Overview
The 9 Days Tour from Marrakech to Marrakech is the grand circuit of Morocco — a comprehensive loop that covers the country’s most celebrated destinations without feeling rushed. Where shorter tours make choices, this itinerary makes none: you get Fes and Chefchaouen, Merzouga and Todra Gorge, Ait Benhaddou and Ouarzazate, and two full days in Marrakech itself. This is the tour for those who want to arrive home feeling they have genuinely seen Morocco, not merely sampled it.
The journey begins and ends in Marrakech, Morocco’s most visited city and the gateway to the Atlas and the desert south. But rather than heading immediately south, this itinerary takes the road north toward Fes — giving you a completely different perspective on the country’s geography, showing you the fertile Middle Atlas plateau, the cedar forests, the Roman ruins, and the medieval complexity of Fes before turning south toward the desert. This counterclockwise routing means the landscape unfolds in a logical, ever-changing sequence rather than retracing ground.
The northern section of the circuit — Fes and Chefchaouen — represents Morocco’s most historic and photogenic urban landscapes. Fes el-Bali, a functioning medieval city where the tanneries, madrasas, and souk streets have been in continuous use since the ninth century, is one of the great wonders of the Islamic world. Chefchaouen, draped across a hillside in every shade of blue and indigo, is the most Instagrammed city in Africa — but those photographs, however beautiful, fail entirely to convey the quality of the silence in the alleyways at dawn.
The eastern desert section introduces the vast sand sea of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga, where dunes reach 150 metres and the Algerian border shimmers in the heat haze. Arriving by camel at sunset and sleeping in a luxury Berber camp is the emotional centrepiece of the journey — a night that resets your relationship with silence, darkness, and the scale of the natural world.
The southern section returns west through Todra Gorge (walls of red rock rising 300 metres from a cold river), the Valley of the Roses, the Dades Valley, and through Ait Benhaddou and Ouarzazate before the final mountain crossing back to Marrakech. By the time you return to Jemaa el-Fnaa, nine days will feel like a month’s worth of memory — and you will understand why so many travellers say Morocco is the most surprising country they have ever visited.
Highlights
- Full-day guided tour of Fes el-Bali medina with licensed specialist
- Explore the blue medina of Chefchaouen at dawn and dusk
- Visit Volubilis, Morocco’s finest Roman archaeological site
- Discover imperial Meknes — Bab Mansour gate and royal stables
- Sunset camel ride and luxury overnight at Erg Chebbi Sahara camp
- Walk through Todra Gorge — Morocco’s most dramatic canyon
- Drive the Valley of the Roses and the Dades Valley gorge road
- Explore Ait Benhaddou — UNESCO kasbah and Hollywood film location
- Visit the Atlas Film Studios in Ouarzazate
- Two days in Marrakech — medina, Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: Marrakech to Fes via Middle Atlas
Depart Marrakech north through the High Atlas plateau. Stop in the alpine town of Ifrane — Morocco’s cleanest city, surrounded by cedar forests. Pass through Azrou to see the wild Barbary macaques that inhabit the cedar forest. Arrive in Fes in the early evening. Walk the first lanes of the medina at sunset. Overnight in a Fes riad.
Day 2: Fes — Full Day Medina Tour
Dedicated full day in Fes el-Bali with a licensed medina guide: Bou Inania Medersa, Attarine Medersa, Qarawiyyin Mosque exterior, Chouara tanneries, the brass and potters’ souks. Lunch in a traditional Fassi restaurant. Afternoon: Andalusian quarter, Borj Nord fortifications, and the Jewish quarter (Mellah). Overnight in Fes.
Day 3: Fes to Chefchaouen via Volubilis
Morning departure west. Stop at Volubilis (Roman ruins, 90 minutes) and the imperial city of Meknes (Bab Mansour, royal stables). Continue north through the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen. Arrive in late afternoon. Evening introduction to the blue medina. Overnight in a Chefchaouen riad.
Day 4: Chefchaouen — Blue City & Rif Mountains
Morning guided walk: Plaza Uta el-Hammam, the kasbah, Ras el-Maa waterfall, Spanish Mosque hike for panoramic views. Free afternoon in the medina. Overnight in Chefchaouen.
Day 5: Chefchaouen to Merzouga via Midelt
Long driving day south through the Rif Mountains and Middle Atlas. Pass through Fes (brief lunch stop) and continue through the Ziz River gorge and valley — a spectacular corridor of palm trees in the desert. Arrive in the Merzouga area at sunset or after dark. Overnight in a Merzouga guesthouse at the edge of the dunes.
Day 6: Merzouga — Sahara Desert
Morning sunrise from the dune crest. Breakfast. Day at leisure in the desert — options include a guided quad bike excursion, a visit to a local Gnaoua musician’s family home, or simply relaxing and reading at the camp. Late afternoon camel ride into Erg Chebbi for sunset. Overnight in a luxury Berber desert camp — dinner, music, stars.
Day 7: Merzouga to Ouarzazate via Todra Gorge & Dades Valley
Sunrise in the dunes. Breakfast. Depart west through Rissani (the ancestral home of the Alaouite dynasty), drive through the Ziz and Todra gorge road. Stop at Todra Gorge for a 30-minute walk through the towering 300m walls. Continue through the Dades Valley and the Valley of the Roses (Kelaat M’Gouna). Arrive in Ouarzazate. Overnight.
Day 8: Ouarzazate — Ait Benhaddou & Atlas Studios
Morning at Ait Benhaddou (UNESCO ksar, 90 minutes) followed by the Atlas Film Studios tour. Afternoon: Taourirt Kasbah and the Ouarzazate museums. Final overnight in Ouarzazate.
Day 9: Ouarzazate to Marrakech via Tizi n’Tichka
Cross the High Atlas via the spectacular Tizi n’Tichka pass. Stop at panoramic viewpoints and Berber villages en route. Arrive in Marrakech by early afternoon. Afternoon guided tour of the medina: Koutoubia Mosque, Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace, and the Jemaa el-Fnaa square. Final evening in the Red City.
What’s Included
- Private transport throughout in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle
- Expert English-speaking licensed guide throughout
- Licensed specialist guide for Fes medina full day
- Camel ride at sunset (Merzouga)
- Luxury overnight in Berber desert camp (dinner and breakfast)
- 7 nights in riads or guesthouses (breakfast daily)
- Entrance fees: Volubilis, Bou Inania Medersa, Atlas Film Studios, Ait Benhaddou, Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace
What’s Not Included
- International flights to and from Morocco
- Travel insurance
- Personal lunches (most days)
- Tips for guides and driver
- Optional activities (quad biking, hammam, cooking class)
- Visa fees where applicable
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
Travel Tips
Day 5 (Chefchaouen to Merzouga) is the longest driving day at approximately 8 hours including stops — an early 7am departure is recommended. All other days are well-paced at 3–5 hours of driving maximum. This tour is best booked 3–4 weeks in advance to secure quality riads in both Fes and Chefchaouen. Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) offer the best desert and mountain conditions simultaneously.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is this different from the 7-day or 10-day tour? A: Yes — the 9-day tour adds both Chefchaouen and a full Merzouga desert day compared to the 7-day tour, while covering slightly less ground than the 10-day. It’s the sweet spot for most travellers with 9–10 days in Morocco.
Q: Can the itinerary be changed? A: Yes — all our tours are fully customisable. If you’d prefer to skip a destination or add extra nights somewhere, we adjust accordingly.
Q: How much is included in the price? A: All transport, most accommodation, guide fees, and entrance fees listed above are included. Personal lunches and most dinners are not — this gives you flexibility to eat at different price points.