10 Days in Morocco

Highlights

• Camel trek into the Sahara at sunset — ride single-file into the Erg Chebbi dunes as the sand turns orange and pink. 1-1.5h trek to the desert camp. Included in most tour packages. The defining Morocco family moment
• Desert camp under the stars — Berber tents, traditional dinner, drumming around the fire, stargazing in zero light pollution. The Milky Way is extraordinary. Included in camp rate
• Sunrise from the dunes — climb the dune behind camp before dawn, watch the Sahara light up in gold and amber. Free and unforgettable. The silence is as impressive as the view
• Sandboarding — slide down the dunes on boards. Most camps provide boards free. Kids (and adults) tumble and laugh. Works best on steeper, harder-packed dunes
• Todra Gorge (en route) — 300m-high canyon walls with a river running through. Swimming in the shallow pools, rock scrambling for kids. Free. The tour stops here for lunch and a walk
• Dadès Valley + Kasbahs — the ''Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs'' en route to the desert. Aït Ben Haddou (UNESCO, Game of Thrones/Gladiator filming location, €3 entry) is the most dramatic

Local tips

• Book a 2-3 day Marrakech-to-desert tour rather than driving yourself — the roads through the Atlas Mountains and gorges are winding and long. A reputable tour ($200-300/person) includes transport, driver/guide, 1-2 nights accommodation, all meals, camel trek, and desert camp. It''s the best-value way to see the Sahara.
• Erg Chebbi (Merzouga) has the big orange dunes that look like the Sahara you imagine. Some tours go to Erg Chigaga (near Zagora) instead — it''s closer but the dunes are smaller. Confirm you''re going to Erg Chebbi before booking.
• Desert camps range from basic Berber tents ($30/person) to luxury glamping ($150/person). For families, mid-range camps with proper beds, hot showers, and western-style toilets ($80-120/person) hit the sweet spot between authenticity and comfort.

Highlights

• Fes el-Bali Medina — the world''s largest car-free urban area, a UNESCO medieval city that''s barely changed in 1,000 years. 9,000 alleyways, donkeys carrying goods, craftsmen working in doorways. Hire a guide (€20-30/half day) — you WILL get lost without one
• Chouara Tanneries — the iconic dye vats of Fes, leather hides in pools of colour viewed from surrounding terraces. Free to view from leather shop terraces (they''ll offer you mint to hold against the smell). Buy a leather bag or belt as a souvenir
• Bou Inania Madrasa — stunning 14th-century Islamic school with carved cedar, stucco, and mosaic tilework. €3/person. The most beautiful building in Fes. Non-Muslims can enter and explore
• Pottery and mosaic workshops — visit zellige (mosaic tile) and pottery workshops in the Medina. Watch artisans cut and lay thousands of hand-cut tiles. Some offer hands-on family workshops (€15-25/person, 1-2h)
• Moroccan cooking class in Fes — shop in the Medina for ingredients, then cook in a family home. Pastilla (pigeon pie), harira (soup), Moroccan salad. €25-40/person, 4h. The food in Fes is arguably better than Marrakech
• Merenid Tombs viewpoint — ruined tombs above the Medina with the best panoramic view of Fes. Free. Go at sunset with mint tea from a nearby café

Local tips

• Fes Medina is MORE intense than Marrakech — the alleyways are narrower, the crowds denser, and navigation is genuinely impossible without a guide or GPS. Hire an official guide ($20-30/half day) from your riad for the first visit. After that, use Google Maps offline.
• The tanneries smell STRONG — the leather shops offer mint sprigs to hold under your nose. The smell is animal hides, pigeon droppings (used for softening), and dye chemicals. Kids find it hilarious or horrifying. Morning visits have the best light for photos.
• Fes riads are cheaper and quieter than Marrakech — €40-80/night for a beautiful courtyard house with breakfast included. The Medina is car-free so riads arrange porter service (€3-5) to carry bags from the nearest taxi point to the riad door.

Highlights

• The Blue Medina — every building, door, step, and wall is painted in shades of blue. The most photogenic town in North Africa. Free to wander. Kids count the different shades of blue (there are dozens)
• Ras El Maa waterfall — the spring-fed waterfall at the edge of the Medina where locals wash clothes and kids play in the water. Free. A 10-min walk from the main square. Peaceful and green
• Spanish Mosque hike — 30-min uphill walk to an abandoned mosque on the hillside above Chefchaouen. Panoramic views over the blue rooftops to the Rif Mountains. Free. Best at sunset
• Artisan weaving workshops — Rif Mountain women demonstrate traditional weaving on wooden looms. Buy handwoven blankets, bags, and scarves directly ($5-20). Some workshops offer hands-on lessons (€10-15/person)
• Plaza Uta el-Hammam — the main square, Kasbah fortress (€2), cafés with rooftop terraces overlooking the blue streets. Mint tea and Moroccan pancakes for €2/person. The relaxed heart of the town
• Talassemtane National Park — hiking in the Rif Mountains outside Chefchaouen, cedar forests, waterfalls. Half-day guided hike €15-25/person. The natural side of northern Morocco

Local tips

• Chefchaouen is the trip''s wind-down — it''s small, quiet, and gorgeous. After the sensory overload of Marrakech and Fes, the Blue City feels like a calm exhale. Don''t over-schedule. Walk, photograph, eat, and relax.
• The blue paint was introduced by Jewish refugees in the 1930s — it represents the sky and heaven. Locals repaint regularly. The blue is most vivid after rain (rare) or in the morning light. Sunset turns the blue walls purple.
• Chefchaouen is cheap even by Moroccan standards — family dinner at a rooftop restaurant is €15-25, riad accommodation is €40-60/night, and there are no entry fees to pay. The budget recovers here after the Sahara splurge.