Best Day Trips from Marrakech
Are you looking for the best day trips from Marrakech, Morocco? You’re in the right place!
Marrakech is among the largest cities in Morocco, and it’s one of the most popular destinations in the country. Tourists in Marrakech flock to the winding alleys of the ancient medina, the bustling Jemaa el-Fnaa square, and historic attractions like Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, and Madrasa Ben Youssef.
It’s a colorful, vibrant city with other cool attractions like the Jardin Marjorelle or the popular Bacha Coffee. You can easily spend several days in Marrakech without running out of things to do.
However, there are also some great day trips from Marrakech that you can take.
Morocco is a large country, and I highly recommend dedicating as much time to it as you can. I personally spent two weeks in Morocco and still feel like I only scratched the surface. However, if you have limited time and are basing yourself in Marrakech, you might be interested in taking day trips.
Many destinations in Morocco are too remote to visit on a day trip from Marrakech, but luckily, there are a handful of options for destinations that are closer to the city and perfect for a day trip.
I definitely recommend booking an organized tour for all of these day trips. Traveling independently can be logistically challenging in Morocco (especially for solo female travelers) and many of these day trip destinations are quite remote. Luckily, I found that tours in Morocco are priced very affordably.
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Best Day Trips from Marrakech:
- Agafay Desert sunset, camel ride, and dinner show
- Atlas Mountains village visit, hike, and lunch
- Ouarzazate and Aït Benhaddou movie locations tour
Agafay Desert
When you think of Morocco, you probably picture endless stretches of desert filled with rolling sand dunes. And while the Sahara Desert is in Morocco, it’s a full day of driving just to get there from Marrakech.
However, the smaller Agafay Desert is much closer to Marrakech for a day trip — less than one hour away! There are many great tours that will take you to the Agafay Desert. This highly-rated day trip from Marrakech includes a camel ride, sunset in the desert, and a dinner show with Moroccan entertainers.
If you’re feeling adventurous, this day trip includes quad biking in the desert, plus a camel ride and dinner. The Agafay Desert is a good option if you’re looking for a day trip that doesn’t involve hours of driving. It’s not as impressive as the Sahara Desert, but it’s a unique experience nonetheless.
Ouzoud Waterfalls
The Ouzoud Waterfalls is another great day trip from Marrakech. It’s a long drive (nearly three hours each way), but worth it for the beautiful scenery of the waterfalls and the surrounding mountains.
While you might think of Morocco as primarily a dry and arid desert destination, there is also a lot of diversity to the landscapes of the country. The Ouzoud Waterfalls are the perfect example of this. Featuring multiple waterfalls, with the highest one towering over 360 feet, this is the tallest waterfall in North Africa.
This full-day tour includes transportation from Marrakech, a guided hike at the waterfalls, lunch, free time to explore, and a boat ride that will take you up close and personal with the falls.
Essaouira
Essaouira is a coastal city on the Atlantic Ocean that is known for its great surfing, beaches, and historic center with an ancient medina. It’s located about two hours and 45 minutes from Marrakech by car.
If you’re looking for an organized tour, this full-day trip from Marrakech is a good option. It includes plenty of free time in Essaouira (five hours) as well as a stop at an argan oil workshop on the way.
On a day trip to Essaouira, you’d have enough time to arrange a surfing lesson or just to relax on the beach. You can also get lost in the city’s ancient medina, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the perfect place to do some shopping. Or take a stroll along the city’s scenic beachfront promenade.
Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains stretch across the better part of the country, and these scenic peaks are definitely one of the highlights of visiting Morocco. Parts of the Atlas Mountains are less than an hour away from Marrakech. That makes it easy to get a taste of this rugged region on a day trip from Marrakech.
If you’re looking to get an overview of the Atlas Mountains, this tour from Marrakech includes a visit to a traditional Berber village in the Ourika Valley, a waterfall hike, and lunch at a riverfront restaurant.
If you’re looking for something more active and you really want to get into the peaks of the Atlas Mountains, this guided Mount Tedli day hike with an included lunch is also a great option.
Ouarzazate and Aït Benhaddou
Although it involves a lot of driving (roughly 3.5 hours each way), Ouarzazate and Aït Benhaddou are two destinations that are absolutely worth visiting. Nicknamed “Africa’s Hollywood” because of how many movies have been filmed here, you’ll be blown away by the scenery of these desert towns.
This full-day trip is the perfect option for discovering both destinations. You’ll stop at several scenic viewpoints, explore Atlas Studios in Ouarzazate, and have lunch in picture-perfect Aït Benhaddou.
I found these two destinations to be among the most impressive in Morocco, with otherworldly landscapes and historic architecture that makes you feel like you’ve been transported back in time.
Casablanca
Finally, another day trip you can take from Marrakech is Casablanca. As the largest city in Morocco and the business hub of the country, many travelers skip this sprawling city, which is admittedly not as charming as Marrakech. However, it’s worth visiting for one day, which is enough time to hit the highlights.
This is the only day trip you could feasibly do on your own without a car, since there is a train between Marrakech and Casablanca that takes two hours and 40 minutes (driving time is about the same.)
If you’d prefer a tour, this full-day trip from Marrakech is a good option. It includes a guide who will show you Casablanca’s highlights, including the Hassan II Mosque, which is the largest in Africa.
Best Day Trips from Marrakech
This guide showed you the best day trips from Marrakech, Morocco.
While Marrakech is a really cool city that you can easily spend several full days exploring, there are also many exciting day trips you can take to see more of Morocco. Whether you want to ride a camel in the desert, hike to a waterfall, explore ancient towns, or relax on the coast, there are plenty of options.
If you’re looking for an easy day trip that doesn’t require much driving, the Agafay Desert is a great choice. Although further afield, Ouarzazate and Aït Benhaddou are two really cool destinations that are definitely worth the long drive to get there because you’ll feel like you’ve been transported back in time.
Enjoy your trip to Marrakech!
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