Updated April 2026

Atlantic border to Mauritania open both ways.
Borders with Algeria have been closed for decades.
Loads more under the Morocco menu above.
Trans Morocco Trail and High Atlas Trail

Money Moroccan dirham exchange rates.

Price of fuel
About 14.5dh for unleaded, 15.5dh for 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).

Mountain and Desert pistes
Morocco is getting 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 mountain pistes are more interesting.
Over 20,000-km and 78 routes: it’s all in the full-colour 2025 edition of Morocco Overland or on 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, especially if you’re heading for West Africa, but slow down, look around, and you’ll find a few places to explore

In the flat expanze of WS there are pistes and now 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 time. You can 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.