Intial suggestion from me

from Marrakech take the Tizi n Test road to Taroudannt, stop at Tin Mal on the way - this is Tarmac all the way.

From Taroudannt take MH7 from Morocco Overland to Ouarazazate getting some High Atlas Piste but do able in a day

Ouarazazate head east visiting the Dades and Todra Gorges, but visit Ait Ben Haddou at some point whilst in the Area

At this point your goal is Erfoud/Rissani and Erg Chebbi. If you have time try and visit Hansjorg Voths desert sculptures on the way.

Find a desert Auberge in the shadow of Erg Chebbi for a romantic sunset

Take route MS6 from Rissani to Zagora to get some desert

From Zagora pick a MA route to Tafroute

Then its Tafroute to Essaouira on the road

That would take you around 6days picking up some good pistes an some more touristy highlights. Choice of accommodation along the route varies from 5 star hotels to camping depending on your budget.

Be aware that some Anti Atlas pistes such as MA3 may be blocked check the forum for advice on the current situation but none are particularly hard for the inexperienced

Your initial suggestion looks superb Thank you!

I need to go trace it on a map, with Morocco Overland in hand, but this trip looks like it would really hit the sweet spot.

- Andreas

Its just a quick idea tying together some classic sights and routes but in hindsite it would mean you spend all your time travelling so maybe ignore Taroudannt and head straight to Ouarazazate, this would miss out MH7 but give maybe another day to relax somewhere.

I'd recommend a day in Essaouira to relax and watch life go by in the medina

Sounds like a great adventure.

Make sure you watch some videos on how to drive on sand and navigate dunes. It's quite different to how you drive on other surfaces, took me a while to get used to soft sand in a heavy 4x4.

Good idea, it's never nice to rush it too much.

Which route would you do to Ouarzazate? I see you can drive straight there on N9, but would doing N10 from Amerzgane to Anezal and then do MS9 to Ouarzazate be a good idea, or is it starting too hard core?
We land at 14:00 in Marrakech, so I was thinking about going straight to Ouarzazate the first day, but would the detour mean that it takes too long?

Hi James,
I'll definitely look up some videos when I get home, because I can forget watching anything while I'm at sea, due to the internet connection. Are there any in particular you would recommend?

MS9 was my second ever route when I did it 3 years ago it was nice and easy, some development on the edge of Ouarazazate made that section of the route a little out of date. Theres a section along a river bed that may have had some weather damage since I went that way.

Given the timing of your flight, clearing the airport etc you've got a 4ish hour drive to Oarazazate so take the N9 straight there. Generally I'd avoid driving at night as much as possible, done it a few times and it can be alarming. Once you get down from the mountains the road into town is decent. You could look at accommodation around Ait Ben Haddou which is worth a visit although touristy. Its closer to Marakech possibly 3.5 hours drive. I've stayed at Kasbah Cigogne which is nice.

My original idea via Taroudannt wouldn't fit easily with your flight, the route is quite a bit slower.

What do you want to see/achieve during your week? Obviously some off road from your original post and as a first trip possibly some of the sights and Essaouira. It would help advise/suggest routes.

How will you be navigating? maps or gps?

Given you flight time I'm also thinking reversing the route might be better. The road is very good between Marrakech and Essaouira and you could easily be there and having dinner in the Medina on your first night

It's a small World, where that's the first route I pick.

I will do that and will follow your advice and look for Kasbah Cigogne by Ait Ben Haddou.

I'm traveling with a girl that enjoys photography and so do I, so we want to see beautiful scenery and hopefully experience a part of Morocco that the "normal" tourists never get to. I really want to see Sahara, because it's very different from Norway. I have an image in my head of being parked next to a sand dune, with a tent pitched, watching the sunset (with no one else around). I'm also looking forward to spending time in a medina, enjoying the culture.

I also have a dream of going on a "big" trip, for example driving from Norway to South Africa, so this is a small test to see how I enjoy driving in a very different landscape. Without going completely hard-core I would like to drive in slightly challenging terrain to get into it as an introduction.

I'm not sure yet. Olaf seems to be a good choice, if I can get "him" on my iPad. I haven't researched it yet, but am no stranger to using maps (I'm a navigator on the ship I'm on).

That's also a possibility if you think taking the N9 to Ait Ben Haddou will take too long and Kasbah Cigogne will be difficult to find in the dark.

http://kasbah-cigogne.com I took my parents over for a trip 4 years ago and we stayed here for a night.

I don't think anyone has fund away of putting Olaf onto an ipad, the maps kinda pre date tablets. But if you have a nav app that will run OSM maps they are pretty good, where they have pistes they are plotted more accurately than Olaf but Olaf has some which aren't in OSM mapping. Check out the navigation section of the forum for much more info on navigation apps etc.

Sticking to the south of the country will tick the boxes for photography and camping in the desert will hopefully give you a stunning sunset/sunrise. I'm sure you know by now that Morocco isn't overly blessed with the big sand seas most people picture but there are some. The 2 main ones are Erg Chebbi at Merzouga (end of MS6) and Erg Chegga near Mhamid off MS7/8.

Erg Chebbi is very popular with all types of tourists, Chegaga slightly less well visited.

Ouarazazate is doable on you arrival but you'll be getting used to a new vehicle and probably stopping for photos across the High Atlas so theres a good chance you'll lose daylight. Night driving is not ideal even you know the country, that 1 light coming towards you could be a moped or a lorry with a light out. Pedestrians, donkeys cyclist etc often have little road sense and no lights. Altogether it adds to quite a stressful time.

The more I think about the more I think if it was me I'd reverse the route. Go to Essaouira first have a couple of nights there, enjoy the medina, souks and ease into Morocco. The town is a popular tourist destination but much more laid back than some others.

I keep thinking of route suggestions but struggle to tick all the boxes inside a weeks trip. As first time visitors and photographers some things will take a little longer with soaking up the views and getting photos

Speaking of which, have a look at my flikr for some photos of my trips, they're tagged with the route reference from Morocco Overland and also geolocated to you can see where they were taken
https://www.flickr.com/photos/trackasylum/sets/