North Africa is a dream for off-road enthusiasts. The most relevant countries are primarily Morocco and Tunisia. If you are mainly looking for desert, Algeria and Libya are the best countries. Libya is not recommended, and Algeria used to be considered a high-risk country, but since around 2024, more and more people have been travelling there and say there are no problems at all.
Tunisia is a small, Western-oriented country and safe to travel in, although there have been some terrorist attacks in recent years. The country has an exciting culture and quite a lot of sandy desert, mostly with smaller dunes that are fun to drive in. Morocco is much larger and has far more varied scenery: lush along the coast, high mountains, and desert—both rocky desert and sandy desert—as well as exciting cities such as Marrakech and Fez.
Here I describe my trip to Morocco, where you can find more information: Overlanding Morocco – Sahara
The best time of year to travel there is in the autumn, from September to November, and from April to June. Summer becomes unbearably hot, and in winter it is cold in the northern parts.
It may seem like an overwhelmingly long drive to get there, but it is actually only 400 km from Hamburg, as an example, provided you do as I did:
Car train Hamburg – Bolzano (Northern Italy)
Driving Bolzano – Genoa
Ferry Genoa – Tangier
Car train
There are car trains from Hamburg to many destinations in southern Europe. The problem is the height of the car. In 2014, I paid 2,500 for Hamburg–Bozen, including a sleeper compartment. If you subtract the diesel costs, it is not an enormous amount to avoid the Autobahn.
The maximum permitted vehicle height varies depending on where you go. On most routes it is 207 cm, so you cannot have anything on the roof. There are also requirements for roof width, so check this carefully. With a roof tent, this option is out unless you dismantle the tent and place it under the vehicle, or stack it upright in the back.
Check options and prices here. In 2026/27, the train will not run as far as Bozen, but you can get to Austria and Munich.
https://www.bahndampf.de/autoreisezug/italien
https://urlaubs-express.de/
Travel companions / organized tours
If you don’t have anyone to travel with, or lack experience with this type of travel, I would recommend going on a “package tour.” There are several English and German operators that arrange trips in these countries for those who want to bring their own car. I travelled in both Tunisia and Morocco with a German operator that I was very pleased with. You sign up for a trip and meet the other participants at a campsite in Genoa. The next day, you board the ferry to Tangier together. The tour leader drives their own car.
If you choose a German tour operator, you should know some German. All shared communication, information, and radio transmissions are in German. But many of the participants spoke good English, so it also works for chatting around the campfire. In 2014, the price was 10,000 for 3 weeks. Food, tickets, and fuel are extra.
The people I traveled with:http://www.adventure-offroad.de/ An English organiser:http://www.4x4adventuretours.co.uk/
Ferry
There are several ferry companies operating between Italy and North Africa. We travelled with GNV, and it was perfectly fine. Not exactly the Kiel ferry, but who would want that anyway? The police are on board, and the necessary paperwork is completed before arrival. Remember to bring the car’s documents up to your cabin.
You can find more details here:Morocco – Sahara
In addition, there are ferries from Barcelona and several from southern Spain.
http://www.gnv.it/en/ferries-destinations/tangier-ferries-morocco.html
http://www.cemar.it/dest/ferries_morocco.htm
Packing
First and foremost: avoid an overly heavy vehicle. Driving in loose sand requires an incredible amount of effort. On the other hand, out in the Sahara there is nothing to get hold of, and rescue is not cheap. Both in Morocco and Tunisia, they are used to overlanders, so there are plenty of workshops that can help you. But they may not have the parts, even though they are experts at improvising. So bring along things you know are worn out and could fail.
Spare parts etc
At a minimum, bring items that can easily break and that you may need out in the desert. Here is my list for a Land Cruiser 80. I have experienced fan belts snapping and a power steering hose bursting. Both are easy to bring along, but critical if they fail. And of course, check the vehicle thoroughly before you leave. Fuel quality is good in North Africa, but an additional pre-filter is recommended, especially for modern engines.
| Front wheel bearing, complete set | Tire repair kit |
| Rear wheel bearing, complete set | Jumper cables |
| Radiator hoses, 2 pcs | Hi-lift, adapter, plate |
| Diesel filter, coarse | Hi-Lift wheel strap |
| Diesel filter, good | Recovery. Slings, shackles |
| Oil filter | Winch equipment |
| Thermostat | Diesel cans |
| Various hose clamps | Yuck |
| Hand pump, diesel with hose | Shoring, jacking |
| Fan belts, 3 pcs. | Faun air vents |
| Power steering hose, high pressure. | Gaffer tape |
| Hose, 15 mm. Servo low pressure | Various cables |
| Hose, 6 mm 20 cm | Fuses |
| Hose, 8 mm | Steel wire |
| Hose, 10 mm | Stripes |
| 17 mm cooling hose | Compressor |
| 12 mm hose, diesel | Air pressure gauge |
| Brake hose, front | Tire hose |
| Brushes, dynamo | Light bulbs |
| Fusable link | Railings |
| Air filter | Bolts |
| All radiator hoses | Araldit |
| Liquids | |
| ATF Dexron III for power steering | Engine oil, 4L |
| Gear oil 1L | GP Fett |
| Differential oil, 2 L | CV fett |
| Brake fluid 1L |
Food and water
Allow for 4–6 liters of water per person per day, depending on temperature and activity level.
It’s fine to buy food locally, but keep a small supply of dried and canned food. If you get stranded, it’s good to have.
If you enjoy beer and wine, bring some with you. It is difficult to find, but not impossible. For Muslim countries, they are pragmatic. Talk to someone at a hotel, and suddenly it is sorted.
