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The full courtyard of the Al-Attarine madrasa: marble fountain, zellige walls and carved cedar galleries

Al-Attarine Madrasa, Fes · Photo: Houssain tork, CC BY-SA 4.0

10 days in Morocco

Ten days lets you loop Morocco without rushing. Start in Fes and the imperial north, drive south through Ifrane to the Sahara, then head west through the gorges and Aït Ben Haddou to finish in Marrakech. Prefer the north? Swap the desert for Chefchaouen and the Rif road, or add Essaouira at the end.

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  • Updated June 2026
  • 2 min read
  • Itineraries

Ten days is the sweet spot — long enough to root yourself in Fes and the imperial north, drop south to the Sahara, and finish in Marrakech in one unhurried loop, with Chefchaouen or the coast as an optional add-on.

The grand loop, day by day

This is our most-requested length, starting in Fes: the country's greatest hits with breathing room between them. Drives are spread out so no single day feels like a marathon, and the medina days are entirely on foot.

  • Days 1–2: Fes — the Fes el-Bali medina with a guide, the Chouara tanneries, the medersas, the Kairaouine and the artisan souks.
  • Day 3: Day trip to Meknes, Volubilis and Moulay Idriss.
  • Day 4: South through Ifrane and the Middle Atlas cedar forest toward the desert.
  • Day 5: Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga — camel trek and a luxury camp night.
  • Day 6: West through the Dadès and Todra gorges and the kasbah road.
  • Day 7: Aït Ben Haddou and over the Tizi n'Tichka pass.
  • Days 8–9: Marrakech — medina, gardens, hammam and a rooftop dinner.
  • Day 10: A final city morning and departure from Marrakech (RAK).
Striped woven blankets hung for sale around a square in the centre of Chefchaouen
ChefchaouenPhoto: Imane aragon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Add Chefchaouen or the coast

If you'd rather stay north and slow, add the blue city of Chefchaouen after Fes via the scenic Rif road instead of running the full southern loop. Or, if you finish in Marrakech, tack on Essaouira — three hours west, with ramparts, a working fishing port and superb grilled seafood — as a relaxed decompression after the desert.

Quick answers

Short answers to what travellers ask us about this.

Is 10 days enough to see Morocco?
It's ideal. Ten days lets you combine Fes and the imperial north, the Sahara and Marrakech — or stay north with the cities and Chefchaouen — without rushing. Two weeks adds the south's valleys or a proper Atlas trek.
What's the best 10-day Morocco route?
A loop starting in Fes: deep into the imperial north and the medina, south through Ifrane to the Sahara, then west through the gorges and Aït Ben Haddou to finish in Marrakech. Flying open-jaw (into Fès–Saïss, out of Marrakech) saves backtracking.
Should I add Chefchaouen to a 10-day trip?
Yes if you love photography and slow medina time. From Fes it adds a night and a scenic Rif-mountain drive up to the blue city — well worth it for many travellers, and easy to slot in before the southern loop.

Keep reading

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