A Short Night and an Early Start

The night was shorter than expected. At 04:20 a.m., the call to prayer from the nearby mosque echoed through the village and woke us up — something completely normal in this part of the world, but still unfamiliar when you haven’t fully adjusted yet. After a few more minutes of rest, we got up and enjoyed a small but very friendly breakfast at our riad.

We also attempted to gather our laundry from the previous evening, but much of it was still damp. With no time to wait, we improvised and spread the slightly wet clothes in the trunk, letting them dry during the drive.

Leaving Agadir Behind

From the riad, we continued southward. We bypassed Agadir on the left, avoiding the traffic of the city, and stopped for a full tank and to refill all spare jerry cans. With water supplies topped up, we were ready for the long stretch ahead.

Our plan was to follow the coastline for a bit and see whether we could access a beach section to drive along. Unfortunately, the conditions didn’t allow it — but we did find a beautiful coastal road, offering dramatic views of cliffs and the Atlantic. Along the way, we even stumbled upon a small archaeological site, unexpectedly and completely unplanned. We’ll have to look up exactly what it was, but it added a nice surprise to the route (Note: the site / area is called Fum Asaca).

Deeper Into the South

By midday, it was time to turn inland again. Our goal was to reach a small coastal village further south, coordinated together with another rally team. There we hoped to find a room for the night close to the sea.

As we continued driving, the landscape changed noticeably. The green from the north slowly faded, replaced by endless dry plains, patches of sand, and finally: the first dunes. Soon, there was sand on both sides of the road as far as we could see — and drifting across the highway itself.
At times, we had to carefully steer around small sand dunes that had formed right on the asphalt.

Sunset, Dust, and the Final Kilometers

As the sun began to set, we were driving southwest — directly into the sunlight. Combined with airborne sand, the entire scene turned into a glowing, shimmering haze that made visibility difficult. The cars in front of us appeared only as silhouettes. Even so, we managed the situation well and continued until the sun finally dipped below the horizon.

But darkness arrived quickly. The last 30 kilometers took us along a narrow road with almost no traffic. What confused us for a moment was the constant flickering of lights in the distance — small, intermittent flashes in the dark. At first, we suspected a lighthouse. Eventually, we realized it was people walking along the coast, carrying flashlights and signaling now and then. For locals, completely normal. For us, unexpected.

Arrival at the Village and an Unexpected Reunion

We eventually reached the small coastal village Marsa where we had reserved a room. The accommodation was simple but clean, exactly what we needed after twelve hours on the road. Next door, a local restaurant was full of familiar faces — five rally teams were already having dinner there. So we weren’t the only ones who had discovered this remote spot.

The rally team Flinke Fenners, with whom we coordinated earlier, was still on the road but expected to arrive within an hour. We had already arranged a room for them, ensuring they also had a place to rest.

Encounters With the Local Police

Today also brought two interactions with the local police — both extremely friendly.
At one roundabout, an officer waved us down, pointed to our rally sticker and tried to explain that most rally vehicles were turning left and that we shouldn’t continue straight. After some hand‑and‑foot communication, we managed to explain that we were taking a small detour before rejoining the route. He smiled, nodded, and waved us forward.

Later, somewhere between sand and distance markers, another officer stopped us. To our surprise, he spoke a bit of German and asked about the rally — how many participants were still coming and where we were heading next. After a short conversation, he let us continue with a friendly gesture.

A Long Day Comes to an End

We spent around twelve hours on the road today — a demanding but incredible stage. Tomorrow will thankfully be shorter, around six hours of driving. If possible, we’d like to stop somewhere along the coast again, maybe visit a shipwreck, and then continue toward the Western Sahara.

For now, we’re exhausted, grateful for a safe arrival, and ready for sleep.

Good night from the edge of the desert.