7 Days in Morocco: Marrakech, the Sahara and Fes

One week in Morocco is enough to see its three great experiences: the medina of Marrakech, a night among the dunes of the Sahara, and the medieval maze of Fes. The catch is geography: the desert is a long drive from both cities. This route turns the drive into part of the trip, crossing the High Atlas, passing kasbahs and gorges, and ending in Fes so you never backtrack.

The route at a glance

Marrakech (2 nights) → Dadès Gorges (1 night) → Erg Chebbi desert camp (1 night) → Fes (2 nights)

Fly into Marrakech and out of Fes. Open-jaw tickets like this are widely available on budget airlines from Europe and save a full day of travel.

How do you get from Marrakech to the Sahara?

The three middle days (Marrakech to Fes via the Sahara) are by road, and you have three options:

• Shared group tour: the cheapest and most common, from roughly 95 to 150 euros per person including the camp. Minibuses of around 15 people leave Marrakech daily and drop you in Fes three days later, with basic hotels and a standard desert camp included. Read recent reviews; quality varies a lot.
• Private driver: more expensive, but you set the pace and stops, and can choose better accommodation. Worth it for families and groups of three or four.
• Self-drive: possible on good roads, but the Tizi n’Tichka pass is winding and the Merzouga to Fes day is long. Avoid driving after dark.

Days 1 and 2: Marrakech

Spend two days in the medina: the souks and Jemaa el-Fna on day one, then Jardin Majorelle, Bahia Palace and the Ben Youssef Madrasa on day two. Our Marrakech travel guide covers where to stay, prices and what to watch out for.

Day 3: over the Atlas to the Dadès Gorges

The switchback road in the Dadès Gorges. Photo: Nawfal Kharbach, CC BY-SA 4.0

The road climbs over the Tizi n’Tichka, at about 2,260 m one of the highest paved passes in the Atlas, then drops to Aït Benhaddou, a fortified mud-brick village and UNESCO World Heritage Site that has appeared in films from Lawrence of Arabia to Gladiator. Walk up to the granary at the top for the view.

Continue through Ouarzazate and the “valley of roses” to the Dadès Gorges, where the famous switchback road climbs the canyon wall. Sleep in a guesthouse in the gorge.

Day 4: Todra Gorge and the Sahara

In the morning, walk through the narrowest part of the Todra Gorge, where rock walls rise around 300 m on either side of a shallow river. From there it’s about three hours to Merzouga, the village at the edge of Erg Chebbi, a sea of dunes up to 150 m high.

Late in the afternoon, ride a camel (or walk) about an hour into the dunes to your camp. Standard camps offer shared or private tents, dinner, drumming around a fire and a sky full of stars. Expect roughly 60 to 100 euros per person including dinner, breakfast and the camel ride; luxury camps with en-suite tents cost much more.

Bring warm layers. Desert nights are cold from November to March, sometimes close to freezing.

Day 5: from the dunes to Fes

Get up for sunrise over the dunes, ride back to Merzouga for breakfast, then settle in for the longest day: around 8 to 9 hours north to Fes. The road follows the palm-filled Ziz Valley, crosses the Middle Atlas via Midelt and passes the cedar forests near Ifrane, where you may see Barbary macaques.

Days 6 and 7: Fes

The Chouara tannery in Fes. Photo: just_a_cheeseburger, CC BY 2.0

Fes el-Bali, the old medina, is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world and far harder to navigate than Marrakech. Hire an official guide for your first half-day: they are licensed, carry ID badges, and will get you to the sights without the endless “the tannery is this way” detours.

Don’t miss:

• Chouara Tannery: view the dye pits from the leather shops’ terraces. You’ll be handed sprigs of mint for the smell, and a polite purchase or small tip is expected.
• Al-Attarine Madrasa: a 14th-century Quranic school with extraordinarily fine carved plaster and cedar.
• Bab Boujloud: the blue-tiled “Blue Gate”, the main entrance to the medina.

For what to order in Fes, where pastilla is the local speciality, see our Moroccan food guide.

On day 7, take a half-day trip to the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the holy town of Moulay Idriss if your flight is late, or simply wander the medina before flying out from Fes-Saïss airport.

What if you have more or less time?

• Skipping the desert? Take the train from Marrakech to Fes (about 7 hours, changing in Casablanca) and add Chefchaouen, the blue-painted mountain town about 4 hours north of Fes, or Essaouira on the coast.
• Ten days? Add Chefchaouen after Fes and fly home from Tangier, or add two nights in Essaouira at the start.
• Travelling in summer? June to August is very hot in Marrakech and the desert. Start early each day and choose accommodation with air conditioning or a pool.

How much does a week in Morocco cost?

Item	Budget (dirhams)	Mid-range (dirhams)
Riads, 4 nights in cities	1,600 to 2,400	4,000 to 7,000
3-day desert tour, Marrakech to Fes	about 1,000 to 1,650 per person (shared, from roughly 95 to 150 euros)	considerably more for a private driver
Food	1,000 to 1,500	2,000 to 3,500
Entry fees and guide in Fes	400 to 600	700 to 1,000

Prices vary widely with the season and how you book the desert section. See our Morocco trip cost breakdown and our Morocco travel tips before you go.

The 7-day route

1. 01

   Day 1: Marrakech: arrive and Jemaa el-Fna

   Settle into your riad, walk the souks and watch the square come alive at sunset.

   • Jemaa el-Fna
   • Souks

   Overnight: Marrakech

2. 02

   Day 2: Marrakech: gardens and palaces

   Jardin Majorelle at opening time, Bahia Palace, Ben Youssef Madrasa and a hammam.

   • Jardin Majorelle
   • Bahia Palace
   • Ben Youssef Madrasa

   Overnight: Marrakech

3. 03

   Day 3: Over the High Atlas to Aït Benhaddou and the Dadès

   Cross the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m), explore the fortified village of Aït Benhaddou, continue through Ouarzazate to the Dadès Gorges.

   • Tizi n'Tichka
   • Aït Benhaddou
   • Ouarzazate

   Overnight: Dadès Gorges

4. 04

   Day 4: Todra Gorge and into the Sahara

   Walk between the Todra Gorge's sheer walls, then drive to Merzouga and ride a camel into the Erg Chebbi dunes for sunset.

   • Todra Gorge
   • Merzouga
   • Erg Chebbi

   Overnight: Desert camp, Erg Chebbi

5. 05

   Day 5: Sunrise in the dunes, long drive to Fes

   Watch sunrise from a dune, then drive north through the Ziz valley and the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas. Around 8 to 9 hours on the road.

   • Ziz Valley
   • Midelt
   • Ifrane

   Overnight: Fes

6. 06

   Day 6: Fes el-Bali

   A guided day in the medieval medina: the Chouara tannery, Al-Attarine Madrasa and the Al-Qarawiyyin area.

   • Chouara Tannery
   • Al-Attarine Madrasa
   • Bab Boujloud

   Overnight: Fes

7. 07

   Day 7: Fes and departure

   A last walk through the medina or a trip to the Roman ruins of Volubilis, then fly out from Fes.

   • Volubilis (optional)

Frequently asked questions

Is 7 days enough for Morocco?

One week is enough for Marrakech, one night in the Sahara and Fes, but it involves two long driving days. With only seven days, some travellers skip the desert and add Essaouira or Chefchaouen instead.

How do I get from Marrakech to the Sahara?

By road only. Most travellers join a shared three-day desert tour from Marrakech (ending in Marrakech or Fes) or hire a private driver. Self-driving is possible, but the Tizi n'Tichka pass and long distances make it tiring.

How much does a night in a Merzouga desert camp cost?

Standard camps with dinner, breakfast and a camel ride typically cost around 60 to 100 euros per person per night in 2026. Luxury camps with private bathrooms cost considerably more.

Is it better to take the train from Marrakech to Fes?

If you skip the desert, yes. The train takes about 7 hours with a change in Casablanca, and costs from roughly 220 dirhams in second class.

Useful links (3)

1. Train travel in Morocco, The Man in Seat 61— seat61.com
2. Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou, UNESCO World Heritage List— whc.unesco.org
3. Medina of Fez, UNESCO World Heritage List— whc.unesco.org