10 day Morocco itinerary from Marrakech through the Sahara to Fes

10 Days in Morocco: Marrakech, Desert and Fes Itinerary

Ten days is the ideal length for a Morocco trip that goes beyond Marrakech: it gives you room to cross the Sahara desert loop and still continue north to Fes, one of the best-preserved medieval cities in the world, without every day being a travel day. Below is the itinerary we build most often for guests who want both the desert and the imperial cities.

Why Add Fes to the Classic Desert Loop

Marrakech and the Sahara give you dramatic landscapes and Berber culture; Fes gives you Morocco's oldest and most intact medina, a genuinely different experience from Marrakech's more touristic souks. Routing the desert crossing so it ends in Fes rather than looping back to Marrakech means you're not retracing the same roads twice.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

DayRouteHighlights
1Arrive MarrakechMedina orientation, Jemaa el-Fnaa
2MarrakechBahia Palace, Majorelle Garden, Saadian Tombs
3Marrakech to Dades ValleyTizi n'Tichka pass, Ait Ben Haddou, kasbahs
4Dades Valley to MerzougaTodra Gorge, dunes at sunset
5Merzouga desert campCamel trek, overnight under the stars
6Merzouga to FesZiz Valley, Middle Atlas cedar forests
7FesMedina, tanneries, madrasas
8Fes to ChefchaouenRif Mountains, arrival in the blue city
9Chefchaouen to Casablanca or returnFree morning, transfer for departure
10DepartureFly out

Highlights of This Route

  • A full Sahara desert crossing with a night in a desert camp
  • The medieval medina of Fes, a UNESCO World Heritage site
  • The Middle Atlas cedar forests, home to Barbary macaques
  • An optional detour to Chefchaouen's blue-washed streets
  • Two very different imperial cities, Marrakech and Fes, for contrast

Adjusting the Route

If Chefchaouen feels like a stretch, the same 10 days work perfectly well ending in Fes with a flight out from Fes airport or a transfer to Casablanca. For a shorter version of the same idea, our 7-day Morocco itinerary covers just the Marrakech-desert loop. If you have more time available, our 14-day grand tour extends this same route to include Rabat, Casablanca, and the Atlantic coast.

Planning Tips

Book Fes riads in the medina itself rather than the new city; it makes navigating the old town far easier with a local guide. For visa and entry requirements before you go, check the Visit Morocco official tourism site.

Book This Itinerary

We operate this exact 10-day route as a private guided tour, with a dedicated driver throughout and a desert camp night already included, so you can focus on the experience rather than logistics.

Questions Fréquentes

Yes, 10 days comfortably covers this route without rushing, including a full night in the Sahara desert and two to three days split between Marrakech and Fes.
Most itineraries route the desert crossing between Marrakech and Fes so you are not backtracking, ending the loop in Fes rather than returning to Marrakech.
If you can spare a day, yes. Chefchaouen is roughly 3-4 hours from Fes and its blue medina is unlike anywhere else in Morocco.
This route includes several long driving days, particularly Marrakech to Merzouga and Merzouga to Fes, each around 6-8 hours with scenic stops along the way.
Yes, Fes has an international airport, and many travelers choose an open-jaw itinerary flying into Marrakech and out of Fes.
Layered clothing is essential, since the Sahara and Middle Atlas have very different temperatures, especially at night.
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