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The essentials in three lines

  • Agadir – Taroudant is around 80 to 90 km: allow 1 hr 15 to 1 hr 30 on the N10, a dual-carriageway expressway.
  • Once there: the ochre ramparts, best seen at the end of the day, and the souks around Assarag and Talmeklat squares, on foot.
  • At Carsalis, mileage is unlimited, the round trip fits into a single day, and we can deliver or collect the car in Taroudant for a €60 surcharge per journey.

You are staying in Agadir and someone has told you about Taroudant, the “little Marrakech” of the Souss, a little over an hour inland. In a hire car, it is an easy outing: no mountain pass, no dirt track, just a main road across the Souss plain. That leaves three questions: which way to go, how long to allow, and where to leave the car.

The route: the N10, an expressway all the way to Taroudant

Between Agadir and Taroudant, national road 10 (N10) is an expressway, in other words a dual-carriageway road: the Ministry of Equipment lists it among the expressways in service, over 65 km. It starts at Aït Melloul, south-east of Agadir, serves Al Massira airport via an exit, then heads east past Oulad Teima, which is also reached by an exit. From central Agadir, follow signs for Aït Melloul, then stay on the N10 all the way to Taroudant.

On arrival, the N10 bypasses the centre of Taroudant: the last few kilometres to the ramparts are on the road into town. Your GPS may also suggest the start of the motorway and then a regional road further north in the valley, for almost the same journey time. We recommend the N10, which is easier to follow.

Outside built-up areas, the speed limit for a car is 100 km/h unless a sign sets a lower one. For everything else, see our article on driving in Morocco.

Distance and time: what to really allow

The OSRM route planner, based on OpenStreetMap, gives around 87 km and 1 hr 20 between central Agadir and central Taroudant via the N10. The Agadir Souss-Massa regional tourist office quotes 85 km and 1 hr 25. Work on 80 to 90 km and 1 hr 15 to 1 hr 30 of driving, without stops.

From Al Massira airport it is shorter: around 65 km, as the expressway runs right past it. These times include neither the slowdowns on the way out of Agadir nor a coffee break: plan on the upper end of the range.

Journey Distance Time to allow Via
Central Agadir → Taroudant Around 87 km 1 h 15 à 1 h 30 N10 via Aït Melloul
Central Agadir → Taroudant, GPS alternative Around 80 km 1 h 15 à 1 h 30 Start of the motorway, then a regional road
Al Massira airport → Taroudant Around 65 km 1 h 10 à 1 h 20 N10, airport exit
Round trip in a day 160 to 175 km 2.5 to 3 hours in total N10

What to see: the ramparts and the souks

Taroudant is a former Saadian capital, and its 16th-century walls still encircle the medina. The Moroccan National Tourist Office counts 6 km of crenellated walls and 130 towers; the regional tourist office puts it at 7.5 km. You can go round them by horse-drawn carriage, by bike or on foot, ideally at the end of the day, when the setting sun warms the ochre of the walls. Near the Bab Targhount gate, a tannery works the hides: leather is what the town is known for, in bags, pouffes and sandals.

In the medina, life centres on two squares, Assarag and Talmeklat. Between them, the craft souk fills a maze of covered alleys: leather, pottery, jewellery, copper, wrought iron, carpets. The traditional souk, on the Talmeklat square side, is for everyday shopping; according to the regional tourist office, it opens from 10 am to 1 pm and then from 3 pm to 9 pm. Do the souks in the late morning and save the ramparts for the late afternoon: that way you avoid the midday break. On Sunday mornings, a weekly souk is held outside the ramparts.

Parking and exploring on foot

The heart of Taroudant is best explored on foot: the souks are covered alleys, and Assarag and Talmeklat squares are only a few hundred metres apart. Park once and for all in an authorised space, then do everything on foot.

Note the name of the nearest gate, or save the location on your phone: inside walls with several gates, it is the best landmark. Leave nothing visible inside the car.

Round trip in a day or car delivered to Taroudant

A day trip there and back is quite manageable: 160 to 175 km, 2.5 to 3 hours of driving in total. A typical plan: leave Agadir around 9 am, souks in the late morning, lunch in town, ramparts in the late afternoon, back via the expressway. At Carsalis, mileage is unlimited.

Rental is counted in 24-hour blocks. For a single day, come back at the scheduled time: if you are more than 2 hours late without our agreement, a full day is charged. If your visit runs on, message us on WhatsApp before the scheduled time to arrange it.

If you are spending the night in Taroudant, we can also deliver the car there or collect it from there, for a €60 surcharge per journey. A delivery and a collection both in Taroudant count as two journeys. If your stay ends in Taroudant, you can pick up the car free of charge at Agadir airport (see our arrival guide for Al Massira) and return it to us in Taroudant: the surcharge then only applies once. In your booking request, give the pick-up location, the return location and the name of your hotel or riad.

Which car, and what your hire includes

The whole route is on tarmac. A city car or a saloon is enough: there is no need for a 4×4 to get to Taroudant. Compare the different categories of our cars. Assistance is available 24/7.

The car is returned with the same fuel level as at delivery: bear that in mind before you head back. If you extend the trip beyond Taroudant, stay on tarmac roads: our rental conditions prohibit unpaved tracks, unless the vehicle is expressly suited to them. If the tarmac ends, turn back.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to drive from Agadir to Taroudant?

Allow 1 hr 15 to 1 hr 30 for 80 to 90 km on the N10, without stops. From Al Massira airport, the distance drops to around 65 km.

Can you do Agadir – Taroudant and back in a day?

Yes. Allow 2.5 to 3 hours of driving in total, almost entirely on a dual-carriageway expressway. Set off in the morning to make the most of the souks, and save the walk round the ramparts for the late afternoon.

Can Carsalis deliver the car to Taroudant?

Yes, for a €60 surcharge per journey. A delivery and a collection in Taroudant count as two journeys. In Agadir, delivery is still free, at the airport, at your hotel or in the city centre.

Sources

Written by the Carsalis team, in Agadir. We have been hiring out cars from our office at 4 Bis rue Moulay Driss since 2008. What you are reading here comes from our own rental conditions and from what our customers ask us every week on WhatsApp.

A question about your rental in Agadir? Write to us on WhatsApp at +212 648 291 116, or use our booking request. We usually reply within the minute, and we tell you straight whether the car is free or not.

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