10 Day Morocco Itinerary: Marrakesh, Fes, Sahara & Toubkal
Morocco is an amazing place to travel. If you have 10 days in the country, the best way to spend it is by seeing the old cities and traditional markets, plus the Atlas mountains and desert scenery.
This itinerary has each of those things. You’ll start at Marrakesh, ride camels in the Sahara Desert, and then see the cities of Fes and Chefchaouen, before ending with an epic hike up Mount Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa.
It’s closely based on my own 10 day trip, although I streamlined it and made a few improvements based on my recent experiences in the country.
In this travel guide, I’ll show you some of the top things to see and do in Morocco!
About This Itinerary
Here’s a quick summary of the places in this itinerary:
- Marrakesh — 1 day
- Sahara Desert trip — 4 days
- Fes — 2 days
- Chefchaouen — 1 day
- Mount Toubkal — 2 days
In the following sections, I’ll cover each of these places in detail so you know what to expect!
Morocco Itinerary Day 1: Marrakesh
Welcome to Morocco! Start your trip by exploring the historic city of Marrakesh, which is famous for its markets and architecture.
If you’re staying at a hotel in the medina (old city), then you can walk from your hotel doorstep to all of the places listed below, which is what I did.
• Medresa Ben Youssef
This Islamic madrasa (college) was founded in Marrakesh in the 16th century, and at one time, it was the largest Islamic school in North Africa. Today, it’s a UNESCO-designated world heritage site.
You can tour the building for a small fee, and it’s full of beautiful mosaics and other interesting details. If you’re looking for nice photo spots in Marrakesh, some of the doorways here are fantastic.
This place is very popular with tourists, though, so getting here early in the day is a good idea.
Inside the building
• Marrakesh Medina
One thing you must do in Marrakesh is see the souks and markets in the old city. The biggest of these is Souk Semmarine.
These markets are loaded with nice crafts to look at, buy, and photograph, and it’s fun to wander the alleys and hunt for souvenirs.
You’ll see all kinds of pottery, rugs, lamps, shoes, spices, leather, wood carvings, and more. There are also the usual travel souvenirs like fridge magnets and coffee mugs.
Dishes for sale at the market
Lamps in the Marrakesh medina
A lot of the market sellers can be pushy, and they may not leave you alone, so you need to be ready to keep walking if you aren’t interested. You can also say ‘la shoukran’ (‘no thank you’) politely but forcefully.
At the same time, you’ll also have to dodge incoming donkeys, motorbikes, and other foot traffic in the narrow alleys, so it’s a pretty hectic experience.
I always asked the sellers before taking pictures of their wares, and they usually don’t mind as long as their face isn’t being photographed.
• Jemaa el-Fnaa
This is the main square of Marrakesh, and it’s a crazy place with snake charmers, street performers, food stalls, and fruit juice sellers.
It’s an assault on your senses, and scammers abound, so keep your wits about you; but it’s still an interesting place to see while you’re in Marrakesh.
Spices on display
Snake charmer with a cobra at Jemaa el-Fnaa
• Other Places To See In Marrakesh
If you have more time in Marrakesh, here are some other places that are worth seeingAD
- Bahia Palace — 19th century palace with a photogenic courtyard and fountains.
- Saadian Tombs — Royal necropolis from the 16th century with marble columns and detailed mosaics.
- Badi Palace — Ruined palace from the 16th century.
- Koutoubia Mosque — Largest mosque in Marrakesh, built in the 12th century.
• Overnight in Marrakesh
Spend your first night in Marrakesh, which has lots of great hotels for every budget.
Here are some of my top picks:
- Budget — Riad Malfa. A small hotel in the middle of the medina. This is where I stayed, and the French lady who owns it was very friendly and helpful throughout my trip. Say hi to Beatrice for me.
- Midrange — Riad Spa Sindibad. Comfortable rooms on the outskirts of the medina. Includes breakfast and a pool.
- High End — Riad Aslal. Accessible hotel on the edge of the medina, but still within walking distance of the main sites. Includes breakfast and a pool.
Bedroom at © Riad Aslal
Day 2: Sahara Desert Trip (Marrakesh To Tinghir)
One of the best excursions you can do in Morocco is a trip to Merzouga, where you can ride camels in the sand dunes and camp on the outskirts of the Sahara Desert. This was a highlight of my time in Morocco
This is normally done as a 3 or 4 day trip since Merzouga is a long drive from Marrakesh. You’ll spend one night in a hotel on the way there, and see lots of interesting sights along the way.
I’d recommend doing a 4 day trip instead of 3 days, because you want to make the driving worthwhile. You can begin the trip in Marrakesh and end in Fes, which is what we’ll do for this itinerary.
I booked this trip with GetYourGuide and it included transportation, guides, meals, accommodation, and camel rides at the sand dunes. It was a great trip!
Book Now: 4 Day Sahara Desert Tour
Camel ride in the Sahara desert
• Drive To The Atlas Mountains
The first day of your Sahara tour will involve approximately 6 hours of driving, but it’ll be broken up into segments to make it easier. My group started at 7:30 AM.
After being picked up by your tour company in Marrakesh, you’ll first drive approximately 2 hours to the mountain pass of Tizi n’Tichka, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the High Atlas mountains.
The road winding up the mountain makes the view even more impressive! This is the highest mountain pass in North Africa, with an elevation of 2,205 meters (7,234 feet).
Tizi n’Tichka mountain pass
From here, we drove another 30 minutes and then made a bathroom stop at a restaurant overlooking the Berber village of Melladi, where we were given a free tour of an Argan oil shop.
Argan oil comes from the argan tree, which is native to Morocco and Algeria, and it’s used in hair and skin products because of its health benefits.
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