At the gates of the desert

Zagora is the main town of the Draa valley in south-eastern Morocco. The Draa river draws a long green ribbon here: a succession of palm groves, earthen ksour and kasbahs between arid mountains. It is one of the most spectacular drives in the country, and a trip that needs planning, because the distances are long.

Important: no pick-up on site

There is no pick-up point in Zagora, nor anywhere else in the Draa valley. The most logical starting point is Marrakech airport, where several models in the fleet can be collected. The car must be returned to a pick-up point during the agency's opening hours, so plan the outward and return journey from Marrakech.

The road from Marrakech

Allow about 360 kilometres between Marrakech and Zagora, a long day's drive. You first cross the High Atlas via the Tizi n'Tichka pass, one of Morocco's highest road passes, with its hairpins and viewpoints. You then descend towards Ouarzazate, and the road goes through Agdz before following the Draa valley down to Zagora. Many travellers break the journey with a stop in Ouarzazate or in the valley.

What you see along the way

  • The Draa palm groves, stretching for dozens of kilometres below the road.
  • The mud-brick ksour and kasbahs, many of which can be seen from the road or on a short stop.
  • Jebel Zagora, the mountain that overlooks the town.
  • The famous sign reading "Timbuktu 52 days", a reminder of the caravans that left from here for the Sahara.
  • Beyond Zagora, the road continues to Tamegroute and its Koranic library, then towards the first dunes.

Driving in the South

The main road is paved, but long and sometimes winding. Fill up regularly, drive in daylight and keep water on board. The cars in the fleet are road vehicles: stay on paved roads and leave the tracks to specialists. A comfortable SUV makes all the difference on these long stages.

Which car to choose?

Among the models available at Marrakech airport:

  • Land Rover Range Rover Evoque: from 1300 MAD/day.
  • Maserati Grecale: from 1800 MAD/day.
  • Audi Q8: from 2100 MAD/day, spacious for five people and their luggage.
  • Land Rover Range Rover Sport: from 2000 MAD/day (for rentals of 15 days or more).

All these cars have automatic transmission and unlimited mileage, an advantage for a round trip of more than 700 kilometres. The minimum rental is 3 days and the deposit is 30000 MAD for these models. For Zagora, allow four or five days instead.

Book

To plan your trip to the Draa valley, message us on WhatsApp at +212 646 618 020 or book directly on loccor.com from the page of the car you choose.