The 7-Day Route: Overview
This is the route we most recommend to travellers coming to Morocco for the first time with a week. It combines the two most spectacular cities (Marrakech and Fez), the Sahara desert in Merzouga, the cinematic ksar of Ait Ben Haddou and the Atlas mountain pass. It is demanding in kilometres but the landscapes justify every hour on the road.
Route summary
Marrakech (2 nights) → Ait Ben Haddou (1 night) → Merzouga–Sahara (2 nights) → Fez (1 night) → Flight from Fez or return to Marrakech. Total: 7 days / 6 nights.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Arrival in Marrakech — Welcome to the South
Arrival at Marrakech airport. Transfer to the riad in the medina. Free afternoon to acclimatise: walk through the souks, first visit to Jemaa el-Fna Square with its storytellers, gnawa musicians and spice stalls. Dinner on the square terrace watching the most fascinating human spectacle in Africa.
Marrakech — Medina, Gardens and Souks
Full day in Marrakech with a private guide: historic Medina (El Badi Palace, Saadian Tombs, Ben Youssef), Majorelle Garden and Yves Saint Laurent Museum, leather and fabric souks, traditional hammam in the afternoon. Late night at Jemaa el-Fna. Free evening to dine at one of the medina show-restaurants.
Marrakech → Ait Ben Haddou → Draa Valley
Early departure with private driver. Crossing the High Atlas via the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m) with spectacular views. Arrival at the ksar of Ait Ben Haddou (UNESCO Heritage, setting for Gladiator and Game of Thrones). Guided tour of the ksar. Continuing to the Draa Valley: endless palm grove, kasbahs and Berber villages. Arrival in Ouarzazate at sunset.
Ouarzazate → Dadès → Todra → Merzouga
One of the most spectacular days on the route. Dadès Gorges (red ravine cutting through the Atlas), Todra Gorges (300 m vertical canyon where the river narrows to 10 metres wide), Erfoud and the fossil workshops. Arrival in Merzouga at sunset. Camel ride to the camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes. Berber dinner under the Sahara sky. A night of stars with zero light pollution.
The most special moment of the route
Sunrise over the Erg Chebbi dunes is one of the most awe-inspiring moments of the entire route. Rising at 5:30 am, climbing the highest dune and watching the sun paint the Sahara sea of sand in gold and red. It is a moment travellers describe as transformative.
Merzouga → Midelt → Ifrane → Fez
Sunrise over the dunes. Breakfast at the camp. Camel ride back to Merzouga. Beginning the journey north through the Middle Atlas: Midelt (the apple capital, homemade jams and Berber carpets), Ifrane ("the Switzerland of Morocco" with its alpine chalets), cedar forests with Barbary macaques. Arrival in Fez at sunset.
Fez — The Largest Medieval City in the World
Full day in Fez with a private guide: Fes el-Bali (the largest medieval medina in the Arab world), Chouara tanneries (leather dyed since the 11th century, viewed from the shops above), Bou Inania madrasa, craft souks (ceramics, silk, babouche slippers). The Fez medina has 9,000 alleyways: without a guide, it is impossible. Dinner at a restaurant with Andalusian music.
Fez — Last Shopping and Return Flight
Free morning for last-minute shopping in the Fez souks (where crafts offer the best value for money). If the flight is in the afternoon, visit the Jnan Sbil Garden. Transfer to Fez airport for the return flight. Alternative: private car back to Marrakech (5h) to fly from there.
Route Variations
If you only have 5 days
Remove Fez and shorten the journey: Marrakech (2 nights) → Ait Ben Haddou–Merzouga (3 days) → return to Marrakech. This is the basis of our Marrakech–Merzouga 3-day tour.
If you have 10 days
Add Essaouira (2 nights), Chefchaouen (1 night) and Tangier. The complete north-south route of Morocco in 10 days is a total country experience.
Go It Alone or Book a Private Tour?
This route by public transport (buses, shared taxis) is possible but requires a lot of planning, waiting time and patience. With a private driver and English-speaking guide, the route flows perfectly, you stop where you want, arrive on time and stress-free.
Our offer
We offer this 7-day route as a private tour with a Spanish-speaking driver, medina guide in Marrakech and Fez, Sahara desert camp, and all transfers included. Write to us to receive the full programme and quote.
Shall we prepare this route for you?
Tell us your dates and group size. We will send you the full programme with prices within 2 hours.
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