Morocco in Camping-Car: advice, areas, routes

How to visit Morocco by camping-car or in furnished van?

Visit a country on motorhome , equipped van or van offers ever more freedom than by relying on public transport and hotel infrastructure. What if we're going to visit Morocco on a camping-car or in a van to sleep almost at the beautiful star, in a breathtaking natural environment? You will not have to look for the rates and schedules of Moroccan hotels and riads and you will stop where you like (provided to park in places authorized or tolerated by local authorities).

Morocco is one of the most popular tourist destinations in French. And tourism is the second contributor of Moroccan GDP, with 12.3 million tourists who visited the country in 2018. And because of its natural capital, its architecture, its historical and cultural heritage, Morocco — between the cities of Morocco Rabat , Casablanca , Marrakech , Fez Agadir, Meknes, Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert - is filled with wonders to see.

Here is our mini-guide to visit Morocco by camping-car and in furnished van!

Ideas of itineraries in Morocco by motorhome

Morocco is a vast country spread over 446 550 km2 and its culture is so rich that several trips are possible in a single stay in Morocco. Your journey will be different as you go to visit Morocco on a motorhome for its cultural sites, its sublime sandy beaches, its wild and preserved nature, Berber villages dyed with ochre and red in the wilderness, Imperial cities , medinas or souks . Morocco is a bridge between traditions and modernity. There are so many things to do and to see in Morocco that it will take several stays to explore behind the scenes.

Between Marrakech, the Atlas, Meknes, Fez , Essaouira , Casablanca, the dunes of Erg Chebbi, Chiefchaouen , the gorges of Dadès, Tafraout, the valley of Drâa, Ouarzazate, Rabat or Agadir , developing a comprehensive itinerary seems complex to visit Morocco by camping-car or by furnished van.

From the Spain or by renting a motorhome (fourgon or van) on site, you will see that there are as many routes as possible as tastes. Either you walk all over the country by accumulating sights from north to south and east to west — but it will be the race — or you restrict your area. But it is only by staying for several weeks that you will have time to discover an authentic Morocco, meeting its inhabitants.

Here are some ideas of course through the Moroccan roads:

• 1 week: Fez (souks, medina, medersas), Sefrou, Meknes and the imperial city, Moulay-Idriss, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, Casablanca,

Photo credit: Caramaps

• 15 days: the same route, the south with the Urika valley, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, hiking in the Atlas, El Jadida, Essaouira, Agadir, Tafraout and Taroudant,

Photo credit: Caramaps

• 1 month: same route, plus the Drâa Valley, the Tizi-n-Tichka Road, the Todgha Gorges, the Dadès Gorges, Merzouga, the Cascades of Uzbekistan and Béni Mellal, the Aït-Bougmez valley, Chefchaouen, Tangier.

Photo credit: Caramaps

Note : Of course, these step ideas are only informative and you will leave this program with your desires. Your journey will differ depending on whether you want to make a tourist itinerary or stay longer in the villages to get to know the local population.

How and where to rent a motorhome in France?

You want to go to the discovery of Morocco by borrowing a ferry from France with your Camping-Car or van for example? It is now easy to rent a motorhome in the Hexagon. How? Using interrelationship platforms between tenants and particular camper owners as Yescapa For example.

How does it work?

• At first, you have to choose the motorhome in your city (For example Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse, Paris, Montpellier or Marseille).

• Be careful choose unlimited mileage, to check the number of beds available and if travel abroad is possible.

• Do your work online rental request and share your travel information (dates, rental options, mileage, etc.) to the owner.

• If your request is accepted and after payment, you will have access to the owner's contact information to organize a First meeting.

• Day J, present your driver's license and pour bail.

• One. status of premises is executed and a lease is signed between the two parties. When you return, after running Moroccan roads, sign the state of the return places and the tour is played!

How and where to rent a motorhome in Morocco?

Would you like to discover all the different facets of Morocco, all on a camping car? If you prefer to rent it directly on site, it is recommended to make an online reservation in advance to ensure that there are vehicles available on arrival.

To get you a motorhome, we recommend you go through a rental platform for motorhomes and vans arranged online. These sites are now legion on the road trip and wild camping market. The principle is simple: you choose the desired vehicle – depending on the daily price, the type of camper/van/van fitted, the equipment of the vehicle -, and you send an inquiry to the owner.

A final step awaits you: the receipt of a confirmation email after your online payment. You can then leave safely for a Road Trip in Morocco!

Drive to Morocco by motorhome: traffic rules to know

Are you wondering if it’s safe or difficult to drive to Morocco to visit it by camping-car or by furnished van? If we say that driving in Morocco is dangerous, it is a prejudice: it is only in large cities. But the Chérifien Empire is an excellent country to make in camping-car.

Before returning to the subject, good news: gas stations are numerous in the country and prices are much lower than in France (approximately 1€ the liter). Note that, to drive and visit Morocco in motorhome, the French permit Enough. In addition, it is not necessary to apply for a visa for stays less than 90 days (only a passport is required).

Safety and equipment

The vehicle shall be equipped with a reflective jacket, a rescue wheel and a warning triangle in the event of an accident. It is also mandatory to attach the seat belt for all passengers of the vehicle.

Circulation

The driving is done, as in France, on the right-hand track with overtaking by the left. The state of the road network is constantly improving as the state invests heavily in road infrastructure. However, there is a need for greater caution because motorists (scooters and bikers) can be dangerous.

Be aware of the night drive because the obstacles are often invisible. Attention also to mountain roads. Some — with a large overhang — are without security slides. Other advice: when crossings, in the event of dysfunction of traffic lights, listen to klaxons to find out what to do.

Alcoholemia

The alcohol level is 0 . As Morocco is a Muslim country, the government does not accept any tolerance on alcohol. It is better not to try to drink only a drink before driving, because sanctions can go up to the prison sentence .

Speed limits

In Morocco, speed limits are as follows:

• 40 km/h downtown,
• 60 km/h in agglomeration,
• 100 km/h out of town,
• 120 km/h On the highway.

Be careful to scrupulously respect speed limits, as police officers with radar and twins are numerous, even in isolated areas: fines pleuvent in Morocco!

Motorways to Morocco: what price for your camper category?

The Moroccan system is inspired by the French "model" and there are toll highways in Morocco, especially on the highways linking the country's major cities. Coming to visit Morocco on a motorhome, you will pay by Class 2 if the 2-axle vehicle is more than 130 cm high.

The Moroccan motorway network is 1,839 kilometres and the free quick-track network is 1,093 kilometres: it is one of the densest networks in the African continent.

The highways, materialized by blue panels, are as follows:

• A1: Tanger-Kénitra-Rabat-Casablanca-El Jadida-Safi,
• A2: Rabat-Meknès-Fès-Taza-Oujda,
• A3: Urban Highway of Casablanca,
• A4Tangier Med-Tanger,
• A5: Contournement de Rabat,
• A6Fnideq-Tetouan,
• A7: Casablanca-Marrakech-Agadir,
• A8Berrechid-Khourribga-Béni Mellal.

Here is a range of fares for the most frequented highway sections in Class 2:

• Casablanca-Rabat: 34 DH (3,18 €),
• Rabat-Tanger: 120 DH (11,24 €),
• Casablanca-Marrakech: 120 DH (11,24 €),
• Rabat-Fès: 76 DH (7,12 €)
• Marrakech-Agadir: 152 DH (14,23 €).

Rates are actually much lower than in France!

Campsites in Morocco: where to park?

Wild campsite

In Morocco, the wild camping is, as in France, forbidden. But it is necessary to nuance because, to visit Morocco in camping-car and in furnished van and to stop at a parking place (e.g.) is less similar to wild camping than to free bivouac. However, if you do not install tables, chairs, gas stove and sun loungers on the public road. In any case, there are more and more camping pitches in Morocco, even if the pitches can be very rudimentary, composed of a dry and rocky land, with a simple access to the sanitary.

Parking

As in France, you can park on all parking places regular, but avoid parking to sleep in towns, city centers and in isolated areas, especially near the borders with Mauritania and Algeria.

Know that you can always try to degain our favourite road-trip app: Park4night . This mobile application is simply a travelling Bible to visit Morocco by camping-car, van or fitted van (and for all other European countries). It is a tool for sharing places where travellers in vans and campers have bivouaced. You no longer spend long hours wandering to find the "spot" where to spend a night, with sometimes the stress of being dislodged by the police or a night strewn by a late arrival.

The application refers to a multitude of places: campsites, camper areas, paid or free parking places, outdoor areas. You compare the comments and reviews (noted out of 5 stars) and you can be guided by GPS coordinates to the place indicated on an interactive map, provided you have network in mobile data. And this, apart from the Moroccan cities, is not guaranteed!

How to get to Morocco on a motorhome?

Morocco and its large spaces are easily discovered in motorhomes. Getting to Morocco by motorhome is possible in two ways: one with a lot of ferry, the other with little ferry.

Getting by ferry to Morocco from France is possible from Marseille with a company. On the other hand, the journey is not always insured and, above all, the bill is usually up to more than 1 000€ for two people and a vehicle! In other words, this option is not really the most recommended.

The best option, and by far, is, according to your city of departure, to cross the France then the Spain . The main cost will be gasoline and count between 160€ and 210€ by crossing according to the speed and consumption of the vehicle.

From Spain, you can visit Ceuta or Tanger Med. Ceuta is one of the two Spanish enclaves located in Morocco. The crossing between Algésiras and Ceuta has the advantage of being quick but the disadvantage of presenting more complex crossing procedures. It is therefore advisable to go to Tanger Med, always from Algésiras or from Tarifa, further south. Count about 200€ by crossing, all understood.

What is the best time to travel by motorhome in Morocco?

When do you have to go to Morocco on a camper or a furnished van? Morocco is experiencing several climates due to its wide geographical diversity. Summer can be torrid, especially in case of syrocco, and the thermal amplitude can be important in the desert (cold nights, torrid days). Rain can be abundant in the mountains in the Rif and the Middle Atlas, except in the summer.

Although the Moroccan climate is generally Mediterranean , the country undergoes influences of the Atlantic currents, with a dry and hot season associated with a cold and wet season. In the south of Morocco and in the Sahel regions, the climate is desert and dry. According to the regions visited, there is a climate that is counterbalanced by oceanic, Mediterranean, mountainous, continental and saharian influences.

The best time to visit Morocco in camping-car and/or in furnished van is therefore the Spring (April and May) and early autumn (October). It is dry and temperatures are neither suffocating nor freezing.

However, even in winter, you can visit Morocco in motorhome. But without climbing on the snowy heights of the Atlas. Days can be pleasant (25°C) in plains and the weather is mild throughout the year along the Atlantic coast. For example, the average temperature in Agadir is 21°C in December, 20°C in January, and 21.5°C in February. Careful, it will logically be much cooler in the north.