Morocco destinations guide: from the Atlas to the Sahara

Most trips to the Moroccan desert are a line on the map rather than a single place: you leave a city, cross the mountains, follow a river valley of kasbahs and palms, and reach the sand. The places below are in the order you meet them on our routes. For the season question, see when to visit Morocco and the Sahara; for the camp itself, read what a night in a Sahara desert camp is like.

Distances and drive times at a glance

All figures are approximate. Times do not include long stops unless stated, and they depend on road works, weather and the season — snow on the High Atlas passes in winter, for example, can slow the crossing.

Merzouga & Erg Chebbi: the high dunes of the south-east

Merzouga is the village on the western edge of Erg Chebbi, the sea of sand most travellers picture when they think of the Moroccan Sahara. The dunes rise to about 150 metres straight out of a dark, stony plain. On most desert routes this is the turning point: you arrive in the afternoon, ride into the dunes and sleep in camp.

From Marrakech it is about 560 km, so the drive is usually split over two days with a night in the Dades valley. From Fes it is about 470 km, a long but single day through the Middle Atlas. Plan at least one night; two give you a free day for the villages around the erg. The light is softest just after sunrise and before sunset, when the sand turns deep orange. Winter nights can drop close to 0 °C and summer afternoons can pass 40 °C, so pack for both ends.

Compared with Zagora, the dunes here are far higher and the sand is continuous; the price is the longer drive. Our Merzouga desert guide goes deeper, and Erg Chebbi vs Erg Chigaga compares Morocco's two large dune fields.

Where you sleep: a desert camp in the dunes — standard, with electricity and shared bathrooms, or a luxury upgrade with a private bathroom and Wi-Fi.

Things to do

• Ride a camel to camp — about 1 hour through the dunes.
• Climb a dune crest before dawn for sunrise.
• Hear Gnawa music in the village of Khamlia.
• Walk the market and old ksar of Rissani.

Zagora & the Draa valley: palm groves on the road south

Zagora is a market town in the Draa valley, where a long ribbon of date palms follows the river south towards the Sahara. Here the road is as much the point as the destination: earthen villages, kasbahs and palm groves line it for hours. It is the shortest way from Marrakech to a night in the desert.

Zagora is about 360 km from Marrakech, roughly 7–8 hours with stops. The road crosses the Tizi n'Tichka, passes Aït Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate, then climbs over the Anti-Atlas and drops into the Draa at Agdz. That makes it a natural two-day trip with one night in camp. Spring and autumn are the comfortable seasons; summer in the valley is very hot and winter nights are cold.

Be clear about the sand. The dunes near Zagora, at Tinfou and Erg Lihoudi, are small — fine for a camel ride and a sunset, but not the tall sea of sand you find at Merzouga. The big dunes of this region are Erg Chegaga, beyond M'Hamid, much further south. If high dunes are the reason for your trip, choose Erg Chebbi; if you have two days and want the palm valley, Zagora fits.

Where you sleep: a desert camp beside the small dunes, standard or luxury.

Things to do

• Walk among the palms and irrigated gardens of the Draa.
• Stop at kasbahs and ksour along the valley road.
• Take a camel ride into the dunes at sunset.

Marrakech: the red city where most routes begin

Marrakech is where most of our desert routes start and finish. The walled medina, with its souks, its pink-red earth walls and the square of Jemaa el-Fna, is reason enough to spend a couple of days here before or after the desert. The city sits at the foot of the High Atlas, and on clear winter days you can see snow on the peaks from the rooftops.

Plan at least one full day in the city, ideally two. Mornings are the comfortable time for the souks and gardens; Jemaa el-Fna comes alive in the late afternoon and evening, when the food stalls set up. Summer afternoons are hot, so rest in the middle of the day. Covered shoulders and knees are respectful in the medina. Our multi-day tours pick you up around 8:00 at your riad or hotel.

For another view of the city's surroundings, a hot-air balloon flight over Marrakech takes off at sunrise over the plains and palm grove. The flight lasts about 1 hour, and hotel pickup is early — around 5 to 6 am, depending on the season.

Where you sleep: your own riad in the medina or a hotel in the new town; our tours collect you there.

Things to do

• Get lost, deliberately, in the souks.
• See the Koutoubia minaret and Jemaa el-Fna at dusk.
• Spend the hot hours in a garden or palace.
• Fly in a balloon at sunrise.

High Atlas, Tizi n'Tichka & Imlil: the mountain crossing

Every road from Marrakech to the desert crosses the High Atlas. The main route climbs to the Tizi n'Tichka pass at about 2,260 m, past walnut trees, terraced fields and Amazigh (Berber) villages built from the same earth as the slopes around them. On the far side the land turns dry, and the kasbah country begins.

The climb starts soon after you leave Marrakech, and you reach the pass during the morning; with photo stops, the crossing takes a few hours. The road is good but winding, so bring something for motion sickness if you need it. In winter, snow can slow or briefly close the pass, and it is clearly colder at the top than in the city all year — keep a jacket in the car. A side road from the pass leads to the old kasbah of Telouet, once the seat of the powerful Glaoui family.

Imlil is a different trip: a mountain village at the end of a valley road south of Marrakech, roughly an hour and a half away, and the starting point for walks towards Jbel Toubkal, the highest summit in North Africa. It works as a day trip or a short stay with walking.

Where you sleep: the Tichka is a crossing, not an overnight; in Imlil, simple mountain guesthouses.

Things to do

• Stop at the viewpoints on the Tichka road.
• Take the detour to the kasbah of Telouet.
• Walk a valley trail from Imlil.

Aït Ben Haddou: the earthen ksar above the Ounila river

Aït Ben Haddou is a fortified ksar: a village of earthen houses and towers stacked up a hillside above the Ounila river. It stood on the old caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987. Film crews have used it for decades, so it may look familiar before you arrive.

It is about 190 km from Marrakech, roughly 4 hours over the Tichka, and most desert routes stop here on the first day. Allow one to two hours to cross the river, walk up through the lanes and climb to the ruined granary at the top. The midday sun is harsh, so bring a hat and water, and wear shoes with grip for the uneven paths. Late afternoon light warms the walls, and the view from the opposite bank is good at that hour. A few families still live inside, so be considerate with your camera. For the history and the details, read our guide to visiting Aït Ben Haddou.

Where you sleep: usually a stop rather than a night; on slower routes, a guesthouse or kasbah-style hotel in the new village across the river.

Things to do

• Climb to the granary for the view over the valley.
• Walk the lanes between the old houses.
• See the ksar from the far bank late in the day.

Ouarzazate & Skoura: the door of the desert and its palm grove

Ouarzazate is the main town of the south, often called the "door of the desert". It is known for its film studios, where desert and historical scenes have been shot for years, and for the Taourirt kasbah near the centre. On a route from Marrakech it is where you leave the mountains behind and turn east along the road of the kasbahs.

It is about 200 km from Marrakech, roughly 4 hours. For most routes it is a break for lunch rather than a destination in itself: an hour or two is enough for a studio visit or the kasbah. East of town the road runs through Skoura, a wide palm grove dotted with old kasbahs, some restored, where the pace drops at once. A short walk along its irrigation channels shows how an oasis works. The region is dry, with hot summers and cool winter nights.

Where you sleep: on slower routes, a hotel in Ouarzazate or a guesthouse in the Skoura palm grove.

Things to do

• Visit one of the film studios.
• Walk through the Taourirt kasbah.
• Stroll the shaded paths of the Skoura palm grove.

Dades valley & Rose valley: kasbahs, fields and a winding gorge

East of Skoura the road follows the Dades valley, where green fields, almond and fig trees and earthen kasbahs line the river below bare red hills. Around Kelaat M'Gouna, the Rose valley is known for its Damask roses, picked in spring and distilled into rose water. Higher up, the Dades gorge narrows between rock walls and the road climbs in tight hairpins.

The valley is about 320 km from Marrakech, roughly 6–7 hours with stops, which makes it the classic overnight on the way to Merzouga. Arrive in the afternoon and there is time for a walk among the fields before dark, when the light turns the hills a deeper red. The rose harvest comes in spring, usually around May; the rest of the year you will find rose products in the local cooperatives. Evenings can be cool even outside winter, so keep a layer handy.

Where you sleep: a hotel or guesthouse in the Dades valley, often looking over the river.

Things to do

• Walk through the fields and villages along the river.
• Drive the hairpins up into the Dades gorge.
• Visit a rose cooperative near Kelaat M'Gouna.

Todra gorge & Tinghir: a canyon at the head of an oasis

The Todra gorge is a narrow canyon cut through the rock by a river, with walls rising up to about 300 metres. At its tightest point the road and the stream squeeze through a gap you can almost span with a few strides. Below it, Tinghir stretches along a long oasis of palms and gardens, with earthen villages on its edges.

The gorge is about an hour's drive from the Dades valley, so on a Marrakech–Merzouga route it is usually a morning stop on the second day. Plan around an hour to walk through the narrow section. The canyon floor is in shade for much of the day and noticeably cooler than the valley, which is welcome in summer and chilly in winter. Wear shoes you don't mind getting wet if you want to wade the shallow stream. On the way in or out, the road above Tinghir gives a wide view over the palm grove.

Where you sleep: usually a stop; on slower routes, a guesthouse in the gorge or in Tinghir.

Things to do

• Walk the narrowest stretch of the canyon.
• Follow a path through the Tinghir palm gardens.
• Watch climbers on the walls.

Agafay: a stony desert on Marrakech's doorstep

Agafay is a stony desert of bare, rolling hills about 40 km from Marrakech, roughly 45 minutes by road. There are no sand dunes here — the ground is hard earth and rock — but the open plateau, the silence and the line of the High Atlas on the horizon give you a real taste of the desert without a long drive.

It suits travellers with only a short stay in Marrakech, families with young children, or anyone who would rather not spend two days in a car. The light is at its warmest in the late afternoon and at sunset, which is why our Agafay desert day trip from Marrakech picks you up from your riad or hotel in the late afternoon and brings you back in the evening. It cools down quickly after dark, even in summer, so bring a light jacket — and a warm one in winter.

If golden sand dunes are what you are picturing, Agafay is not the place: choose Merzouga, or Zagora for a shorter trip.

Where you sleep: back in your own riad or hotel in Marrakech; it is an evening trip.

Things to do

• Take a short camel ride across the plateau.
• Watch the sunset over the hills, with the Atlas behind.
• Stay for dinner at a desert camp.

Ifrane, Azrou & Midelt: the Middle Atlas on the road from Fes

Between Fes and the desert the road crosses the Middle Atlas, a region of cedar forest, high pasture and small towns that surprises travellers who expect Morocco to be dry and hot everywhere. Ifrane, with its sloping roofs and tidy parks, looks more alpine than Moroccan. Near Azrou, the cedar forest is home to Barbary macaques, often seen close to the road.

These are stops on the Fes–Merzouga drive, about 470 km in all, rather than places to stay. Further south, Midelt sits on a high plain between the Middle and High Atlas, known for its apple orchards; after it, the road drops through the Ziz gorges towards Errachidia and Erfoud, and the palms begin. In winter snow is possible around Ifrane and Azrou, so warm clothes are useful even on a desert trip. Please don't feed the macaques: it harms their health and makes them pushy with people.

Where you sleep: these are stops on the drive; the nights are in Fes or in the desert.

Things to do

• Walk a little way into the Azrou cedar forest.
• Stop for coffee in Ifrane.
• Break for lunch in Midelt.
• Look down on the Ziz valley from the roadside viewpoints.

Fes: the old medina of Fes el-Bali

Fes is the oldest of Morocco's imperial cities. Its walled medina, Fes el-Bali, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a maze of lanes too narrow for cars, where donkeys still carry goods and craftsmen work in their own quarters: tanners, coppersmiths, weavers. At its heart is Al-Qarawiyyin, a mosque and centre of learning founded in the 9th century.

Fes is the start or end point of routes that cross the country through the desert; Merzouga is about 470 km away, most of a day's drive. Plan at least one full day in the medina, ideally with a local guide: the lanes are confusing, and a guide explains what you are looking at. Workshops are busiest in the morning, and the tanneries are easier on the nose before the heat builds. Summers are hot and winters cool and damp. Wear comfortable shoes for the slopes and steps. Our guide to the Fes medina has more detail.

Where you sleep: a riad in or near the medina, or a hotel in the new town.

Things to do

• Look down on the tanneries from a terrace.
• Visit the Bou Inania madrasa.
• Walk the artisans' quarters with a local guide.
• Watch the sunset over the medina from the hills above it.

Chefchaouen: the blue town in the Rif mountains

Chefchaouen is a small town in the Rif mountains, known for its medina of blue-washed walls, steps and doorways. It is calmer and smaller than Fes, with mountain air and a slower rhythm, and it makes a good contrast to the desert at the start or end of a trip.

It is about 200 km from Fes, roughly 3.5–4 hours, so it is usually added as an extra day or two to a trip that begins or ends in Fes, or on the way down from the north. Plan at least an afternoon and a night: early morning, before the day visitors arrive, is the quietest time for photos. Spring and autumn are pleasant; winters in the mountains are cool and often wet, so bring a warm layer. The lanes are steep, so good shoes help.

Chefchaouen is not on the road to the Sahara, so combining the two means a longer itinerary. Our Chefchaouen travel guide covers the town in more depth.

Where you sleep: a riad or guesthouse in the medina.

Things to do

• Wander the blue lanes early in the morning.
• Walk to the Ras el-Maa spring at the edge of town.
• Climb to the Spanish mosque for sunset over the valley.

Essaouira: an Atlantic port behind its ramparts

Essaouira is a walled port town on the Atlantic, with ramparts and old cannons facing the sea, a white-and-blue medina and a working fishing harbour full of blue boats. After the heat and dust of the south, the sea air is the point: the town is often cooler and windier than Marrakech, especially in summer.

It is about 190 km from Marrakech, roughly 3 hours through argan country, so it works as a long day trip or, more comfortably, as one or two nights at the end of a desert route. Note that it lies west of Marrakech, the opposite direction from the Sahara, so you add it before or after the desert rather than on the way. The wind blows hard for much of the year — good for kitesurfing, less so for lying on the beach — so bring a windproof layer. The late afternoon on the ramparts gives the warmest light.

Where you sleep: a riad in the medina or a hotel near the beach.

Things to do

• Walk the ramparts of the Skala at sunset.
• Eat grilled fish by the harbour.
• Visit an argan cooperative on the road from Marrakech.

Planning a route: common questions