8-day itinerary
8 Days in Morocco
Marrakech, Fes & the Sahara
Morocco is a feast for the senses — a kaleidoscope of ancient medinas, rooftop sunsets, spice-laden souks, and endless Saharan dunes waiting to swallow you whole. This 8-day adventure takes you from the rose-red chaos of Marrakech through the labyrinthine alleys of Fes and deep into the golden silence of Erg Chebbi.
Morning: Land at Menara Airport, take a petit taxi (negotiate firmly to ~€5) to your riad in the medina and drop your bags in a tiled courtyard draped with bougainvillea.
Afternoon: Dive straight into Jemaa el-Fna square to watch snake charmers and acrobats, then navigate the Souk Semmarine for hand-hammered lanterns and saffron-yellow leather babouches.
Evening: Climb to the rooftop of Café des Épices at dusk for panoramic medina views, then dine on bastilla and lamb tagine at nearby Nomad restaurant.
Morning: Visit the Saadian Tombs and El Badi Palace early (before 9 am) to beat the tour groups and enjoy the intricate zellij tilework in golden quiet.
Afternoon: Lose yourself in the Bahia Palace's painted cedar ceilings, then head to the Mellah Jewish quarter for a quieter, more authentic slice of the old city.
Evening: Book a traditional hammam session at Hammam de la Rose, then join locals eating harira soup and msemen flatbread from market stalls around the square.
Morning: Join a shared minivan (or hire a private driver for ~€80) south over the Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass, stopping at the Berber village of Aït Benhaddou — a UNESCO-listed kasbah used in Gladiator and Game of Thrones.
Afternoon: Continue to Ouarzazate, the 'Hollywood of Africa', and tour the Atlas Film Studios where the sets of Lawrence of Arabia still stand sun-bleached and vast.
Evening: Check into a kasbah-style guesthouse and eat a slow dinner of mechoui slow-roasted lamb on a terrace overlooking the Draa Valley as the temperature drops.
Morning: Drive the N10 'Route of the Kasbahs' through the Dades Gorge, stopping at the sinuous 'Monkey Fingers' rock formations carved by millennia of flash floods.
Afternoon: Pass through the rose-growing valley of Kelaat M'Gouna and the palm-studded Todra Gorge, where 300-metre limestone walls glow orange-red in the afternoon light.
Evening: Arrive in Merzouga village before sunset, mount a camel and ride 45 minutes into Erg Chebbi as the dunes turn from gold to deep rose to violet.
Morning: Wake before dawn in your desert camp to climb the nearest dune barefoot and watch the Sahara sun ignite the horizon completely alone — one of travel's great moments.
Afternoon: Return to Merzouga, collect your bags, and board a private or shared transfer north (approximately 7 hours) through the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas.
Evening: Arrive in Fes after dark and check into a riad in the Fes el-Bali medina, then eat a simple dinner of kefta brochettes from a tiny local grill on Rue Talaa Kebira.
Morning: Hire a certified guide (€25/half day) to navigate the 9,400 streets of Fes el-Bali, visiting the Al-Attarine Madrasa with its breathtaking Moorish stucco and the medieval Bou Inania mosque.
Afternoon: Visit the Chouara tannery from a leather-shop terrace — the only legal vantage point — and watch workers stomp hides in vats of saffron, poppy, and indigo dyes exactly as they did in the 11th century.
Evening: Dine at Restaurant Nur, a Fes institution famous for modern takes on Fassi cooking, and try the pastilla au lait — a flaky pastry soaked in almond cream — for dessert.
Morning: Explore the Andalusian quarter across the river — calmer, less touristy, and home to the stunning Rcif mosque and a women's weaving cooperative where you can watch carpet-making live.
Afternoon: Take a petit taxi to the Marinid Tombs on the hill above the city for the most sweeping panorama of Fes, then visit the Dar Batha Museum to see the finest examples of traditional Fassi ceramics.
Evening: Browse the upscale Fes Jdid quarter for quality argan oil, thuya wood boxes, and hand-painted ceramics, and enjoy a final Moroccan mint tea ceremony poured from a theatrical height on your riad rooftop.
Morning: Take the early CTM bus or a shared taxi to Marrakech (approximately 5 hours), or fly Ryanair/Royal Air Maroc on the short domestic hop — book in advance for ~€35.
Afternoon: Spend your final afternoon picking up last-minute gifts in the Marrakech souks: argan oil, ras el hanout spice blends, and hand-stitched leather journals make the best luggage-friendly souvenirs.
Evening: Enjoy a farewell dinner at Comptoir Darna on Avenue Echouhada — yes it is slightly touristy, but the live Gnawa music, belly dancing, and pigeon pastilla make it an unforgettable final night send-off before your flight.
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