If you work office hours you’ll know that a week’s holiday is actually nine days including the weekend on either end. So here’s nine days in Morocco, jam-packed with energy, colours and scents.
You’ll visit three areas of Morocco with this itinerary: the desert, the mountains and Marrakesh. Marrakesh will be the base for each stage of your nine days in Morocco and you’ll return there twice. Marrakesh is an intense city so splitting up your time there gives you some respite from its relentless vigour.
Ready?
Day 1: arrive in Marrakesh
Touch down in Marrakesh, a vibrant city filled with smells and colours.
I recommend staying in a riad in Marrakesh. Most of the riads will be decorated with colourful tiles and be full of intricately carved archways – exactly what you imagine from Morocco! These riads are also an oasis of calm against the chaos of Marrakesh outside.
If this is your first time in Marrakesh, I also recommend booking an airport transfer to take you to your riad when you arrive. I took the bus and then walked the rest of the way to my riad and got totally lost in the maze of streets!
Depending on what time you arrive, go out for a walk around some of Marrakesh’s main sights. You’ll have the whole of day 5 here and some of day 9 so don’t worry about cramming it all in today. Here are some ideas to throw you into the chaotic side of Marrakesh. The peaceful ideas are on day 5.
A souk
If you want to dive straight into the energy and mayhem of Marrakesh, then consider visiting a souk. I went to Souk Semmarine. Be prepared for chaos. The crowd jostles, jabbering loudly; shopkeepers draw you in as soon as you show any interest, not wasting a second. You haggle, you politely decline, you push through the crowd. When I was there, at one point a man led a cart of goats through the souk, forcing everyone to cram up against the shopfronts to let him and his goats past. It’s mayhem – but that’s Marrakesh.
Jemaa el-Fna
Jemaa el-Fna is a huge square in the heart of Marrakesh. It is a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. That’s a bit of a mouthful but basically this means it’s a protected site because of its unique mix of street performances that occur constantly in the square.
Like the souk, Jemaa el-Fna is pretty chaotic and not to everyone’s taste. I did see performing monkeys on chains when I went there, which made me feel uncomfortable. Nonetheless, I think Jemaa el-Fna is still worth passing through for its cultural significance, even if you don’t stop there.
Days 2-4: tour to the Sahara Desert
Next, embark on a three-day tour to the Sahara Desert. I booked this tour.
The highlight of the tour is the Erg Chebbi dunes in the Sahara. This is a scene which embodies exactly what you imagine when you hear the word “desert”. You’ll find golden sand dunes with delicate peaks, impossibly smooth after the wind has blown away the camels’ plodding footprints. As the sun sets, the dunes take on a rose-pink tinge, and the sand stays warm after the sun has disappeared in a warm glow over the horizon.
The tour also takes you through some Berber villages and some filming locations such as Ait-Benhaddou. You’ll have the option of going camel riding in the Sahara the evening you arrive, and you’ll stay in comfortable tents in the silent desert.
On the last day of your tour, you’ll return to Marrakesh.
Day 5: Marrakesh
If you visited the more chaotic aspects of Marrakesh on day 1 of your nine days in Morocco, you might like to experience its more peaceful side on day 5. Here are some suggestions.
Bahia Palace
The Bahia Palace is everything you want from Moroccan architecture: colourful tiles, decorative doors, intricately-carved archways and peaceful gardens. Although the Bahia Palace is often on the radar of visitors to Marrakesh, meaning it might be fairly busy, it’s still considerably calmer than the streets outside.
Koutoubia Mosque
You might recognise the minaret of Koutoubia Mosque from pictures of Marrakesh. It’s a sandy-pinkish colour decorated with bright turquoise tiles. The mosque wasn’t open to the public when I went but it’s still well worth a look from the outside.
Saadien Tombs
The Saadien Tombs is the burial ground for the kings of the Saadien dynasty who ruled Morocco in the sixteenth century. Like the Bahia Palace, at the Saadien Tombs you’ll find a kaleidoscope of coloured tiles alongside elaborate pillars and archways. There is lots of information there about the history of the site, including the significant restorations to the tombs in 1917.
Le Jardin Secret
The Jardin Secret is another oasis of calm in busy Marrakesh. Its turquoise tiles and its soundtrack of trickling fountains makes the garden a tranquil scene. Head up to the garden café for a glass of Moroccan mint tea and observe the gardens from above.
Day 6-8: climb Mount Toubkal
Make sure you get a good night’s rest on day 5 because you’ve got an intense few days coming up. On days 6 to 8, you’ll go trekking in the Atlas Mountains and summit Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa.
I’ve written a full article about trekking Mount Toubkal which I recommend you read if you’re thinking of doing this. It’s important to know that it’s compulsory to hire a guide for this trek. The easiest way to do that, and plan all your transport, is to join a tour. I did this one and my friend and I were the only people in the group! The tour will collect you and drop you off in Marrakesh.
Now, this is a pretty intense three days. You’ll be ascending to altitude – Mount Toubkal’s peak is 4,167 metres (13,671 feet). Conditions in the Atlas Mountains can be harsh, with freezing temperatures during the winter and soaring heat in the summer. It’s a lot of walking, and the ascent to the top is very steep.
However, it’s an incredible experience. There’s just something about summiting a mountain for sunrise and looking down at the other mountain peaks around you, the rising sun turning the rocky landscape a soft orange. There’s something about hiking through silence, the only sound being your boots crunching rhythmically on the gravelly ground. Trekking Mount Toubkal is something not many people can say they’ve done and I can highly recommend it.
You’ll return to Marrakesh in the evening. Book a nice riad for tonight – you’ll deserve it after your long trek!
Day 9: depart from Marrakesh
Use the morning of day 9 to explore any final sights in Marrakesh. Then head to the airport to catch your flight home.
Morocco is intense but spectacular
This is an intense nine days in Morocco but it’s an efficient way to see a range of scenery, including some spectacular natural landscapes. Make sure you rest whenever you can throughout your time in Morocco, so that you’re able to fully embrace everything Morocco has to offer.
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