Is 7 days enough for Morocco?

Seven days is one of the most popular trip lengths for Morocco, and for good reason — it is enough to come away with a real sense of the country without the holiday becoming a marathon. The key is to resist the temptation to chase every famous name on the map. Choose one strong route and do it well.

The most rewarding seven-day plan for first-timers is the Marrakech-and-Sahara loop. Two nights in Marrakech to settle in and explore the medina, Jemaa el-Fnaa and the gardens; then a two-day journey over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to the dunes, with a night in a desert camp; and a return through the Dades Gorge, the Skoura palm groves and Ait Ben Haddou. It is varied, scenic and deeply satisfying, and the long drives are part of the experience rather than dead time.

An equally good alternative skips the desert and instead pairs the two great imperial cities. Marrakech and Fes are very different in character — Marrakech is theatrical and sun-baked, Fes older, quieter and more labyrinthine — and connecting them via the Middle Atlas, with a stop in cedar forests where you may spot Barbary macaques, makes for a lovely cultural week. Add a day in Chefchaouen or on the coast at Essaouira if the route allows.

What seven days will not do is let you combine the desert AND both imperial cities AND the coast. Something has to give, and trying to fit it all in turns the week into a blur seen through a car window. Pick a theme — desert, imperial cities, or coast — and let the other regions wait for a future trip.

One practical tip: build your seven days around two or three bases rather than changing hotels every single night. A night in the desert camp is unmissable, but elsewhere, staying two nights in one riad lets you actually unpack, find your favourite café, and enjoy the place rather than constantly repacking a suitcase.