Marrakech
The pulse of everything we run: a walled medina of souks, Jemaa el-Fna, palaces and gardens — and the single best base from which to reach the Atlas, the dunes and the Atlantic.
Places to visit south of Marrakech, in our photos
Ouarzazate & Aït Ben Haddou
The Hollywood of the south — kasbahs and film studios just over the Atlas pass from Marrakech, on the road down to the dunes.
Dadès & Todra Gorges
Soaring red canyons, palm oases and the celebrated hairpin road — the dramatic middle act of the Marrakech-to-Sahara journey.
Tinghir
Tinghir is the gateway to the Todra valley — a lush oasis town backed by the southern Atlas, base camp for one of Morocco's most dramatic canyon hikes.
Sahara & Merzouga
The genuine Sahara, reached from Marrakech: the 150m dunes of Erg Chebbi, camel caravans and luxury camps beneath a sky stuffed with stars.
Where to go from Marrakech, by region and days
Each guide gives the days you need, the season to aim for and the tours that go there. Filter by region or by how long you have.
42 destinations
Marrakech
The pulse of everything we run: a walled medina of souks, Jemaa el-Fna, palaces and gardens — and the single best base from which to reach the Atlas, the dunes and the Atlantic.
Fes
Morocco's oldest imperial capital and craft heartland — the labyrinthine medieval medina that completes a longer Marrakech trip.6h30from Marrakech
Chefchaouen
Morocco's blue pearl — a cobalt-washed 15th-century medina high in the Rif, a world away from the red city's heat.
Sahara & Merzouga
The genuine Sahara, reached from Marrakech: the 150m dunes of Erg Chebbi, camel caravans and luxury camps beneath a sky stuffed with stars.
Essaouira
Marrakech's slice of coast: a wind-blown fortress town of ramparts, fishing boats, argan oil and the freshest seafood you'll eat in Morocco.3hfrom Marrakech
Atlas Mountains
The mountains an hour from the medina — Berber villages, walnut groves and North Africa's highest summit, all on Marrakech's doorstep.
Tangier
Where Africa squares up to Europe — the kasbah, the ferry quay and the old international city of Bowles and Matisse, at the country's far northern tip.6hfrom Marrakech
Ouarzazate & Aït Ben Haddou
The Hollywood of the south — kasbahs and film studios just over the Atlas pass from Marrakech, on the road down to the dunes.4hfrom Marrakech
Casablanca
Morocco's modern metropolis — art-deco boulevards, the colossal Hassan II Mosque, and the long-haul gateway that bookends so many Marrakech trips.2h45from MarrakechRabat
Morocco's calm, green capital — Almohad ramparts, royal monuments and an easygoing medina that feels like a deep breath after Marrakech.3h30from MarrakechMeknes
The quiet imperial city of Moulay Ismail — monumental gates, cavernous granaries, and Roman Volubilis just a short drive away.5h30from MarrakechAgadir
Morocco's sun-soaked beach capital — a long golden bay, modern resorts and the surf coast, three hours south of Marrakech.3hfrom MarrakechDadès & Todra Gorges
Soaring red canyons, palm oases and the celebrated hairpin road — the dramatic middle act of the Marrakech-to-Sahara journey.
Ouzoud Falls
Morocco's tallest waterfalls — 110 metres of cascades, rainbows and wild macaques, an easy day trip from Marrakech.2h30from Marrakech
Agafay Desert
Marrakech's own desert — a rolling lunar plain 40 minutes from the medina, with luxury camps, camel rides and Atlas sunsets and no long drive at all.40 minfrom Marrakech
Ourika Valley
The greenest, gentlest Atlas escape from Marrakech — Berber villages, riverside tables and the Setti Fatma waterfalls, an hour from the medina.1hfrom MarrakechAsilah
A whitewashed Atlantic art town near Tangier — Portuguese ramparts, painted murals and a calm, walkable medina, far up north from Marrakech.
Zagora
Gateway to Erg Chigaga — a palm-fringed Draa Valley oasis on the threshold of the deep Sahara, far down the long road south from Marrakech.6hfrom MarrakechImlil
The High Atlas trekking village an hour from Marrakech, North Africa's highest summit within two days' walk of its lanes.Taroudant
Taroudant is the south's 'little Marrakech' — a walled Saadian city of ochre ramparts and souks rising from the Souss plain.3h30from MarrakechTaghazout
Taghazout is Morocco's bohemian surf village — a crescent bay of point breaks, argan oil and Atlantic sunsets a short hop north of Agadir.Ifrane
Ifrane is Morocco's 'Little Switzerland' — a cedar-cloaked Middle Atlas town of alpine chalets, winter snow and wild Barbary macaques.Dakhla
Dakhla is Africa's kitesurf capital — a turquoise lagoon on the rim of the Sahara, where the Atlantic wind blows 300 days a year.Skoura
Skoura is a palm-oasis town east of Ouarzazate, prized for its earthen kasbahs and the beautifully restored Kasbah Amerdil.Tinghir
Tinghir is the gateway to the Todra valley — a lush oasis town backed by the southern Atlas, base camp for one of Morocco's most dramatic canyon hikes.Oualidia
Oualidia is Morocco's oyster lagoon — a sheltered Atlantic bay of tidal flats, fresh shellfish and flamingos midway between Casablanca and Essaouira.Volubilis & Moulay Idriss
Volubilis and Moulay Idriss together make the most historically layered day in Morocco — Roman mosaics below a hilltop holy town, near Meknes.Midelt
Midelt is Morocco's apple capital — a crossroads town between the Middle and High Atlas, gateway to the Cirque Jaffar and the Moulouya gorges.Sidi Ifni
Sidi Ifni is Morocco's Art Deco Atlantic gem — a former Spanish enclave of weathered colonial architecture and surf beaches beside the famed Legzira sea arches.El Jadida
El Jadida is Morocco's UNESCO Portuguese city — a 16th-century Atlantic fortress with an extraordinary cistern, 90 minutes from Casablanca.Azrou
Azrou is the cedar-forest village of the Middle Atlas — the surest place in Morocco to see wild Barbary macaques and walk beneath ancient Cedrus atlantica.Moulay Bousselham
Moulay Bousselham is Morocco's foremost birdwatching lagoon — the Merja Zerga wetland pulls tens of thousands of wintering waterbirds to a sleepy fishing village between Rabat and Tangier.Tétouan
Far north of the Red City — Tetouan's UNESCO Andalusian medina, a whitewashed Rif counterpoint to Marrakech's ochre.Tafraout
South over the Atlas from Marrakech — Tafraoute's pink-granite valleys and painted rocks in the Anti-Atlas.Mirleft
Down the Atlantic beyond Agadir — Mirleft's undeveloped surf coves, a deep-south escape from the Marrakech plains.Larache
North up the coast past Rabat — Larache's faded Spanish-colonial port and the nearby Roman ruins of Lixus.Béni Mellal
Northeast of Marrakech below the Middle Atlas — Beni Mellal, gateway to the Ain Asserdoun springs and Bin el-Ouidane lake.2h30from MarrakechRissani
Beyond the Atlas on the road to the dunes — Rissani, the old Tafilalt caravan town at Merzouga's gateway.M'Hamid el Ghizlane
Where the desert road ends south of Marrakech — M'Hamid el Ghizlane, the last town before the Erg Chigaga sands.8hfrom MarrakechAït Bougmez Valley
High in the Atlas northeast of Marrakech — Ait Bougmez, the remote 'Happy Valley' and M'Goun trailhead.3h30from MarrakechAkchour
Far north in the Rif — Akchour's emerald waterfalls and God's Bridge, a day's hike beyond Chefchaouen.Saïdia
Morocco's far Mediterranean northeast — Saidia's long blue-flag beach, a world from the Marrakech plains.
Cards with a name instead of a picture are places we have not photographed honestly yet. We would rather show the name than a picture of somewhere else. Photo credits
Morocco destinations: FAQ
Why use Marrakech as a base for exploring Morocco?
Marrakech is one of the country's best-connected cities, with an international airport, a train link north to Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier, and CTM and Supratours buses reaching the coast and the south. From the city you can reach the Ourika Valley and the High Atlas in a couple of hours, Essaouira on the Atlantic in around three, and the Agafay stony desert even sooner. That makes it a natural hub for day trips and the starting point for longer overland journeys.
Which day trips are easiest from Marrakech?
The most popular short trips are the Ourika Valley and the High Atlas foothills, the waterfalls at Setti Fatma, the kasbah village of Aït Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, the windswept coastal town of Essaouira, and the nearby Agafay desert for sunset. Most can be done in a single day with an early start, though the routes over the mountains involve several hours of driving each way, so a private car makes them more comfortable.
How do I get from Marrakech to the Sahara?
The Sahara is not a day trip from Marrakech — the big dunes at Merzouga (Erg Chebbi) or M'Hamid (Erg Chigaga) are a long drive away, so plan at least three days there and back. The classic route crosses the Tizi n'Tichka pass and passes Aït Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate and the Dades or Todra gorges before reaching the dunes for a night at a desert camp. Most travellers go by private vehicle; Supratours and CTM buses also serve towns along the way such as Ouarzazate and Zagora.
How do I continue from Marrakech to Fes, the coast or the north?
Trains run from Marrakech north to Casablanca, Rabat, Meknes and Fes, and connect to the Al Boraq high-speed line for Tangier. For Essaouira and other coastal towns, Supratours and CTM buses are reliable. Many visitors combine Marrakech with Fes as the two great imperial cities, either by train or as part of a private multi-day loop that also takes in the desert and the Atlas on the way.
When is the best time to visit Marrakech and the surrounding region?
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the most comfortable, with warm days ideal for the medina and the surrounding valleys. Summer is very hot in the city and the desert, so the Atlantic coast at Essaouira and the cooler High Atlas are more pleasant then. Winter is mild by day and good for sightseeing, though nights are cold and the high mountain passes toward the Sahara can see snow.
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