Morocco (original) (raw)

Updated May 2026

Atlantic border to Mauritania open both ways.
Borders with Algeria closed since decades.
Loads more under the Morocco menu above.
See also Trans Morocco Trail and High Atlas Traverse

Money Moroccan dirham exchange rates.

Price of fuel With the current Hormuz situation prices are volatile but they’ve recently dropped back down to about 14.5dh for unleaded and diesel. Prices vary a little around the country.
In Western Sahara fuel is 30% cheaper except at the last fuel station at the Mauritanian frontier (but still cheaper than Mauritania).
World fuel prices.

Costs Moderate. It’s easy to get a basic hotel down south for 250 dirhams half-board per person. At that price I don’t bother with camping on a moto.

Languages Arabic, Berber, French, English.

Visas In most cases not required in advance. South Africa is an exception. Entry lasts 90 days.

Border formalities Straightforward from Spain or Mauritania. See getting there and immigration procedure (from the north).

The border with Algeria has been closed since 1994 and although Morocco may wish otherwise, it’s unlikely to re-open. If it ever does, it will probably be limited to locals and not foreign tourists (as with many other Saharan borders).

Morocco 4, 2025

Mountain and Desert pistes Morocco has become more popular than ever and rightly so; it’s the best place to explore the fringes of the Sahara without a trans-Saharan commitment. And while not long, some of the routes are as scenically impressive as anything in the Sahara, though in fact the Atlas pistes are more interesting.
Read about over 20,000-km and 78 routes: it’s all in the full-colour 2025 edition of Morocco Overland or visit the TMT page.

The N1 Atlantic Highway passes Laayoune and Dakhla on the way to the Mauritanian border north of Nouadhibou. There is a temptation to shoot through if you’re heading for West Africa, especially now they’ve made it into a fast four lane expressway up to Dakhla. But slow down, look around, and you’ll find a few places to explore

In the flat expanse of WS there are pistes and roads going inland until you near the militarized Berm (‘sand wall’; right) which separates the Moroccan-controlled coastal portion from the Polisario Free Zone inland (see this). Be aware there are landmines in this area which are not always clearly marked.

In the Moroccan part of Western Sahara (coast road or elsewhere) checkpoints are frequent and handing out a pre-printed form with your details saves them writing it all down by hand while you wait. Download a Word template for the form (as left) by clicking this.

From Morocco to Mauritania
There is a fuel station right on the frontier. The next fuel is up to double the price at the junction for Nouakchott. Because of this, the Mauritanians may not take well to stacks of jerricans full of Moroccan fuel. Be discreet.
For full details on the Moroccan-Mauritanian border see the Mauritania page.