Is it worthwhile for a single traveller to rent a car in Morocco?
The situation is entirely different if you are traveling on your own as compared to when you are sharing a car with two or three other people, and most car rental guides do not clearly point out this difference. Hence, we should give an honest answer from the point of view of a solo traveller, taking into account cost, safety, and whether the flexibility is in fact worth the compromises involved.
What You Actually Need to Rent
The requirements are simple: you need a valid driver’s license from your home country, and although an International Driving Permit is not always strictly necessary, it is really worth getting since it is cheap, lasts for one year and eliminates any uncertainty should you be stopped by the police or in the rare event of a claim with your insurance. The minimum age is generally 21, although for certain types of vehicle it is required to be 23 or 25. It is essential – not optional – to have a credit card in the name of the main driver because the rental company puts a security hold on it which can amount to a large sum, sometimes exceeding a thousand euros, so make sure that your credit limit is adequate before you book. In Morocco the driving side is the right one, just like in the United States, Canada and continental Europe.
What It Actually Costs
The daily rate for a simple compact car is about 250 dirhams, but because of seasonal price fluctuations the rates are 30 to 50 per cent higher in July, August and during the Christmas period, so if you are travelling then it is necessary to book at least six weeks in advance as popular types of vehicle do actually sell out. While automatic transmission cars are available they are less numerous than manual ones and should therefore be booked well in advance if this is important to you. It is generally possible with the bigger rental companies to return the car in a different city from the one in which it was picked up, although this will usually involve an additional fee of about 700 dirhams.
Insurance, Where Most Problems Actually Start
Moroccan law mandates that all rentals must have third party liability insurance as standard, which covers any damage or injury you may cause to other people but not to your own vehicle. Collision Damage Waiver is available as an extra in almost all cases, and since there are real road hazards in Morocco—such as animals crossing rural roads, unmarked speed bumps, and mountain driving—it is actually worthwhile to take it rather than refusing it in order to save a small amount each day. Before you reject any coverage on the basis that your credit card’s travel insurance provides adequate protection, you should carefully check the small print, as many of these cards either exclude North Africa altogether or have a high deductible which nullifies the benefit. It is also advisable to consider Personal Accident Insurance if you do not already have good travel or health insurance that covers you in Morocco.
Do You Need a 4×4?
For the vast majority of routes that solo travelers take, it is perfectly possible to drive using a standard car, the routes involving travel between cities, crossing the Atlas Mountains on tarmac roads, and even getting to desert gateway towns such as Merzouga or Zagora. You’ll only need a 4×4 if you deliberately plan on doing genuine off-road driving in the desert, and it’s important to note that off-road driving on unpaved surfaces generally cancels out both the standard rental agreement and the insurance; so, if this kind of driving is something you intend to do, you must have a vehicle that has been specifically approved for off-road use and obtain written confirmation of this before you leave the rental lot.
The Honest Driving Reality
Although Moroccan traffic regulations are clearly written down, enforcement and local driving practices don’t always align with these rules, especially in the city centres where the situation becomes truly chaotic. Secondary roads are often poorly maintained and have inadequate lighting, which is the primary reason why experienced travellers always advise against driving at night in this area. Police checkpoints are a regular and routine aspect of road travel, so it’s important to have your passport, rental agreement and insurance documents easily accessible, since tourists are usually permitted to pass quickly when they have these documents ready; however, having them to hand prevents any unnecessary delays. Speeding fines are handed out on the spot by Gendarmerie officers and must be paid immediately in cash in dirhams, so make sure you have some dirhams available if you’re driving between towns.
The Solo Specific Question, Is It Actually Worth It
That is the point at which the figures turn around should you be traveling alone. When two or more people are traveling, hiring a car is usually better value than taking buses, grand taxis, and day tours put together, and there are real time savings since Morocco is small enough to travel from the Atlantic coast to the Sahara dunes in one well-planned day. If you are going alone, you lose the advantage of splitting the costs, having to pay the full daily rate, the insurance, and the fuel yourself.
For the classic route from Marrakech to the Sahara—particularly one that includes real mountain passes, unfamiliar road conditions, and a degree of local knowledge concerning the timing and best viewpoints that a rented car obviously cannot offer—many experienced independent travelers, whether traveling alone or not, prefer to hire a private driver-guide. This arrangement avoids the tiredness and sense of unfamiliarity that come from having to drive alone on mountain roads in a country where local driving practices are very different from those back home, while at the same time allowing for a private and flexible itinerary, the only difference being that another person is carrying out the driving.
If you’re planning a route that involves only a few cities connected by good, direct roads and you really want the freedom to stop anywhere you like, then a rental car is indeed a excellent choice for a single traveller. However, when your route includes the Atlas Mountains, stretches of remote desert, or a great deal of driving at night for reasons that are unavoidable, it’s very likely that hiring a private driver or joining an organised tour for that particular section of the journey will be the better option, not just in terms of comfort but also because it allows you to enjoy the scenery more rather than having to focus on driving.
A Note From Living Here
This isn’t intended to put you off from driving in the area, since many people who travel alone do so and have a wonderful time; it’s just important to have realistic expectations regarding what Moroccan roads and traffic conditions are really like, rather than suppose that they’ll be the same as when you drive at home.
Quick Answers
Is an International Driving Permit necessary in order to rent a car in Morocco? While it is not always strictly necessary, it is cheap and really worth obtaining for the sake of peace of mind when going through checkpoints or if a claim has to be made.
Whether or not it’s worth renting a car in Morocco when traveling alone depends on your route; car rentals are suitable for traveling between cities on good roads, whereas mountain passes and desert sections are usually better managed with a private driver, particularly when traveling alone.
Is a 4×4 necessary in order to drive in Morocco? No, since standard cars are capable of covering the majority of the routes, including those on paved roads up to the desert gateway towns, a 4×4 is only required if you are doing genuine off-road driving.
Is it safe to drive at night in Morocco? It is generally advisable to avoid it, since secondary roads may have poor lighting and maintenance, and this is the most frequently given piece of advice by experienced travellers in the country.
If you are stopped at a police checkpoint what will happen? Tourists are usually allowed to go through quickly and in that case you should have your passport, rental contract and insurance documents easily to hand in case they are asked for.
