10 Days in Morocco — The Itinerary

Ten days is Morocco's sweet spot — enough for the country's three headline experiences without the itinerary Tetris of trying to also squeeze in Chefchaouen, Essaouira, and Casablanca. Here's the route that actually flows, not the one that looks good on a map but means driving the same stretch of highway twice.

The route at a glance

Days 1-3: Marrakech

Land in Marrakech and use the first three nights to acclimatize: a full day for the souks and Jemaa el-Fnaa (best experienced by both day and night), a morning at Jardin Majorelle (book ahead, go at opening), and an afternoon at Bahia Palace. Three nights is enough without feeling rushed — see our full Marrakech guide for where to stay.

Days 4-6: the Sahara desert loop

This is the trip's centerpiece. Day 4: drive over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Ait Benhaddou's UNESCO kasbah and Ouarzazate's film studios, overnighting in Dades or Todra Gorge. Day 5: continue through the gorges and palm oases to Merzouga, then a camel trek into Erg Chebbi's dunes for sunset and an overnight desert camp. Day 6: sunrise over the dunes, then the long drive onward — toward Fes instead of back to Marrakech, which is the single smartest routing decision in this whole itinerary.

Days 7-9: Fes

Arrive in Fes on the evening of day 6 or morning of day 7, depending on your desert operator's schedule. Spend day 7 with a licensed half-day guide covering Fes el-Bali's tanneries, Al-Qarawiyyin's courtyard, and Bou Inania Medersa. Day 8 can add a slower medina wander or a day trip to Ifrane and the Middle Atlas. Day 9 is a buffer — Fes rewards a relaxed final stretch after the desert's early mornings.

Day 10: heading home

Fes-Saïss Airport has fewer direct international routes than Casablanca or Marrakech, so many travelers fly out via a connection, or take the roughly 4-hour ONCF train to Casablanca Mohammed V Airport for a wider choice of departures. Build this into your day 10 plan rather than assuming a direct flight from Fes.

If you only have 7 days

• Cut Marrakech to 2 nights instead of 3 — you'll miss a slower souk day, but the essentials still fit.
• Do the 2-day/1-night desert version instead of 3-day/2-night — see our Sahara tours guide for why this is a real trade-off, not a free upgrade.
• Cut Fes to 1-2 nights with a half-day guide covering just the tanneries and Al-Qarawiyyin.

If you have 14 days instead of 10

• Add Chefchaouen (1-2 nights) between Fes and a Tangier departure, or as a loop back through the north.
• Add Essaouira (1-2 nights) as a coastal palate-cleanser after Marrakech, before heading to the desert.
• Add Rabat or Casablanca (1 night) if your flight routes through either on the way home.

What it costs, 10 days, mid-range, per person