Ten days is enough to see Morocco’s most famous route properly: a couple of days in Marrakech, a slow crossing of the High Atlas to Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate, the gorges of the Dades and Todra, a night or two in the dunes at Merzouga, and a final stretch in Fes. The key is pacing. The distances are long and the scenery demands stops, so this itinerary avoids the punishing long drives that squeeze the same route into three days. Below is a day-by-day plan, followed by advice on transport, seasons and how to adjust it.
The route at a glance
| Day | Base | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Marrakech | Medina, Jemaa el-Fna, gardens, palaces |
| 3 | Aït Benhaddou | Tizi n’Tichka pass, the ksar at sunset |
| 4 | Dades valley | Ouarzazate, Skoura palm grove, Valley of Roses road |
| 5 | Todra area | Dades gorge, Todra gorge walk |
| 6–7 | Merzouga | Erg Chebbi dunes, desert night, Tafilalet villages |
| 8 | Midelt or Ifrane area | Ziz valley, Middle Atlas cedar forests |
| 9–10 | Fes | Fes el-Bali medina, Meknes or Volubilis option |
It works equally well in reverse, starting in Fes and finishing in Marrakech, which can be useful depending on flight connections.
Days 1–2: Marrakech
Arrive, settle into your accommodation and take the first afternoon gently. An evening walk into Jemaa el-Fna, as the food stalls set up and the storytellers and musicians gather, is a classic introduction.
On day two, explore the medina properly: the Koutoubia mosque and its gardens, the souks north of the square, the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs and the ruins of the El Badi Palace. In the afternoon, a quieter garden such as the Jardin Majorelle or the Agdal and Menara gardens makes a welcome contrast. Our article on Marrakech in two days offers a fuller plan.
If you are flying into Agadir instead, add a day at the start: our guide to getting from Agadir to Marrakech explains the coach and road options.
Day 3: Over the High Atlas to Aït Benhaddou
Leave Marrakech in the morning and head south-east into the mountains. The road climbs through Berber villages and walnut groves to the Tizi n’Tichka pass, one of the highest road passes in the country, before descending into a drier, redder landscape on the southern side.
A worthwhile detour leads to Telouet, where a crumbling kasbah once belonging to the powerful Glaoui family still has remarkable painted interiors. Then continue to Aït Benhaddou, the fortified earthen village (ksar) on a hillside above a river, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has appeared in many films. Stay overnight nearby so you can climb to the granary at the top for sunset, and see it again quietly in the early morning before the day visitors arrive. Our article on Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate film locations explains the cinema connection.
Day 4: Ouarzazate, Skoura and into the Dades
Ouarzazate is a short hop away. Visit the Taourirt Kasbah in the town centre, and if films interest you, one of the film studios on the outskirts. Then drive east along what is often called the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs.
Stop in the Skoura palm grove, a green oasis dotted with old earthen kasbahs, and continue through Kalaat M’Gouna, the centre of the rose-growing valley, famous for its rose festival in spring. By late afternoon, turn up into the Dades valley and spend the night among its red rock formations and terraced fields.
Day 5: Dades gorge and Todra gorge
In the morning, drive further up the Dades to see the gorge narrow and the road twist in its famous switchbacks, then return to the main road and continue east to Tinghir. From here, a side road leads into the Todra gorge, where sheer limestone walls rise high above a narrow stream.
Walk through the narrowest section in the late afternoon, when the light softens, and consider a short hike up into the surrounding hills or a stroll through the Tinghir palm grove. Stay overnight near the gorge or in Tinghir.
Days 6–7: Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi dunes
Continue east across stony plains, passing the long lines of khettara, traditional underground irrigation channels whose openings look like rows of craters, and through the market town of Rissani. By the afternoon the apricot-coloured dunes of Erg Chebbi appear on the horizon.
Most travellers spend at least one night in a desert camp in the dunes, reached by camel or four-wheel drive, with a sunset from a high ridge and a starry sky away from any lights. Our guide on choosing a Merzouga desert camp explains the different types of camp and what to ask.
We strongly suggest two nights in the area rather than one. On the second day you can sleep late, explore Khamlia, a village known for its Gnawa music, visit the Rissani market and the old ksour of the Tafilalet, or look at the fossil workshops around Erfoud. If you are tempted by a fossil, read our article on how to tell real Sahara fossils from fakes first.
Day 8: North through the Ziz valley and the Middle Atlas
Merzouga to Fes is a long journey, so breaking it is kind to everyone. Head north past Erfoud and Errachidia, where the road follows the Ziz valley, a spectacular ribbon of palm groves deep in a canyon, best seen from the viewpoints above it.
Beyond the Tunnel du Légionnaire the landscape changes again as you climb to Midelt, an apple-growing town beneath the snow-capped Jbel Ayachi. You can stop here overnight, or continue through the Middle Atlas to the cedar forests around Azrou, where Barbary macaques live wild, and Ifrane, a tidy town with an almost Alpine feel. Stay in either area, or press on to Fes if you prefer an extra city day.
Days 9–10: Fes
Fes el-Bali is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world, a medieval medina of thousands of lanes, mosques, madrasas and workshops. A licensed guide for your first morning is a sensible investment, helping you find the Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasas, the Al-Qarawiyyin mosque from outside, the Nejjarine fountain, and the Chouara tannery seen from a terrace above. Our guide on how to navigate the Fes medina has tips for exploring alone afterwards.
On the final day, either go deeper into Fes, with the Mellah, the Royal Palace gates, Fes el-Jdid and the Marinid tombs viewpoint at sunset, or take a day trip to Meknes and the Roman ruins of Volubilis. From Fes you can fly home, or take an ONCF train towards Casablanca, Rabat or Tangier.
Getting around
The section from Marrakech to Fes via the desert is not well served by trains, so you have several options:
- Self-drive. Renting a car gives the most freedom to stop at viewpoints and villages. Main roads are generally in decent condition, but mountain passes need care, and driving after dark is best avoided. Leave the car outside the medinas.
- Coaches. CTM and Supratours run services linking Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Tinghir, Rissani, Merzouga and Fes, though timetables are less frequent on some sections. This is the most economical approach but requires more planning and some flexibility.
- Shared grands taxis. Useful for shorter hops between towns, for example along the Dades valley.
- Organised tours. Many travellers join a small group or private tour for the desert section. If you do, check how many hours of driving each day involves, and avoid itineraries that cover the whole route in a rush.
For the city legs, our Morocco train travel guide explains the rail network, including the line from Fes to Rabat and Casablanca.
When to go
Spring and autumn are ideal for this route, with pleasant days in the cities and the desert. In summer, Marrakech, Fes and especially Merzouga can be extremely hot. In winter, desert nights are cold, and snow can occasionally close the Tizi n’Tichka or affect the Middle Atlas, so build in some flexibility. Our guide to the best time to visit Morocco by region has month-by-month detail.
Adjusting the itinerary
- Less time? Skip the overnight in the Middle Atlas and travel from Merzouga to Fes in one long day, or reduce Marrakech to one full day.
- More time? Add a night in Skoura or Ouarzazate, a detour to the Draa valley and Zagora, or a few days in Chefchaouen after Fes.
- Want the sea? Start or finish with a few days in Essaouira or Agadir to unwind after the road.
Frequently asked questions
Is ten days enough for Morocco?
For this classic loop, yes, provided you accept that you will not see the coast or the north. It gives a strong taste of imperial cities, mountains and desert.
Is the desert worth the long drive?
Most travellers say yes, especially if the journey is broken into stages as above. The drive itself, through the Atlas, kasbahs and gorges, is one of the trip’s highlights.
Can I do this route by public transport?
Yes, using coaches and shared taxis, though you will have less flexibility for stops and should allow some slack in your schedule.
Plan your trip
Our guides cover each stage of this route in detail: the Marrakech travel guide, the Ouarzazate and Aït Benhaddou travel guide, the Merzouga and Erg Chebbi travel guide and the Fes travel guide. Browse them all in our Morocco travel library.
This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence, and was reviewed and edited by the Enjoy Agadir Trip team. How we write and check our guides
