The right Morocco itinerary starts with two things: how many days you have, and where your flights arrive and leave. For a first visit I recommend about 10 days. That is enough to see the highlights without rushing or driving every day. The shortest trip I recommend is 4 days, for a couple whose main goal is the Sahara. I have worked in Moroccan tourism since 2012, and I plan and run these private trips from Fes.
Below are the routes we run, from 3 to 10 days, with the nights, the hours in the car, who each one suits, what I would leave out, and the starting price. Each one has its own page with the day-by-day plan. Every trip is private and can be changed.
Our Morocco itineraries at a glance
Prices are per person, from, for two people traveling together in the quiet season, with our standard hotels, riads and camp. "Driver only" means a private driver and vehicle, and you book your own places to stay.
| Trip | Route | From, per person | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | Marrakech to Merzouga and back, or on to Fes | $450 back to Marrakech $500 ending in Fes | 3-day desert tour from Marrakech |
| 4 days | Marrakech to Merzouga and back by a different road | $550 | Marrakech desert tours |
| 3, 4 or 5 days | Fes to the Sahara | $600 (3 days) $900 (4 days) $1,125 (5 days) | desert tours from Fes |
| 5 days | Marrakech, the Agafay desert and Essaouira | $700 driver only $950 fully arranged | 5-day Morocco itinerary |
| 7 days | Casablanca, Fes, the Sahara and Marrakech | $1,000 driver only $1,500 fully arranged | 7-day Morocco itinerary |
| 10 days | Casablanca, Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes, the Sahara and Marrakech | $1,500 driver only $2,500 fully arranged | 10-day Morocco itinerary |
| 7 or 10 days | Honeymoon routes for couples | on the honeymoon page | Morocco honeymoon |
How many days do you need in Morocco?
When American guests ask me this, I first ask how long they would like to stay and what they are interested in. Many want the food, the history, the landscapes, the Sahara and the Atlantic coast, and they often consider 10, 12 or 14 days.
- About 10 days for a first visit: the highlights, without rushing or driving every day.
- 4 days is the shortest trip I recommend, especially for a couple who mainly want the Sahara: a night in a desert camp, the stars and a taste of nomadic life.
- 3 days can work when time is very limited. For the real Sahara and its big dunes, I highly recommend at least 4.
- Less than 3 days: Zagora, if you are comfortable with longer drives, or the Agafay desert near Marrakech if you want less driving or travel with children or older parents.
What I ask before I plan your Morocco trip itinerary
Before I prepare a route, I ask detailed questions, because two trips of the same length can look very different:
- How long you want to stay, and where you arrive: Casablanca or Marrakech. I need the starting point.
- Your travel style, the kind of places you want to stay in, and your total budget for the trip.
- Any places or activities you have in mind, such as wine tasting near Meknes, hiking in the mountains or a cooking class.
American guests also tell me what matters to them: privacy in the vehicle and in the rooms, safety, food, practical advice about what to do and not to do, tipping, and respect for Moroccan culture. Tipping is part of Moroccan life. It is not mandatory, but many people who provide a service expect one.
The one thing I want every client to know: before you choose, know your flight details, where you want to start and finish, how long you will stay, and what brought you to Morocco. Then look at the distances, what each place offers, the price and where you will sleep. Sharing this before booking prevents surprises about long drives or extra costs.
Morocco itineraries by number of days
3 days: Marrakech to the Sahara
Day 1 goes from Marrakech over the Tizi n’Tichka pass to the Dades Valley, day 2 through the Todra Gorge to Merzouga and a night in a desert camp, and day 3 back to Marrakech, or on to Fes instead. I never drive from Marrakech to the dunes in one day: the trip without stops is 9 to 10 hours, so we split it with a night in the Dades Valley. The third day back to Marrakech is long, about 10 hours with stops. I do not recommend three days for older travelers, for anyone who gets carsick, or for families with young children; for them I suggest four. From $450 per person back to Marrakech, $500 ending in Fes. See the 3-day Sahara trip from Marrakech.
3 days from Fes
Starting in Fes, day 1 goes to Merzouga, day 2 from Merzouga to the Dades Gorge, and day 3 from the Dades Gorge to Marrakech. The longest day is the first one: Fes to Merzouga is about 7 hours with stops. Marrakech to Merzouga is 9 to 10 hours, so for guests who want to keep their daily driving within 8 hours, starting from Fes is the better option. Our desert tours from Fes also come in 4 and 5 days, which stop for the first night in Midelt and cut the long first day roughly in half. From $600 per person for three days. Desert tours from Fes, 3 to 5 days.
4 days from Marrakech
This is the trip I recommend to American couples who start and finish in Marrakech. The long drive back is split in two, you come back by a different road, and you see more on the way: the Skoura oasis and the Dades Valley on the way out, the camp at Merzouga, then Rissani and Agdez in the Draa Valley to Ouarzazate, and Aït Ben Haddou and the Telouet Kasbah on the last day. The Sahara feels relaxed instead of rushed. From $550 per person. The 4-day trip on our Marrakech desert tours page.
5 days: Marrakech, Agafay and Essaouira
Five days is one region, not the whole country. My route for first-time visitors is two nights in Marrakech, one night in a camp in the Agafay desert and one night in Essaouira on the Atlantic coast, and no driving day is longer than about 4 hours. If the Sahara dunes are your priority with five days, I would keep the desert: see the desert trips above. From $700 per person with a driver only, or $950 fully arranged. The 5 days in Morocco itinerary.
7 days: Casablanca, Fes, the Sahara and Marrakech
Casablanca to Fes, a day in the Fes medina, the drive to the Sahara with one night at the camp, the gorges of the south, and two nights in Marrakech. It is about 23 hours in the car over the week. What a week cannot do comfortably is all of that plus Chefchaouen: I recommend 8 days or more for the blue town. From $1,000 per person with a driver only, or $1,500 fully arranged. Our 7-day Morocco route, day by day.
10 days: the classic loop
Casablanca, Rabat, Chefchaouen, two nights in Fes, the Sahara at Merzouga, the Todra and Dades gorges, Aït Ben Haddou and two nights in Marrakech: nine nights and about 30 hours of driving. On this trip you sleep in a riad in Merzouga, have a full day around the dunes, and spend the next night at the camp. If long drives are hard on you, a night in Midelt breaks the road from Fes to the Sahara and adds a day. From $1,500 per person with a driver only, or $2,500 fully arranged. The 10-day Morocco itinerary for first-time visitors.
Honeymoon: 7 or 10 days
For couples, the 10-day honeymoon route has nine nights: Casablanca, Chefchaouen, two nights in Fes, two nights in the Sahara (a hotel and the camp), a kasbah in Skoura and two nights in Marrakech, with upgrades such as a private dinner in the dunes. There is also a 7-day version. Our Morocco honeymoon itineraries.
One day: the Atlas Mountains from Marrakech
If you have a free day in Marrakech, a private day trip to the Ourika Valley or to Imlil takes you into the High Atlas and back the same day. Atlas Mountains day trips from Marrakech.
Marrakech to Fes, or Fes to Marrakech?
The flights decide the direction. Once I know where you can arrive and where you leave from, I arrange the route so it works smoothly.
- Marrakech to Fes when your flight arrives in Marrakech, and you finish in Casablanca or come back to Marrakech.
- Fes to Marrakech when you fly out of Marrakech airport.
The longest drive is usually the one to the desert, whether you start from Fes or Marrakech. From Fes to Merzouga it is about 7 hours with stops. From Marrakech to Merzouga it is about 9 to 10 hours, which I do not recommend for guests who want to keep their daily driving within 8 hours. For that part of the route, starting from Fes is the better option.
Which airport? For American guests I recommend Casablanca. It is usually the main international gateway for travelers from the United States, and it can be both your arrival and your departure point. If you connect through Europe, Marrakech can be a good airport to start and finish, because it has many connections with cities such as London and Barcelona and with cities in Germany. Wherever your flight leaves from, sleep the last night in the departure city, so you are not rushing to the airport.
One night in the Sahara, or two?
One night is enough when you are short on time. The 10-day trip has one night at the desert camp, after a night in a riad in Merzouga. With more time, for example on a 14-day trip, we can arrange two nights in Merzouga, so you can enjoy the desert and its surroundings without rushing.
The extra day is for Berber culture and local life: you can meet musicians from a village, see the gardens where villagers grow their own vegetables, try Berber pizza, visit the fossil areas near Erfoud and, if the day matches a market day, the market in Rissani.
Do you need both Agafay and the Sahara? Some guests think they need to visit both. They are different experiences. Agafay, about 45 minutes from Marrakech, is convenient when you do not have the time to reach the real Sahara. Merzouga needs extra hours of driving, but it is the authentic Sahara. Once you understand the difference in distance, atmosphere and travel time, you can choose the desert that suits your interests and your days.
How many hours you will spend in the car
Understanding the distances is part of choosing a route. If you want to keep each day within 8 hours of driving, start the desert part from Fes rather than Marrakech. These are the times with stops that I plan around:
| Drive | About, with stops |
|---|---|
| Casablanca airport to Fes | 4 hours |
| Fes to Chefchaouen | 4 hours |
| Fes to Merzouga | 7 hours (or two days with a night in Midelt; Fes to Midelt is 3 to 4 hours) |
| Merzouga to the Dades Valley, through the Todra Gorge | 6 hours |
| Dades Valley to Marrakech, through Aït Ben Haddou | 6 hours |
| Marrakech to Merzouga | 9 to 10 hours: we never do it in one day |
| Marrakech to Essaouira | 4 hours (3 hours of driving) |
| Marrakech to the Agafay desert | 45 minutes |
| Marrakech to Casablanca airport | 3 hours |
What to leave out when your time is short
With five or seven days, I would leave out Rabat, Tangier and Chefchaouen, especially when you arrive in Marrakech. If the Sahara is a priority, keep the desert. If it is not, focus on Marrakech and what is near it: a hammam or spa, a hot-air balloon ride, the cafés, a day trip with a show, quad biking, a camel ride, or the Berber villages of the Ourika Valley or Imlil.
- Chefchaouen: I recommend 8 days or more. With 8 days or more, you can spend two nights in the town and enjoy it without rushing or spending too much time on the road.
- Essaouira: on the Casablanca, Fes, Sahara and Marrakech loop, I add it when you have more than 10 days. On a 5-day trip based in Marrakech it is part of the route, about 3 hours of driving away.
Itineraries for retired couples and for families
Retired couples. For older travelers I avoid long-distance routes and plan about 2 hours of driving a day, with a maximum of around 3. I choose easy-going activities: a picnic nearby, parks, small villages, walking tours, and city tours with a local guide, at a relaxed pace. For the desert, I recommend the Agafay desert near Marrakech: it is only about 45 minutes away, so you enjoy a desert atmosphere without the long journey to Merzouga.
Families with children. We look for family-friendly places with a swimming pool and more space, and we design the route so the children do not get too tired from travelling between places. With a comfortable vehicle and a child seat, 3 to 4 hours of driving in a day is fine if the parents are comfortable, and even 4 to 6 hours can work, depending on the child and the parents. We stop to rest along the way. I give you the exact distances between places, so you can decide, because parents know their child best. We provide child seats, included in the vehicle price: ask for one when you book.
Two weeks in Morocco
To discover different corners of the country without rushing from one place to another, I recommend 10 to 14 days. With two weeks, add more time in the Sahara if you can, more time in Essaouira on the coast, another night in Fes to visit Volubilis and Meknes, and another night in Marrakech to enjoy more of the Red City.
Private driver, rental car or train?
I highly recommend a private driver. Renting a car can be hard for visitors: road signs are written in French, Arabic or Berber, talking with local people can be difficult, and the road rules may not be what you are used to. With a driver and guide you save time, you can ask questions, communicate with people, discover the food and enjoy each moment without worrying about the road. A rental car may suit travelers who are not very interested in history or guided visits, but driving can still bring challenges.
The train and the bus suit travelers who do not want long rides, carry little luggage, do not need a guide or explanations at each stop, are happy to travel with local people, and want good value: often solo or budget travelers. Between Fes and Marrakech the train is a simpler and potentially cheaper transfer, but by road through the Middle Atlas you see the landscapes and villages on the way, and you have more flexibility.
When to go, and when to book
I recommend coming from early September through spring, when it is neither too hot nor too cold. Avoid the hottest months: July and August are particularly hard for a short Sahara trip. Winter can be cold at times, especially in the desert at night.
In the Sahara we normally offer two kinds of tent. The standard tent has no heating. In winter I recommend the luxury tent, which has heating and a hot shower: ask for it when you book. What the desert camps are like.
Book about 3 to 4 months ahead, so you get good riads and hotels in the places you want before they fill up. This matters most for Christmas, New Year, and the spring holidays in late March and April, when many travelers come to Morocco.
Is the arrival day a sightseeing day? Yes, if you land early, around 9 to 11 in the morning. We first take you to your riad or hotel to rest and get ready, then we can organize a guided visit in Fes, Marrakech or Casablanca. How much you see depends on the time you arrive and on your energy.
What my American guests enjoy most
In my experience, American travelers want to see different sides of Morocco: the landscapes, the Sahara, traditional food and local culture. We can add a cooking class, a hammam and spa, or a night in the desert. One of the highlights is the night at a desert camp: the quiet, the Berber music and drums, the stars and the Milky Way. Our guests are also very interested in meeting local people: in the Sahara they listen to stories from nomadic people, in the Atlas Mountains they see how local families live, and in the medinas and souks they see how craftspeople make a living, including the leather workers in the tanneries. They are often surprised by how people live and work, and they like being able to support local communities directly.
Money. Morocco uses the dirham, not the US dollar, and cash is king in many places. ATMs are available, but many local sellers take cash only. Cards are more useful in larger places such as malls and big restaurants, and hotels may accept them. Carry cash for small souvenirs, food, coffee and tips. Which ATMs to use in Morocco.
How we plan your itinerary together
- You send me a message.
- I aim to reply within 24 hours, and I ask about your travel style, budget, exact dates and length of stay.
- I send you a full itinerary.
- You give me your feedback, and we adjust the plan to what you want. For example, if you want to visit a weekly market in a small village, I can move the day to match the market day.
- When the itinerary and the price are final, I send the booking confirmation and explain how to pay the deposit.
A 30% deposit holds the hotels, the camp and the vehicle, and the balance is paid in cash when you arrive. If you cancel at least 31 days before arrival, the deposit is refunded in full.
Questions about Morocco itineraries
How many days is enough to see Morocco?
For a first visit I recommend about 10 days: enough for the highlights without rushing or driving every day. The shortest trip I recommend is 4 days, for a Sahara trip. Three days can work when time is very limited.
What is the best Morocco itinerary for a first visit?
About 10 days: Casablanca, Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes, the Sahara at Merzouga, the Dades Valley and Marrakech. With a week, leave Chefchaouen out and do Casablanca, Fes, the Sahara and Marrakech.
Which airport should Americans fly into for a Morocco trip?
I recommend Casablanca, the main international gateway for travelers from the United States. It works for arriving and for leaving. If you connect through Europe, Marrakech can be a good airport to start and finish.
Should we go from Marrakech to Fes, or from Fes to Marrakech?
Your flights decide. Marrakech to Fes when you arrive in Marrakech and finish in Casablanca or Marrakech; Fes to Marrakech when you fly out of Marrakech. For the desert, starting from Fes keeps the longest drive to about 7 hours, while Marrakech to Merzouga is 9 to 10 hours.
Is Morocco safe for US citizens?
From my experience, Morocco is generally very safe. I still give guests practical advice: be careful when walking late in the evening, do not engage with strangers who approach you unexpectedly, watch out for scam guides and people offering directions you did not ask for, and be careful with taxi drivers who may try to charge more than the correct fare.
Can women wear shorts in Morocco?
Yes. Women can wear normal, modern clothes, as they would at home. Morocco is international, especially in the big cities, and many Moroccan women also dress in a European style.
Is Morocco a good first international trip?
Yes. Morocco is close to Spain, multicultural and international, with familiar food and services. You can experience many different things in one country without feeling out of place.
Can we skip the camel ride?
Yes. If you do not want to ride a camel, you can take a Jeep instead, and the price stays the same.
How far ahead should we book a private Morocco tour?
About 3 to 4 months ahead, to get good riads and hotels before they are fully booked. It matters most for Christmas, New Year, and the spring holidays in late March and April.
What is the best road trip in Morocco?
I recommend 10 to 14 days, so you can discover different corners of the country without rushing, and I recommend doing it with a private driver rather than a rental car.
Plan your Morocco itinerary with me
Tell me your dates, how many people you are, where your flights arrive and leave, what you want to see, and your budget. I will send you a route and a price.
