Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrive & Explore Marrakech

   • Greetings from Marrakech! Marrakech is a significant economic hub and is known as the "Red City" due to its 1000-year-old red sandstone city walls and structures. Marrakech was once a significant trading hub for tribes of the Atlas Mountains and has Berber roots as opposed to Arab ones. The souks (markets) are to the north, the Koutoubia Mosque and Gardens are to the west, and the kasbah (fort or fortification area) with the Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace, and El Badi Palace is to the south of Marrakech's bustling Jemaa el-Fna Square. The Majorelle Gardens are located in the Ville Nouvelle.
   • Board a calèche for a distinctive way to explore the medina (old quarter) (French for horse-drawn carriage). Take note of the fondouks, medieval inns that offered supplies and lodging to merchants and travellers. Today, some of them have been transformed into homes, sizable shopping malls, and open-air workshops. Make your way to the Koutoubia Mosque to escape the heat in its gardens, which are surrounded by palm trees and fountains. Non-Muslims are not permitted inside the mosque, but it is still interesting to see the minaret and foundations, which date to the 12th century.
   • Jemaa el-Fna comes to life throughout the evening with musicians, storytellers, dancers, acrobats, and even snake charmers. Explore the numerous rows of food stalls offering everything from complete meals to fruit-based beverages, dried dates, and tiny snacks. Get something to eat, or for a more leisurely experience, find one of the many cafés that are located above the square and have dinner while admiring the performance below.

2. Day 2: Over the High Atlas Mountains to Ouarzazate

   • Moving east toward the desert while climbing the High Atlas mountains, leave the busy city behind. Try to locate Mount Toubkal, which is the tallest peak at 13,671 feet (4,167 m). You will pass a lot of traditional mud-brick-built Berber villages along the way. To learn how the local women extract the priceless oil from the argan nut for the health, food, and cosmetic industries, have lunch in Taddert and tour the neighbourhood's Argan Oil Cooperative. As you approach the Tizi n'Tichka pass, continue on the winding road and pause to take in the expansive view.
   • Continue east until you reach Ouarzazate, a well-known desert hub and shooting location. You will have the choice to tour one of the two movie studios, which have become increasingly well-known thanks to the expanding film industry, and see how frequently the nearby areas have appeared in films. Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, Prometheus, American Sniper, and "Game of Thrones" are a few well-known movie credits. 
   • Visit the Musée du Cinema to find out more about the area's history and the filmmaking process.

3. Day 3: Zagora & Camping in the Sahara

   • Today you will meet your driver and travel on to Zagora, a modest but beautiful city. Tizi-n-Tinififft pass allows you to ascend and pass through the Jebel Sarhro mountains. Before entering the Draa River valley, your route will pass through the busy service centre Agdz. Fertile soil is produced by the Draa River, enabling intensive farming. Be sure to stop at one of the many stalls for a road trip snack and take note of the numerous date palmeries. Until you reach Zagora, keep travelling south along the Draa River valley through stands of dense palm trees.
   • The broad central avenue and the high calibre of many of its structures are clear signs of Zagora's wealth, which was attained through successful date cultivation. Before travelling to your accommodation outside of the city, explore Zagora. In order to get to your campsite in the desert, you can choose to switch to riding your own camel through sand dunes that run parallel to the sides of tall, rocky mountains. 
   • After enjoying the evening meal and the setting sun, gather around the campfire to take in some traditional drumming and singing. Go to bed in your Bedouin-style tent and dream under the stars.

4. Day 4: Aït Benhaddou Kasbah

   • Prior to mounting your camel and meeting your transfer, get up early to witness a desert sunrise. Visit Tamegroute, a nearby unassuming city on the edge of the desert with houses that are the same colour as the sand. Learn about the Islamic Library, which houses nearly 50,000 books gathered from all over the world. The collection was once regarded as the richest in all of North Africa. Visit one of the oldest family-run potteries for a special introduction to pottery and learn why Tamegroute's creations are made of green clay.
   • Return to Ouarzazate and continue north to reach the nearby At Benhaddou Kasbah. The most well-known kasbah in Morocco, Ait Benhaddou, is a protected UNESCO site. It once played a significant role along the trans-Saharan trade route between Marrakech, Ouarzazate, and the southern desert. 
   • After the daytime crowds have left, spend the night in the old town and explore the deserted alleys. A few of the kasbahs charge a small entrance fee, and visitors can ascend to the rooftop for lovely views of the nearby ksours (single kasbahs) and Ouarzazate Valley.

5. Day 5: Return to Marrakech

   • Explore the tiny alleys and passageways before the crowds arrive at the old kasbah to get a true sense of this 11th-century fortified city. Leave Ait Benhaddou behind and make your way back to Marrakech via the Tizi n'Tichka Pass and another trip up and over the High Atlas Mountains. You'll notice a significant change in the environment as you make your way down the High Atlas' north-facing slopes. You will soon join the bustle of Marrakech after all the peace and quiet of the mountains and the desert.
   • You might want to take things more slowly for the remainder of the afternoon. Take a food tour through the medina or go to Jemaa el-Fna on your own and grab a bite to eat at one of the many food stalls there. 
   • After that, take a short evening stroll to admire the Koutoubia Mosque's floodlights before returning to your lodging.

6. Day 6: Marrakech to Essaouira

   • After breakfast, travel west to the quaint beach town of Essaouira on the Atlantic coast. You travel through endemic argan forests and across broad, rolling plains along the way. When grass pasture is scarce or unavailable, you might be lucky enough to spot goats munching on argan fruit while grazing in the trees. It is possible to stop at an Argan Oil Cooperative en route to observe how valuable and pricey oil is extracted from the nut.
   • Arrive in calm Essaouira, a pleasant change from chaotic Marrakech, and spend the rest of the day as you. Stroll along the coast along the Skala de la Kasbah, the seafront ramparts built in the 18th century. Old brass cannons that line the walls and provide views over the Atlantic were installed by European engineers. 
   • Before heading to the deserted beach, explore the UNESCO-protected medina. Fans of Jimi Hendrix might want to take a quick taxi ride to Diabat, which is at the end of Essaouira's beach and is where he is said to have spent some time. 
   • You can plan a beach excursion, like a windsurfing lesson or a horseback riding trip. Take a fresh seafood meal on your way back to Essaouira.

7. Day 7: Return to Marrakech, Depart

   • Essaouira is a well-liked kiteboarding destination and is referred to as the "Windy City" due to the strong Alizée trade winds that hit its crescent beach. Before bidding farewell and departing for Marrakech, spend the morning watching the windsurfers and kiteboarders or, for the more daring, taking a lesson.
   • You might want to explore the kasbah area south of Jemaa el-Fna depending on the specifics of your flight. Discover the 500-year-old craftsmanship used to build the Saadian Tombs by visiting them. 
   • As you make your way through the Mellah (Jewish neighbourhood) and toward the 19th-century Bahia Palace, stop by the sunken gardens of the 17th-century El Badi Palace. Before spending some time in the Marrakech Museum, housed in the 19th-century Dar Mnebbi Palace, take a look at the one remaining Almoravid structure, the 12th-century Almoravid Koubba, and enjoy contemporary and traditional Berber and Moroccan art.