How many days do you need in Morocco?

By Abdou, founder of Oasis Roads · Updated October 2026

Morocco is bigger than it looks on the map. The Sahara is a full day's drive from Marrakech. Here is what fits in each length of trip, based on the routes we drive.

3 days: Marrakech and the desert

Three days is the minimum for the big dunes of Merzouga from Marrakech: over the High Atlas, through Aït Benhaddou and the Dades Valley, a night in the Sahara and back. Or end in Fes instead of returning to Marrakech, with the same time and a different road.

5 days: the desert, slowly

With five days you see the same south, but with time: two nights in the desert, a visit to nomad families and a slower road back through the oases.

7 days: the classic Morocco week

A week gets you the essentials: Marrakech, the High Atlas, the kasbahs, the gorges, the Sahara and Fes, ending in the old medina. It's our most popular length for a first visit.

9 to 10 days: add the blue city or the coast

Nine or ten days let you add Chefchaouen, the blue town in the Rif mountains, or the Atlantic coast at Essaouira, without rushing.

14 days: the grand tour

Two weeks is enough for the whole loop: the imperial cities, Chefchaouen, the Sahara, the gorges, Marrakech and the coast, with two nights in the places that matter.

Our honest advice

Don't try to see everything in a short trip. One less stop and one more night usually makes a better holiday. And remember that every one of our tours is private, so we can add a day, remove a city or slow down wherever you like.