A week is enough to build a trip around Chefchaouen and the north — pairing the blue city with Fes, Tangier and the Rif — or, if you have the time, to add the Sahara. Here are two proven 7-day routes, both reachable through the blue city's road gateways.
In this guide
Option A — Marrakech & the Sahara (south)
The classic first-timer's week: the Red City, a crossing of the High Atlas, the kasbah road, and a night under the stars in the dunes. Driving days are real but rewarding, and best done with a private driver who knows where to stop.
- Days 1–2: Marrakech — medina, gardens, a hammam and a rooftop sunset.
- Day 3: Over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Aït Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate.
- Day 4: The Dadès and Todra gorges to the desert edge.
- Day 5: Camel trek into Erg Chebbi and a night at a luxury camp.
- Day 6: Sunrise dune climb, then the long road back toward Marrakech.
- Day 7: A slow final morning and departure from Marrakech (RAK).
Option B — Imperial cities & the blue city (north)
A culture-first week with shorter drives: the medieval medinas of Fes and Meknes, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, and the blue lanes of Chefchaouen, finishing on the Mediterranean at Tangier.
- Days 1–2: Fes — the world's largest car-free medina with a historian.
- Day 3: Meknes and Roman Volubilis at golden hour.
- Days 4–5: Chefchaouen, the blue city, two slow nights.
- Day 6: Into the Rif and on to Tangier and Cap Spartel.
- Day 7: Tangier kasbah and departure (TNG) — or the train south.
How to choose
If Chefchaouen and the blue medina are your priority, Option B is the natural fit — history, photography, cooler mountain summers and short transfers, with the blue city as the scenic heart of the week. Choose Option A if the Sahara is your dream and you don't mind longer drives. Either can start or end in a different city; an open-jaw routing (into Tangier or Fes, out of Casablanca, say) saves backtracking around the blue city.
Frequently asked
Is 7 days enough for the north and Chefchaouen?
Yes — a week comfortably covers Fes, Chefchaouen and Tangier with two slow nights in the blue city, or alternatively Marrakech plus the Sahara. Trying to combine both in seven days means too much driving; save the other half for a return trip.
Can you do Marrakech and the desert in a week?
Comfortably. A 3-day desert loop from Marrakech (via Aït Ben Haddou and the gorges to Merzouga and back) leaves three to four days for the city and the Atlas foothills.
How much driving is a 7-day Morocco trip?
The southern desert week involves two longer driving days (5–8 hours) over the Atlas and back; the northern cities week keeps transfers mostly under three hours. A private driver makes both relaxed rather than tiring.
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Itineraries
Morocco Itinerary: 10 Days
Ten days is the sweet spot for Morocco — long enough to combine Marrakech, the Sahara and the imperial north in one unhurried loop, with two nights in Chefchaouen and a Rif-mountain drive folded in rather than rushed.
Planning
The Best Time to Visit Morocco
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the best all-round times to visit Morocco — and for Chefchaouen in particular, when the Rif foothills are green, the indigo lanes glow in soft light and the Akchour trails run cool rather than scorching.
Practical
Getting Around Morocco
Morocco has good trains between the main cities, but Chefchaouen sits off the rail map in the Rif mountains — there is no train and no airport. You reach the blue city by road from Tangier (around 2 hours), Fes (around 4 hours) or Tetouan (around 1 hour), by CTM bus or private car.