Overview
Two weeks unlocks Morocco's full range. This itinerary moves south from Marrakech into the Sahara, then north through Fes, Chefchaouen, and out through Tangier — covering the imperial cities, the High Atlas, the Sahara, and the Rif, with the option to add the Atlantic coast if you have an extra day or two. Not sure a fortnight is right for you? Compare trip lengths in how many days you need in Morocco.
The route is designed to flow in one direction — Marrakech in, Tangier or Casablanca out — with no backtracking. It requires a hire car for the Sahara section (days 4–7) and uses train and bus for everything else. If you prefer not to drive, private drivers for the southern circuit can be arranged from Marrakech for 800–1,200 MAD/day.
The cities and their key attributes: Marrakech (kinetic, southern, sensory), the Atlas (height, silence, Berber villages), the Sahara (dunes, stars, the edge of Africa), Fes (medieval, scholarly, the most complex medina in the world), Chefchaouen (blue, mountain, unhurried), Tangier (cosmopolitan, European, at the crossroads).
Days 1–3: Marrakech
Three nights in Marrakech gives you enough time to properly absorb the medina without rushing. Use the one-week itinerary as your Marrakech guide: day one for arrival and Jemaa el-Fna, day two for the souks and Bahia Palace, day three for the Saadian Tombs and Mellah. If you have a free afternoon, the Jardin Majorelle (Louis Vuitton-owned, 150 MAD, worth it) and the adjacent Yves Saint Laurent Museum are excellent.
Day 4: High Atlas — Tizi n'Tichka and Aït Benhaddou
This is one of the great driving days in Morocco. Leave Marrakech early and drive south over the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m) — the main road through the High Atlas to the south. The pass takes about 2.5 hours from Marrakech in good conditions. The views are dramatic: the High Atlas's rock and snow above, the flat desert plains opening up below as you descend.
Stop at Aït Benhaddou (about 3.5 hours from Marrakech) — a UNESCO-listed ksar (fortified village) that has been used as a film location so many times it feels familiar even on a first visit: Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, Game of Thrones. The village sits on a hillside above the Ounila river; climb to the top for the full panoramic view. Allow 2 hours. The village opposite the ksar has good tajine restaurants.
Continue 30 minutes to Ouarzazate for the night — the "Gateway to the Sahara." The town itself is functional rather than beautiful, but the Taourirt Kasbah in the old quarter is worth a visit (free, allow 45 minutes). Good-value hotels here for the night.
Days 5–6: The road to Merzouga
The drive from Ouarzazate to Merzouga takes around 5–6 hours with stops, and is one of the most scenically varied in Morocco. Leave early. The route east along the N10 passes through:
- Skoura (50 km east of Ouarzazate) — a small town surrounded by one of Morocco's finest palm groves and kasbahs; the Rose des Sables ksar is worth stopping for
- Boumalne du Dadès — gateway to the Dadès Gorge, a dramatic canyon with red rock walls rising 300 metres; a 30-minute drive into the gorge is a detour worth taking
- Tinghir and the Todra Gorge (highly recommended) — a sheer limestone canyon at its narrowest only 10 metres wide, with the Todra river running through it; rock climbers come from across Europe; the light in the gorge around noon is extraordinary
Continue to Erfoud and then Merzouga for the night. Arrive in time for the late afternoon camel trek into the dunes.
Day 7: Erg Chebbi — dunes, sunrise, and return north
The Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga need at least one night: the experience of sleeping in a desert camp, watching the stars without any light pollution, and waking before dawn to climb a dune for the sunrise is the most memorable night most visitors spend in Morocco. Book a camp with private tents rather than a dorm for the full experience.
After sunrise and breakfast, begin the long drive north toward Fes. The route via Midelt and through the Middle Atlas cedar forests is one of Morocco's best road journeys — the transition from desert hammada to mountain forest to imperial city in a single day is extraordinary. Midelt is a good lunch stop (around 3 hours from Merzouga). Arrive Fes late afternoon or early evening.
Days 8–9: Fes
Drop your hire car at the Fes train station or airport (if doing a one-way rental) and check into your medina riad. Two full days for Fes — see the day-by-day breakdown in the one-week itinerary. The essentials: Chouara Tanneries, Bou Inania Madrasa, the Andalusian quarter, and the view from the Merenid Tombs at dusk.
Days 10–11: Chefchaouen
Bus from Fes to Chefchaouen (around 3h 30min by CTM, 70–90 MAD). The blue medina is a complete change of pace after Fes — smaller, quieter, and set in the Rif Mountains above sea level. Two nights is the right amount: one to walk the medina and Place Uta el-Hammam, a second for the hike up to the Spanish Mosque (sunrise is the right time) and either the Jebel El Kelaa summit hike or a day trip to the Akchour waterfalls.
The Akchour gorge is 25 km northeast of Chefchaouen — a grand taxi to the trailhead costs about 80 MAD. The waterfall trail (4–5 hours return) is the best half-day hike available from the town.
Days 12–13: Tangier
Bus or grand taxi from Chefchaouen to Tangier (around 2 hours). Tangier is unlike any other Moroccan city — cosmopolitan, European in atmosphere, with a storied literary past (Bowles, Burroughs, Genet all passed through). Two nights: the first for the medina and kasbah, the second for Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules to the west of the city.
The kasbah at sunset — the lights of Tarifa visible across the 14-km strait — is one of the most memorable views on the itinerary. The Musée de la Kasbah in the former Sultan's Palace is worth an hour for the collection alone.
Day 14: Depart
Tangier has both an airport (Ibn Batouta, TNG, 15 km from centre) and ferry connections to Spain (Tarifa 35 min, Algeciras 1h 30min). If you are continuing to Andalusia, the combination of a ferry crossing, arriving in Tarifa, and then driving to Seville is one of the great one-day journeys in the western Mediterranean.
Alternatively, the Al Boraq high-speed train connects Tangier to Casablanca (2h 15min), from where you can fly home from Mohammed V Airport — the largest airport in Morocco with the most international connections.
Practical notes
Transport summary
| Leg | Mode | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Marrakech → Ouarzazate | Hire car (via Tizi n'Tichka) | ~3h 30min |
| Ouarzazate → Merzouga | Hire car (via Dadès + Todra) | ~5–6h |
| Merzouga → Fes | Hire car (via Midelt) | ~8h |
| Fes → Chefchaouen | CTM bus | ~3h 30min |
| Chefchaouen → Tangier | Bus or grand taxi | ~2h |
| Tangier → Casablanca | Al Boraq train | ~2h 15min |
When to go
March–May and September–November are ideal for this route. The Sahara in summer (June–August) reaches 45°C+ — seriously limiting. In winter (December–February), the Atlas passes can close temporarily after snow. The shoulder seasons hit the sweet spot: warm in the south, clear in the mountains, mild in the north.
Budget estimate
Mid-range for 2 weeks: approximately 12,000–20,000 MAD per person (accommodation, meals, transport, activities) — not including flights and hire car. Use the budget calculator for a more precise estimate. Hire car costs for the Sahara circuit (4 days): budget 600–1,000 MAD/day for a reliable 4WD.