Morocco Itinerary: How Many Days You Need and the Best Routes
The best Morocco itinerary for a first trip is a loop of 7 to 10 days: Casablanca or Marrakech, the imperial city of Fes, Chefchaouen in the Rif, a night in the Sahara at Merzouga, and back over the Atlas to Marrakech. With 5 days, focus on Marrakech and the desert; with 2 weeks, add the coast, the mountains and a slower pace.
Below: how many days you need, a sample route for every trip length (each one a real private tour you can take as it is or change), the drive times between the main stops, and the mistakes we see most often.
- 5 days
- Marrakech and the desert
- 7 days
- The classic loop
- 10 days
- The loop, plus the coast
- 14 days
- North to south
How Many Days Do You Need in Morocco?
For a first trip, 7 days is the minimum we suggest for the imperial cities and the Sahara together, and 10 is more comfortable. The distances are long: the dunes at Merzouga are about 9 hours from Marrakech and 8 from Fes.
3 or 4 days
One region only: Marrakech and the Atlas, or a desert trip from Marrakech to Merzouga and back.
5 or 6 days
Marrakech plus the desert, or the imperial cities of the north: Rabat, Meknes, Fes and Marrakech.
7 or 8 days
The classic loop: the north, Fes, one night in the Sahara, the kasbahs of the south and Marrakech.
10 to 12 days
The same loop at an easier pace, with time for the coast at Essaouira or a walk in the High Atlas.
2 weeks or more
The whole country from Tangier to Essaouira, with two nights in the desert and slow days in the medinas.
Sample Morocco Itineraries by Length
Each of these is one of our private tours: a tested route you can book as it is, or use as a starting point.
5 days from Marrakech
Marrakech, Ait Ben Haddou and the Dades Valley, the Todra Gorge, a night at a Merzouga desert camp, then back through the Draa Valley and Ouarzazate. See the 5-day Morocco itinerary from Marrakech. With only a day to spare, Ait Ben Haddou works as a long day trip from Marrakech.
6 days: the imperial cities
Casablanca, Rabat, Meknes, Volubilis, Fes and Marrakech, without the desert. See the 6-day Imperial Cities tour.
7 days from Casablanca
Rabat and Chefchaouen, Volubilis and Fes, the Sahara at Merzouga, the Todra Gorge and Dades Valley, Ait Ben Haddou and Marrakech. The best one-week Morocco itinerary for a first trip: see the 7-day Morocco itinerary from Casablanca.
8 days from Marrakech
The loop in the other direction: over the Atlas to the desert, then Fes, Chefchaouen and Rabat, ending in Casablanca. See the 8-day Morocco itinerary from Marrakech.
10 days from Casablanca
Rabat, Meknes and Volubilis, two nights in Fes, the Sahara, the Dades Valley, two nights in Marrakech and two in Essaouira. See the 10-day Morocco itinerary.
12 days
Two nights in Chefchaouen, a day around Merzouga, a night at Ait Ben Haddou and a walk in the High Atlas before Marrakech and Essaouira. See the 12-day Morocco itinerary.
2 weeks from Tangier
From the Strait of Gibraltar to the Atlantic: Tetouan, Chefchaouen, Fes, two nights in the desert, Marrakech and Essaouira. See the 2-week Morocco itinerary from Tangier.
Only the desert
From Marrakech, 2 days to Zagora or 3 to 5 days to Merzouga, or one way from Marrakech to Fes through the Sahara. See our Sahara desert tours.
Itineraries You Can Book
Every tour length, all private, all changeable. Sorted from shortest to longest.
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5 days5-Day Morocco Itinerary from Marrakech
A first taste of Morocco: over the High Atlas, past the kasbahs, and a night in the Sahara at Merzouga.Private tour · Price on request -
7 days7-Day Morocco Itinerary from Casablanca
The classic one-week loop: two imperial cities, the blue town of Chefchaouen and a night in the desert.Private tour · Price on request -
8 days8-Day Morocco Itinerary from Marrakech
The loop in reverse, starting in Marrakech, with an extra night to slow down in Fes.Private tour · Price on request -
10 days10-Day Morocco Itinerary from Casablanca
Time for the coast: the imperial cities and the Sahara, then two slow days by the sea in Essaouira.Private tour · Price on request -
12 days12-Day Morocco Itinerary
Imperial cities, the Sahara, the High Atlas and the Atlantic at an easy pace.Private tour · Price on request -
14 days2-Week Morocco Itinerary from Tangier
The whole country from north to south, starting at the ferry from Spain.Private tour · Price on request
Compare the Itineraries
| Tour | Length | Route | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Morocco Itinerary from Marrakech | 5 days · 4 nights | Round trip from Marrakech | A short first trip with a desert night |
| 7-Day Morocco Itinerary from Casablanca | 7 days · 6 nights | Casablanca → Marrakech | A first trip: cities, Chefchaouen and the desert |
| 8-Day Morocco Itinerary from Marrakech | 8 days · 7 nights | Marrakech → Casablanca | Flying into Marrakech, with time in Fes |
| 10-Day Morocco Itinerary from Casablanca | 10 days · 9 nights | Casablanca → Essaouira | Cities, desert and two slow days by the sea |
| 12-Day Morocco Itinerary | 12 days · 11 nights | Casablanca → Essaouira | Seeing it all without long days back to back |
| 2-Week Morocco Itinerary from Tangier | 14 days · 13 nights | Tangier → Essaouira | Arriving from Spain, with time for everything |
Drive Times Between Morocco’s Main Stops
Approximate, without stops. Most of our driving days are broken up with sights along the way.
| Route | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Casablanca to Rabat | 90 km | 1 h 15 |
| Casablanca to Marrakech | 240 km | 3 h |
| Casablanca to Chefchaouen, via Rabat | 340 km | 5 h |
| Tangier to Chefchaouen, via Tetouan | 125 km | 2 h 30 |
| Chefchaouen to Fes | 200 km | 4 h |
| Fes to Merzouga | 470 km | 8 h |
| Merzouga to the Dades Valley | 290 km | 5 h |
| Dades Valley to Marrakech, via Ait Ben Haddou | 320 km | 6 h 30 |
| Merzouga to Marrakech, direct | 560 km | 9 h |
| Marrakech to Zagora | 360 km | 7 h |
| Fes to Marrakech, direct | 530 km | 7 h |
| Marrakech to Essaouira | 190 km | 3 h |
Loop or One Way: Which Route?
Fly into Casablanca, out of Marrakech
Most direct flights from the US land in Casablanca. Starting there and ending in Marrakech (or the other way round) avoids driving back to where you started. Check open-jaw flights: they often cost little more than a return.
Start and end in Marrakech
If you fly in and out of Marrakech, the 5-day loop through the desert works well, or the longer loop through Fes and the north.
A day in Casablanca
Flying out of Casablanca at the end of a trip that ends in Marrakech? Our Casablanca day trip from Marrakech can end at your hotel in Casablanca or at Mohammed V Airport, with the Hassan II Mosque on the way.
Arrive from Spain
Take the ferry to Tangier and travel south: Chefchaouen, Fes, the desert and Marrakech. See our tours from Tangier.
Fes to Marrakech through the desert
If you only have a few days between the two cities, the Sahara makes the best way to get from one to the other: see the 3-day Fes to Marrakech desert tour.
Mistakes to Avoid
Too many one-night stops
Changing hotels every night wears people out. Give Fes and Marrakech at least two nights each.
Trying to see the Sahara in a day
The dunes are too far from any big city for a day trip. For a taste of the desert close to Marrakech, see the Agafay desert; for the real dunes, plan at least 2 nights.
Underestimating the drives
A map makes Morocco look small. Mountain roads are slow, and the best days mix driving with stops.
Chefchaouen from Marrakech
Chefchaouen is in the far north, a very long drive from Marrakech. Visit it from Fes, Tangier or on a loop from Casablanca.
No rest days
Plan a slow day every few days, in a riad with a pool or on the coast. Your trip will feel longer, not shorter.
Your Own Morocco Itinerary
Every itinerary above is a starting point. Tell us your dates, where you land and fly home, how many of you there are and what you most want to see, and we reply within 24 hours with a day-by-day plan and a price. Then we change it with you until it fits: more days in one place, fewer hours in the car, a different hotel level.
Not sure when to go? Read our guide to the best time to visit Morocco, and our guide to what a trip to Morocco costs.
Morocco Itinerary Questions
Planning a trip and still unsure? Ask us: a real person on our team in Merzouga replies.
What is the best Morocco itinerary for 7 days?
Casablanca, Rabat and Chefchaouen, then Fes, one night in the Sahara at Merzouga, the Dades Valley and Ait Ben Haddou, ending in Marrakech. It is our most requested route.
Is 5 days enough for Morocco?
For one region, yes: Marrakech and the Sahara make a very good 5-day trip. To add Fes and the north, plan 7 days or more.
How many days do you need in Marrakech?
Two full days for the medina, the palaces and the gardens; three if you want a day trip to the Atlas or Essaouira.
Should we start in Casablanca or Marrakech?
Start where your flight lands. Most direct flights from the US land in Casablanca, and ending in Marrakech avoids driving back.
Can you see Morocco in 10 days?
Yes, the main highlights: the imperial cities, the Sahara, the kasbahs of the south, Marrakech and the coast at Essaouira.
Build Your Itinerary with Us.
Tell us how many days you have and what you would like to see. We reply within 24 hours with a day-by-day plan and a price.
