Morocco through a dirty windshield
To be honest, I really did not make many preparations before catching the ferry to Morocco from Algeciras to Tanger Med.
I had just flown back to Lisbon a week earlier and was busy catching up with my girlfriend after being apart for two months. After a 7-hour drive from Lisbon, I reached Algeciras in the evening. I spent the whole night worrying and thinking about ways the border security guard might send me back to Germany after controlling me.
Finally getting onto the ferry, I had some time on my hands, so I quickly researched where to get insurance and if I could get cash upon reaching Morocco to buy said insurance for the car. Luckily, the Spanish LTE connection was strong enough to last all the way, and I found out that it might be possible to get some cash there. Additionally, I needed to find a place to park in Tangier and buy a SIM card for internet access in Morocco.
So I pretty much locked in a campsite on “Park4Night” and hoped for the best after maybe getting through the checkpoints.
With these tasks in mind, I tried to take in the ferry ride, watching some dolphins in the water and getting a final glimpse of Gibraltar before disappearing behind the horizon. Slowly, I started to realize the immensity of the upcoming challenge of travelling alone in a completely unknown country, let alone on a different continent, where I could only hope that they would understand my English or dismal French.
Just after setting up the GPS and starting my audiobook, I was about to start driving when it started to rain heavily. Instead of cursing the unfortunate weather turn, I smiled a little and hoped it would also be raining in Tangier so they would finally get some fresh rainwater.
With the music turned on, I had a great time driving the twisty roads along the coast. In a good mood, I increased my speed to the allowed 80kph on these lonely streets. However, taking the very next turn a bit too optimistically, my back wheels started to drift and would have overtaken me if I had not instinctively corrected my steering to the opposite side. Now, I definitely felt like Michael Schumacher, but I decided to play it a bit safer for the rest of the ride to avoid having a close look through the windshield of the next car in the opposite direction.
After some more driving, the weather improved a lot, and the sun started shining again. On my route along the N16 and then taking the P4111 inland from Bni Bouzra, I reached some crazy mountains, and the streets began to get smaller. Slowing down appropriately, I made my way along some pretty spectacular landscapes and views. Somehow, I can't remember why, I decided to drive up one of the massive hills towards a small café. It's hard to say why I had the urge to go there, but somehow, I made my way up.
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Surprisingly, there were a considerable number of campsites scattered all over Morocco, even in less-traveled regions like the Atlas Mountains. There was always an auberge or a place to park a camper or pitch a tent. Prices ranged from 3€ to 12€ for a camper and one person, making campsites a reasonably-priced and convenient option for a safe place to stay. Additionally, it's an excellent opportunity to meet other like-minded travelers (mostly from Europe), which was beneficial for me while traveling alone at times.
While wild camping or parking at certain locations is also possible, I recommend using a service like “park4night“ (www.park4night.com) to find spots, as reviews and experiences from other people can provide a good indication of safety. I never had any issues with the police or being sent away while wild camping, but it could be because I had a small transporter van.
Morocco Travel Tips
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If you don't already have insurance, you can buy it in Morocco right after crossing the border. I bought mine after arriving in Tangier Med. After exiting the ferry, you will arrive at an open area with plenty of money exchange stalls. I chose not to change euros and instead hoped to find an ATM there, as I always feel that exchange places charge high surcharges or exchange rates. After some worry on the ferry, I was able to find an ATM between the small stands and obtained some local currency. Getting insurance was straightforward. With my import card and car registration in hand, I obtained one that covered one month. The options are one day, five days, one month, and two or three months. My planned stay was just over a month (five weeks), so I decided to go for one month and see if I needed the extra week of insurance later. My plan was to stay flexible. In case I decided that traveling Morocco alone was not enjoyable, I would reschedule my ferry booking and head home earlier.
However, one month later, I had a close call with the police when I was stopped just two hours before my insurance would have run out. Of course, for the first time, they wanted to see it. Somehow, I still got lucky and avoided another fine. But I am getting ahead of myself. As it turns out, you can also extend your insurance at almost any larger city with some insurance agencies, and that's what I did immediately after getting stopped. The second insurance agency I went to in Essaouira (AXA) was able to get me the new papers.
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fter reaching Morocco, I had to go through a checkpoint and inspection. The first thing they asked me, even before checking if I had any weapons, was if I had a drone with me. Thankfully, I had left it safely back in Lisbon with my girlfriend. Even after trying to contact the Civil Aviation Authority, I was not able to obtain a permit for the country, and it seems that others had the same problem. However, somehow, the popular Instagram travel propaganda for Morocco had drones and was using them for every post and reel. So every time I saw a new post, I just wanted to use their footage or drone. The landscape I ended up driving through would have been lovely to film with a drone, but what can you do? Maybe I could have shipped it in a package? I met an English couple that smuggled their drone through the checkpoint in their van, but I would not recommend this approach. I wouldn't like to get caught by the police or military with a controller in hand.
Looking at travel videos on YouTube and just reading some of the titles really makes one stop and think if this is an excellent place to visit.
“Why I would NEVER return to Morocco”
“Visit Morocco: 15 Culture Shocks of Morocco”
“Morocco: The Don'ts of Visiting Morocco”
“Huge Disappointment - Vanlife in Morocco”
Some people I spoke to before the trip were a bit shocked that I would travel to the country on my own and had some reservations about travelling there. However, I was determined to learn about the people and the country in my own way, and that was by travelling through it in my van. Upon arriving, I felt some anxiety about this new country and continent, but I quickly learned to appreciate the strangeness and unfamiliarity of the culture.
Everyone I met along my 4000km journey in the country was nice and helpful, and they seemed happy to talk and engage with me. Of course, some of them wanted to profit in some way from me, but I did not really mind at all because I was always able to decline or accept their offers, and I never felt pushed to do something I did not want.
Of course, some caution is necessary, and like in any place, you should not put yourself in a dangerous/ stupid situation. However, I found that with a positive and friendly attitude, I would get responses in kind.
I can, of course, only speak about my experience of travelling the country for five weeks and don’t want to discredit anyone's bad experiences.
Sahara Desert, Merzouga
Wild camping spot in the dunes
The Atlantic Ocean & Bana Beach
After my time in the desert and a long drive towards the coast, I finally reached the Atlantic Ocean.
I mostly skipped Agadir entirely, and I would suggest you do the same. It is essentially just a larger city and resort town with big hotels and an average beach. One of my favorite places was parking right at the ocean at Bana Beach. I had a great time getting back into the water for a sunset and also a sunrise surf session.
Tagazought
Along the coast, you will find several small fishing villages, especially north of Agadir, slowly transforming into surf spots. One of the most famous villages is Taghazout, which is becoming increasingly popular but still maintains its Moroccan roots. It offers an excellent atmosphere for relaxing, surfing, or exploring the village.
For parking your car, there are several spots you can choose from:
The most popular is in front of Anchor Point, an intermediate surf spot 5 minutes from the city centre. You can expect to pay around 40 dh for one night if someone comes to collect the money. You could run into problems with huge camper rigs, as I have seen the police throwing out some travelers.
Another option is a campsite 10 minutes further north, but it is expensive at around 120dh and too far from the centre.
You can also consider sleeping at the parking lot of the skatepark.
Anchor Point, Tagazought
Parking spot infront of the surf spot
After two weeks of solo travel, my brother joined me for the next two weeks before I eventually had to drive back to Tangier. I picked him up from the airport in Marrakech, and we headed off into the countryside and through the mountains before finally encountering some bad weather.
Especially the flatbread is really an affordable snack for breakfast. For about 1-3dh, you can get a loaf. After my supply of porridge ran out, we switched to flatbread with Moroccan Nutella - in Morocco, they usually call it “amlou”, and confiture.
Imsuane - West Coast
Points of Interest and My Route
MADAKHAL MESKI: Small Village in the center of morocco below the atlas mountain range. Especially the oasis and the ruin of the old town on the other side of the canyon are worth the visit.
TATA: Along my way west along the N12 I stopped at this lonely wild camping spot. Also as a side note this was the first time on my trip, were I found wild water in the form of a small puddle.
CHEFCHAUEN: One of the most beautiful cities in Morocco. There you can find loads of blue-painted houses and get lost in the narrow labyrinth of streets.
TAGAZOUT: A small fishing village on the west coast. Really a must-visit location if you would like to go surfing. There are several nice fish restaurants to visit as well.
TAGAZOUT: This skatepark was built by a skate initiative for the locals and has a unique and stunning location, especially during the evening, when the temperatures begin to drop and you have a nice view of the sunset over the ocean.
IMSUANE: Another little fishing village along the Moroccan west-coast. Imsouane has a unique location and a perfect beach break for longboard surfers.
THINGHIR: Good place to stay for some nights after crossing the Atlas. Especially nice oasis.
MARRAKECH: Along the N8 we fond these goats enjoing some dinner. You can find them especially north of the atlas arround the arcatia plantations.
SIDI KAOUKI: South of Essaouira, this is another small town with some surfing potential but way less popular than further south. Probably this is more suited for wind surfing.
OUARZERZATE: Touristic hotspot in the mountans. I would say it is worth the isit but maybe only if you are traveling in the area ayway.
Places I didn't visit, due to time constraints, are marked in dark grey. All the places I actually visited are marked in dark blue.
Due to my brother visiting for two weeks, I had some difficulties planning everything and ensuring I arrived in Marrakech on time. So we decided to head into the Atlas Mountains again, as I had skipped some parts on my first route. In the end, I was glad we discovered more of these areas as well.
(Open the map for more details and better usability.)
Further Links & Videos
