Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival & Exploring Marrakech

   • Greetings from Marrakech (nicknamed the "Red City" for its red sandstone walls and buildings). Marrakech, a former imperial city, is still an exciting place. It was once a significant trading hub for tribes in the Atlas Mountains. Marrakech, a significant economic hub, is where Jemaa el-Fna, Africa's busiest square, is located. Start your exploration of Marrakech's historic medina at the Koutoubia Mosque and Gardens. Non-Muslims are not permitted inside the mosque, but it is still interesting to see the 253-foot (77-meter) minaret and foundations from the 12th century. Visit the adjacent garden's fountains and pools.
   • Explore the intricate maze of souks (markets), hidden behind regular restaurants and shops, and indulge your senses. You can find a variety of spices, woodwork, and babouche at Souk el Attarin, Souk Chouari, and Souk Smata (traditional Moroccan slippers). To see how cloth and yarn are dyed using conventional techniques, visit Souk des Teinturiers (the dyers' souk). The Ben Youssef Madrasa, a 16th-century Koranic school, is a fine example of Moroccan Islamic architecture. Pay attention to the elaborate interior decoration, which includes carved cedar ceilings, plaster sculptures, and zellij tiling.
   • As the sun sets, head back to Jemaa el-Fna to take in the spectacle as the square comes to life with musicians, dancers, and snake charmers. For food, peruse the numerous stalls and vendors.

2. Day 2: Over the High Atlas mountains to Ouarzazate and Boumalne Dades

   • 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 Berber villages along the way. After lunch in Taddert, take a tour of the neighbourhood's Argan Oil Cooperative to learn how the women there extract valuable oil from the argan nut to create oil used in the food, cosmetics, and health industries. 
   • 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 desert hub and shooting location. Find out which of your favourite movies was filmed in the nearby desert areas by taking a studio tour. A trip to the Musée du Cinema might be enjoyable for movie fans. Approach Boumalne Dades by travelling through the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs. 
   • Pass through many small towns and observe the use of conventional farming techniques. As you travel through fragrant Kela'a M'gouna, the "Valley of the Roses," keep an eye out for nomads caring for their livestock. Eventually, you'll reach Boumalne Dades, a significant city spanning the Dades River.

3. Day 3: Desert towns, oases, and camping in the Sahara below the stars

   • To reach your ultimate destination, the sand sea of Erg Chebbi outside of Merzouga, you will travel further east today. Stop in Tinerhir along the way to admire the river oasis that surrounds the town on both sides. Impressive buttes, mesas, and plateaus can be seen in the area's desert landscape. 
   • You will have the chance to visit the Todra Gorge nearby, a 984-foot (300-meter) deep ravine carved out by the Todra River. Continue on to Erfoud, a town in the desert. 
   • Proceed to a craft shop in this region, which is also known for its figs and fossils, to see how the fossil-rich rocks are expertly crafted into useful and decorative items.
   • Visit the livestock auction and "donkey parking lot" in the market town of Rissani as you get closer to Merzouga, the settlement closest to the Sahara. 
   • After leaving Rissani, you will be able to make out the beginnings of the enormous sand sea known as Erg Chebbi. Once you arrive in Merzouga, change up and board your own camel to start the trek across the sands to your Bedouin-style camp. 
   • Take a short hike to the top of a nearby dune to observe the sun setting, then relax with a warm meal while listening to traditional music by the fire.

4. Day 4: Merzouga to Aït Benhaddou kasbah

   • To further explore the Sahara, get up early to witness a desert sunrise. Rent a sand board, go on an Erg Chebbi tour through the sand dunes or an ATV tour, or simply relax by a pool in nearby Merzouga.
   • Go south to the traditional Saharan village of Khemliya. Here, you can take in the local music, dancing, and drumming before taking a leisurely stroll through the village and its sand-based farms. 
   • You will have another opportunity to visit Maison Tuareg in Rissani, a storefront that sells regional arts and crafts like carpets, jewellery, and leather products. 
   • After that, proceed through acacia forests with their umbrella-shaped trees to reach Alnif for lunch. Continue your journey through the Draa Valley, which is covered in date palmeries and where you can buy a box of dates for the trip.
   • To reach medieval Aat Benhaddou, keep going west. Benhaddou, the most well-known Kasbah in Morocco and a protected UNESCO site, 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, the High Atlas mountains, and other mountain ranges. 
   • You will soon return to the energetic city of Marrakech after touring Morocco's peaceful desert towns and various deserts. Depending on how you feel when you arrive in the Red City, you might want to explore some of the locations south of Jemaa el-Fna. Consider the 500-year-old Saadian Tombs, the expansive courtyard and sunken gardens of the El Badi Palace from the 17th century, or the elaborate woodwork and painted ceilings of the Bahia Palace from the 19th century. 
   • Before retiring to your riad for the evening, head back to Jemaa el-Fna and unwind in one of the many cafés that are perched above the square while you enjoy a meal and people-watch.

6. Day 6: Morning in Marrakech; Departure

   • Spend the morning finishing up any last-minute gift and souvenir purchases. Alternatively, based on the specifics of your departure, you might want to visit Ville Nouvelle's Majorelle Gardens. A visit to these luxuriant and vast gardens, which are not far from the hubbub of the medina, provides the ideal place to escape the afternoon heat and clamor. 
   • As you travel home, leave the peace behind and take your memories with you.