Crossing to Morocco by motorcycle is one of the great adventures you can start from southern Spain: a 90-minute ferry takes you to another continent, another culture and some of the best riding roads in North Africa. But motorcycle travel in Morocco has its particularities: customs paperwork, insurance, the ferry, police checkpoints and local customs worth knowing before you board. This guide gathers everything we have learned crossing the Strait with groups for years.
If what you need is to pick your dates, we have a dedicated guide on the best time for a Morocco motorcycle tour. Here we focus on logistics: documents, ferry, safety, roads, budget and routes.
Documents to enter Morocco with your motorcycle
This is the part that intimidates most riders, and in reality it is simple if you do your homework. You need four things:
A valid passport
With at least 6 months of validity. An EU identity card is not enough: Morocco is outside the Schengen area. On entry your passport gets stamped and you are assigned a registration number worth keeping (some hotels ask for it).
Temporary import of the bike (form D16 ter)
Your motorcycle enters Morocco under temporary import, with a maximum of 6 months per year. The procedure is free and can be done in advance: fill in the D16 ter form on the Moroccan customs (Douane) website before travelling, print the receipt with its barcode and the customs step shrinks to minutes. If you arrive without it, you can fill it in at the port, but expect queues. Important: the bike must leave the country with you; if you ride a rental you need express authorisation from the owner.
Registration document and licence
The bike’s registration document (in your name, or with a notarised authorisation if it is not) and your EU driving licence, which is valid in Morocco. An international driving permit is not required for tourist stays.
Insurance: the green card
Check whether your policy’s green card includes Morocco (the MA box). Many European insurers include it free or as a cheap temporary extension; others do not, and then you have two options: arrange an extension with your insurer before leaving, or buy border insurance at Tanger Med port (around €100 for 10 days, minimum cover). Our advice: sort the green card in advance, the cover is incomparably better.
The ferry: crossing the Strait with your bike
Routes and indicative prices
- Algeciras – Tanger Med: the main route for motorcycles. Ferries roughly every hour, 90-minute crossing. Return ticket with bike and rider between €180 and €250 depending on season and operator (Baleària, FRS, AML). Tanger Med is 45 km from Tangier city.
- Tarifa – Tangier city: shorter crossing (1 hour) arriving right in the centre, but with fewer vehicle departures.
- Other routes: Almería or Motril to Nador/Al Hoceima if your target is the eastern Rif.
Boarding tips
- Book ahead in high season (Easter, summer, long weekends). Open-return tickets give flexibility for the way back.
- Arrive 90 minutes early. Loading the bike is quick but exit passport control can queue.
- On board, strap the bike down yourself or supervise how it is done: ask for straps if none are offered.
- Passport stamping and the D16 are handled on arrival at Tanger Med, inside the port. With the D16 done online, you are on the road in 20-30 minutes.
Is it safe to ride a motorcycle in Morocco?
It is the question we get asked most, and the answer, after years of crossing with groups, is a firm yes with common-sense caveats. Morocco lives off tourism, people are genuinely hospitable towards motorcyclists and the feeling of safety on the road and in villages is high. The real issues are different ones: local driving (more chaotic than European), animals loose on the road, and persistent haggling in the most touristy spots, which can be tiring but is harmless.
Reasonable precautions: do not ride at night (animals and unlit vehicles), keep documents at your accommodation and carry copies, and in big cities use guarded parking (10-20 dirhams, available everywhere). In all our years of tours we have never had a serious security incident.
Roads and driving in Morocco
Asphalt quality
Better than most people expect. National roads (N) are generally well surfaced and the motorways are excellent and cheap. Regional (R) and provincial (P) roads vary: some perfect, others with potholes and gravel on the edges. In the mountains, watch for rockfall after rain.
Police checkpoints
Frequent and nothing to worry about. The Royal Gendarmerie sets up checkpoints at the entrance and exit of towns; tourists are usually waved through. If you are stopped, it will be for a greeting and a glance at your documents. Two golden rules: respect speed limits scrupulously (radars exist and fines are paid on the spot) and treat checkpoints with the same courtesy you receive.
Local driving
In cities, organised chaos: scooters everywhere, flexible priorities and the horn as a language. On the open road, the key is anticipating optimistic overtakes from oncoming cars and expecting donkeys, sheep and dogs around any rural corner. Ride with margin and it is perfectly manageable.
Fuel, money and connectivity
- Fuel: no supply issues. Unleaded 95 costs notably less than in Spain. In the deep south and Atlas pistes, refuel at half tank: stations get sparse.
- Money: the dirham (€1 ≈ 10-11 MAD). Withdraw cash at city ATMs (tell your bank you are travelling) and always carry some cash: outside tourist areas cards are not universal.
- Connectivity: buy a local SIM (Maroc Telecom or Orange) at the port or in any city: plenty of data for very little. EU roaming does NOT cover Morocco and bill shocks are a classic.
How much does a motorcycle trip to Morocco cost?
Indicative budget per person for one week riding independently from Spain:
- Return ferry with bike: €180-250
- Accommodation: riads and mid-range hotels between €25 and €60 per night. Sleeping well in Morocco is cheap.
- Food: €10-20 a day eating very well (tagine and lamb included).
- Fuel: for 1,500-2,000 km, around €60-90.
- Extras: border insurance if your green card does not cover, parking, tips.
Independent total: €600-900 per person for a week, plus whatever you spend in the souks. An organised tour with bike, hand-picked hotels, guide and support vehicle removes every logistic in this guide: our 5-day Imperial Morocco is €1,890 and the 11-day Grand Morocco is €2,750, all inclusive.
The best motorcycle routes in Morocco
Four great axes, north to south:
The Rif and the Mediterranean coast
Chefchaouen, the coast road to Al Hoceima and the Rif pistes. Green, cool and perfect as a first contact or for summer. This is the terrain of our Morocco Rif off-road tour.
The imperial cities
Rabat, Meknes, Fez and Marrakech linked by the Middle Atlas: cedar forests, monkeys in Azrou and the best cultural immersion. The backbone of our Imperial Morocco.
The High Atlas and the Tizi n’Tichka
The country’s most famous mountain pass (2,260 m), the road of a thousand kasbahs, Ait Ben Haddou and the Todra and Dades gorges. Roads you remember for years.
The desert: Merzouga and Erg Chebbi
The big dunes, nights in a desert camp and the southern pistes. The highlight of the Grand Morocco, which links all four axes in 11 days.
What to pack
Ventilated gear with a membrane for the mountains, summer and mid-season gloves, serious sun protection and a dry bag for the ferry. We have a complete Morocco packing guide with the detailed list.
When to go
Express summary: spring (March-May) and autumn (October-November) for the full route; summer only north and coast; winter for the imperial cities with cold nights. The month-by-month detail, with Ramadan dates and our departures by season, is in our best time for Morocco guide.
Independent or organised tour?
Independently, Morocco is an entirely feasible adventure with this guide in hand. An organised tour adds something different: zero time lost on logistics, routes refined over years of editions, a guide who solves any problem in two phone calls, a support vehicle with spares, and the reassurance of riding in a group through remote areas. If it is your first time or your holidays are short and precious, the guided format multiplies what you see per day. Have a look at all our Morocco motorcycle tours and compare.
FAQ
Can I enter Morocco on a rented motorcycle?
Yes, with express authorisation from the owner to take the vehicle out of the country. Every bike in our rental fleet can cross to Morocco with the paperwork we prepare for you.
Do I need an international driving permit?
Not for tourism: EU licences are valid.
What if I break down in Morocco?
Cities have competent, cheap workshops and parts for common brands are findable. In remote areas it gets complicated: that is why our tours carry a support vehicle with a mechanic and spares.
Can you drink alcohol?
Yes, in hotels, licensed riads and tourist restaurants. It is not a dry country, but alcohol is not on every corner.
Tap water?
Stick to bottled, it costs cents. Brushing your teeth with tap water is fine.
Morocco is 90 minutes away by ferry
Few destinations give back so much for so little logistics: with your passport, the D16 done from home and the green card in order, Morocco is closer to Málaga than Madrid is. And if you would rather have us handle the logistics while you bring the enthusiasm, you know where to find us.