Fez — This seven-day plan follows Morocco’s natural rhythm: start easy by the Atlantic, move through royal capitals, cross cedar forests into the Sahara, then finish with color and craft in Marrakech.
You can use trains, a private driver, or a shared tour for the desert leg, so you spend more time exploring than packing and unpacking.
Day 1: Casablanca to Rabat (arrival & coastline)
Land in Casablanca, visit the Hassan II Mosque if timing allows, then ride the train north to Rabat (about an hour). Rabat offers a calm first night: stroll the Oudaya’s kasbah, watch surfers below the ramparts, and dine on grilled fish. Early bedtime helps you adjust and sets you up for a smooth transfer day.
Day 2: Rabat to Chefchaouen (“Blue City”)
Head inland by road to Chefchaouen (roughly 4–5 hours). The town’s blue lanes reward an unhurried pace: sip mint tea on a terrace, climb to the Spanish Mosque for sunset, and browse small cooperatives for woven blankets and olive-wood crafts. Keep the evening light; tomorrow is a travel day.
Day 3: Chefchaouen to Fes (First Imperial Capital)
Drive to Fes (about 3.5–4 hours). Check into a riad and enter the medina through Bab Bou Jeloud. Visit the tanneries, metalworkers, and the Qarawiyyin quarter. Dinner is best inside the old city where terracotta tagines arrive bubbling. If you have the energy, book a short night tour to see craftsmen at work after the day crowds leave.
Day 4: Fes to the Sahara via the Middle Atlas (Merzouga)
Leave early with a driver toward Merzouga (8–9 hours with scenic stops). The route climbs through cedar forests near Ifrane and Azrou, then drops to Ziz Valley palms before the dunes appear. Swap the car for a camel or 4×4 to reach your camp in Erg Chebbi before sunset. Dinner under stars and quiet desert air make the long day worth it.
Day 5: Sahara sunrise, Todra Gorges, Dades Valley
Catch sunrise on the dunes, then return for breakfast and a hot shower. Drive west to Todra Gorges for a short walk beneath 300-meter cliffs, continue into the Dades Valley, and sleep in a small guesthouse overlooking kasbahs and rose fields. This stage breaks the journey and gives you a gentle mountain evening.
Day 6: Dades to Marrakech via Ouarzazate & Ait Benhaddou
Follow the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to Ouarzazate and the mud-brick ksar of Ait Benhaddou. After lunch, cross the High Atlas on the Tizi n’Tichka pass to Marrakech (total 6–7 hours with stops). Check in, then stretch your legs in Jemaa el-Fna as food stalls, storytellers, and musicians gather at dusk.
Day 7: Marrakech (gardens, craft, and cuisine)
Dedicate your final day to Marrakech’s highlights at an easy pace: a morning in the medina’s artisanal souks, a garden break (like the palm-shaded Menara or a museum garden), and a late afternoon hammam. Dinner near the medina walls or in Gueliz lets you end with modern-meets-traditional flavors. If your flight leaves late, squeeze in a café breakfast and a last walk through the spice alleys.
Why this route works
The sequence reduces backtracking and balances long drives with walkable days. Trains handle the Casablanca–Rabat piece; a private driver or small group tour makes the Fes–Sahara–Marrakech loop simple with luggage. You sleep only six nights in three to five bases, which keeps unpacking to a minimum.
Smart swaps (season & style)
Traveling in peak summer? Skip the Sahara heat and trade Days 4–5 for Essaouira: take the Marrakech train on Day 4, then a 3-hour road trip to the breezy Atlantic town on Day 5. Love Roman history? From Fes, add a half-day to Volubilis and Moulay Idriss before continuing. Prefer fewer hotel changes? Base two nights in Fes and two in Marrakech, and book day trips out (to the Middle Atlas from Fes; to the High Atlas or Agafay from Marrakech).
Practical tips
Carry small cash for tips and roadside cafés. Fridays often feature couscous specials at lunch. Dress modestly in medinas and ask before photographing people. In winter, pack layers for the mountains and desert nights; in summer, plan early starts and long lunches in the shade. Trains are reliable along the coast and to Fes; for the desert leg, confirm your driver and camp well in advance.
One week passes quickly in Morocco, but this route gives you a clear picture: ocean light, blue alleys, scholarly Fes, golden dunes, red rock valleys, and the rose-hued hum of Marrakech—all stitched together at a traveler’s pace.
