Dreaming of exploring historical medinas and historic kasbahs? Crossing the rusty dunes of the Sahara Desert and climbing the arid peaks of the Atlas Mountains? Sitting underneath the swaying fronds on a palm oasis or strolling by means of the blue metropolis of Chefchaouen whereas listening to the decision to prayer? Whereas many individuals planning a visit to Morocco will solely keep just a few days in Marrakech, or mix a go to with a visit to Spain or Portugal, this nation in North Africa has a lot to supply that it’s value visiting by itself and planning a whole Morocco journey itinerary.
Morocco is rapidly changing into a sizzling journey vacation spot not only for younger vacationers, however many households are selecting to go to Morocco with youngsters. But determining the proper Morocco journey itinerary generally is a problem. We spent a lot time researching and plotting out our itinerary with the assistance of EPIC Journey.
If you wish to make it simpler to plan your journey to Morocco, I’d extremely advocate hiring EPIC Journey to plan and guide your Morocco itinerary. Inform them We3Travel referred you and you’ll obtain a free VIP welcome reward on arrival. EPIC excels at planning distinctive itineraries and experiences utilizing in-country journey planners with shut connections to native guides, drivers, and lodging.
Nonetheless, in case you would relatively plan it by yourself, preserve studying for 3 choices in your Morocco itinerary relying on how a lot time you need to spend in Morocco. I’ll cowl how lengthy to spend in Morocco, attending to Morocco, and 7-day, 10-day, and 14-day Morocco itineraries.
Additionally, make sure to learn my Morocco journey ideas and strategies on what to put on in Morocco!
How A lot Time SHould You Spend in Morocco?
Two weeks is basically the best period of time to go to Morocco. Nonetheless, you possibly can undoubtedly get an excellent really feel for the nation with only one week or, even higher, no less than 10 days. Relying on how a lot time you possibly can spend in-country, you’ve gotten some robust decisions to make about what you retain in and what you need to pass over of your Morocco journey itinerary.
For instance, in case you dream of driving camels within the Sahara desert and staying in a single day in a desert camp, it’s arduous to suit that right into a one-week Morocco itinerary until you solely need to do Marrakech and the desert.
It’s no less than an eight-hour drive from Fes to Merzouga on the fringe of the Sahara, and even farther from Marrakech. If you happen to solely have 7 days in Morocco, you possibly can nonetheless have a camel desert expertise, it’s simply going to be the rocky desert, not these attractive dunes of the Sahara.
Equally, you actually can’t match within the attractive Blue Metropolis of Chefchaouen all the way in which within the north in case you solely have a ten day Morocco itinerary. A minimum of not until you’re prepared to surrender a visit to the desert! We even had a little bit of hassle squeezing it into our 12 day journey to Morocco.
However that’s okay, I’m going to stroll you thru what a 7, 10, or 2-week itinerary might appear to be!
Attending to Morocco
Most guests coming from the USA will fly into Casablanca, though you might be able to fly into Marrakech in case you join by means of Europe. U.S. cities with direct flights to Morocco embrace New York, Washington D.C., and Miami. In Europe, some cities with direct flights to Morocco embrace Paris, London, Lisbon, and Madrid. Most main airways provide direct flights to Morocco, together with Air France, British Airways, and Royal Air Maroc. There are additionally a number of price range airways that supply flights to Morocco, together with Ryanair and Easyjet.
In case you are unable to discover a direct flight to Morocco out of your metropolis, you could want to attach by means of a European metropolis. Many main airports in Europe, comparable to Paris Charles de Gaulle, London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport provide connecting flights to Morocco. You’ll be able to examine with airways comparable to KLM, Lufthansa, and Turkish Airways, which all provide connecting flights to Morocco. You’ll usually discover flight offers on Faucet Airways by means of Lisbon to Marrakech.
Professional tip: whenever you arrive in Casablanca or Marrakech, it may be a bit overwhelming with lengthy strains. To avoid wasting time and get to your vacation spot sooner, you possibly can pay for a Quick Observe arrival service that may meet you on the gate and produce you thru a VIP line to the bags declare space and help along with your baggage reclamation.
Getting Round Morocco
I’ve a complete submit concerning the execs and cons of driving in Morocco, however the backside line is that whereas it’s completely potential to drive your self safely round Morocco, it is usually far more nice to have a driver if the price range permits. (Discover out how a lot a visit to Morocco prices.)
If you happen to resolve to self-drive, simply beware that there are pace traps arrange outdoors of just about each city. Many roads are slender and winding, with many vans to deal with. One other nice good thing about hiring a driver is that they are going to know the very best locations to cease and eat, use the toilet, or sights to go to alongside the way in which.
Our driver Hassan (organized by means of EPIC Journey) was such a gem. He crammed us in on a lot native historical past and customs throughout our lengthy drives, giving us a deeper appreciation of Morocco throughout our go to.
The place to remain in Morocco
I’ll provide up particular resort and lodging suggestions as I’m going by means of every vacation spot on the Morocco journey itinerary, however I encourage anybody visiting Morocco to hunt out genuine riads and boutique accommodations. We did have one wonderful keep on the 4 Seasons in Marrakech, however I liked a few of our different stays much more.
A riad is a conventional Moroccan home or mansion with an inside backyard or courtyard. Initially constructed as personal properties within the medinas, they had been designed to be a retreat from the bustling streets outdoors. Right this moment, many riads have been transformed into small accommodations. Staying in a riad generally is a fantastic strategy to immerse your self in Moroccan tradition and get a style of what it’s wish to dwell in a conventional Moroccan residence.
Riads are sometimes small and household run, embellished in a conventional fashion, with intricate tile work, colourful textiles, and hand-carved wooden or plaster particulars. Many riads even have rooftop terraces, which provide views of the encircling metropolis and are an awesome place to calm down and unwind after a day of sightseeing. At a riad you’re additionally all the time welcomed with a conventional glass of Moroccan mint tea, a convention you’ll come to like.
Morocco Journey Itinerary Choice 1: 7 Days in Morocco
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If you happen to solely have one week in Morocco, I might advocate that you just fly into Marrakech. If you happen to discover a higher deal or a direct flight flying into Casablanca, simply understand that most guests don’t spend far more than a day in Casablanca to see the Hassan II Mosque, and that it’s roughly three hours from Marrakech.
With 7 days in Morocco, you’ll have time to go to two locations. I might advocate both Marrakech and Fes or Marrakech and Merzouga within the Moroccan Sahara.
- Days 1-4: Marrakech
- Days 5-7 Fes or Merzouga Desert
Marrakech (Days 1-4)
Plan to spend three nights in Marrakech (4 if you wish to do a day journey). You might select to remain in a conventional Moroccan riad, or at one of many resorts just like the 4 Seasons Marrakech or the Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech, outdoors of metropolis middle. Some good riad choices embrace:
- Riad Kaiss in Marrakech – most appeal (that is the place we stayed for 2 nights after which we cut up our time between the riad and the 4 Seasons for 2 nights)
- Villa des Orangers — for a splurge riad
- Riad Kniza — extra fairly priced
Day 1 – Marrakech Souk
Spend your first full day soaking within the metropolis with a half-day tour of Marrakech souk. This will then go away you loads of time to wander by means of the medina and store after the tour. It is possible for you to to see locations the place they hand-dye textiles, do metallic working, and different handicrafts. Simply understand that many shopkeepers are not looking for you to {photograph} the merchandise with out permission or financial compensation. (Additionally, it’s offensive within the Islamic tradition to {photograph} individuals’s faces.)
Whereas exploring the souk, you could need to cease into one of many pharmacies for natural treatments and merchandise like rose water, argan oil, or Moroccan tea. A go to to one of many spice distributors can be a visible delight, simply watch out when buying gadgets like saffron as there are various fakes within the medina too. It helps to ask an area the place to buy.
Within the night, make sure to take a stroll by means of Jemaa-el-Fna Sq.. It may be fairly the spectacle, with snake charmers, meals distributors, and all kinds of products on show. Simply preserve an in depth eye in your valuables and in case you cease to take an image of the snake charmers, you will must tip them. You’ll quickly be taught that tipping is anticipated in Morocco, even when somebody offers you instructions or helps you in any manner.
Close to the sq., you possibly can stroll by the Kutubiyya or Koutoubia Mosque and Minaret, which is the biggest mosque in Marrakesh. Close by, you possibly can rent a carriage for a trip by means of the medina (simply examine and see if the horse appears effectively cared for as many don’t.) You might also need to take a stroll by means of the attractive Mamounia Resort, which is ready on a Twelfth-century property.
Day 2 – Marrakech Meals
In your second full day, I might recommend that you just dig deeper into the delicacies with a cooking class & market go to or meals tour with Marrakech Meals Excursions. We took a cooking class with Souk Delicacies, which was superior. It began with a go to to the market the place our information gave us every a purchasing record and cash and helped us buy what we would wish to organize a meal. We then went to an area’s residence to organize the meal, with their assist, together with strolling our bread to the native bakery oven. Then we loved an genuine Moroccan meal ready with our personal fingers.
Within the afternoon, take a while to calm down at your riad or resort. There are lots of nice eating places in Marrakech in case you really feel like exploring different cuisines as the remainder of your time in Morocco you will note the identical dishes on the menu, together with kefta, couscous, tagine, pastille, and briouats.
Day 3 – Marrakech Museums & Palaces
In your third day in Marrakech, there may be nonetheless a lot to see however two points of interest you shouldn’t miss embrace the Dar El Bacha Museum and the Bahia Palace. Situated close to the doorway of the medina, the Dar El Bacha was as soon as the house of Thami El Glaoui, the pacha of Marrakech.
The structure of the museum is the primary attraction, though there are attention-grabbing artifacts inside that symbolize the varied cultures of Morocco together with Berber, Arabic, and Jewish. The museum has unbelievable picket carvings, stunning tilework, and a beautiful courtyard with aromatic orange timber.
Bahia Palace is a lovely mid to late Nineteenth-century palace that was first constructed by Si Musa, grand vizier of Alaouite sultan Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman, in 1859 after which continued and expanded by his son Si Ba Ahmed ibn Musa, grand vizier of Sultan Moulay Abdelaziz between 1894 and 1900.
There are stunning mosaics, carvings, and tilework that present a wonderful backdrop for pictures. We selected to have household pictures right here by Flytographer (save $25 off your first reserving with my referral hyperlink or utilizing code CODE57715.)
You probably have extra time, you could need to go to among the main points of interest comparable to:
- Les Jardins Majorelle botanical gardens and YSL Museum
- Museum of Marrakech
- Dar Si Stated
- Saadian Tombs
Day 4 – Day Journey
You probably have a fourth day in Marrakech, I might advocate selecting an tour that pursuits you outdoors of the town. These are primarily full-day excursions, though some may very well be half-day. Some choices embrace:
- Day journey to Essaouira — Essaouira is a picturesque seaside city. The principle sq. was utilized in Orson Welles’ Othello. The bay is standard with kite and wind surfers, and you may head all the way down to the water to see the fishing boats after which stroll alongside La Skala, one of many port bastions. We deliberate to do that however sadly we received sick and didn’t really feel as much as it and we needed to cancel.
- Excessive Atlas Mountains / Berber Villages — head into the Excessive Atlas Mountains and go to just a few genuine Berber villages, together with a cease for lunch at an area’s residence. You’ll be able to even embrace a camel trip.
- Ouarzazate and Ait Ben haddou — take a full day journey throughout the Atlas Mountains to see the traditional kasbah of Ait Ben haddou (you could acknowledge this from Gladiator or Recreation of Thrones) and the “Hollywood within the Desert” of Ouarzazate. If you happen to select to go to the desert as a substitute of Fes, you’d then proceed on to the desert from right here.
- Rock Desert and Camel Trip — take a half-day tour into the close by rocky desert and climb on board a camel for a trip by means of a palm grove. This tour will usually cease for conventional mint tea in an area village.
- Different choices embrace quad biking, horseback driving, and excursions of Marrakech through motorcycle sidecar.
Fes (Days 5-7)
Within the curiosity of time, from Marrakech, I might advocate taking a brief one-hour flight to Fes. Another choice can be to take a prepare however that takes 6.5 hours (though it’s a good price range choice.) The outdated city of Fes is a UNESCO World Heritage Web site and options the very best medina in Morocco. It is called the mental and non secular coronary heart of Morocco, whereas Marrakech is extra touristy.
If you happen to don’t need to see Fes, you possibly can strive to slot in a visit to the desert as a substitute. Day 4 would take you to Ouarzazate/Skoura. Then day 5 would convey you to the desert. On days six and 7 you would wish to reverse the journey. It’s plenty of driving to suit into only a week so Fes would actually be the higher selection!
If you happen to proceed to Fes, that is the place I might undoubtedly advocate staying in a conventional riad within the medina, even in case you opted for a resort or a riad outdoors of the medina in Marrakech. Some nice choices embrace:
- Riad Fes — Relais & Chateaux luxurious riad (that is the place we stayed)
- Karawan Riad — attractive property, better of the very best
- Dar Roumana — extra price range pleasant however fairly conventional and good
Upon arrival, I might head out on a Fes meals tour (until you took one in Marrakech, then possibly strive a cooking class with Riad Fes.) If you happen to aren’t a lot of a foodie, then I might recommend taking a medina tour or visiting the tanneries to see this essential a part of the native tradition and economic system. Fes is unquestionably an awesome spot to do a few of your memento purchasing! We ended up shopping for pottery, leather-based items, and metallic merchandise in Fes.
Or, in case you simply need to calm down, check out one of many conventional hammams for a soak, scrub, and therapeutic massage.
Day 6 – Fes Tour
Your second day in Fes is when you need to actually dig into exploring this wonderful metropolis. I might advocate hiring a information to get the total historical past and background, however you possibly can definitely discover many of those locations by yourself. A number of the highlights embrace:
- Historical Medina – a lot extra genuine than Marrakech, it’s straightforward to get misplaced on this labyrinth but additionally enjoyable to find the completely different sections, comparable to fancy attire, metallic working, spices and meals, and many others. Simply understand that among the extra generic memento kinds of outlets close to the Blue Gate promote items which are made in Asia, not Morocco. Search for outlets the place you possibly can see the artisans at work and be ready to cut price! It’s a sport that Moroccans get pleasure from.
- Royal Palace (Fes Palais Royal Dar El Makhzen) with its golden gates – you can’t go inside however it’s enjoyable to take pictures in entrance of the attractive golden doorways
- Outdated Jewish Quarter (or Mellah) – situated close to the Royal Palace you possibly can stroll by means of a gate into the quarter, go to the synagogue and Jewish cemetery, and go to the outlets (it is a massive jewellery district.)
- Pottery quarter – you possibly can go to a cooperative to see every step of the pottery making course of. It is a good spot to by genuine souvenirs.
- Close by fortresses of Borj Sud and Borj Nord – these forts had been in-built 1582 and provide nice views over Fes.
You’ll be able to see all of those websites in at some point however you will have a automotive to get to many of those spots so hiring a information is the easiest way to go.
Day 7 – Return
In your final day in Morocco, you want to get again to your metropolis of departure. You possibly can both fly again to Marrakech, or you possibly can rent a driver to take you to Casablanca through Meknes and Rabat.
Morocco Itinerary Choice 2: 10 Days in Morocco
With three further days to play with, you’ll have time so as to add get out to the Sahara desert in case you don’t thoughts spending plenty of time in a automotive. Begin your journey out in Marrakech, as I’ve outlined above, however in your fourth full day (not counting your arrival day), both hire a automotive or rent a driver in your three-day journey into and out of the desert.
- Days 1-4: Marrakech
- Day 5: Eit Ben Haddou / Skoura
- Day 6: Merzouga, Sahara Desert
- Days 7-10: Fes
Day 4 – Drive to Eit Ben Haddou & Skoura
I can’t stress sufficient how lengthy the drive is from Marrakech out to Merzouga within the Sahara Desert. It would be best to cease in a single day to interrupt up the journey. Even then, the driving can really feel a bit infinite and it may be sluggish going, particularly in case you get behind a truck.
As soon as you permit Marrakech, you’ll journey throughout the plains that encompass Marrakech and over the Tichka Go of the Excessive Atlas Mountains. Make sure you cease for some wonderful views of this winding highway. The primary cease will both be the traditional kasbah of Telouet, or head straight to Ait Ben Haddou.
Ait Ben Haddou is the very best preserved kasbah in Morocco. The village is an Eleventh-century assortment of kasbahs which are nonetheless inhabited by a handful of households. It is going to look acquainted as a result of it has been used because the backdrop to many motion pictures and TV exhibits.
There aren’t actually any indicators or markers inside the city, so to get essentially the most out of the expertise, I might advocate hiring an area information. You probably have a driver, they’ll most likely assist prepare this. Count on to pay round 200 Dirhams (about $20) for a brief tour (see my Morocco journey price range to be taught extra about what a visit to Morocco prices.)
From Ait Ben Haddou, you’ll undergo Ouarzazate. Right this moment this ex-French international legion outpost is a bit touristy and the middle of the film trade. You’ll be able to cease and go to the movie studio however I’m undecided whether it is value it.
On the finish of the day, you’ll arrive in Skoura, a palm oasis, the place you possibly can spend the evening. In case you are in search of luxurious, Dar Ahlam is the place to remain. Nonetheless, we stayed on the L’Ma Lodge, which options a big backyard of palms and fruit timber with a pool and welcoming leisure areas. We liked this essentially the most of all of our lodging on the journey. It was such a soothing place to relax out. (See my full assessment of L’Ma Lodge.)
Your subsequent day is spent driving from Skoura to Merzouga on the fringe of the Sahara desert. You’ll move by means of the Dades Valley and Kelaa M’Gouna (which sits on the head of the “Rose Valley”) and Todra Gorge. You probably have time, cease at one of many girls’s rose cooperatives to buy rose oil, rose water, and different locally-made merchandise.
Cease for lunch close to the Todra Gorge and you may take a simple hike by means of the higher a part of the gorge. Todra Gorge is a sandstone ravine with 300-meter cliffs on both aspect of a really slender passage.
From there, you’ll proceed on to reach in Merzouga earlier than sundown. If you happen to select, you possibly can prepare for a sundown camel trek into the desert to get to your desert camp.
There are fairly just a few desert camps on this space, so it isn’t like you’re alone within the Sahara. The one we stayed at was Jaimas Madu, which had luxuriously-appointed tents with personal rest room amenities (a should for us!) We had been stunned by how good our tent was and the meals was scrumptious. It was such a particular expertise.
Within the morning we spent a while making an attempt to sandboard on the dunes earlier than leaving camp. After this once-in-a-lifetime expertise, the following day is devoted to the lengthy drive over to Fes. You’ll move by means of the Center Atlas Mountains.
Make sure you cease earlier than you get to the Swiss-inspired college city of Ifrane to feed the macaques. You’ll be able to’t miss them as you’re driving by and there are distributors promoting peanuts.
When you arrive in Fes, you possibly can decide up from the one-week Morocco itinerary above to finish your journey.
Morocco Journey Itinerary Choice 3: 2 Weeks in Morocco
You probably have two weeks to spend in Morocco — fortunate you! Once we visited we spent 12 nights in Morocco and it will have been very nice to have these two further nights to offer the journey a extra leisurely tempo. Because it was, we compressed our journey day right into a horribly lengthy day to slot in every thing that we wished.
With two weeks, you possibly can take a unique method than the 7 day or 10 day Morocco itineraries outlined above. I might recommend utilizing the next schedule:
Day 1 – Arrival
To your two-week Morocco itinerary, I might attempt to fly into Casablanca and out of Marrakech, or into/out of Casablanca (until you’re connecting by means of Europe, then it will be ideally suited to start out in Tangier in case you might.)
Upon arrival in Casablanca, you possibly can both spend your first evening there (go to the Hassan II Mosque and Rick’s Cafe) or head as much as Rabat, Morocco’s capital metropolis.
In Rabat, you possibly can hit just a few of the town’s highlights: Hassan Tower, Kasbah des Oudaias, Chellah, and the Medina earlier than the four-five hour drive to Chefchaouen.
Day 2 – Chefchaouen
Most of today will likely be spent touring to Chefchaouen as sadly, there isn’t any straightforward strategy to get there. Many individuals have requested me, “is Chefchaouen value it?” And if in case you have lower than two weeks in Morocco, then it’s undoubtedly not value all of the journey to get there. Nonetheless, in case you do have two weeks or extra, I completely liked this little gem. Possibly it was as a result of we had been there in March and never “excessive season” for all of the Instagrammers, however I discovered it charming and genuine, so long as you possibly can ignore these posing for footage (which wasn’t a ridiculous quantity.)
Chefchaouen is called the Blue Metropolis and tourism is booming after many have fallen in love with its blue-washed partitions and secret alleyways after seeing it on Instagram (confession – I’m responsible!) It’s arguably the prettiest metropolis in Morocco, nestled between two peaks of the Rif Mountains.
Lodging are considerably scarce in Chefchaouen and never the identical stage of luxurious that you could find in different cities. We stayed two nights on the Lina Ryad, and likewise thought of the Riad Cherifa.
Day 3 – ChefChaouen Exploration
You should have a bit of over a day to discover the winding alleyways and markets of Chefchaouen. Uncover the outdated Jewish quarter, and go to the Ras El Ma spring, the place native girls wash their garments.
In case you are feeling adventurous, you possibly can take a hike to the outdated Spanish Mosque/fort on a hill outdoors the medina. From right here you possibly can see stunning views of the valley and if you’re fortunate, catch a lovely sundown.
We employed a information, which helped us to not get misplaced, however actually I don’t assume you want a information to discover as the town is pretty compact and you may normally discover your manner again to the place you got here from.
Day 4 – Drive to Fes
From Chefchaouen it’s a 4 hour drive to Fes, the place you’ll decide up from the 10-day itinerary above, however in reverse order.
Day 5-6 – Fes
You’ll spend three nights in Fes earlier than heading into the desert. You might think about taking a day journey to Meknes from Fes to see the partly excavated Berber-Roman ruins of Volubilis.
Day 7-8 – Merzouga
Since you’ve gotten time time, I might advocate spending two nights within the desert so that you’ve extra time to do actions like sand boarding and dune busting, in addition to the sundown camel trip.
Day 9-10 – Skoura
Then, in your manner out of the desert, you possibly can spend two nights in Skoura to interrupt up the driving.
Days 11-14 – Marrakech
You’ll then proceed on to Marrakech through Eit Ben Haddou. You’ll spend three to 4 nights in Marrakech and may both fly out of Marrakech, or prepare a three-hour switch again to Casablanca on the finish of your journey.
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