10 days in Morocco: Marrakech, Fes, desert and Essaouira

Day by day

1. 1

   Day 1

   Arrival in Marrakech — first plunge into the medina

   Land at Marrakech-Menara airport (code RAK), 6 km from the centre. Official petit taxi (beige) to the medina: 70-80 MAD (€7-8), fixed fare negotiated before boarding — no meter required. Drop-off at Bab Doukkala or Bab el-Jedid depending on your riad — cars cannot enter the medina.

   First night recommended in a traditional riad: Riad Yasmine (Derb Sidi Ahmed Ou Moussa, from 600 MAD / €60 per night), Riad BE (near Jemaa el-Fna, 700-900 MAD / €70-90) or Riad Camilia for a quieter option. Don't try to sightsee tonight: settle on the rooftop terrace, sip mint tea, watch the medina's rooftops turn orange at dusk.

   Dinner on Jemaa el-Fna: the food stalls light up at 7pm — harira (3 MAD / €0.30), lamb brochettes (30-40 MAD / €3-4), freshly squeezed orange juice (4 MAD / €0.40). Avoid the restaurants lining the square — mediocre quality, tourist prices.

   Tips

   • · Official airport taxi: 70-80 MAD (€7-8) fixed — reject any driver who approaches outside the official rank.
   • · Riad rooms: ask for a room without a street-facing window to sleep well — the alleyways echo until midnight.
   Marrakech →
2. 2

   Day 2

   Marrakech — Jemaa el-Fna, souks and Majorelle Gardens

   Full day. Start early in the medina souks before midday heat: spice souk (Rahba Kedima), tanners' souk, babouche souk, carpet souk. A certified neighbourhood guide (200-300 MAD / €20-30 for a half-day, booked via your riad) is helpful but not essential — the alleyways reveal themselves with time. Never accept an offer to be 'shown around' by a stranger: it's always a commissioned merchant visit.

   Bahia Palace (70 MAD / €7, open 9am-5pm) in the afternoon: a labyrinth of courtyards, zellige tiles and arabesque woodwork. Then taxi (20 MAD / €2) to the Majorelle Gardens (entry 150 MAD / €15, Berber museum included or separate option). Majorelle blue, giant cacti, lily ponds — arrive at 3-4pm for golden light and thinner crowds.

   Dinner at restaurant Le Foundouk (near Medersa Ben Youssef, main courses 120-180 MAD / €12-18) or Nomad (rooftop terrace, modern Moroccan cuisine, reservation recommended).

   Tips

   • · Majorelle Gardens: book online at jardinmajorelle.com to skip the queue (150 MAD / €15, same price as the counter but no wait).
   • · Currency: withdraw dirhams from ATMs in the medina — exchange offices offer rates 3-5% below bank rates.
   Marrakech →
3. 3

   Day 3

   Marrakech → Tizi n'Tichka pass → Aït Benhaddou → Ouarzazate

   Depart at 7:30am by shared taxi or rental car from Bab Doukkala. Take national road N9 towards the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m elevation): a spectacular 190 km road of switchbacks, Berber villages clinging to the slopes, and High Atlas panoramas. Allow 3h30 to Aït Benhaddou without stops.

   Aït Benhaddou (UNESCO site entry free, optional local guide 80-100 MAD / €8-10): an ochre earthen ksar that served as backdrop for Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and Game of Thrones. Cross the river on stepping stones and climb to the collective granary at the top. View over the Drâa plain. Allow 1h30 for the visit.

   Ouarzazate is 30 km away, arriving late afternoon. A functional staging town without much charm. Dinner at Kasbah Café (lamb tagine with prunes and almonds 70-90 MAD / €7-9). Night at Hôtel Berbère Palace or a guesthouse (300-500 MAD / €30-50).

   Tips

   • · Shared taxi Marrakech → Ouarzazate: 80-100 MAD per person (€8-10), departs when full (6 seats), allow 4-5h with an Aït Benhaddou stop.
   • · Car rental: 350-500 MAD per day (€35-50) + fuel. The Tichka road is manageable in a standard car, no 4WD needed.
4. 4

   Day 4

   Ouarzazate → Drâa valley → Merzouga — arrival at the dunes

   A transfer day, but not only that. Road D956 then N10 follows the Drâa valley, a corridor of green palm groves slicing through the mineral desert — one of Morocco's most striking landscapes. Possible stops at Agdz (kasbah, local market) and Zagora (80 MAD / €8 for lunch at a local eatery). Total distance Ouarzazate → Merzouga: 370 km, 5h30 to 6h driving.

   Arrive in Merzouga late afternoon. The village is the gateway to the Erg Chebbi dunes, the tallest in Morocco (up to 150 m). From the guesthouse, the dunes are visible 500 m away — an immediate, unmediated spectacle. Rest up, don't climb yet: save the energy for sunset.

   Head up the dune crest at 5:30-6pm (30-35 min on foot or by dromedary, 100-150 MAD / €10-15 for a 45-min ride). 360° view: orange, red, violet depending on the light. Dinner at the bivouac, Berber menu (tagine + wood-fired bread + tea).

   Tips

   • · Bus CTM Ouarzazate → Merzouga: no reliable direct line — shared taxi (150-200 MAD / €15-20 per person) or rental car strongly recommended.
   • · Guesthouses in Merzouga: Auberge Erg Chebbi or Dar Azawad (from 400 MAD / €40 per room, some packages include bivouac).
5. 5

   Day 5

   Desert — bivouac night and sunrise over Erg Chebbi

   Wake up at 5:30am: the easiest alarm of the entire trip. Climb the nearest dune crest before sunrise — 20-25 min walk through cold sand. The light arrives gradually, blood-red then golden, in absolute silence broken only by the wind. This is why you made the detour.

   Berber breakfast at the bivouac (msemen flatbread, argan oil, honey, coffee or tea). Free morning: walking in the dunes, sandboarding (boards lent by most guesthouses), visit to Khamlia village 5 km away to hear the gnaoua music of its inhabitants (free contribution, 50 MAD / €5 suggested). Avoid going out between 11am and 3pm: the heat is intense from March to October.

   Afternoon: traditional hammam in Merzouga (60-100 MAD / €6-10, scrub included), rest, prepare for tomorrow's long transfer. Dinner at Hôtel Yasmina (careful cuisine, fish from Lake Dayet Srji on the menu occasionally). Night in a guesthouse room — the last quiet sleep before a long day.

   Tips

   • · Sandboarding on Erg Chebbi dunes: guesthouses lend the board free or for 20-30 MAD (€2-3) — apply wax yourself.
   • · Photographing sunrise: a wide-angle lens or phone is sufficient, but bring a fully charged battery — the desert night cold drains it quickly.
6. 6

   Day 6

   Merzouga → Fes — the long northern transfer

   The longest day of the circuit: Merzouga → Fes, 500 km, 7-8h driving via Er-Rachidia, Midelt and Ifrane (road N13 then N8). Depart before 8am. The alternative is a flight from Errachidia → Casablanca + train Casablanca → Fes (Royal Air Maroc or Air Arabia Maroc, ~€90-150 depending on availability, Errachidia airport 60 km from Merzouga) — worth it if time matters more than budget.

   By road, the route crosses the Middle Atlas: landscapes of giant cedar forests, through Ifrane (a French-built town, snow in winter, surprisingly clean). Lunch in Midelt (60-80 MAD / €6-8, vegetable omelette or harira soup by the roadside). Arrive in Fes late afternoon.

   Check into a riad in Fes el-Bali medina: Riad Laaroussa (rooms from 700 MAD / €70, pool), Riad Idrissy (500-700 MAD / €50-70, very central), or Riad Dar el-Ghalia for an upscale experience. Light dinner on-site or room service — the day was long enough.

   Tips

   • · Errachidia → Casablanca flight: check RAM and Air Arabia Maroc — a midweek seat can be found for 600-900 MAD (€60-90), saving 7-8h of driving.
   • · By car: fill up in Er-Rachidia (Afriquia or Shell stations) — petrol stations become sparse on the N13 between Errachidia and Midelt.
   Fes →
7. 7

   Day 7

   Fes — medieval medina, Chouara tanneries and madrasa

   Fes el-Bali is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest pedestrian medina in the Arab world — 9,400 alleyways, 300,000 inhabitants, a density beyond anything seen in Marrakech. A certified guide is strongly recommended here (250-350 MAD / €25-35, half-day, book via the riad or ONMT): without one, it's easy to get lost and miss the craft explanations.

   Morning: Medersa Bou Inania (entry 70 MAD / €7), a masterpiece of 14th-century Merinid architecture — zellige tiles, sculpted plaster, cedarwood. Then the pottery souk, the dyers' souk, and finally the essential Chouara Tanneries: climb into one of the leather shops overlooking the vats (free if entering through a shop, mint branch provided at the entrance to soften the smell). Vats of vegetable tan, saffron, indigo — a medieval scene preserved intact.

   Lunch at Restaurant Nur (contemporary Moroccan cuisine, main dishes 130-180 MAD / €13-18, reservation recommended) or at a medina eatery (harira + chicken pastilla, 50-70 MAD / €5-7). Afternoon: Fes Royal Palace (monumental gates, exterior view only), then Borj Nord for a panoramic view over the medina from the heights.

   Tips

   • · Chouara Tanneries: go in the morning between 9am and 11am when the light hits the vats and workers are active — by afternoon, the vats are often empty.
   • · Fes medina: never accept an offer to be guided by a stranger — same polite refusal as in Marrakech. The difference here is you can genuinely get lost in the maze.
   Fes →
8. 8

   Day 8

   Fes → Casablanca (Al Boraq) → Essaouira (bus)

   A well-orchestrated transfer day. Al Boraq train (Moroccan high-speed rail) Fes → Casablanca: 2h20, recommended departure 7:30-8:30am, 2nd class ticket 220 MAD / €22. Booking essential on oncf.ma or the ONCF app — seats sell out fast on weekends. Arrive at Casa-Voyageurs or Casa-Port station.

   From Casablanca, take a CTM bus directly to Essaouira (several departures between 8am and 2pm, 4h30 journey, 130-160 MAD / €13-16). Book at ctm.ma or at the CTM bus station in Casablanca. The bus follows the Atlantic coast from Safi onwards — first glimpse of the coast after a week inland.

   Arrive in Essaouira late afternoon. Stay in a medina riad: Riad Chbanate (from 600 MAD / €60), Riad le Jardin des Douars (700-900 MAD / €70-90) or Dar Liouba for a more intimate atmosphere. First walk along the ramparts at sunset — the Atlantic light is different, soft and bluish. Dinner at one of the fish restaurants near the port.

   Tips

   • · Al Boraq Fes → Casablanca: book at least 3-4 days ahead on oncf.ma (220 MAD / €22 in 2nd class) — 1st class (350 MAD / €35) offers more space but no speed difference.
   • · CTM bus Casablanca → Essaouira: 4h30, 130-160 MAD (€13-16) — Supratours (ONCF partner) also runs this route, sometimes with more frequent departures.
   Essaouira →
9. 9

   Day 9

   Essaouira — port, medina and windy beach

   Essaouira is the circuit's final breath of fresh air. A white and blue town built by King Mohammed III in the 18th century, blending Portuguese architecture with Moroccan medina. The wind blows almost constantly — earning it the nickname 'Wind City of Africa' and making it a world-class kitesurfing and windsurfing spot.

   Morning at the fishing port: the trawler haul comes in at 7-8am, fish auction, seagulls everywhere. Grilled fish restaurants open from 9am — sardines (30-40 MAD / €3-4 per portion), prawns, calamari on the plancha. Café de France on Place Moulay Hassan for coffee and market-watching.

   Afternoon: gnaoua music drifts through the alleyways (Essaouira is the birthplace of the Gnaoua Festival, early June). Visit the Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah Museum (music, crafts, 10 MAD / €1). Then head to the Essaouira beach (3 km of sand, kitesurfing from 500 MAD / €50 for a 1h30 lesson with equipment). If the wind is too strong for swimming, walk towards Diabat beach (4 km south, more sheltered). Sunset from the Skala du Port ramparts — Portuguese cannons pointing out to sea.

   Tips

   • · Kitesurfing in Essaouira: wind guaranteed 300 days a year — the best schools are clustered at the northern end of the beach (Explora, Ocean Vagabond), lessons from 500 MAD / €50.
   • · Argan oil in Essaouira: fair price at a women's cooperative (Coopérative Marjana or Amal) — expect 150-200 MAD (€15-20) for a 100ml bottle of pure food-grade oil.
   Essaouira →
10. 10

    Day 10

    Essaouira → Marrakech (3h bus) → departure

    Last morning in Essaouira. Slow rise, final coffee on the riad terrace, a pass through the spice souk for last-minute shopping (ras el-hanout, cumin, saffron threads — far cheaper than back home). CTM or Supratours bus Essaouira → Marrakech: departures at 7am, 8:30am or 11am depending on the company, 3h journey, 90-120 MAD / €9-12. Book the evening before at the counter or online.

    Arrive at Marrakech bus station (Bab Doukkala). If the flight is in the evening (6pm or later), there's time for a last meal in the medina: lunch at Terrasse des Épices (rooftop view, pigeon pastilla 120 MAD / €12) or a final souk sweep. Taxi to Ménara airport: 70-80 MAD / €7-8, allow 30-45 min depending on time and traffic.

    Departure rule: pack the bags the night before — riads have no lifts and the alleyways to taxis can stretch 10-15 min on foot.

    Tips

    • · Bus Essaouira → Marrakech: book the evening before at the CTM counter in Essaouira (Place de l'Horloge) or on ctm.ma — morning departures (7am and 8:30am) fill up fast in high season.
    • · Specialities to bring home: Essaouira saffron (40-60 MAD / €4-6 per gram in threads from a trusted grocer), argan oil from a cooperative, Marrakech cumin.
    Marrakech →

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