We recommend spending at least one week in Morocco to be able to explore different areas of the country. It's best to decide first to visit either the North of Morocco and visit Rabat, Fes, Chefchaouen and Casablanca or focus on the South to visit the city of Marrakech and do a two or three-day excursion to the desert. If you love beaches and want to surf, you can combine the cities of Essaouira and Agadir or even do a day trip to Marrakech from there.

Marrakech - Ourika - Ait Ben Haddou - Zagora - Marrakech - Essaouira
Our example itinerary has a focus on Marrakech and surrounding areas. At least two days will be spent in Marrakech. From there, it's possible to go on multiple day trips as well as a desert overnight excursion. We believe this one-week itinerary will make you experience the most of Morocco with a variety of multiple different activities to do there. You will spend your time getting to know the culture and learning about Moroccan history, but also have insights into current, modern Morocco.
Day 1: Arrival in Marrakech
Bus: Take a bus (line 19) from the airport to the main square, it costs 30 dirhams one way or 50 for a return ticket (3-5 euros) and takes about 20-30 minutes.
Taxi: You will easily find a lot of taxis waiting for you! If you decide on taking a taxi, make sure to negotiate the price beforehand. It should cost about 10 euros for tourists.
Private transfer: If you don't like negotiating prices, you can book private transport online for about the same price as a taxi. You can also ask your accommodation to arrange it for you, but it will cost you slightly more.

Day 2: Marrakech
Spend one full day exploring the most famous tourist spots of Marrakech. In the morning, you should head to the museums, as there will be fewer tourists.
- El Badi Palace
- Bahia Palace
- Souk
After that, you can spend some time at the market (Souk) and have traditional lunch at one of the rooftop restaurants. Continue to:
- Cyber Park
- Esemble Artisanal
- Wall Marrakech Doukkala
- Gueliz
Spend the evening in the new town, the modern part of Marrakech, “Gueliz”.
Day 3: Ourika Valley
Ourika Valley has located around 40 km from Marrakech in the Atlas Mountains.
You can have lunch at the river in the sun and do a hike to see the famous waterfalls and enjoy an amazing view of the town and mountains. If you are lucky, you can even see Berber monkeys there. It is not necessary to hire a guide, as the path is quite easy to follow and usually many tourists are there anyways - just follow the others!
You can take a local van from Marrakech to get there, the price is about 25 Dirhams ($2,50) one way, or book an organized tour for a higher price (About $25)
Day 4: Ait Ben Haddou
The easiest way to have the ultimate desert experience is by booking a two or three-day tour. It will cost between $50-70 for transport, camel ride, night in a Berber tent, and breakfast. But you can also rent a car and do it on your own.
On your way to the desert, we suggest you do a few stops, for example, visit the famous town Ait-Ben-Haddou where they filmed movies like Prince of Persia or Game of Thrones. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, Aït Benhaddou was once a major stop along the caravan route between Marrakech and the Sahara.
In the late afternoon, you will arrive at the desert, where you can take camels to ride to your desert camp. Climb up some dunes to enjoy the sunset, have a traditional dinner and spend the evening around the fire together with the Berbers and some music.

Day 5: Zagora
Have breakfast in the desert and one last camel ride before heading back to Marrakech. One your way back you can stop at a couple of viewpoints and drive through the Atlas Mountains.
Another Stop is Ouarzazate, where you can visit the Cinema Museum, the Kasbah or just have a nice lunch break. You will arrive back in Marrakech in the evening.

Day 6: Essaouira
Go for a day trip to the coast and visit the city Essaouira. This place is way calmer than Marrakech and definitely worth a visit! Explore the town with its markets and spend some time at the beach.
It's possible to take a bus from Marrakech to Essaouira, but we highly recommend booking an organized tour, as the prices are very similar, but a tour will be stress-free for sure! You can pre-arrange transport for about 25-30 euros. If you have more than one day in Essaouira you can take surfing lessons as well.
The way takes about 2,5 hours by car. You might even see some goats on trees on your way going there, or stop by a local argan oil production to learn about the production or buy some gifts to bring home.

Day 7: Marrakech
Back in Marrakech, you can spend half of your day doing a quad tour or visiting the beautiful Menara Gardens. The afternoon is left for a traditional hammam experience, or what about a cooking class?
Take a flight back home from Marrakech in the evening or on the next day