What is the difference between a UTV tour in Morocco and in the Caribbean?
The biggest difference is the terrain: a multi-day UTV tour in Morocco is mostly about sand, dunes and rocky desert tracks, while in the Dominican Republic it means tropical trails, mud, water crossings, beaches and green hills. Climate, flight access and what you do off the trail change too.
Morocco is a classic destination for off-road adventures, so the question is not which one is "better". It is about picking the one that fits your travel dates, the kind of driving you enjoy and the trip you want around it.
Dominican Republic or Morocco: side-by-side comparison
The table compares our tours from Las Terrenas with a typical UTV trip in southern Morocco, around the Merzouga dunes.
| Factor | Dominican Republic (RAID CARAIBES SSV) | Morocco (south, Merzouga dunes) |
|---|---|---|
| Scenery | coastline, beaches, tropical trails, jungle, villages, hills and mountains depending on the package | Erg Chebbi dunes (up to about 490 ft high), rocky plateaus, desert tracks |
| Main terrain | mud, water crossings, tropical trails, beach sand | sand, rocks, dunes |
| January temperatures | about 82°F (28°C) by day, 72°F (22°C) at night in Las Terrenas | about 66°F (19°C) by day, 43°F (6°C) at night in Merzouga |
| July temperatures | about 90°F (32°C) | about 109°F (43°C) by day |
| Best season | January to April (driest); tours run year-round with routes adapted | October to April (milder temperatures) |
| Rain | more frequent showers May to November; hurricane season June to November | rare |
| Swimming | ocean at 79 to 84°F (26 to 29°C) depending on the season | no ocean in the desert |
| Machine | 2026 Can-Am Maverick R X RC, 240 hp, provided | depends on the operator: provided or your own, model varies |
| Length | 7, 10 or 13 days, with 3, 6 or 9 trail days | varies by operator |
| Getting there from the US | nonstops to Punta Cana, Santo Domingo or Puerto Plata from many US cities, then a 2 to 4-hour drive | transatlantic flight to Casablanca, then a domestic flight to Errachidia and about 2 hours by road |
| Getting there from Canada | seasonal nonstops from Montreal and Toronto to Samaná, about 4.5 hours from Montreal | nonstop to Casablanca from Montreal or Toronto, then a connection south |
| Time difference with New York in winter | 1 hour ahead | 5 hours ahead |
What is the weather like for a winter UTV trip?
In winter, the Dominican Republic feels like summer: about 82°F (28°C) by day and 72°F (22°C) at night in January in Las Terrenas, with the ocean around 79°F (26°C). In Morocco, the desert is pleasant during winter days, around 66°F (19°C) in Merzouga in January, but nights are cold, with average lows close to 43°F (6°C).
Summer flips the picture. Southern Morocco gets very hot, with average July highs of 109°F (43°C) in Merzouga, and the recommended season for Erg Chebbi runs from October to April. The Dominican Republic stays warm but manageable in summer, around 90°F (32°C), though it is the rainy and hurricane season from June to November. For a winter or spring trip, both destinations work; to escape the cold and drive in a T-shirt, the Caribbean wins.
Our guide to the best time for a UTV tour in the Dominican Republic covers the weather month by month.
What kind of scenery and driving can you expect?
In Morocco, desert driving means reading dunes, managing momentum in sand and covering long open tracks. The Erg Chebbi dunes stretch about 17 miles (28 km) north to south and rise up to roughly 490 feet (150 m) above the surrounding stone plateaus.
In the Dominican Republic, the driving changes from one hour to the next: coastal tracks, tropical trails, beaches and villages, then jungle, mud and technical crossings depending on the package. The terrain steps up with each tour.
- Discovery Raid: coastal tracks, tropical paths, beaches, villages and easy to moderate sections.
- Grand Raid: jungle, muddy tracks, hills, moderate crossings and longer stages.
- Expedition Raid: mountains, remote tracks, jungle, mud, long stages and vast panoramas.
Which machine will you drive?
RAID CARAIBES SSV tours run on the 2026 Can-Am Maverick R X RC, prepared and checked by our team. According to BRP's spec sheet, it produces 240 hp from a turbocharged three-cylinder Rotax 999T engine paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. It also has the Smart-Lok locking front differential, 35-inch tires and FOX shocks with 25 inches of front and 26 inches of rear suspension travel. Full details are on the 2026 Can-Am Maverick R X RC page.
In Morocco, as anywhere, the machine depends on the operator. Before comparing two trips, ask:
- Which model, which year and how much horsepower?
- Is the vehicle provided, or do you bring your own?
- Are fuel, mechanical support and driver gear included?
- How many people share each vehicle?
How many days do you need, and what should you compare on price?
Compare the number of days actually spent driving, not just the total trip length. Our tours last 7, 10 or 13 days, with 3, 6 or 9 trail days; the other days cover arrival, the briefing and driving check, recovery and the trip home.
| Package | Total length | Trail days | Price per driver (shared UTV) | Private UTV option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Raid | 7 days | 3 | 5,900 USD | + 1,500 USD per vehicle |
| Grand Raid | 10 days | 6 | 7,900 USD | + 2,500 USD per vehicle |
| Expedition Raid | 13 days | 9 | 9,900 USD | + 3,500 USD per vehicle |
Then compare what the price covers. Our tours include scheduled transfers between the airport or agreed meeting point and Camp Can-Am, the welcome, safety briefing and driving check, the machine, driver gear, selected lodging, planned meals and non-alcoholic drinks, fuel for trail days, a professional guide, trail support and photos. Personal expenses, alcoholic drinks and driver-caused damage are not included. Full terms are on Pricing and options.
How do you get there?
From North America, Morocco means crossing the Atlantic. Casablanca has nonstop flights from New York (JFK), Washington Dulles, Miami, Montreal and Toronto; from there, a domestic flight of about an hour reaches Errachidia, the closest airport to the dunes, which is about 2 hours from Merzouga by road. By road from Marrakech, it is about 340 miles (550 km) and 9 hours.
The Dominican Republic is a short hop by comparison. Punta Cana, Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata have nonstop flights from many US cities, and Samaná, 30 minutes from Las Terrenas, has seasonal nonstops from Montreal and Toronto. All airports and drive times are in our guide on how to get to Las Terrenas.
How do you choose between the two?
Choose based on your dates, the terrain you want and what you would like to do beyond driving.
Morocco is a good fit if you:
- dream of big dunes and sand driving;
- are already traveling in Europe or North Africa;
- are going in spring or fall;
- want to drive your own machine, where the operator allows it.
The Caribbean is a good fit if you:
- want to escape winter and drive in the heat in January, February or March;
- like variety: beach, mud, jungle, villages and hills on the same trip;
- want an all-inclusive package with a 2026 Maverick R X RC provided;
- want to combine trail days with swimming, or see Samaná's humpback whales from mid-January to the end of March;
- live in the US or Canada and prefer a short flight with little time difference (from Canada, see our side-by-side tour guide).
Ready to plan? Check the upcoming departures or send a request with your dates, number of drivers and experience level: we will reply with availability and full trip details.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Erg Chebbi, accessed Oct 18, 2026
- Weather and Climate, average temperatures in Merzouga (Foreca and Copernicus C3S, 1991-2020), accessed Oct 18, 2026
- Weather and Climate, average temperatures in Las Terrenas (Foreca and Copernicus C3S, 1991-2020), accessed Oct 18, 2026
- Weather Spark, Las Terrenas climate and sea temperature, accessed Oct 18, 2026
- NOAA National Hurricane Center, tropical cyclone climatology, accessed Oct 18, 2026
- BRP, 2026 Can-Am Maverick R X RC spec sheet (PDF)
- Wikipedia, Mohammed V International Airport (North American routes), accessed Oct 18, 2026
- Rome2rio, Marrakesh to Merzouga (road and flights via Errachidia), accessed Oct 18, 2026
- Kimkim, Getting to the Sahara Desert (Errachidia to Merzouga), accessed Oct 18, 2026
- Wikipedia, Punta Cana International Airport, accessed Oct 18, 2026
- Roame, nonstop flights to Samaná (AZS), updated Oct 18, 2026
- FNH, Morocco returns permanently to GMT on September 20, 2026 (French), Sep 18, 2026
- Wikipedia, Time in the Dominican Republic, accessed Oct 18, 2026