Morocco - planning a second trip

UFO

UFO

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We visited Morocco in 2015 in our campervan, just over 3 weeks in late February and March. We have been meaning to return but so far it has not happened - but maybe this year, in May.

It was a memorable trip and we visited some stunning places. So the question is if we return where do we go?

One option would be to go east from Chefchaouen towards the border with Algeria, the Rif mountain range, and also take in Fez, which we missed last time. Perhaps focus on this area of the country - the North East.
Morocco 2026.JPG



This where we went in 2015.

Morocco 2015.JPG


Tangier Med
Chefchaouen
Moulay Idriss, via the Roman ruins at Volubilis then Meknes
Dayat Hachlaf, via Via Ifrane
Aguelmane Azigza - via the Mischliffen ‘ski resort’
Azigza Afourar via Khenifra,
Ouzoud via Oued Al Abid and Azilal
Imi-n-Ifri via Demnate
Toufghine via Tizi-n-Outfi pass (High Atlas)
Skoura (Ameridil) via the Tizi-n-Fedrhate pass (High Atlas) and Musee Theatre Memoire De Ouazeazate
Mansour Eddahbi via the Ameridil Kasbah
Ait Benhaddou
Telouet via the Dar Glaoui Kasbah
Ait Ourir via the Tizi n Tichka pass
Marrakech
Essaouira
Souira Qdima
Oualidia via Safi
El Jadida
Skhirat via Azemour
Rabat
Asilah
Tangier Med

Any ideas?
thank you
 
I would love to go to Morocco in the camper as never been there!

But I'd need to persuade his nibs to come along, so it'll stay a daydream 🤷‍♀️

There's probably fat chance of me managing to make it there solo these days, unfortunately 🫤

Enjoy yourself wherever you end up visiting, lucky devils! ;)👌
 
UFO said:
We visited Morocco in 2015 in our campervan, just over 3 weeks in late February and March. We have been meaning to return but so far it has not happened - but maybe this year, in May.

It was a memorable trip and we visited some stunning places. So the question is if we return where do we go?

One option would be to go east from Chefchaouen towards the border with Algeria, the Rif mountain range, and also take in Fez, which we missed last time. Perhaps focus on this area of the country - the North East.
View attachment 149351


This where we went in 2015.

View attachment 149350

Tangier Med
Chefchaouen
Moulay Idriss, via the Roman ruins at Volubilis then Meknes
Dayat Hachlaf, via Via Ifrane
Aguelmane Azigza - via the Mischliffen ‘ski resort’
Azigza Afourar via Khenifra,
Ouzoud via Oued Al Abid and Azilal
Imi-n-Ifri via Demnate
Toufghine via Tizi-n-Outfi pass (High Atlas)
Skoura (Ameridil) via the Tizi-n-Fedrhate pass (High Atlas) and Musee Theatre Memoire De Ouazeazate
Mansour Eddahbi via the Ameridil Kasbah
Ait Benhaddou
Telouet via the Dar Glaoui Kasbah
Ait Ourir via the Tizi n Tichka pass
Marrakech
Essaouira
Souira Qdima
Oualidia via Safi
El Jadida
Skhirat via Azemour
Rabat
Asilah
Tangier Med

Any ideas?
thank you
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We almost went across in first few days of January, but reconsidered, mainly because I need to get a spare wheel or tyre fitted before departure. Other than that, Travel Insce will cover Morocco, European Breakdown won't, need the 3rd Party Insurance plus local currency. Is there anything else we would need?

Steve
 
We've not been but it's planned for January 2027 so I'm keeping an eye on this thread. Combining it with southern Spain to make a Schengen Shuffle 6 month trip sounds good to me. To be honest Marrakesh looks like a terrible tourist trap so we are planning to avoid it and most major cities, concentrating on the surf beaches of the Atlantic - places like Taghazout look right up our street. That said, we're open to do some traveling in the Med area too if it's worthwhile. The only advice I can give is remember to NOT take a drone - they'll confiscate it on arrival, but you probably know that already.
 
You are right, Marrakesh, Fes, Essaouira, etc are all massive tourist traps, but I do think at least one of them is worth a visit, for the souks, tanneries and stuff.
 
Sydwal said:
Marrakesh looks like a terrible tourist trap so we are planning to avoid it and most major cities,
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OK it was 10 years ago but we were very pleasantly surprise that we hardly got hassled at all, on the few occasions it happened a firm 'no thank you" and they were gone. All the locals were friendly and helpful.

Chefchaouen, Moulay Idriss, Marrakech, Essaouira and Rabat all good and worth visiting.

It would be good to get an update from someone who has visited these places recently.
 
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We have it in mind to visit Morocco at this time of year next year. Initially we'd only like to 'toe dip' and maybe go for 2-3 nights max. If it goes well then we'd look to do longer stints on the future.

Can anyone recommend a campsite next to a town where we could wander in each day for a mooch around? My wife has MS so it would need to be fairly close in terms of walking distance

Thanks

Graham
 
UFO said:
OK it was 10 years ago but we were very pleasantly surprise that we hardly got hassled at all, on the few occasions it happened a firm 'no thank you" and they were gone. All the locals were friendly and helpful.

Chefchaouen, Moulay Idriss, Marrakech, Essaouira and Rabat all good and worth visiting.

It would be good to get an update from someone who has visited these places recently.
Click to expand...
We've been to Egypt a lot with SCUBA diving (23 times at the last count!) so I know a bit of Egyptian Arabic which most Moroccans understand so I always tell the hassle guys That I'm Egyptian and from Alexandria despite being obviously white European. They look me up and down and laugh and by the time they've recovered we've legged it. Welsh works too but I have encountered one guy who responded in Welsh. That buggered us up.
 
GMJ said:
We have it in mind to visit Morocco at this time of year next year. Initially we'd only like to 'toe dip' and maybe go for 2-3 nights max. If it goes well then we'd look to do longer stints on the future.

Can anyone recommend a campsite next to a town where we could wander in each day for a mooch around? My wife has MS so it would need to be fairly close in terms of walking distance

Thanks

Graham
Click to expand...
Hey Graham, we are out there the same time so can plan a meet up if you're around. I know that Moroccan campsites are hit or miss and as I haven't been either I can't help with recommendations so I suggest doing some research online - I've watched a few YT videos with some good ones included. Whatever the case - they are pretty reasonably priced by all accounts.
 
Brettman valleyvan and Rusty Rose Adventures on YouTube are over there in a wee 4van convoy. Check Brett’s YouTube as he documented the trip and and it’s not a bad watch.
 
Have not been there since we got locked down for 5 months during covid. Don't know what the situation is now but they did not have any lpg gas filling stations then. We had a gas tank and could change to 907 bottles. It was very cheap then but you had to make sure you got a decent gas bottle when you exchanged.
 
I have been looking at guide books and plotting places on a Google map. Not all of these will be destinations in themselves, just possibly places to stop for a few hours. It looks like there would be enough to keep us occupied for 3 weeks or so without driving great distances. From our previous experience we know that driving times can be significantly longer than for similar distances in Europe.

A road that looks interesting is the N2 between Chefchaouen (A) and Al Hoceima (B), in yellow on the map. It's in the Rif mountains, where hashish is the main 'industry'. I can't find much about it online but from what I can find it appears reasonably safe. To quote The Rough Guide - 'One of Morocco’s most memorable journeys is the 210-kilometre mountain road from Chefchaouen to Al Hoceima which weaves along high on the crests of the Rif mountains. The views are spectacular.' Has anyone here driven this?

From Al Hoceima to Oujda (D) and then across to Fez (C) and some of the places south of Fez.

Screenshot_20260129_175307_Maps.jpg
 
I follow a guy on Youtube who has just done Morrocco on his Harley. Will be looking for different things to you maybe but he did Atlas Mountains and Saharah. Doubt you would want to take your van on some of the roads he did though lol. One thing I will say is be wary of the beduin tent excursions, I have seen a few different ones and they have been rip offs
 
Nabsim said:
I follow a guy on Youtube who has just done Morrocco on his Harley. Will be looking for different things to you maybe but he did Atlas Mountains and Saharah. Doubt you would want to take your van on some of the roads he did though lol. One thing I will say is be wary of the beduin tent excursions, I have seen a few different ones and they have been rip offs
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There was a 'Round the Horne' radio sketch almost 60 years ago that referred to being wary of those 'Bedridden Arabs' ... And, IIRC, Kenneth Williams, on being told that the term was 'Bedouin', replied 'Ooh, that explains a lot then, 'cos I thought he was walking very well, if slightly strangely (innuendo re camp behaviour), for someone who was bedridden ...' :ROFLMAO:

Steve
 
When we visited Ireland I read Eugene O’Loughlin's Exploring Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way - A Mororcycle Odyssey. He rode his Harley Davidson around the complete mainland Wild Atlantic Way. What I liked about this book is that the author often writes ‘I noticed a sign pointing down a side road for ....’ and we explored some of these ‘not in the guide book’ sites.

But going where a motorbike has gone in Morocco would be more challenging.
 
Thisisvanlife on FB are currently in Morocco with their 2 dogs. They definitely go off the beaten track and I find their posts to be interesting and informative. Their van looks like a professionally converted Merc Sprinter, that they have modified to suit their lifestyle. They don't seem to be selling stuff either!
 
Have done part of your A-B route, but in reverse.
Left Fes, headed to Targuist, then west to Chefchaouen.
Was very misty and raining so didn't see much, as you say massive hashish area. We were chased for about 30 mins, dealers wanting us to pull over, anyway mate who was driving decided he didn't want to pull over. :ROFLMAO:
That was probably 2008, pretty sure some of the road was a gravel road back then, no doubt come on in leaps and bounds just like the rest of the country.
 
UFO said:
When we visited Ireland I read Eugene O’Loughlin's Exploring Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way - A Mororcycle Odyssey. He rode his Harley Davidson around the complete mainland Wild Atlantic Way. What I liked about this book is that the author often writes ‘I noticed a sign pointing down a side road for ....’ and we explored some of these ‘not in the guide book’ sites.

But going where a motorbike has gone in Morocco would be more challenging.
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If you don't mind watching motorbike ones the one I referred to is Lean into the wind.

May not be you thing ad he did Atlas Mountains and Saharah before I think Marakesh. I will post link in case it is of interest but there are a coupe not about that trip so watch or skip whatever :)

Lean Into The Wind Morocco
 
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