Marrakech, Grand Desert Tours, Hiking & the Coast – 10 Days

Jemaa el-Fna at dusk

Marrakech is your welcome! Marrakech, also known as the « Red City », is a major economic hub. Its red sandstone buildings and walls are over 1000 years old. Marrakech, unlike Fes, is Berber and not Arab. It was once a major trading center for the Atlas Mountains tribes. Marrakech’s lively Jemaa El-Fna Square is where you should be orientated. The souks (markets), the Koutoubia Mosque, Gardens, and the Kasbah (fortification or fortification) area are to your south. El Badi Palace, Bahia Palace and Saadian Tombs are all to the north. The Majorelle Gardens can be found in the Ville Nouvelle.

A caleche is a unique way of touring the medina (old quarter). Once aboard, you will be able to adapt to your surroundings. The fondouks were medieval inns that provided shelter and supplies for merchants and travellers. Many of these have been transformed into large shopping areas, residences, and workshops that you can visit. You can find your way to Koutoubia Mosque, and enjoy a break from the heat in the gardens with fountains and palms. It is not possible to enter the mosque by non-muslims. However, it is worth visiting its 12th-century foundations as well as the minaret.

Jemaa el-Fna becomes more lively with storytellers, acrobats, dancers, and even snake-charters as the evening progresses. You will find a variety of food stalls offering everything from small snacks to full-sized meals, fruit drinks, dried dates, or fruit drinks. You can grab a bite to eat or go for a more relaxing experience by choosing one of the cafes above the square. Here you can enjoy a meal and watch the show from the top.

The Ben Youssef Madrasa

For a taster of 16th century architecture, meet your guide and take a half-day guided tour. You will be amazed at the Moroccan craftsmanship: carved cedar and sculpted plaster; arabesques; Islamic calligraphy; and colorful Zellij (mosaic tileswork). Visit the prayer hall and wander the old dormitories where up to 800 students lived.

Spend some time at Dar Di Said Museum, also known as the Museum of Moroccan Arts, to view exhibits of clothing and antiques, jewelry, or beautifully carved Hispano–Moorish decorations. After exploring the complex labyrinthine souks hidden behind regular shops and restaurants, you can indulge your senses. For a variety of spices and woodwork, visit Souk el Attarin and Souk Chuari and Souk Smata to see traditional Moroccan slippers, babouche. To see how leather hides are dyed, visit Souk Des Teinturiers.

The High Atlas village of Taddert, near Tizi N’Tichka

You can leave the bustling city behind by heading east towards the desert and ascending the High Atlas Mountains. Try to spot Mount Toubkal at 13,671 feet (4.167 m). You will pass Berber villages made up of traditional mud-brick houses along the route. You can eat lunch in Taddert, visit the Argan Oil Cooperative, and learn how local women extract the oil from the argan nuts to make oil for the cosmetic, health, and food industries. Continue on the winding road until you reach the Tizi N’Tichkapass. Stop to admire the magnificent view.

Continue east towards the desert hub and filming site of Ouarzazate. Take a tour of the movie studios to discover which movies were shot in the desert. The Musee du Cinema is a great place to visit for movie buffs. You will pass many small towns as you travel along the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs towards Boumalne Dades. Here, you’ll see traditional farming methods being used. As you travel through the fragrant Kelaat M’Gouna valley, the « Valley of the Roses », be on the lookout to see nomads tending their animals. Boumalne Dades is a major town that bridles the Dades River.

Ride a camel from your Bedouin-style camp to reach it

Today, you’ll drive eastward to your final destination: The sand sea at Erg Chebbioutside Merzouga. Stop in Tinerhir along the way to see the river oasis on either side. You will find impressive mesas and plateaus in the surrounding desert landscape. You can explore the Todra Canyon located nearby. This 984 foot (300 m), deep ravine is cut by the Todra River. Continue on to the desert city of Erfoud. Visit a craft shop to see how fossil-rich rocks can be skillfully converted into useful and decorative objects.

You will be passing Merzouga, the closest town to The Sahara. Stop in the market town Rissani to see the livestock auction and the « donkey parking area ». You will soon see the Erg Chebbi dunes, which are visible from Rissani. Once you reach Merzouga switch to your camel and begin your trek across the sand dunes to your Bedouin-style campsite. Enjoy a warm meal and traditional music as you hike to the top of a nearby dunes.

Create your tour

The kasbah of Ait Benhaddou

You can witness the Saharan sunrise early in the morning. Before exploring further, rent a sandboard or join the Erg Chebbi tour, which takes you around the sand dunes. To explore the traditional Saharan village, head south to Khemliya. Rissani will be your second stop, where you can visit Maison Tuareg. This storehouse sells traditional carpets and jewelry. Continue on to Alnif, passing through the umbrella-shaped trees in the Acacia forests. Continue through the Draa valley, which is densely populated with date palmeries. You can also pick up a bag of dates to take along on the drive.

Continue west towards medieval Ait Benhaddou. Ait Benhaddou, a protected UNESCO site is the most well-known kasbah of Morocco. It once held an important spot along the trans-Saharan route between Marrakech and Ouarzazate and the southern desert. After the day-crowds are gone, spend the night in the old city and explore the narrow alleyways. You can pay a nominal fee for entry to a few kasbahs, and then climb to the top to enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding Ouarzazate Valley .

Almoravid Koubba

Explore the narrow passageways and alleyways of the old kasbah before the masses arrive to take in the atmosphere of this fortified 11th-century city. You can leave Ait Benhaddou and travel back to Marrakech by going up and through the High Atlas Mountains and the Tizi N’Tichka Pass. You will notice a drastic change in the climate and landscape as you descend the high-altitude slopes that face north. You will soon be back in vibrant Marrakech after all the peace and tranquility of the desert and mountains.

Before visiting the Marrakech Museum, take a look at the Almoravid’s only remaining monument, the 12th century Almoravid Koubba. The museum is located in the 19th century Dar Mnebbi Palace and houses a large collection of traditional and modern art. It also includes artifacts from Berber, Moroccan Jewish and Islamic cultures. You can return to Jemaa el-Fna to grab a bite at one of the food stalls.

Smaller villages surround the Atlas Mountains

The small town of Amizmiz is located at the foothills the High Atlas, just a short drive south of Marrakech. Before you meet your mountain guide, explore the small market in the old city. Then start your hike on quiet roads and mule trails. You will not meet other tourists as the area is remote. You will enjoy trekking between Berber villages, which hug the hillsides. Local shepherds and farmers will also be on hand to guide you. Local farmers created terraced farmland to make the mountainside suitable for farming.

You can visit a local family to see their daily life and have a traditional lunch before continuing your hike. You can meet another Berber family, and you can relax in their home while enjoying a warm meal with their company.

Koutoubia Mosque with its minaret glows in the early evening

Enjoy breakfast with your hosts, before you say goodbye and head out on the trail. Continue exploring the surrounding scenery before returning to Marrakech.

Explore the kasbah south of Jemaa el-Fna. Visit the Saadian Tombs to see the 500-year-old craftsmanship behind its construction. As you make your way through the Mellah, a Jewish quarter, and the 19th-century Bahia Palace, stop by the sunken gardens at El Badi Palace. Take a stroll along the Medina to see the floodlit Koutoubia Mosque before returning to your accommodation.

The Essaouira seafront fortifications

After breakfast, head west towards the Atlantic coast and the charming town of Essaouira. You will travel along rolling plains and through endemic argan forest. You may be able to see goats grazing on argan fruits if you are lucky. This is a rare sight when grass pasture is scarce or unavailable. You can stop at the Argan Oil Cooperative along the way to learn how the valuable and costly oil is extracted from this nut.

You can spend the rest of your day in Essaouira’s port city. It is a refreshing contrast to the hectic Marrakech. The Skala de la Kasbah, an 18th-century seafront fortress, is a great place to walk along the coast. European engineers designed the wall with old brass cannons that offer views over the Atlantic. Before you head to the beach, explore the UNESCO-protected Medina. Jimi Hendrix lovers may wish to take a taxi to Diabat at Essaouira’s end, where he is said to have spent some time. Enjoy freshly caught seafood as you walk back to Essaouira.

Marrakech’s Majorelle Gardens

Essaouira, also known as « Windy City », is well-known for its strong alizee trade winds which hit the crescent beach. Enjoy the sunrise to observe the kiteboarders and windsurfers, or take a lesson before you return to Marrakech.

Complete any souvenir and gift shopping you need before your arrival in Marrakech. Depending on your departure details you might also want to visit Majorelle Gardens. These lush, expansive gardens are a great place to escape from the heat and noise of the medina. Take your memories with you as you travel home and leave the silence behind.