15-day itinerary in southern Morocco

Last October, we landed in Marrakech to spend a few days with family exploring Morocco’s roads. Transport: a rented Dacia. Accommodations: small guesthouses.

Our first stop was just a few kilometers from Marrakech, at a lovely house perfect for relaxing and recharging before continuing. It’s called Bleu House, a little paradise on the outskirts of Marrakech. The welcome was very warm, with a beautiful pool and a lovely garden.

Next, we headed toward the Tichka Pass. The road has really improved in recent years—it’s much easier to drive now. No more getting stuck behind trucks, and today, the construction is practically finished.

Morocco has turned green after the recent rains. It’s a joy for the herds and shepherds.

The olive harvest has already started, and you can find them for sale on the side of the roads.

We made a detour to pass through Telouet and the Ounila Valley. The recent rains in the area have intensified the colors, and it's a breathtaking sight.

Sometimes we have to share the road with herds crossing calmly.

The sky turns threatening, so we decide not to linger and head to Skoura. As soon as we leave the valley, the sky clears up and the temperature rises a few degrees. At the entrance to Skoura, we're greeted by camels grazing by the roadside. A lovely sight... the first camels of this trip, but maybe not the last.

Great welcome.

At the Kasbah La Palmeraie guesthouse, Mohamed welcomes us with a big smile. Seeing our tired faces from struggling to digest lunch, he turns on the heater so we can enjoy some tea and warm up.

Tonight for dinner, we’re having a delicious couscous made with garden-fresh veggies and cinnamon-spiced quinces, also just picked. And for those with sensitive stomachs, there’s a veggie soup...

Mohamed has really grown since our visit... 14 years ago...😉 His kids must be all grown up by now. Yes, this region is gorgeous. I’ve been back several times, though I never stopped in Skoura. Enjoy !

Hi there, I’m butting in on this travel journal… We’re a group of 10 friends in our fifties planning a week in Marrakech in 2025. I’d love to take my friends for a 2-day, 1-night stay in the desert near Marrakech—but a *real* desert (with fine sand). Can you recommend a specific spot? Any contacts you could share? Also, any ideas for unusual activities? The goal is to stay close to Marrakech, not go on a road trip… Thanks for your tips! Bruno

A real desert near Marrakech—better to forget about it...😏

A real desert near Marrakech, better forget it...😏

Well, this isn’t starting off great 🤪

A real desert near Marrakech, better forget it...😏

Well, this is off to a bad start 🤪

Reeeally bad! 🏴‍☠️ Okay, near Marrakech you can ride a camel on a sand dune that’s basically a tourist trap sandbox. And some agencies offer a round trip with one night in the desert in 2 days. That’s insane—why would you do that?

The desert deserves respect—you need to approach it slowly, take your time, let it carry you... The desert near Zagora is the closest, but it’s arid and rocky. It’s an acceptable option if you’re short on time since it’s about 6 hours from Marrakech. Merzouga is a 9-hour drive away. The road is beautiful, but you’ll need to make a stop. You won’t get the same scenery as in Zagora—the Erg Chebbi dunes are massive and much closer to what you’d imagine a desert to be. Check out this blog—it talks about it really well: https://www.mifuguemiraison.com/fr/merzouga-dunes-desert-sahara-maroc/

Anyway, if you don’t want to go too far from Marrakech, you can head to Essaouira (3-hour bus ride) or explore the Ourika Valley by renting a car or taking a taxi. You could also visit Ijoukak (2.5 hours away) if you want a taste of rural Morocco—nice landscapes and a cool souk, though the stunning Tinmel Mosque is under restoration after the floods.

Thanks Catherine and Agnès, I was sure you’d come to my rescue. I already have a few leads... To avoid hijacking Violette’s travel journal, I’ll stop here—I’ll see if I need to create a post. Sorry again for the intrusion 😊

Mohamed has really grown since our visit... 14 years ago...😉 His kids must be all grown up now. Yes, this region is gorgeous. I’ve been back several times, though I never stopped in Skoura. Enjoy !

Hi there, I was thinking the same thing—nicely put, "grown"! I was there in September–October too, but I didn’t stop in Skoura either! Have a great evening! francia

hi neighbor! in a week it’s doable, but don’t stay in Marrakech! that’s what I did on my first trip... a long time ago! Marrakech, Aït Benhaddou, Dades, Merzouga, and back via the Draa Valley! it was amazing! yeah, still too short, but just enough to make me want more! since then, every year! still just as incredible! happy travels francia

hi there thanks for these beautiful photos! we must’ve crossed paths! I was there from mid-September to mid-October! the Erg Chebbi surrounded by water—it was magical! francia

You can tell the regulars...🙂 Mohamed’s put on a few pounds. And we’ve gained a few years 😕

Hello

I’d advise against Ijoukak. Major road-widening works, especially toward Ouirgane. The Tizîn Test road is a real slog the whole way. All the old villages have been replaced by tents and bungalows. The Tinmal mosque is surrounded by wooden posts while waiting for reconstruction. The potters’ village opposite El Hussein’s place has also been destroyed. I passed through at the end of October.

Sadly, it was also my favorite excursion

No problem. And I completely agree with the advice you’ve been given. The sandy desert isn’t right on Marrakech’s doorstep. And doing a round trip in two days just to reach the desert is a shame. The road there is worth taking your time over. Happy planning!

I didn’t know Mohamed 14 years ago... But he’s charming, very welcoming, and it’s always a joy to spend a few days with his little family. I think the kids must be 10 and 13 now. They’re just as kind as their parents.

Time flies... Have a great day.

The next day, we don’t get up at the crack of dawn. No rush. Everything is calm. Yet when we arrive in the dining room, we’re invited to head out to the garden to see the méchoui bread baking in a small clay oven. And we quickly move on to tasting it, right from breakfast. It crunches under your teeth—so crispy. Even the most sensitive stomachs can’t resist the temptation for long.

A slow pace to accommodate those recovering. We’re enjoying the terraces and the garden. The dates are drying in the sun. And we take a stroll around the Kasbah before stopping by Mohamed’s place—the potter in the palm grove—at the end of the day.

A lovely surprise when we returned to the Kasbah—Ghislan had prepared a sweet-and-savory dish lightly spiced with cinnamon, made with rice, vegetables, and chicken... sprinkled with raisins... absolutely delicious.

The next morning, everyone’s in great shape, and we can consider taking a trip to the almond tree valley. It’s a stunning valley with pretty villages clinging to the mountainside above the oued on the sunny side of the mountain.

When we returned to the Kasbah in the palm grove, Mohamed and Ghislan did some harvesting in the garden, and it was really fruitful. The most abundant were the zucchinis, closely followed by turnips and carrots... huge bunches of parsley and coriander. Amazing harvest! We can see why the food is so delicious here.

I’m really sorry, but you won’t get to see the lovely vegetable harvest—my photos don’t meet the required format...

Oh no, how sad... I have to return to Marrakech next March.... Is Hussein’s hostel destroyed too? And the one in the village itself?

Best, Fangui

Hi Béatrice

I stopped for a picnic break at El Hussein’s place. His hostel has been rebuilt and even improved. However, the potters’ village across the way is badly damaged: tents and shacks everywhere, like in so many other places. It seemed like only two or three potters are still carrying on with their work.

Thanks! What a disaster...

There was a little boy who was about 4 or 5 years old—he’s a young man now. I never met the other two. 🙂

Yes Noureddine: he’s now in higher education. His father’s spitting image, just taller! Same way of talking

The next day, the whole family is feeling great—those digestive issues are just a distant memory now. We leave Skoura for the Valley of Roses, or the Pink Valley. By the way, at this time of year, we won’t see any roses, just pink rocks. And it’s absolutely stunning. We make stops to admire incredible viewpoints over the wadis and valleys.

You come across women who’ve gone to gather firewood or forage for animal feed, carrying everything on their backs, no matter their age. In these villages, nothing changes. And other women do their laundry in the wadi.

We stop for lunch on the terrace at the Awayou Hotel, and it’s really nice, so we book two rooms for the night. It’s very pretty and super cozy. We’ve got a gorgeous view from our room.

Thanks for this info. I thought it might be at the university. Finally, something post-high school. Great. Maybe I’ll check it out in March. Never two without three, as they say.

Travel journal that brings back so many great memories... Thanks, and I can't wait to read the rest!

Happy to bring back good memories for you... I’ll check out your travel journals in turn. Have a great evening.

It’s a pleasure following you on these southern Moroccan routes. Lovely photos. Thanks!

I’m still having a lot of trouble uploading my photos. Almost all of them are being rejected. It’s so frustrating. They keep saying the format isn’t right... I’m about to give up on continuing my travel journal.

We leave the Valley of Roses to head to the Dadès Valley and Gorges. We climb up to the impressive "Tortoise of Dadès" after taking the winding road that offers an extraordinary view over the canyon.

Hi there

The resolution is probably too low. Was it taken with a phone or a PC?

These come from our cell phones. We share them using WhatsApp—I feel like that’s where the issue lies...

And back to Skoura for one last evening (a musical evening, hosted by two musicians from the village) before hitting the road again early the next morning, heading toward Taroudant. But we’ll stop to see the granary of Ifri, a few kilometers before reaching Taliouine. It’s a cliffside granary—and the ancestor of modern banks, a fortified and guarded place where locals kept everything precious to them: important papers, marriage certificates, property deeds, and food reserves.

When we arrived in Taroudant, we headed straight to Villa Iqama where we’d booked our rooms. It’s a bit outside the city, but it’s really nice, and we had a great pool that we only got to enjoy the next day. You won’t get to enjoy it, though, because the photo didn’t come through.

A pretty indulgent day overall... The stomach troubles are a thing of the past... Fingers crossed the photos from the next day’s stroll through the souks of Taroudant might get approved...😉

The doughnuts we savored with gusto....

After two nights in Taroudant, we hit the road for Agadir. Just two nights there too. We drop our bags at a small hotel in the charming Talborj district, a lively and bustling area. The Sindibad Hotel is a bit old-fashioned but cozy. And the staff is lovely—always available and ready to give advice if needed. We’ve got a parking spot nearby for our car, and plenty of varied restaurants just a stone’s throw away. From the terrace, we have a nice view of Agadir’s necropolis, beautifully lit up in the evening. We also enjoy the lovely seaside promenade at night. Such a pleasant moment.

We continue our journey along the ocean. The weather is exceptional. We booked at Dar Kenavo, a few kilometers from Essaouira, inland.

It’s an accommodation that’s showing its age a bit, but it’s full of charm. And we were pleasantly surprised to find a heated pool at our disposal. At this time of year, it’s really appreciated.

The next day, we made a quick trip to Essaouira. We were surprised to find so many tourists. Until then, we hadn’t come across many vacationers. But Essaouira still attracts crowds.

The next morning, following advice from fellow travelers we met at the hostel, we went to check out a typical souk that takes place every Wednesday just a few kilometers away. We were expecting a small village souk, but even though the village isn’t very big, the souk is actually quite large and surprisingly lively... First, we were really surprised to see the number of donkeys waiting for their owners in the parking areas reserved for them. You definitely don’t expect to see that so close to Essaouira.

Hello

Is this Ida Ougourd’s souk?