9 day itinerary: Marrakech to Fez via Merzouga Desert

Well, what can we say about Marrakech! Marrakech is truly a unique city to visit, with so much to offer. This is why we recommend this following itinerary to get to know the best of the city in this one day experience. In this 9 day itinerary to get to know the best of Morocco and the desert, we have limited the tours in each city to one full day to maximise your time. 

We will pick you up from your hotel in Marrakech and we will start to enjoy this beautiful city. Here are a few sites you will be able to visit:

• Bahia Palace: Unique palace with 150 rooms. An amazing decoration with beautiful ceilings, tiling and so much more. It is a beautiful palace where we need to dedicate a few moments of our day! 


• Souk Semmarine: when we think of Morocco or Marrakech we think of their markets or souks. This is why this stop is a must. This is one of the largest souks you can visit. Walk around and have a view at their leather goods, rugs, silverware and so much more! 


• Souk Place des Épices: well like we said, souks are so famous that we can’t miss a brief stop at the spice market. 


• El Badi Palace: have a view at the ruins of Sultan Ahmed el Mansour’s old palace. Learn about the past of Morocco having a view at these old ruins. 


• Jemaa el-Fna: this square is one of the most famous squares and it is known as the heart of the medina. It is really one of the biggest attractions in Marrakech. It is even an UNESCO world heritage site. It is also nice to go back to the Jemaa el-Fna at night to enjoy the bbq, listen to music, have a view from the rooftop and more! 


• Musée des Confluences: the old governors palace. Now its a museum and you can check out this beautiful construction and what it has to offer. 


• Gueliz: want to see the modern part of Marrakech away from the Medina? Then have a view at this neighbourhood! 


• The Mellah: this is the jewish quarter inside Marrakech. Have a view for sure at the Al Azama synagogue and the Miara cemetery. 


• Koutoubia mosque: have a view at this beautiful building and architecture. You cannot enter if you a non-Muslim but you can take great photos from the outside. 


• Saadian tombs: enjoy the beautiful landscaped gardens and see that even the wealthily have benefits after death! 

Depending on what time you arrive on day 1, we would arrange a visit to Jardin Majorelle and Musée Yves Saint Laurent. This will depend on your arrival time on day 1, but we can include it today if you don’t have enough time to visit it on day 1. 

Jardin Majorelle: a complete photo stop. Walk around and stroll in this unique botanical garden 

Musée Yves Saint Laurent: a beautiful stop to enjoy great works that even a non fashion lover will enjoy. 

This will be your first day during your Morocco trip.

Pick up will be from your hotel in Marrakech. Enjoy this private pick up and the drive towards Ouarzazate. 

Ouarzazate will be our pit stop between Marrakech and the desert. This been said, lets take advantage of our brief stop and have a view at what Ouarzazate has to offer. One of the stops will be Hit Ben Haddou. This has become famous thanks to make movies and especially with Game of Thrones. 

We will also have a stop at the Telouet Kasbah. We will then take you to your hotel to have a good night rest before the next day. 

For this day, it will take us around the whole day to arrive to Merzouga desert. On the way to the Merzouga desert, we will make a stop at Todgha Gorge. 

At Todgha Gorge, enjoy beautiful landscapes and have a view at the limestone river canyons. We will drive towards the last 600 meters as well of the Todgha gorge because they are the most impressive. This will be a good stop before arriving to your accommodation in the Merzouga Desert. 

This is the most adventures day of your travel. We will spend a day in the desert and we can recommend different activities to do once in the desert. 

There is the typical camel ride. This is very fun for younger children and even to stroll around comfortably around the desert. 

We can also recommend a quad ride. This is a very fun adventure. Going up and down the dunes in the desert in a quad is truly a lifetime experience. 

Another of our recommendations is to enjoy the typical Beber beats. The desert camp or your accommodation choice will give you a great opportunity to get to learn from the heart of this part of the Merzouga desert. Enjoy their cuisine, their music and what the Moroccan Sahara desert has to offer. 

To choose the best accommodation there are different options: you can choose the luxury camp desert or you can choose a beautiful boutique hotel just on the entry of the true desert. Contact us for more information! 

We will pick you up from your hotel in Merzouga desert and we will head towards Fez. Let continue comfortably your Morocco trip! 

After having breakfast, we will pick you up from your hotel and we will start your private tour. Enjoy the old Fez, or the Fez el-Bali. This is the old town and heart of Fez. Fez has over 9000 lanes. Walk around the souks, old quarter, alleys and lovely streets. Get lost with your private tour guide (that always have the easy way out!!). 

Enjoy this day in Fes to get to know one of the most important cities in Morocco for its culture, traditions, history and even gastronomy! 

Amongst others, have a view at:

• Al Quaraouiyine Mosque: this was built in 859AD. Fatima al-Fihri had built it. It had been considered to be one of the oldest universities of the world. Unfortunately non-Muslins cannot enter to this now mosque, former school, but you can get a quick view from the outside. 


• Bar Batha: this is now a museum and it used to be a palace. You can enter and visit everything it has to offer. Have a view at its Andalusian style entrance and learn about its history. 


• Chouara Tannery: a famous stop when visiting Fez. This is considered one of the oldest tanneries in the world. They still operate and do things like they did in medieval ages. Leather is made massively and the smell is so intense that they give you leaves to cover each ones nose! A unique site with great picture moments! 


• Medersa Bou Inania: from the 14th century, enjoy a view that the old Muslin intellectual college. 


• Merenid Tombs: from here you can also enjoy beautiful views of the old Medina. 


• Al-Attarine souk: walk around the local spice market


• Dar el Makhzen: although it is not open to the public, and we cannot enter it, we have to stop at the gates and take an iconic picture of the Royal Palace of Fez. 


• Mellah: stop by at the jewish quarter where you can learn about the history and jewish heritage

We always recommend to have your guide walk around with you in all these locations and have a vehicle with a driver take you back to your hotel if it is not located centrally. 

For this day, enjoy a private hotel pick up from your Fes hotel and we will depart towards Meknes and Volubilis. The first stop will be Volubilis. 

Volubilis is a part Berber city that is located very close to Meknes. It is also a Roman city where you can enjoy some Roman ruins. 

We will then head towards Meknes. You will have free time on your own as well as enjoy a private tour of this unique city. Meknes is considered one of the four Imperial cities. Amongst other sites in Meknes, enjoy next to your private guide the following sites:

• Bab al-Mansour: this is considered as the main gate to enter into the Medina. This gate is the main gate between the Medina and the districts of Imperial City. This is a must photo stop and learn about this gate with your guide. 


• Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail: it cannot be visited by non-Muslins. You can see the tomb hall and outside part. 


• Medina: The old town is of course a must stop in Meknes. Have a stop at Souk Nejarine and Souk Sebbat. 


• Imperial city: explore its old ruins


• Dar Jamai: museum of Moroccan Art


• Bou Inania Medersa: School of learning


• Heri es-Souani: take a stop at these buildings and take lovely pictures of the Royal Stables

We will recommend to you where you can have a typical Moroccan lunch. If you have any preferences, please let us know. 

Depending on the departure time of your flight, you can have some free time or enjoy more time in Fes. We will take you to the airport comfortably in our private vehicle. 

This is just an example of what you can do during your Morocco trip. We can arrange a weekend escape to Marrakech, imperial cities, 15 days to get to know Morocco and so much more! Contact us for more information!