arc: coast + base → south + desert edge → interior cities → exit.
Alternative Morocco Road Trip Variations (10 Days vs 14 Days)
Here’s the key truth: my route worked because I had time (and because I stayed put in Essaouira for weeks).
If you’re planning 10–14 days, your goal is not “see everything.” Your goal is choose one spine and do it properly.
Option 1 - 10 Days: Coast + Marrakech + Desert Edge (most balanced)
Best if you want: iconic Morocco + one wow landscape shift, without chaos.
Option 2 - 10 Days: North Focus (Tangier loop)
Best if you want: cooler temps, easier driving days, blue city energy, and less intensity.
Option 3 - 14 Days: Full Arc (most variety without burnout)
Best if you want: coast + Marrakech + desert/Atlas + a major northern city.
Arrival City Logic (Tangier vs Marrakech vs Agadir vs Casablanca)
Where you land changes the entire route.
Start in Tangier if you want:
- the most logical entry if you’re coming by ferry from Spain
- a smoother ramp into Morocco
- a north-focused route (Chefchaouen, Fes, Rabat)
Best for: ferry travellers, first-timers who want an easier start, summer travel.
Start in Marrakech if you want:
- maximum “Morocco hit” fast: medina energy, riads, day trips
- access to Essaouira + Atlas + desert routes
Best for: first timers flying in, people short on time, winter sun.
Start in Agadir if you want:
- a straight shot into surf towns (Taghazout, Tamraght, Imsouane)
- a more relaxed, beach-first entry
- easier pacing if you want “coast + chill + one inland push”
Best for: travellers who want coastline first, surfers, relaxed road trips.
Start in Casablanca if you want:
Casablanca is useful logistically but not essential as a base. Most travellers land and move on quickly.
Best for: international flight connections, one-way car rental pickups, travellers heading straight to Rabat, Chefchaouen or Marrakech, short business stops rather than leisure bases.
10-Day Morocco Road Trip Breakdown (Daily Format)
This is the “tight but not frantic” version. It prioritises depth over distance.
10-Day Route A: Marrakech + Essaouira + Desert Edge
- Day 1: Arrive Marrakech (easy first night)
- Day 2: Marrakech (medina + reset day)
- Day 3: Drive to Essaouira (settle in)
- Day 4: Essaouira (work-friendly / beach / medina)
- Day 5: Coastal break: Imsouane or Taghazout (1 night)
- Day 6: Back to Essaouira or straight to Marrakech (depending on energy)
- Day 7: Drive to Ouarzazate (cinematic landscapes)
- Day 8: Drive to Zagora (desert edge begins)
- Day 9: Day trip toward Mhamid (desert feel) + return
- Day 10: Return to Marrakech + fly out
Why it works: you get a real base (Essaouira), a coastal reset, and one proper terrain shift inland.
14-Day Extended Version (More Morocco, Same Flow)
With 14 days, you can add either the north or more desert/Atlas without rushing.
14-Day Route: Full Breadth (without chaos)
- Days 1–2: Marrakech
- Days 3–5: Essaouira base
- Day 6: Coastal break (Imsouane / Taghazout)
- Day 7: Back to Marrakech
- Day 8: Ouarzazate
- Day 9: Zagora
- Day 10: Mhamid (or closest desert push that suits you)
- Day 11: Errachidia (transition)
- Day 12: Fes
- Day 13: Chefchaouen
- Day 14: Tangier (exit)
Why it works: it mirrors my northbound logic; coast/base first, then interior breadth, then a clean exit.
Practical Notes: Drive Times, Road Conditions, Timing & Pacing
Drive times that actually feel good
Morocco looks compact until you start driving it. The sustainable pace is:
- 2–4 hours on a drive day
- stay 2+ nights per base where possible
- avoid doing long drives back-to-back unless it’s a deliberate “transition day”
Road conditions: what to expect (real talk)
Most main routes are fine, but Morocco rewards alert driving:
- potholes appear suddenly, especially outside main highways
- livestock can be crossing on the road
- hitchhikers are common on coastal and rural stretches
- night driving can feel intense (limited lighting + unpredictable road edges)
When to avoid moving
- Arriving into Marrakech late afternoon can be stressful (traffic + medina logistics)
- Friday exits and Sunday returns into bigger cities can add time
- Summer heat makes long inland drives feel heavier, coastal bases help
Parking + old towns
Medinas aren’t built for cars. Assume:
- you’ll park outside and walk in
- accommodation “parking included” is a major win
- staying just outside the core often makes the trip smoother
Final Thought
Morocco works best when you build it like a story: coast to calibrate, a base to breathe, then interior drives that change the landscape completely.
My 90-day route let me experience Morocco in full; not just places, but pace. But even in 10-14 days, you can still get the same feeling if you choose a direction, stay longer in fewer places, and let the transitions do some of the work.
Depth beats distance in Morocco every time. It’s an absolutely stunning country that doesn’t need rushing, it unfolds properly when you let it.