L'Heure du Voyage
🇲🇦 Itinerary · Morocco · 14 days

2-week Morocco itinerary 2026: cities, desert and Atlantic

14 days: Marrakech, the Merzouga desert, Fes, Chefchaouen the blue city and Essaouira on the Atlantic. Day-by-day circuit, with costed budget and detailed transport.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

14 days

Stops

8 places

Average budget

€1,400-2,400

Total distance

~2,100 km

Profile

Well-rounded

Season

Mar-May, Oct-Nov

Marrakech 2d · Ait Benhaddou 1d · Dades 1d · Merzouga 2d · Fes 2d · Chefchaouen 2d · Rabat 1d · Essaouira 2d · return 1d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Morocco 2-week itinerary map: Marrakech, Ait Benhaddou, Merzouga, Fes, Chefchaouen, Essaouira

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

14 days, day by day

1

~€70/day

Marrakech · Arrival & medina

  • Morning Arrival at Menara, taxi to the medina (15 min).
  • Afternoon Souks, Ben Youssef madrasa, Bahia Palace.
  • Evening Jemaa el-Fna square after dark.
🛌 🛌 Medina · e.g. riad Le Jardin des Biehn (2 nights)·🚕 Taxi + walking·Morocco guide →
2

~€65/day

Marrakech · Gardens & palaces

  • Morning Majorelle Garden, Koutoubia, Saadian Tombs.
  • Afternoon Pick up the driver or car for the deep south.
3

~€75/day

Marrakech → Ait Benhaddou · Tichka

  • Morning Tichka pass (2,260 m), Atlas road.
  • Afternoon Ksar of Ait Benhaddou (UNESCO), mud-brick village.
🛌 🛌 Ait Benhaddou · e.g. Kasbah Ellouze (1 night)·🚗 Tichka pass
4

~€70/day

Ait Benhaddou → Dades Gorges

  • Morning Ouarzazate, Taourirt kasbah, Valley of the Roses.
  • Afternoon Dades gorges, hairpin road, night in a kasbah.
🛌 🛌 Dades · e.g. Chez Pierre (1 night)·🚗 Dades valley
5

~€85/day

Dades → Merzouga · The great erg

  • Morning Todra gorges (300 m cliffs), drive to Merzouga.
  • Afternoon Camel ride to the Erg Chebbi, sunset over the dunes.
  • Evening Dinner and night at the bivouac, gnawa music.
🛌 🛌 Erg Chebbi · e.g. Merzouga Luxury Desert camp (2 nights)·🐪 Camel + 🚗 4x4
6

~€70/day

Merzouga · Desert & villages

  • Morning Sunrise over the dunes, a quad or walking outing.
  • Afternoon Khamlia village (gnawa music), lake and fossils, rest at camp.
7

~€80/day

Merzouga → Fes · Middle Atlas

  • Morning Drive to Fes (7 h, 470 km), Ifrane and cedar forest.
  • Evening Arrival in Fes, into a riad in the medina.
🛌 🛌 Fes medina · e.g. riad Fès (2 nights)·🚗 Long leg (Middle Atlas)
8

~€70/day

Fes · The ancient medina

  • Morning Fes el-Bali (UNESCO), Chouara tanneries, al-Qarawiyyin.
  • Afternoon Bou Inania madrasa, Nejjarine square, craft workshops.
9

~€70/day

Fes → Chefchaouen · The blue city

  • Morning Drive to the Rif and Chefchaouen (4 h, 200 km).
  • Afternoon Blue medina, Outa el-Hammam square, Akchour falls optional.
🛌 🛌 Blue medina · e.g. Lina Ryad & Spa (2 nights)·🚗 Rif mountains
10

~€60/day

Chefchaouen · Photos & Rif

  • Morning Blue lanes at daybreak, before the groups.
  • Afternoon Hike to the Spanish Mosque for the view over the town.
11

~€70/day

Chefchaouen → Rabat · The capital

  • Morning Drive to Rabat (4 h, 250 km).
  • Afternoon Kasbah of the Udayas, Hassan Tower, medina by the Atlantic.
🛌 🛌 Rabat · e.g. riad Kalaa (1 night)·🚗 Coastal motorway
12

~€75/day

Rabat → Essaouira · On to the Atlantic

  • Morning Coastal road to Essaouira (5 h, 350 km) via Casablanca (Hassan II mosque option).
  • Evening Arrival in Essaouira, ramparts and fishing port at sunset.
🛌 🛌 Essaouira medina · e.g. Heure Bleue Palais (2 nights)·🚗 Atlantic coast
13

~€65/day

Essaouira · Medina & windy beach

  • Morning Medina (UNESCO), port skala, thuya marquetry workshops.
  • Afternoon Kitesurf beach, grilled fish at the port, downtime by the ocean.
14

Flight

Essaouira → Marrakech · Return

  • Morning Drive to Marrakech (3 h, 190 km), argan tree stop.
  • Afternoon Menara airport, flight home.
🛌 🛌 night on the plane·🚗 + ✈️ flight

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€1,400

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €180
  • 🏨 Riad/hostel: €28/night
  • 🍲 Tagines and street food: €15/day
  • 🚗 Car + fuel: €500
  • 🎫 Sites + camel ride: €150
Recommended

Comfort

€1,950

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight: €230
  • 🏨 Charming riad: €65/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed dining: €30/day
  • 🚗 Car + driver: €650
  • 🎫 Desert camp + guides: €220

Premium

€3,800

per person

  • ✈️ Upgraded flight: €500
  • 🏨 Luxury riad / palace: €190/night
  • 🍽️ Fine tables: €55/day
  • 🚗 4x4 + dedicated driver
  • 🎫 Luxury desert camp + tours: €600

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

The Marrakech, desert and Fes loop. The essential format.

You're here

2 weeks

2 weeks

The whole south, plus the Atlantic coast and Chefchaouen.

1 month

1 month

The grand tour: Sahara, Atlas, coast and imperial cities.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

Two weeks on a grand loop: Marrakech, the desert, Fes, the blue city of Chefchaouen, the capital Rabat then Essaouira on the Atlantic. Car with or without driver, long legs but good roads.

🚗

Car (with or without driver)

€60-90/day with driver · €35 self-drive · decent roads

🐪

Camel ride at Merzouga

included at the camp · to the dunes at sunset

🛣️

Tichka and Rif passes

2,260 m at Tichka · tight bends towards Chefchaouen

🚆

ONCF train (alternative)

Marrakech-Rabat-Fes by fast train · no car between cities

Adapt by season

Desert in spring, milder coast

This itinerary combines the Merzouga desert (ideal March-May and October-November) with the Atlantic coast at Essaouira, cooler year-round (16-23°C, near-constant wind). In summer, aim for the coast to escape the 40°C interior, though the sand stays unbearable at noon. Chefchaouen, high in the Rif, is pleasant in spring and autumn; add a fleece for desert camp nights in winter.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In April 2024 I photographed the blue lanes of Chefchaouen at 7am, before the coaches arrived: the medina to myself, the soft light on the blue. By 10am it was impossible to frame a shot without crowds. An early morning changes everything in the blue city.
  • • Two nights in Merzouga rather than one: the desert deserves a real rest day.
  • • Ending with Essaouira: the Atlantic wind cools you after the desert and the medinas.
  • • Taking the ONCF train between the imperial cities if you would rather not drive: fast and comfortable.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Skipping Rabat (1 token night) if you would rather flesh out Essaouira or Chefchaouen.
  • • Avoiding Merzouga-Fes in one leg: break it at Midelt to breathe.
  • • Booking the Fes and Chefchaouen riads ahead: labyrinthine medinas.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is two weeks the right format for Morocco? +
Yes, it is ideal: you add Chefchaouen the blue city and the Atlantic coast at Essaouira to the classic desert loop, without rushing. A month lets you include the Toubkal trek and the deep south.
Car or train? +
Both work. A car (with driver, €60-90/day) is essential for the desert and gorges. Between the imperial cities (Marrakech, Rabat, Fes), the ONCF train is fast and comfortable.
Is Chefchaouen worth the detour? +
Yes, the blue medina of the Rif is unique in Morocco. Go early in the morning to photograph the lanes before the groups, who arrive by coach around 10am.
What is the best time to go? +
March-May and October-November: pleasant desert, bearable cities, mild coast. Summer too hot inland (40°C), cold nights at camp in winter.
How much does this 2-week circuit cost? +
Around €1,400 backpacking, €1,950 in comfort and €3,800 premium, flight from Paris included, per person. The driver and desert camp are the heaviest lines.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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