Morocco travel itinerary for 9 days – top 13 places to visit

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Morocco is a vibrant and diverse country that offers visitors a unique blend of culture, history, and natural beauty. From the bustling souks of Marrakech to the charming blue Chefchaouen, there is something for everyone in this North African gem. Whether you’re interested in exploring ancient ruins, tasting traditional cuisine, or simply soaking up the sun, a well-planned Morocco travel itinerary can help your stay in this beautiful country really incredible.

In this 9 days Morocco travel itinerary we’ll take a closer look at some must-see destinations and experiences to include in your adventure.

Is Morocco worth visiting?

Morocco is a place that attracts visitors from all over the world and is a desirable destination for many people. Is it because of its exotic charm, Arabic flavour, colours, scents, different customs, nature? The truth is that Morocco hides something for everyone.

However, before we dive into the magic of Morocco or one of Scheherazade’s tales, let me tell you a bit more about what you need to know and what you should approach with care when organizing a solo trip to Morocco.

Visiting Morocco for a first time?

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Morocco travel itinerary

Of course, both the length of stay and the must-see places you want to visit have an impact on route preferences. Be guided by these, don’t compromise your wishes. My top 4 places based on which I organized this solo trip to Morocco were Marrakech, Ait Benhaddou, Sahara Desert and Chefchaouen, with my wish to leave the Blue City for last. Eventually I added Ourzazate and Fez to these, and the many canyons we passed through, the Atlas Mountains, valleys and gorges completed the trip in an exciting way.

I am often asked how exactly do I choose the places I visit? The answer is quite simple – some people are attracted by history, others are culinary tourists, and I choose my places purely for photography. If a place can’t intrigue my lens, I just pass it by.

Here is my author’s 9 days Morocco itinerary:

Agadir – Marrakech – Atlas Mountains – Ait Benhaddou – Ourzazate – Dades and Todra Canyons – Merzouga – Ziz Valley – Fez – Chefchaouen – Akchour Falls – Tangier

Marrakech

Starting our Moroccan adventure with the Pink City, I felt like I was in a fairy tale. I enjoyed Marrakech immensely. The atmosphere, colours and scents intoxicate and the city somehow manages to engulf you.

How to get to Marrakech?

• By plane

Check best flight prices here:

• By rental car

• By train

Where to stay in Marrakech?

As suggestions for luxury, budget or mid-range options, I would recommend the following places to stay:

• Luxury option Riad Kniza, rating 9.5 Fantastic, with outdoor pool and spa. The property offers a breakfast in the price.
• Mid-price class Riad Nobel, rating 9.5 Fantastic. Breakfast is included in the price.
• Here is a wonderful offer, especially if you are with children and want to stay in a quiet place with outdoor pool and playground, Duplex Atlas Golf Resort rating 9.8 Fantastic.
• Budget option Hostel Dar Tamanar, rating 9.2 Fantastic.
• Other suggestion for accommodation in Marrakech

More suggestions where to stay in Marrakech

 How many days to stay in Marrakech?

I would recomend to stay 2-3 days to explore the city and 5-6 if you’d like to explore the region.

Attractions in Marrakech

• Jemaa el Fna Square
• Qutubia Mosque (no non-Muslims allowed inside)
• The Medina
• Bahia Palace
• Al Badi Palace
• The Jewish Quarter
• Majorelle Gardens

 

How to spend your time in Marrakech?

Aside from the sights, Marrakech offers a wide variety of activities both inside and outside the city. Let’s see some of them:

• Sunrise balloon flight with traditional breakfast
• Visit the incredibly beautiful Ouzoud waterfall and take a boat ride
• A visit to the seaside town of Essaouira, a surfer’s paradise and a visit to an argan oil factory
• If you are a mountain lover, I recommend a hike in the Atlas Mountains

Crossing the Atlas Mountains

If you’re wondering whether to head from Marrakech to the desert with a stop in Ait Ben Haddou, don’t give it much thought. The road is extremely scenic. The pass passes through the Atlas Mountains and reaches 2620m above sea level. The views from high up are worth every turn, and the contrast between the snow-capped peaks and the desert is impressive.

Tip: Мake time to visit a Berber village

Ait Benhaddou

Ait Benhaddou is a Berber town in southern Morocco under the aegis of UNESCO. It is famous for its 11th century fortress, which offers spectacular views of the Urzazat River and the Atlas Mountains. A number of popular films have been shot here and you can book a visit to the film studios. Climb the fortress, visit a Berber house, buy a souvenir.

How to get to Ben Haddou if you are without a car?

Where to stay in Ait Benhaddou?

Is it worth staying at Ait Benhaddou? Definitely. The views from the Kasbah (fortress) are fantastic and at sunrise and sunset the landscape is magical.

Here are some suggestions:

• Riad Paradise of Silence, rating 9,1 Excellent.
• Kasbah El Hajja in the heart of the old town rated 9.0 Superb.
• La Fibule D’or is a good budget option with a rating of 9,0 Superior
• 4km away is the fantastic, rated 9.6 Riad Tamdakhte.
• Other suggestions

Ourzazate

Ourzazate is known as the gateway to the Sahara Desert. Its huge Kasbah Taourirt, home to a 19th-century palace with a rocky landscape all around has been the set of several films. To the northeast is the rocky Todra Gorge, and the road southeast winds through the lush palm groves of the Draa Valley into the desert.

What to visit in Ourzazate?

• Kasbah Taurirt
• Kasbah Tifutute
• Atlas Film Studio
• The Cinema Museum

The town is cute, but after Ait Ben Haddou it failed to impress me much.

Where to stay in Ourzazate?

Break the stereotypes and book an overnight stay in a bivouac. I recommend the one we stayed at, here are the coordinates:

• Bivouac Lot of Stars, rating 8.9 Excellent
• Maison d’hôtes Dar Farhana offers hotel accommodation with an indoor pool and a rooftop terrace. The rating is 9.3 Superior

If you still prefer standard accommodation, check for suggestions here.

Dades and Todra Canyons

Our journey to the desert continued through the picturesque Dades Canyon with overhanging sheer red cliffs. It then passed through the Todra Gorge and alternating oases with Berber villages. It was like falling into another world. So different from anything familiar.

Book your visit to a Berber village

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Merzouga, Sahara Desert

This is one of the places you definitely have to include in your Morocco travel itinerary. Sahara desert is one of my favorite places in Morocco! The golden sands, the camel caravans through the desert, the sunris and the sunset, the dinner, the songs by the fire, I keep wonderful memories. Besides all that the camp hosts went the extra mile and made this a truly unforgettable experience.

 

Where to stay in Merzouga?

Here are the coordinates of some of the campsites and I highly recommend Mustafa’s campsite where we stayed.

• Mustapha Camp Merzouga rated 9.4 Fantastic. The price is including dinner and breakfast. The food they prepared for us here was the most delicious food we tried in all of Morocco. Getting to the campsite is by camels or jeeps through the desert (extra charge of 20 euros per person total round trip). The driver sends you in advance the location of a hotel where he will expect you, where the caravan departs from and where to leave the car.
• Magic Luxury Camp is another proposal with a rating of 9,7 Fantastic
• Desert Romantic Camp e budget option with a rating of 9,9 Fantastic
• More suggestions

 Book your visit to Sahara desert. There are lot of options you choose from.

Fez

Important!

The most important things to know before you visit Fez:

Don’t leave without a guide or internet on your phone. There are over 9000 streets in the medina and the risk of getting lost is huge.

The sights in Fez are closed to tourists. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter. You can take photos only at the door.

In Bou Inania Madrasa you can enter only the courtyard. The oldest university in Africa Kairaouine, the library, Dar Batha, the beautiful Andalusian mosque are closed to visit, but the city offers a bunch of other activities.

Should you visit Fez? Yes! Despite the dirt and smell, Fez is charming.

 

Attractions and activities in Fez

Here you will find all you need to see in Fez, organised guided tours and activities around Fez.

Where to stay in Fez?

As far as possible from tanning and dyeing workshops (The Tannery).

The area in the medina around the Bou Inania Madrasa Mosque is much quieter and I recommend booking accommodation at a local riad. I give you the coordinates of the riad we had chosen. I was pleased with the service, the ambiance, the breakfast, and there was a rooftop terrace.

• Riad Fez Unique rating 9,1 Superior
• Riad Fes Nass Zmane is rated 9.6 Fantastic, there is also a restaurant.
• At SPA in Fez? Why not? Palais d’hotes Suites & Spa Fes offers Wellness and SPA
• If you would like to immerse in luxury and feel like an Arab in a fairy tale, then Riad Fes – Relais & Châteaux is for you.
• More suggestions

 

Chefchaouen

The Blue City of Morocco is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Chaouen, as it is called for short, is photogenic, magnetic and different. It is located at the foot of the Rif Mountains in northwest Morocco. The town is most easily reached from Fez, Tangier or Tétouan.

• Why the houses in Chefchouen are blue?

According to some, to keep cool in the summer. Others believe that blue repels mosquitoes. Still others claim that the houses were painted blue by Jews who escaped the Spanish Inquisition in the 15th century.

Whatever the truth, Chefchaouen is a must-stop on your Morocco travel itinerary.

Recommendation:

Don’t limit yourself to just a few hours in the Blue city, but stay overnight. Drive up to the Spanish mosque to watch the sunset, and why not the sunrise. Take a night stroll in the centre of the old town. Chouen is charming at all hours of the day.

Where to stay in Chefchaouen?

I highly recommend Aymane Rooftop Hotel where we stayed, a budget place with rating 9,3 Superb. The view from the terrace was amazing and the location only a 3 minute walk to the place pictured:)

• Riad Mosaic is also a good proposal with a score of 9,1 Superior.
• More suggestions you will find here

 

Tangier

Tangier is a Moroccan port on the Strait of Gibraltar, a strategic gateway between Africa and Europe since Phoenician times. The medina is home to the Dar el Makhzen, a palace of the sultans that is now a museum of Moroccan artifacts. The medina also houses the American Legation Museum, documenting early US-Morocco diplomatic relations in a Moorish-style 1821 former consulate.

What to see in Tangier?

Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules, the fortress, the Dar el Makhzen Palace, the Museum of the American Legation, walk around the medina and the city. At sunset, look out over the sea from La Terasse cafe and be sure to book a night in a riad with a roof terrace.

Activities in Tangier

Here you can find information about all sights and activities in and around the city:

Where to stay in Tangier?

Again I recommend the riad we had chosen. It is in a quiet location in the medina, close to the kasbah, and the views from the terrace were stunning.

• Dar el Hayet with a score of 8.3 Very good was our choice.
• Aux 3 Portes rated 9.0 Excellent
• Grand Hotel Villa de France is a more luxurious hotel with a rating of 8.3 Very good
• More suggestions

Important!

If you are flying out of Tangier, note that the airport only accepts airline tickets printed on paper!

If you don’t have a paper ticket, you’ll have to wait for the clerk to handwrite it for you. It’s very slow, allow a little more time.

If you are returning a rental car and your flight is in the morning, there are no staff at the rental car counters. The working time does not start until 8:00 a.m. So call one of the numbers left for contact, explain where you left the car and drop the contract and key through the desk window.

• • • • •

Thus ended our tale in Morocco.

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