7-Day Morocco Itinerary: One Week from Marrakech to the Sahara
One week in Morocco is the right length for a first trip that combines a great city with the Sahara. This 7-day itinerary starts and ends in Marrakech: two days to settle into the medina, then a loop through the High Atlas, the gorges and the dunes, returning by a different road through the Draa Valley.
Day 1: Arrive in Marrakech
Check into a riad in the medina and spend the evening at Jemaa el-Fnaa, the main square, when the food stalls, musicians and storytellers take over.
Day 2: Explore Marrakech
With a local guide, visit the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, the Ben Youssef Madrasa and the souks, then the Majorelle Garden in the afternoon. Keep the evening free for a rooftop dinner.
Day 3: Marrakech to the Dades Valley
Cross the High Atlas over the Tizi n’Tichka pass, explore the ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, pass Ouarzazate and the Valley of Roses, and spend the night in the Dades Valley. Around 340 km.
Day 4: Todra Gorge to the Erg Chebbi Dunes
Walk into the Todra Gorge, then continue to Merzouga. Ride a camel into the dunes for sunset and spend the night in a desert camp. About 255 km.
Day 5: A Full Day in the Sahara
Watch the sunrise from the top of a dune, then spend the day exploring: Khamlia’s Gnawa musicians, a nomad family, the Rissani market or a 4x4 drive around the dunes. A second evening in the desert makes the trip feel unhurried.
Day 6: Merzouga to Ouarzazate via the Draa Valley
Leave the dunes and head west through Nkob and Agdz, following the palm groves and kasbahs of the Draa Valley, to Ouarzazate for the night. About 370 km, the longest drive of the week.
Day 7: Back to Marrakech
Cross the High Atlas once more and arrive in Marrakech in the early afternoon, in time for last shopping in the souks or your flight home.
What to Know About One Week in Morocco
- Is one week enough? Yes for Marrakech and the south. For Fes and Chefchaouen too, choose a 10-day itinerary, or end this route in Fes instead of Marrakech.
- Budget: prices depend on the season, group size and riads you choose. A private trip costs more per person for two travellers and less for families and groups.
- Packing: layers for cold desert nights, comfortable shoes, a scarf for sun and dust, and modest clothes for the medinas.
- Best time: March to May and September to November.
Book This Itinerary
This route is our 7 Days Morocco Tour from Marrakech, and you can also start from Casablanca with our 7 Days Morocco Tour from Casablanca. Every day can be changed to suit you. Send us your dates, or compare more routes in our main Morocco itinerary guide.
