A full week of day trips and short excursions from a Marrakech base: mountains, waterfalls, the Atlantic coast, a famous kasbah and a desert sunset — the best of southern Morocco without packing and unpacking.
Day by day
Your 7-day plan
- 1
Day 1
Marrakech city tour
Ease in with a guided day in the medina: palaces, souks, gardens and Jemaa el-Fnaa at dusk.
- Medina souks
- Bahia Palace
- Jardin Majorelle
- 2
Day 2
Ourika Valley & Atlas
South into the High Atlas for a Berber village walk, a saffron stop and the Setti Fatma waterfalls.
- Ourika Valley
- Setti Fatma waterfalls
- 3
Day 3
Aït Ben Haddou & Ouarzazate
The big one — over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to the UNESCO kasbah and the Ouarzazate film studios. A long, spectacular day.
- Tizi n'Tichka pass
- Aït Ben Haddou
- Ouarzazate studios
- 4
Day 4
Rest day in Marrakech
A free day to slow down — a hammam, the gardens, or souk shopping at your own pace.
- 5
Day 5
Essaouira coast day trip
West to the Atlantic: an argan cooperative, the UNESCO medina, the fishing port and the Portuguese ramparts.
- Essaouira medina
- Skala ramparts
- Fishing port
- 6
Day 6
Ouzoud Waterfalls
North to North Africa's tallest waterfall — a 110m triple cascade with wild Barbary macaques and a riverside lunch.
- Ouzoud Falls
- Barbary macaques
- 7
Day 7
Agafay desert sunset
End with a half-day desert sunset 45 minutes from the city — camel ride, optional quad and dinner under the stars.
- Agafay desert
- Camel ride
- Sunset dinner
Good to know
Practical notes
- Basing yourself in one Marrakech riad for the week means no packing between trips — every excursion returns you home.
- The Aït Ben Haddou day is long (about 4 hours' drive each way); some travellers split it into an overnight instead.
- Two of these can be swapped for half-days (quad biking, balloon flight) if you want a lighter week.
Frequently asked
What are the best day trips from Marrakech in a week?
A strong week stacks a city tour, an Atlas valley day (Ourika), Aït Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate, the Essaouira coast, the Ouzoud Waterfalls and an Agafay desert sunset — all returning to the same Marrakech base.
Is it better to do day trips or a moving tour from Marrakech?
Day trips suit travellers who prefer to unpack once and sleep in the same comfortable riad every night. A moving tour reaches further (the deep Sahara, Fes), but stacked day trips cover the mountains, coast and near-desert with far less hassle.
Private & tailored
Want this Marrakech trip priced for you?
Every itinerary is private and fully adjustable — change the dates, pace, riads or length. Tell us your group and travel window and we'll send a written plan and an itemised quote. We confirm by email within 24 hours.
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