Morocco has always been a crossroads—Amazigh, Arab, Andalusian, and Saharan influences meet in its architecture, markets, and music. From the pulsing square of Jemaa el-Fnaa to the quiet courtyards of scholarly Fes, the country rewards both wandering and lingering.

This 10-day itinerary traces a classic arc: Marrakech’s palaces and souks, an unforgettable night under Sahara stars in Merzouga, and a thoughtful finale in Fes with an optional excursion to the Roman ruins of Volubilis. It’s paced to maximize time in each place, with honest travel times between them.

Expect robust flavors—tagines, grilled sardines, almond pastries—and mint tea at every turn. Dress modestly, learn a few Arabic and Tamazight greetings, and if you’re visiting during Ramadan (dates shift each year), note adjusted hours and a serene, luminous atmosphere come sunset.

Marrakech

Marrakech is Morocco’s color wheel: terracotta ramparts, azure courtyards, and saffron-hued spice stalls. Its medina hums with artisans hammering copper, woodcarvers shaping cedar, and herbalists blending ancient remedies—much as they have for centuries.

Top sights include the Bahia Palace’s zellij mosaics, the Saadian Tombs’ marble-petal carvings, the re-opened Ben Youssef Madrasa, and Le Jardin Secret’s Andalusian garden geometry. At sunset, Jemaa el-Fnaa transforms into an open-air theater of storytellers, orange-juice vendors, and smoky grill stands.

Where to stay (curated):

• Iconic splurge with private riads: Royal Mansour Marrakech.
• Classic resort comfort near the Hivernage district: Es Saadi Marrakech Resort - Hotel.
• Intimate riad with a warm team and great cooking classes: Riad Dar Attajmil.
• Browse more stays on VRBO (Marrakech) or Hotels.com (Marrakech).

Arrival options: Fly into Marrakech (RAK) or nearby Casablanca (CMN), searching fares on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com.

Day 1 — Arrive in Marrakech

Afternoon: Land in Marrakech and settle into your riad. Stretch your legs by walking to Koutoubia Mosque’s gardens (non-Muslim visitors admire from outside) and the Kasbah neighborhood’s calm lanes.

Evening: Watch the glow rise over Jemaa el-Fnaa from a terrace. For dinner, try modern-Moroccan small plates and a saffron negroni at Nomad (rooftop views), or reserve Al Fassia in Gueliz—run by women, famous for slow-cooked lamb shoulder and outstanding briouats. Nightcap at Baromètre, Marrakech’s craft-cocktail pioneer.

Day 2 — Palaces, Souks, Hammam

Morning: Coffee at Bacha Coffee inside Dar el Bacha (reservations help), then tour Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs. Tip: arrive at opening to enjoy the cedar ceilings and stucco before crowds.

Afternoon: Dive into the souks by theme—metalwork on Souk Haddadine, leather near Chouari, dyers’ street for photo-friendly skeins. Visit the restored Ben Youssef Madrasa and Le Jardin Secret for serenity.

Evening: Unwind with a traditional scrub at Les Bains de Marrakech (book ahead). Dinner in a lantern-lit courtyard at Le Jardin (herb-packed kefta tagines) or Lebanese-leaning Naranj for grilled kofta and bright mezze. Try sfenj (yeasted doughnuts) from a street stall for dessert.

Day 3 — Day Trip to the Coast (Essaouira)

Swap the red city for Atlantic breezes on a full-day excursion. You’ll pass argan groves, stroll UNESCO-listed ramparts, and lunch on just-landed sardines or chermoula-marinated sea bream before returning at dusk.

Book it: Essaouira day trip from Marrakech

Food notes in Essaouira: Try Triskala (market-to-table), La Table by Madada (refined seafood pastilla), or Umia (intimate bistro by Skala). Wander the port for blue boats and gulls in chorus.

Merzouga (Sahara Desert)

Merzouga is the gateway to Erg Chebbi, a sea of 150-meter dunes that shift color from apricot to burnt amber at sunset. Nights bring sweeping Milky Way skies and the crackle of a campfire to the rhythm of gnawa drums.

Between camel caravans and sandboarding, don’t miss fossil workshops in Erfoud, the Ziz Valley’s palm oases, and tea shared with nomadic families who know the dunes like a map.

Where to stay (curated):

• Dune-side comfort with a pool: Kasbah Hotel Tombouctou.
• Friendly base in town with sweeping terrace views: Riad Nezha.
• Budget-friendly auberge with desert-access know-how: Auberge Les Roches.
• Compare more in the area on Hotels.com (Merzouga) or VRBO (Merzouga).

Getting here: From Marrakech, it’s a scenic 9–10-hour drive via the High Atlas (Tizi n’Tichka), Aït Ben Haddou, and the Dades/Todra region; many travelers split it with an overnight in Boumalne Dades or Tinghir. You can also check domestic flight options to Errachidia (ERH) via Casablanca on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com then transfer 2–3 hours by road to Merzouga.

Day 4 — Across the High Atlas (Marrakech → Dades Region, en route to the Sahara)

Morning: Depart Marrakech after breakfast. Climb the Tizi n’Tichka pass—hairpins, kasbahs, and changing rock strata—pausing at panoramic pullouts.

Afternoon: Explore UNESCO-listed Aït Ben Haddou, a fortified ksar whose earthen towers starred in films from Gladiator to Game of Thrones. Lunch on a terrace (try lemon chicken tagine with preserved olives).

Evening: Overnight near Boumalne Dades to break the journey. Stroll the Dades Gorge at golden hour, then dine at your guesthouse—often family recipes like almond-scented berber omelette and lamb with prunes. If you’d like to prebook in the area, browse Hotels.com (Boumalne Dades).

Day 5 — Sahara Arrival and Camel Trek (Dades → Merzouga)

Continue via the Todra Gorge and Erfoud to Merzouga. Swap wheels for hooves and ride into Erg Chebbi for a night beneath the stars—campfire tea, a tajine dinner, and a dawn that floods the dunes with light.

Book it: Merzouga Camel Trekking & Overnight Desert Camp

Day 6 — Dunes, Tea, and Sandboards (Merzouga)

Morning: Catch sunrise from a dune crest, then return for a hearty breakfast (msmen flatbreads with honey and amlou). Visit Khamlia village for gnawa rhythms and learn about desert date cultivation.

Afternoon: Kick up sand on quads and try sandboarding as you crest soft ridgelines with a guide who knows the safest bowls.

Book it: Merzouga Quad Bikes and Sandboarding

Evening: Dinner at your kasbah hotel—try medfouna (the Saharan “Berber pizza”) or a cumin-rich kefta tagine. Stargaze; on clear nights you’ll see satellites drift and the Milky Way blaze.

Fes

Fes is Morocco’s intellectual heart, home to the world’s oldest continually operating university (al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859). Its medina, Fes el-Bali, is a living museum of 9,000 alleyways where donkeys still do the deliveries.

Expect exquisite madrasas, the scent of cedar and leather, and a deep artisan culture—zellij tile workshops, hammered copper, and blue-and-white pottery fired in hillside kilns. The pace is reflective; the detail, astonishing.

Where to stay (curated):

• Palatial suites and a panoramic pool: Palais Faraj Suites & Spa.
• Beloved riad with courtyard orange trees and a stellar hammam: Riad Laaroussa.
• Contemporary design and city views above the medina: Hotel Sahrai.
• Explore more on VRBO (Fes) or Hotels.com (Fes).

Getting here: From Merzouga, plan 7–8 hours by road via Erfoud, the Ziz Valley, Midelt, and the cedar forests near Azrou. For those connecting from elsewhere, compare flights into Fes–Saiss (FEZ) on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com.

Day 7 — Sahara to Scholars (Merzouga → Fes)

Morning: Depart after breakfast. Photo stops over the Ziz Gorge and date-palm valleys; pick up dates or almonds from reputable roadside cooperatives.

Afternoon: Lunch in Midelt—trout from nearby rivers with lemon and herbs is a local staple. Continue via the Middle Atlas; pause in the cedar forest near Azrou where Barbary macaques leap between branches (don’t feed them).

Evening: Arrive in Fes, check into your riad, and dine at The Ruined Garden (slow-roasted lamb shoulder, zesty salads) or family-run Dar Hatim (order their pastilla). Sleep comes easily after a long but beautiful drive.

Day 8 — Fes Medina Masterclass

Morning: Start at Bab Boujloud (the Blue Gate), then tour the Bou Inania Madrasa’s green-tiled minaret and carved wood. Peek into al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University courtyards from open doorways (non-Muslims can admire from thresholds). Coffee and a date milkshake at Café Clock.

Afternoon: Visit the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts and the Chouara Tanneries—the terrace views reveal honeycomb dye pits; bring a sprig of mint for the leather’s natural aromas. Learn how cobalt-blue Fassi ceramics are thrown, glazed, and fired at a cooperative.

Evening: Feast on chicken with preserved lemons and olives at Fez Café (Jardin des Biehn), or go vegetarian at The Factory (seasonal plats du jour). Cap the night with mint tea and almond ghriba cookies under your riad’s lanterns.

Day 9 — Volubilis and Meknes (Day Trip)

Morning: Drive 1.5 hours to Volubilis, where olive presses and triumphal arches tell a crisp Roman story. Highlights: the House of Orpheus mosaics and the Basilica’s colonnade with views across the Zerhoun plain.

Afternoon: Continue to Meknes. Explore the granaries of Heri es-Souani, the monumental Bab Mansour, and Place el-Hedim. Sample b’ssara (fava bean soup with cumin and olive oil) and msemen hot from a griddle.

Evening: Back in Fes, browse tucked-away shops for hand-embroidered table linens, brass trays, and cedar boxes. Dinner at Nur if it’s operating during your dates; otherwise try Cinema Café for casual Moroccan plates with a creative twist.

Day 10 — Garden Pause and Departure

Morning: Walk Jnan Sbil’s palm-framed ponds and the Andalusian Gardens by the river, then pick up last souvenirs—argan oil (cosmetic grade), hand-painted ceramics, or a traditional teapot with a long spout for that perfect pour.

Afternoon: Depart Fes by air (search Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com) or continue by road to Casablanca (approx. 3.5–4.5 hours by intercity train or private car) for onward connections.

Practical Notes and Food & Coffee Shortlist

• Marrakech eats: Nomad (modern Moroccan), Al Fassia (classic), Le Jardin (garden courtyard), Chez Lamine (Jemaa el-Fnaa mechoui lamb), Plus61 (Aussie-Med, seasonal). Coffee/pastry: Bacha Coffee, Pâtisserie Amandine.
• Sahara bites: Auberge Yasmina (dune-edge lunches), Café Resto Sable d’Or (hearty tagines), medfouna from local bakeries in Rissani.
• Fes eats: The Ruined Garden (slow-roast specialties), Dar Hatim (home kitchen), Fez Café (garden setting), Café Clock (casual, cultural events).
• Transport ballpark: Private Marrakech→Dades→Merzouga transfers ~$250–350 per car per segment; Supratours/CTM buses Marrakech→Merzouga ~11–12 hrs ~$25–35; Merzouga→Fes by private car ~$220–300 (7–8 hrs).

Optional/Alternative Sahara Experience

If you prefer a higher-comfort camp arrival by 4WD with a shorter camel ride, consider:

Book it: Luxury Camp in Merzouga Desert with Camel Trekking, 4WD

Summary: In ten days you’ll thread Marrakech’s palaces and souks, cross Atlas passes and palm-filled valleys to sleep under Sahara constellations, then slow down in scholarly Fes. Expect a tapestry of craftsmanship, music, and generous hospitality—and flavors you’ll miss the moment you leave.