Morocco is a gorgeous country with so many amazing sites to see. When visiting Morocco, spending time in Marrakech is a must, especially because there are many of the best day trips from Marrakech. If you have the time, spending a night or two in these destinations will allow you to see more of the areas since it is a long journey to get to most of them.
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Where to Stay in Marrakech
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Best Day Trips from Marrakech: Under 2 Hours
Atlas Mountains
By Anna of No Space in my Passport
Visiting the Atlas Mountains is the perfect day trip from Marrakech. Firstly, the Atlas Mountains are located 40-50 miles (64-80 kilometers) away from the city, which takes about 1.5-2 hours driving, depending on your destination. The best way to get to the Atlas Mountains is either to get a guide who will drive you there, or do a self-guided tour by hiring a car. Taking a taxi is also an option.
The most popular itinerary includes a trip to Imlil. This is a great place to start a guided tour or do your own hike up to the High Atlas. The guided tours usually will include a local lunch at the Berber house, which may be the best food you have on your trip. You will also stop at a local shop and watch how women make Moroccan oil. There is an opportunity to purchase it here too.
It is definitely worth taking a day trip here. The scenery here is so unique and different, including snow covered peaks, beautiful valleys, and traditional villages. The Atlas Mountains are also the perfect spot if you want to step outside the hectic city of Marrakech and experience peace in nature.
If you are planning a trip to the Atlas Mountains, make sure to wear the correct attire. Usually there will be some hiking involved, so trainers and sports shoes are recommended. Also make sure to check the weather beforehand – Marrakech can get very hot but also you don’t want to be hiking in the rain.
To sum up, the Atlas Mountains are the perfect place to take a day trip from Marrakech. From breathtaking nature to cultural immersion, you will find something here for you.
Ourika Valley
By Christa of The Spirited Explorer.
The charming Ourika Valley is only an hour’s drive outside of the city, making it one of the easiest and best day trips from Marrakech. You will get to drive alongside the lush valleys and High Atlas Mountains as you make your way toward Ourika Valley and the waterfalls of Setti Fadma. The falls aren’t as grand as Ouzoud Falls, but the area is still lovely to explore with its hiking terrain, cold water streams and river, Berber villages, and unique way of life.
If you book a tour (which is the best way to see the most places), you’ll usually visit several different villages and then be able to enjoy a rather leisurely hike offering fantastic views of the High Atlas Mountains, waterfalls, and Berber villages. Enjoy lunch in Setti Fadma, which has numerous restaurants with colorful sun umbrellas right on the edge of the river. Make sure you bring proper shoes and clothes for light hiking and being out in nature. And since you’re at a higher elevation for most of the trek, it shouldn’t feel too hot.
The Agafay Desert
By Deb Hendricks of Introvert With Itchy Feet
The Agafay Desert is a hot topic for those looking for an extraordinary escape and one of the best day trips from Marrakech.
Agafay is far from your typical desert vista of endless sand dunes. Agafay sits in an unusual landscape of stones and serenity that you’re bound to fall in love with. Perfect for a day trip, it’s just 30 kilometers, or 40 minutes, southwest of Marrakech, at the base of the High Atlas Mountain. You’ll travel along asphalt for a smooth ride.
The road from exotic Marrakech to the Agafay Desert takes you through palm groves, golf courses, and countryside. Nearer to Agafay, traditional Berber villages dot the landscape. The hills are painted in shades of white and ochre, alongside lush green and blue oases. The snow-capped peaks of the Atlas Mountains are a stunning backdrop in winter.
For those looking for adventure or a deep dive into nature, Agafay delivers. From camel treks that let you roam the hills like a nomad, to quad and buggy rides, the desert is your playground. For a change of pace, soar in a hot air balloon, paraglide through the sky, or unwind with yoga and meditation in the open, tranquil expanse.
Ideal times for a visit are spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October). The weather is just perfect. Getting there is easy. Rent a car for ultimate freedom, hire a taxi for convenience (agree to a fare before leaving), or book a tour.
Many tour operators in Marrakech offer guided trips to Agafay. They generally include transportation by minibus or 4x4s, along with activities. The Agafay Desert is a magical destination if you’re looking to explore, relax, and immerse yourself in Moroccan culture. The variety of activities landscapes in Agafay will have you hooked!
Best Day Trips from Marrakech: Over 2 Hours
Essaouira
By Kelly of Travel Morocco Today
One of the best day trips from Marrakech is Essaouira. It is a charming coastal city that is located 109 miles away from Marrakech. It will take you around 2.5 hours to get there by private car/group taxi or around 3 hours to get there via a Supratours bus.
While you can book a group tour to Essaouira, the Medina is small and you can easily explore its beautiful blue and white streets on your own. Instead, opt to take a Supratours bus. They depart multiple times a day and the Supratours station is located right near the train station in Marrakech. Just keep an eye out for the cute goats that hang out in the Argan trees during your trip to Essaouira.
Upon arrival, you’ll get dropped off right near the Medina at the Supratours station and can walk 10 minutes to local attractions like the port, the old Scala, and the main beach.
All in all, an Essaouira day trip from Marrakech is worth it since it provides you a much-needed break from the heat. It’s an extremely windy city where you can relax by the beach or try surfing/kitesurfing.
The city itself is also small, quiet, and a lot less chaotic than Marrakech. Plus, you can get cool souvenirs of better quality and at a better price than in Marrakech. You can also visit a Hamman since I found the service to be great and much more affordable than in Marrakech.
Ait Ben Haddou
By Sara of Big Adventures With Little Feet
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou is one of the best day trips from Marrakech, as this is where famous scenes from the movie have been filmed. You’ll also recognise the ksar from scenes in Game of Thrones, Lawrence of Arabia and The Mummy.
A ksar is a pre-Saharan town. It is typically made up of small houses crowded together within defensive walls. All of the building work is made using earthen construction techniques. There are angled towers protecting the town as well as gates and also some dwellings that resemble small castles. Inside you’ll find a mosque, a public square, a caravanserai and two cemeteries, all of which date back to the 17th century.
What makes this particular ksar so exciting to visit is that it has been so beautifully restored. Once inside you’ll be able to imagine the energy it had during its heyday when it was a key stop on the trade route between Marrakech and Sudan.
The Ksar is free to visit. However, if you want to enter a private house (kasbah) then you should expect to pay a small fee of around 20 dirhams. If you’re not on a tour, then it’s also possible to hire a local guide to take you around. However, if you just walk around like we did you’ll find souvenir shops and art galleries inside the houses, plus quite a few references to Gladiator.
If you head to the top of the ksar then you’ll get to the grain store (agadir) and from there you’ll have incredible views of the surrounding Atlas Mountains. There are still ongoing restoration works in the ksar, particularly at the agadir, which are to be expected from earth buildings.
Ait Ben Haddou is 182 kilometers from Marrakesh, which is about a 3-hour drive. There are lots of tours that head there and onto other sites such as Ouazazate. We chose to drive ourselves as we had our young boys with us, but it also gave us flexibility to arrive in our own time. We’d recommend visiting first thing in the morning as it’s a lot less busy.
Ouzoud Falls
By Pauline from Beeloved City
Located about 160km from Marrakech, or a 2h30 drive, Ouzoud Falls is one of the most popular day trips from Marrakech and is an excellent place to visit if you want to discover a natural environment that is not the desert. They are the highest waterfalls in North Africa and consist of 7 impressive falls.
The best way to get there from Marrakech is with a day tour. You’ll leave quite early in the morning from the medina and go to the falls with a minibus. Once you’re there, the guide will take you to the falls and explain everything you need to know about them. You will also stop in a local village where you can see how the argan oil is made.
While seeing the falls from above is beautiful, the best part of the trip is the boat tour in the El-Abid River’s gorge. To get there, you need to walk all the way down to the gorge (it’s not a difficult hike but it can be slippery so make sure to wear walking shoes). The boat tour is fairly short but it’s very scenic and you can get beautiful photos of the waterfalls.
After that, you can make your way back up. There are also several restaurants where you can get lunch while enjoying the views. Please note that you can’t swim there, so there is no need for a swimming costume, but you may get a bit wet during the boat tour. It tends to be very hot though so it shouldn’t be an issue even if you are visiting in December or January. A hat and sunscreen are recommended.
Final Thoughts on Day Trips from Marrakech
Marrakech is an amazing city in which to spend several days. If you have the time, you will want to spend at least one week in Morocco to get a sample of what the country has to offer. Fes is a fantastic cultural city in Morocco. One way to get from Marrakech to Fes is to take a Desert Tour. If you are looking for another place to add to a Morocco trip, Spain has many amazing sites to see or some time in Egypt will make for a memorable trip.
