How Many Days Do You Need in Morocco?

Morocco is bigger than most visitors expect, and the distances between the main places are long. The right length for your trip depends on what you want to see and how much time you are happy to spend in the vehicle.

Below are four sample routes. They are examples, not fixed programmes, and we adapt them to your dates and interests.

• Day 1Marrakech: the medina, the souks and Jemaa el-Fnaa.
• Day 2Cross the Atlas and visit Ait Ben Haddou on the way south.
• Day 3Dades or Todra and the road to Merzouga, then a night in the desert camp.
• Day 4Sunrise on the dunes and the long drive back towards Marrakech.
• Day 5Time in Marrakech before your departure.

This route is possible, but most of days 2 to 4 are spent on the road. It suits travellers with little time who mainly want to see the desert.

• Days 1 to 2Marrakech.
• Day 3Across the Atlas to Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate.
• Day 4The Dades or Todra gorges, then Merzouga and a desert night.
• Day 5The dunes at sunrise, then north towards Fes.
• Days 6 to 7Fes and its old city.

This is the classic route, and a good balance for a first trip.

• Days 1 to 2Casablanca and Rabat, or arrive directly in Fes.
• Days 3 to 4Fes, with the old city and the artisans.
• Day 5Chefchaouen, or the road south through the Middle Atlas.
• Days 6 to 7Merzouga and a night in the desert.
• Day 8Dades or Todra and the road to Ait Ben Haddou.
• Days 9 to 10Marrakech.

Ten days lets you move at a comfortable pace and still keep a night or two in each main place.

With two weeks you can add Essaouira on the Atlantic coast, a few days of walking in the Atlas, or a second night in the desert. You also have room for a rest day, which many travellers value on a long trip.

• The desert is far from the cities. Marrakech to Merzouga is most of a day by road.
• Fes to Marrakech is also a long drive, so plan an overnight stop along the way.
• Spring and autumn are usually the most comfortable seasons. See our guide The Best Time to Visit Morocco.
• Do not try to see everything. Fewer places and more time in each is usually the better trip.

Tell us how many days you have and what you want to see, and we will suggest a private route and a price for your dates.