Plan a Perfect 7, 10, or 14-Day Morocco Itinerary For Families

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 beneath the swaying fronds on a palm oasis or strolling by means of the blue metropolis of Chefchaouen whereas listening to the decision to prayer? While many individuals planning a visit to Morocco will solely keep a number of 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 7 day Morocco itinerary.

Morocco is shortly turning into a sizzling journey vacation spot not only for younger vacationers, however many households are selecting to go to Morocco with youngsters. Yet determining the right Morocco journey itinerary generally is a problem, particularly as a result of there are such a lot of stunning locations in Morocco.

Keep studying for 3 choices to your Morocco itinerary relying on how a lot time you must spend in Morocco.

• 7-Day Morocco itinerary (4 days in Marrakech, 3 days in Fes)
• 10-Day Morocco itinerary (3-4 days in Marrakech, 1 evening in Skoura/Ourzazate, 2 nights Merzouga/desert, 3 nights Fes)
• 14-Day Morocco itinerary (Day 1 Casablanca / Rabat, Day 2 Rabat to Chefchaouen, Day 3 Chefchaouen, Day 4-7 Fes, Day 7-8 Sahara Desert camp, Day 8-10 Skoura, Day 10-14 Marrakech)

How Much Time SHould You Spend in Morocco?

Two weeks is admittedly the best period of time to go to Morocco. However, you possibly can undoubtedly get an excellent really feel for the nation with only one week or, even higher, a minimum of 10 days. Depending on how a lot time you possibly can spend in-country, you’ve got some robust decisions to make about what you retain in and what you must omit of your Morocco journey itinerary.

For instance, should you dream of driving camels within the Sahara desert and staying in a single day in a desert camp, it’s laborious to suit that right into a one-week Morocco itinerary as a result of it’s a minimum of an eight-hour drive from Fes to Merzouga on the fringe of the Sahara, and even farther from Marrakech.

Similarly, you actually can’t match within the attractive Blue City of Chefchaouen should you solely have a ten day Morocco itinerary. At least not until you’re keen to surrender a visit to the desert!

But that’s okay, I’m going to stroll you thru what a 7, 10, or 2-week Morocco itinerary might seem like!

Do you need assistance planning your journey? If you’re feeling overwhelmed and don’t have the time or assets to wade by means of tons of knowledge and query your choices, I assist shoppers plan a customized itinerary, tailor-made to your pursuits and journey type. Learn extra about my journey planning providers.

Option 1: 7 Day Morocco Itinerary

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If you solely have one week in Morocco, I’d suggest that you simply fly into Marrakech. If you discover a higher deal or a direct flight flying into Casablanca, simply needless to say 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 should have time to go to two locations. I’d suggest both Marrakech and Fes or Marrakech and Merzouga within the Moroccan Sahara.

• Days 1-4: Marrakech
• Days 5-7 Fes

Plan to spend three nights in Marrakech (4 if you wish to do a day journey). You could select to remain in a conventional Moroccan riad, or at one of many resorts just like the Four Seasons Marrakech or the Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech, outdoors of metropolis heart. Some good riad choices embrace:

• Riad Kaiss in Marrakech – most allure (that is the place we stayed for 2 nights after which we break up our time between the riad and the Four Seasons for 2 nights)
• Villa des Orangers — for a splurge riad
• Riad Kniza — extra moderately priced

Day 1 – Marrakech Souk

Spend your first full day soaking within the metropolis with a half-day tour of Marrakech souk. This will go away you loads of time to wander by means of the medina and store after the tour. You will be capable to see locations the place they hand-dye textiles, do steel working, and different handicrafts. Just needless to say many shopkeepers are not looking for you to {photograph} the merchandise with out permission or financial compensation. (Also, it’s offensive within the Islamic tradition to {photograph} individuals’s faces.)

While exploring the souk, you might need to cease into one of many pharmacies for natural cures 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 objects like saffron as there are various fakes within the medina too. It helps to ask a neighborhood the place to buy.

In the night, you’ll want to take a stroll by means of Jemaa-el-Fna Square. It may be fairly the spectacle, with snake charmers, meals distributors, and all types of products on show. Just preserve a detailed eye in your valuables and should you cease to take an image of the snake charmers, you will should tip them. You will quickly study that tipping is anticipated in Morocco, even when somebody provides you instructions or helps you in any approach.

Near the sq., you possibly can stroll by the Kutubiyya or Koutoubia Mosque and Minaret, which is the biggest mosque in Marrakesh.

Day 2 – Marrakech Food

On your second full day, I’d recommend that you simply dig deeper into the delicacies with a cooking class & market go to or meals tour with Marrakech Food Tours. We took a cooking class with Souk Cuisine, which was superior.

It began with a go to to the market the place our information gave us every a buying listing and cash and helped us buy what we would want to organize a meal. We then went to a neighborhood’s house 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 arms.

In the afternoon, take a while to calm down at your riad or lodge. There are many nice eating places in Marrakech should you really feel like exploring different cuisines as the remainder of your time in Morocco you will notice the identical dishes on the menu, together with kefta, couscous, tagine, pastille, and briouats.

Day 3 – Marrakech Museums & Palaces

On your third day in Marrakech, there’s nonetheless a lot to see however two sights you shouldn’t miss embrace the Dar El Bacha Museum and the Bahia Palace. Located 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 principle attraction, though there are attention-grabbing artifacts inside that symbolize the varied cultures of Morocco together with Berber, Arabic, and Jewish. The museum has unimaginable wood carvings, stunning tilework, and a beautiful courtyard with aromatic orange bushes.

Bahia Palace is a fantastic 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 photographs. We selected to have household photographs right here by Flytographer.

If you’ve got extra time, you might need to go to among the main sights similar to:

• Les Jardins Majorelle botanical gardens and YSL Museum
• Museum of Marrakech
• Dar Si Said
• Saadian Tombs

Day 4 – Day Trip

If you’ve got a fourth day in Marrakech, I’d suggest selecting an tour that pursuits you outdoors of town. These are primarily full-day excursions, though some could possibly be half-day.

Some day journey choices embrace:

• Day journey to Essaouira — Essaouira is a picturesque seaside city. The important sq. was utilized in Orson Welles’ Othello. The bay is standard with kite and wind surfers, and you’ll head right down to the water to see the fishing boats after which stroll alongside La Skala, one of many port bastions.
• High Atlas Mountains / Berber Villages — head into the High Atlas Mountains and go to a number of genuine Berber villages, together with a cease for lunch at a neighborhood’s house. You may 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 might acknowledge this from Gladiator or Game of Thrones) and the “Hollywood in the Desert” of Ouarzazate.
• Rock Desert and Camel Ride — 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 sometimes cease for conventional mint tea in a neighborhood village.
• Other choices embrace quad biking, horseback driving, and excursions of Marrakech through motorcycle sidecar.

Day 5 – Travel to Fes

In the curiosity of time, from Marrakech, I’d suggest taking a brief one-hour flight to Fes. Another choice could be to take a prepare however that takes 6.5 hours (though it’s a good finances choice.) The outdated city of Fes is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and options the most effective medina in Morocco. It is named the mental and religious coronary heart of Morocco, whereas Marrakech is extra touristy.

If you proceed to Fes, that is the place I’d undoubtedly suggest staying in a conventional riad within the medina, even should 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 most effective
• Dar Roumana — extra finances pleasant however fairly conventional and good

Upon arrival, I’d head out on a Fes meals tour (until you took one in Marrakech, then possibly attempt a cooking class with Riad Fes.) If you aren’t a lot of a foodie, then I’d recommend taking a medina tour or visiting the tanneries to see this necessary a part of the native tradition and economic system. Fes is unquestionably a terrific spot to do a few of your memento buying! We ended up shopping for pottery, leather-based items, and steel merchandise in Fes.

Or, should 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 it’s best to actually dig into exploring this wonderful metropolis. I’d suggest hiring a information to get the complete historical past and background, however you would actually discover many of those locations by yourself. Some of the highlights embrace:

• Ancient Medina – a lot extra genuine than Marrakech, it’s simple to get misplaced on this labyrinth but in addition enjoyable to find the totally different sections, similar to fancy attire, steel working, spices and meals, and so on. Just needless to say among the extra generic memento kinds of outlets close to the Blue Gate promote items which are made in Asia, not Morocco. Look for outlets the place you possibly can see the artisans at work and be ready to cut price! It is a sport that Moroccans get pleasure from.
• Royal Palace (Fes Palais Royal Dar El Makhzen) with its golden gates – you can not go inside however it’s enjoyable to take photographs in entrance of the gorgeous golden doorways
• Old Jewish Quarter (or Mellah) – positioned 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 (this can be a massive jewellery district.)
• Pottery quarter – you possibly can go to a cooperative to see every step of the pottery making course of. This is a superb spot to by genuine souvenirs.
• Nearby fortresses of Borj Sud and Borj Nord – these forts have been inbuilt 1582 and provide nice views over Fes.

You can see all of those websites in someday however you will want a automotive to get to many of those spots so hiring a information is one of the best ways to go.

Day 7 – Return

On your final day in Morocco, that you must get again to your metropolis of departure. You might both fly again to Marrakech, or you would rent a driver to take you to Casablanca through Meknes and Rabat.

Option 2: 10 Day Morocco Itinerary

With three further days to play with, you should have time to get to the Sahara desert should you don’t thoughts spending lots of time in a automotive. Start your journey out in Marrakech, as I’ve outlined above, however in your fourth full day (not counting your arrival day), both lease a automotive or rent a driver to your three-day journey into and out of the desert.

• Days 1-4: Marrakech (as outlined above)
• Day 5: Eit Ben Haddou / Skoura
• Day 6-7: Merzouga, Sahara Desert
• Days 8-10: Fes

Day 5 – 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. You will need to cease in a single day to interrupt up the journey. Even then, the driving can really feel a bit countless and it may be gradual going, particularly should you get behind a truck.

Once you permit Marrakech, you’ll journey throughout the plains that encompass Marrakech and over the Tichka Pass of the High Atlas Mountains. Be certain to cease for some wonderful views of this winding street. The first cease will both be the historical kasbah of Telouet, or head straight to Ait Ben Haddou.

Ait Ben Haddou is the most effective preserved kasbah in Morocco. The village is an Eleventh-century assortment of kasbahs which are nonetheless inhabited by a handful of households. It will 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 throughout the city, so to get essentially the most out of the expertise, I’d suggest hiring a neighborhood information. If you’ve got a driver, they’ll in all probability assist prepare this. Expect to pay round 200 Dirhams (about $20) for a brief tour (see my Morocco journey finances to study extra about what a visit to Morocco prices.)

From Ait Ben Haddou, you’ll undergo Ouarzazate. Today this ex-French overseas legion outpost is a bit touristy and the middle of the film business. You can cease and go to the movie studio however I’m undecided whether it is value it.

At the top of the day, you’ll arrive in Skoura, a palm oasis, the place you possibly can spend the evening. If you’re searching for luxurious, Dar Ahlam is the place to remain. However, we stayed on the L’Ma Lodge, which options a big backyard of palms and fruit bushes with a pool and welcoming leisure areas. We cherished this essentially the most of all of our lodging on the journey. It was such a soothing place to relax out.

Day 5 – Drive to Merzouga

Your subsequent day is spent driving from Skoura to Merzouga on the fringe of the Sahara desert. You will go by means of the Dades Valley and Kelaa M’Gouna (which sits on the head of the “Rose Valley”) and Todra Gorge. If you’ve got time, cease at one of many ladies’s rose cooperatives to buy rose oil, rose water, and different locally-made merchandise.

Stop for lunch close to the Todra Gorge and you’ll 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 facet of a really slender passage.

From there, you’ll proceed on to reach in Merzouga earlier than sundown. If you select, you possibly can prepare for a sundown camel trek into the desert to get to your desert camp.

There are fairly a number of 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 non-public rest room amenities (a should for us!) We have been shocked by how good our tent was and the meals was scrumptious. It was such a particular expertise.

Day 6 – Sahara Desert

Spend the day having fun with camp and the actions out there within the desert together with sand boarding, four-wheel drives, and evening time star gazing.

Day 7 – Drive to Fes

This day is devoted to the lengthy drive over to Fes. You will go by means of the Middle Atlas Mountains. Be certain to cease earlier than you get to the Swiss-inspired college city of Ifrane to feed the macaques. You can’t miss them as you’re driving by and there are distributors promoting peanuts.

Once you arrive in Fes, you possibly can choose up from the one-week Morocco itinerary above to finish your journey.

Option 3: 14 Day Morocco Itinerary

If you’ve got two weeks to spend in Morocco — fortunate you! With two weeks, you possibly can take a special method than the 7 day or 10 day Morocco itineraries outlined above. I’d recommend utilizing the next schedule:

Day 1 – Arrival

For your two-week Morocco itinerary, I’d attempt to fly into Casablanca and out of Marrakech, or into/out of Casablanca (until you’re connecting by means of Europe, then it might be ultimate to start out in Tangier should you might.)

Upon arrival in Casablanca, you would 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 a number of of 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 at the present time might be spent touring to Chefchaouen as sadly, there isn’t any simple solution to get there. Many individuals have requested me, “is Chefchaouen worth it?” And when you have lower than two weeks in Morocco, then it’s undoubtedly not value all of the journey to get there. However, should you do have two weeks or extra, I completely cherished this little gem.

Maybe it was as a result of we have been there in March and never “high 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 named the Blue City 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 is arguably the prettiest metropolis in Morocco, nestled between two peaks of the Rif Mountains.

Accommodations are considerably scarce in Chefchaouen and never the identical degree of luxurious that you’ll find in different cities. We stayed two nights on the Lina Ryad, and in addition thought of the Riad Cherifa.

Day 3 – ChefChaouen Exploration

You could have a little bit over a day to discover the winding alleyways and markets of Chefchaouen. Discover the outdated Jewish quarter, and go to the Ras El Ma spring, the place native ladies wash their garments.

If you’re 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 in case you are fortunate, catch a fantastic sundown.

We employed a information, which helped us to not get misplaced, however truthfully I don’t suppose you want a information to discover as town is pretty compact and you’ll normally discover your approach 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 choose up from the 7-day itinerary above, however in reverse order.

Day 5-6 – Fes

You will spend three nights in Fes earlier than heading into the desert. You could take into account taking a day journey to Meknes from Fes to see the partly excavated Berber-Roman ruins of Volubilis. Refer to the Fes part beneath the 7-day itinerary above.

Day 7-8 – Merzouga

Since you’ve got time, I’d suggest spending two nights within the desert so that you’ve got extra time to do actions like sand boarding and dune busting, in addition to the sundown camel trip. See particulars within the 10-day itinerary above.

Day 9-10 – Skoura

Then, in your approach out of the desert, you possibly can spend two nights in Skoura to interrupt up the driving. See particulars within the 10-day itinerary above.

Days 11-14 – Marrakech

You will then proceed on to Marrakech through Eit Ben Haddou. You will spend three to 4 nights in Marrakech and might both fly out of Marrakech, or prepare a three-hour switch again to Casablanca on the finish of your journey. See particulars within the 7-day itinerary above.

Getting to Morocco

Most guests coming from the United States will fly into Casablanca, though you could possibly fly into Marrakech should 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 finances airways that supply flights to Morocco, together with Ryanair and Easyjet.

Getting Around Morocco

I’ve a complete publish concerning the execs and cons of driving in Morocco, however the backside line is that whereas it’s fully doable to drive your self safely round Morocco, additionally it is far more nice to have a driver if the finances permits.

If you 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 cope with. Another nice advantage of hiring a driver is that they may know the most effective locations to cease and eat, use the toilet, or sights to go to alongside the way in which.

Our driver Hassan was such a gem. He stuffed 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.

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