Mountains, kasbahs, the Sahara and the Red City in seven days
Seven days is the sweet spot for a first trip to Morocco: enough time to see the desert properly without spending your holiday in a car.
When travellers ask us how many days they need for Morocco, our answer is almost always the same: one week, built around Marrakech and the Sahara. It is enough to cross the High Atlas, sleep two nights in the Erg Chebbi dunes, walk through the kasbah valleys and still have a relaxed day to discover Marrakech. Here is the 7-day itinerary we recommend, day by day, based on the route we run with our own guests.
Leave Marrakech in the morning and cross the High Atlas over the Tizi n'Tichka pass. After lunch, visit the UNESCO-listed kasbah of Aït Benhaddou, then follow the palm groves of the Draa Valley down to Zagora for the night.
Cross the wild south through Tazarine, Alnif and Rissani to reach the edge of Erg Chebbi in the afternoon. At sunset, ride a camel into the dunes to your desert camp for dinner, drums by the fire and a night under the stars.
Wake up for the sunrise over the dunes. Spend the day around Merzouga: the village of Khamlia and its Gnawa music, a nomad family, and optional quad biking or a 4x4 ride. A second night in camp means you never have to rush.
Head west to Tinghir and walk into the Todra Gorge, where the canyon walls rise straight up on both sides. Continue to the Dades Valley, with its winding road and red rock formations, for the night.
Drive through the Skoura palm oasis and Ouarzazate, then back over the High Atlas to Marrakech, arriving in the late afternoon in time for a first walk to Jemaa el-Fnaa square at dusk.
With an official local guide, explore the medina and its souks, the Bahia Palace and the Majorelle Garden. In the evening, enjoy a rooftop dinner overlooking the city.
A last mint tea, then a transfer to Marrakech airport, with the dunes still in your head.
Pro Tip: This is exactly the route of our 7-Day Marrakech to Merzouga Tour via Zagora. It is fully private and tailor-made, so you can add a night, swap Zagora for the Dades Valley on the way out, or upgrade to our luxury desert camp.
For a first trip, yes. One week lets you combine Marrakech, the High Atlas, the kasbah valleys and two nights in the Sahara at a comfortable pace. To add the imperial cities or the coast, plan nine to twelve days.
March to May and September to November offer warm days and comfortable nights. Winter is also beautiful, with clear skies and quieter camps, but the desert nights are cold.
Yes. All our tours are private and tailor-made: we can change the order, add nights, start from another city or adapt the pace for families and older travellers.
If this one-week itinerary is what you have in mind, send us your dates on WhatsApp or through the booking form on the 7-day tour page, and we will prepare a personalised proposal.
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