Morocco has been one of the most popular holiday destinations lately and seeing so many pictures of gorgeous riads, colorful souks and boho desert camps on Instagram is what decided me to book a 10 road days trip in Morocco last May. Ahhh the power of social media! So, to get started here is a recap of our 10-day itinerary in Morocco.
Before going into more details of the itinerary, I would like to explain some of the thinking in building up our Morocco itinerary.
Having only a limited amount of time, we had to make some choices when building the itinerary. Neither my boyfriend nor I like to move every day from one place to the next, so, unfortunately, we had to leave a lot out of this road trip. We flew to Casablanca because it’s the only direct flight from Dubai. Flying to Tanger or Rabat could also be a good option depending on your itinerary. We didn’t include a desert stop in the itinerary (Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou, etc.) because living in Dubai we have seen plenty of dunes and camels! But if this is new to you, definitely consider adding it to your trip. I would have loved to squeeze in Essaouira, but it was just too short. If you are willing to move around more quickly than I do, you can probably plan Essaouira after Marrakech itinerary and enjoy a bit of seaside relaxation!
So without further ado, below is my complete 10-day road trip itinerary through Morocco.
MOROCCO ITINERARY
DAY 1 to 3: CHEFCHAOUEN, THE BLUE PEARL
Casablanca airport to Chefchaouen – 370 km – 6h drive
Upon landing at Casablanca airport, we picked up our rental car and drove towards Chefchaouen. It took us around 6 hours to reach this gorgeous little mountain town and to get there we drove through some beautiful green landscapes I never expected to see in Morocco.
Rather exhausted after nearly 18h of travel, we quickly checked into Dar Hannan, found the strength to go for a quick dinner outside, and got to bed for a well-deserved rest.
The next day and a half were dedicated to exploring Chefchaouen, shopping, and eating our first tagines! For more on Chefchaouen, check my complete guide here.
READ MORE
What to do in Chefchaouen
MOROCCO ROAD TRIP
DAY 4: FEZ
Chefchaouen to Fez – 200 km – 4h drive
Arriving in Fez in the evening, we checked into the beautiful Riad Idrissy and spent the evening there, relaxing and planning for the upcoming days.
The next day, after a couple of hiccups, we finally started exploring the medina. As you can read in my article How to survive Fez Medina, getting around town is not an easy and relaxing experience, but there are so many gorgeous places to check, it will easily keep you busy a day or two. Some must-do include the Medersa Bou Inania and the Chaouwara Tanneries.
For the next day, we had the choice between visiting New Fez, the Royal Palace, and the Jewish quarter; or going to Volubilis, which is what we decided to do.
MOROCCO ROAD TRIP
DAY 5: VOLUBILIS
Fez to Volubilis – 95km – 1.30h drive
Under 2h drive from Fez, Volubilis is a Unesco World Heritage archeological site, famous for its preserved mosaics. Despite the gloomy weather it was very nice walking around the Roman ruins, something I didn’t expect to find in Morocco. It was also a refreshing break from the hectic Medina of Fez.
Although that day we were not in the mood for further exploration, it’s well worth stopping by the nearby town of Moulay Idriss, one of Morocco most important pilgrimage site, where is buried Moulay Idriss itself, the great-grandson of Prophet Mohammed, and Morocco first Islamic leader.
MOROCCO ITINERARY
DAY 6 : STOP OVER IN RABAT ON THE WAY TO MARRAKECH
Fez – Rabat – Marrakech – 530 km – 6h drive
Stopping by Rabat was not part of the initial plan, but my better half insisted that we do a quick stop on our way to Marrakesh. He lived in Rabat for a few years as a kid and was eager to see the city again and show me around …
Rabat was a very positive surprise! We only spent a few hours there, visiting the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the Kasbah, and a tiny part of the souqs. But unlike Fez and Marrakesh, Rabat feels calm, clean, and very relaxing.
We stopped for tea and pastries in Cafe Maure and enjoyed the view over the Sale estuary. Lastly, we went shopping for ceramics in the Ouija Pottery Complex. This is the best place if you want to buy ceramic, baskets, etc … straight from the artisans and at a very good price!
To be completely honest, I think Rabat would have deserved a full day of visit, instead of the few hours we dedicated to it.
We arrived in Marrakesh late in the evening, checked in and had dinner in the beautiful Riad Talaa 12.
MOROCCO ITINERARY
DAY 7 – 8: MARRAKESH
Finally in Marrakesh!! I have been dreaming of this city for months and couldn’t wait to see of all it! Unfortunately, Marrakesh left me a little disappointed, as I didn’t get to see some of the top sights in the city: the Ali Ben Youssef Medersa and the Bahia palace were both closed for renovation, and I gave up on Le Jardin Marjorelle and the YSL museum when I saw the 2h queue to get in! If you have more time on your Morocco itinerary, consider spending a few more days in Marrakech, to really soak in the atmosphere and visit all the beautiful sites.
READ MORE:
Top things to do in Marrakech
On day 8, in the evening we drove to the Agafay desert to spend the night in a beautiful desert camp, Terre des Etoiles. We were greeted by a gorgeous sunset and a nice outdoor dinner.
MOROCCO ITINERARY
DAY 9 : TERRE DES ETOILES
Marrakech to Terre des Etoiles – 35km – 1h
If you have done some researches about Morocco on Instagram lately, chances are you have seen dreamy pictures of the Scarabeo camp, a luxurious desert camp in the Agafay desert.
Unfortunately, the camp was fully booked for that night, and so I decided to book at Terre des Etoiles, which looked quite similar in quality and atmosphere. The camp is everything I was looking for, beautifully decorated tents, outdoor patios, and no wifi! I could easily have spent a few more days in this relaxing oasis, doing nothing else than reading a book.
Another camp that you could consider in the area is the eco-lodge La Pause. I was very keen on staying there but sadly I never managed to get hold of them.
Unfortunately, it was the end of the holidays already and we drove back to Casablanca late afternoon.
MOROCCO ITINERARY
DAY 10: CASABLANCA AND FLY BACK TO DUBAI
Marrakesh to Casablanca – 240km – 3h
Early morning, before heading to the airport we stopped by the spectacular Hassan II mosque, the city’s main landmark, and one of the largest mosques in the world. Once again we were quite unlucky to find the mosque closed, but the view from outside is already breathtaking.
We snapped a few pictures and quickly headed to the airport, and straight back to Dubai.
This was my 10 day road trip itinerary through Morocco! I hope you find it useful to organize your trip.
Don’t hesitate to leave me a comment below if you have any suggestions.
Love, Emma
Discover more of Morocco
- Top things to do in Marrakech, for 2 to 3 days.
- What to do in Chefchaouen, the blue pearl of Morocco
- How to survive in Fez Medina, and actually enjoy your time there
