The Most Beautiful Drive in Morocco: Fes to Marrakesh via Merzouga
Morocco is a country full of incredible landscapes, bustling cities, and a culture that feels both ancient and alive. But if you stick only to the major cities, you miss some of the most breathtaking parts of the country.
One of the most unforgettable experiences is the drive between Fes and Marrakesh through Merzouga and the Sahara Desert. Depending on where you start, you can do this route in either direction, and each perspective offers something unique.
Guided Tour vs. Self-Drive: Choosing Your Adventure
If you’ve read some of my other blogs, you might know that I have mixed feelings about guided tours for this route. They can feel rushed and very tourist focused, with a pretty strict schedule and not much downtime in between stops.
If you’re on one of these tours, you’re often moving from one point to the next with limited opportunity to linger in the moments that really pull you in. On the plus side, guided tours take away the stress of planning and navigating, especially if you haven’t driven in Morocco before.
The Freedom of Renting Your Own Car
For those looking for more freedom and flexibility, renting your own car is an amazing option. Driving yourself allows you to explore at your own pace, spend more time in the villages or scenic spots that captivate you, and truly immerse yourself in the landscapes and culture without feeling rushed.
You can choose when to stop for photos, stay longer in a tiny desert town that steals your heart, or take a quiet side road just because it looks cool. You decide when to wake up for sunrise or pull over for lunch in a place with a view.
That sense of control and adventure adds a whole other layer to this experience.
The journey itself is long, often eight hours or more in a day if you take a guided tour. But the time on the road is part of the experience.
If you’re driving yourself, make sure to snag a good seat in the car, pack some great playlists or podcasts, and be ready to stick your head out the window more than once. The air, the colors, and the wide open sky are part of what makes this drive feel so alive.
Preparing for the Journey: What to Expect
As you leave the busy cities behind, the contrast is immediately striking. Cities like Fes and Marrakesh are alive with energy, full of vibrant markets, the call of street vendors, motorbikes weaving through narrow streets, and people going about their daily lives.
The chaos and constant movement of city life gradually give way to the slower, quieter rhythm of the countryside.
Day One: Leaving the Cities Behind
About halfway through the first day, you begin to enter an entirely different world. The roads wind through dramatic canyons and rugged mountains, past palm lined oases with small streams, and through areas where locals live in the middle of nowhere.
It’s common to see people washing clothes in tiny pools tucked into red rock canyons or tending to small gardens in the desert soil. These moments give a real sense of life away from urban centers and show how people adapt to living in such a remote and challenging environment.
Along the way, small villages start to appear as if out of nowhere, each one surrounded by incredible landscapes that feel untouched by time. These villages are often quiet, with narrow roads, simple homes, and locals going about daily life.
Each one feels completely different from the city and offers a window into the variety of lifestyles across Morocco. The winding roads, colorful landscapes, and unexpected moments of local life make every mile on this drive worth it.