How to Plan a Morocco Trip: Cities, Desert & Everything Between
Marrakech
Marrakech is where most Morocco trips begin, and it throws you straight into it.
The medina is a maze. Streets twist, signs are limited, and Google Maps won’t always help. You’ll hear motorbikes coming through narrow lanes, get called into shops, and probably feel a bit lost on that first day. Completely normal.
It’s busy, loud, and full of movement. Everything feels close together, but nothing is straightforward. That’s part of it.
Accomodation In Marrakech
Where you stay matters here. If you can, book a riad inside the medina. From the outside they’re easy to miss, but inside they’re calm, quiet, and built around courtyards or rooftops. It’s the best way to experience Marrakech properly.
Riad Christina and Riad SofYan & Spa are both solid options that give you that traditional riad experience without feeling over the top.
If you want something more elevated, Luxury Taj Riad is a more premium stay, with a bit more space, detail, and overall finish.
How Long Should You Stay In Marrakech
Plan a few days here and use Marrakech as your base, especially if you’re short on time. A lot of full-day and multi-day tours leave from Marrakech, Fez, or Casablanca, so you can actually cover a lot of the country without constantly moving hotels.
It’s one of the easiest places to organise day trips to the Atlas Mountains, desert experiences, and smaller villages nearby, with options that double as transport between cities as well as tours.
Tours and Acitivies Worth Your Time In Marrakech
Casablanca
Casablanca feels completely different to Marrakech, and that’s part of why it works well in the same trip.
This is Morocco’s commercial hub, more modern, more spread out, and far less chaotic. You’re not navigating tight laneways or getting pulled into shops every few steps. Streets are wider, the pace is quicker, and it’s generally much easier to get around.
It doesn’t have the same intensity, but it gives you a different side of Morocco. More everyday, more local, and a bit more relaxed in how you move through it.
If you’re travelling from Marrakech, there are plenty of easy transfer options between Marrakech and Casablanca, including trains, private transfers, and guided tours.
Accommodation In Casablanca
Accommodation in Casablanca is more about location and comfort than experience. You’re not coming here for riads, you’re looking for somewhere central, easy, and well connected.
Staying near the city centre or along the coast makes everything simpler, especially if you’re only here for a short time. Most of the main sites, restaurants, and transport options are within easy reach.
Ibis Casablanca City Centeror Yto boutique Hotelare both solid mid-range options, centrally located and within walking distance to key areas, including the waterfront. If you’re travelling on a budget or looking for something more social, Aya House Hostel is a good pick, close to the Royal Palace and easy to get around from.
If you want something more elevated, Le Casablanca Hotel and the Four Seasons Hotel Casablanca are both strong luxury options, with high-end finishes, great service, and central locations that make exploring the city easy.
How Long Should You Stay In Casablanca
You don’t need as long here. One to two days is usually enough to see the main highlights and move on.
Casablanca works well as a start or end point, especially with the main international airport and strong train connections. It’s also a practical base if you’re linking cities without wanting to move hotels too often.
A lot of tours and transfers run through Casablanca, Marrakech, and Fez, so you can still cover a lot of the country while keeping things simple.
Sahara Desert
The Sahara Desert in Morocco takes a bit more planning, but it’s worth including in your trip.
From Marrakech or Fes, it’s around 550–560 km, which is roughly 9–10 hours of driving if you went straight through. Most people don’t do that. Instead, it’s done as a 2–3 day Sahara Desert tour, with stops along the way through the Atlas Mountains, valleys, and smaller towns.
Most tours head towards Merzouga, where the sand dunes are. Once you arrive, everything slows down. You’ll head into the desert around sunset, usually by camel, arrive at camp, have dinner, and then it’s just quiet. Sitting outside, looking up at a sky full of stars that actually feels clear.
Accommodation is in desert camps, from simple setups to more comfortable tents with proper beds and bathrooms. It’s more about where you are than where you’re staying.
If you’re planning your trip, these Sahara Desert tours from Marrakech and Fes are worth looking at:
Atlas Mountains
The easiest way to visit is on a day tour from Marrakech, with most trips heading out towards the Atlas Mountainsand surrounding valleys. It’s a simple way to see it without needing to plan transport or stay overnight.
The air is cooler, the pace is slower, and it feels far removed from the cities. You’ll pass through Berber villages, see how people live outside the main tourist areas, and get a bit of space after the intensity of Marrakech.
Fes
The medina is older, tighter, and harder to navigate. It’s easy to get turned around, and Google Maps won’t really help once you’re inside. This is one place where having a local guide actually makes a difference.
You’ll see artisans working in ways that haven’t changed much over time. The Chouara Tanneries are one of the main highlights, where leather is still dyed by hand, and one of the most photographed spots in the city. There are also plenty of smaller workshops for tiles, metalwork, and textiles throughout the medina.
There are a lot of Instagram spots here, but they’re not always obvious. Look for tiled doorways, quiet alleyways, rooftop views over the medina, and the tannery viewpoints from above.
Staying In Fes
Fes is worth staying for. It’s not the easiest place to do as a quick stop, and trying to rush it in a day doesn’t really work.
One to two nights is enough to explore properly without feeling rushed. Staying inside the medina makes things easier, especially with how confusing it can be to navigate.
Activities and Things To Do In Fes
If you’re planning your visit, these are worth looking at:
Tangier
Tangier sits right at the top of Morocco, near the Strait of Gibraltar, where you’re looking across to Spain.
It feels different to the rest of Morocco. More open, more coastal, and easier to move around. The medina is still there, but it’s not as intense as Marrakech or Fes.
There’s a mix of things to see without needing a packed plan. Walk through the medina and up to the Kasbah for views over the water, head down to the waterfront promenade, or visit Cap Spartel where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean. You can also go out to the Hercules Caves, which are one of the more well-known spots just outside the city.
The main draw here is the location. Standing at the Strait of Gibraltar, you’re right between Africa and Europe, and on a clear day you can see across to Spain.
It works well as part of a northern route, or if you’re travelling between Morocco and Spain and want a slower stop in between.
Activities and Things To Do In Tangier
If you’re planning your time in Tangier, these are worth looking at:
Chefchaouen
This is the blue city you’ve probably seen everywhere. Smaller, quieter, and much slower than Marrakech or Fes. The streets are painted in different shades of blue, and the main thing to do is just walk. There’s no real rush here, you move through it at your own pace.
It’s not complicated to navigate either. The medina is compact, easy to get around, and far less intense than the bigger cities. You’re not dealing with the same level of noise or pressure, which makes it a nice change in the middle of a trip.
How Long Should You Spend In Chefchaouen
You don’t need long here. A day trip is enough to see the main areas, walk the streets, and get a feel for the town.
Most people visit as part of a day tour or short trip from Fez, Tangier, or even Casablanca, depending on their route. It’s not the easiest place to reach on your own, which is why tours tend to be the simplest option.
What To Do In Chefchaouen
You don’t need a long list here. Walking through the medina, taking photos, and stopping for a coffee is most of it.
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