6 best day trips from Marrakech

Day trips compared

The day trips

65 km · About 1.5 hours by car

1.Imlil and Toubkal National Park

The village of Imlil, at about 1,740 metres in the High Atlas, is the trailhead for Jbel Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak at 4,167 metres. Day walks lead through walnut groves and terraced fields to Amazigh villages such as Aroumd, with lunch in a village house.

Getting there

Car with driver, grand taxi or tour

Best for

Families, Couples, Quiet stays

65 km · About 1.5 hours by car

2.Ourika Valley

A green river valley in the Atlas foothills lined with riverside restaurants, ending at the village of Setti Fatma, where a scramble leads up to a series of waterfalls. It is popular with Marrakchis at weekends; summer storms can cause flash floods, so heed local warnings.

Getting there

Car with driver, grand taxi or tour

Best for

Families, Budget, Couples

190 km · About 2.5–3 hours by bus or car

3.Essaouira

A breezy Atlantic port with a UNESCO-listed walled medina, the Skala de la Ville sea ramparts lined with old cannons, a fishing harbour where you can choose fish for the grill and a long, windy beach popular for kitesurfing. It is cooler than Marrakech in summer and better with an overnight stay.

Getting there

Supratours or CTM bus, car or tour

Best for

Couples, Beach, Culture

150 km · About 2.5–3 hours by car

4.Ouzoud Falls

Morocco's tallest waterfalls drop about 110 metres in tiers into a red-rock gorge, with olive trees, viewpoints and Barbary macaques along the paths. Small boats take visitors close to the base of the falls.

Getting there

Car with driver or tour

Best for

Families, Couples

40 km · About 45 minutes by car

5.Agafay Desert

A rocky stone desert of bare hills south-west of the city, with views of the Atlas, where camps run camel rides, quad-biking and dinners under the stars. It is the closest desert landscape to Marrakech, but not the sand dunes of the Sahara.

Getting there

Car, quad tour or camp transfer

Best for

Couples, Families, Luxury

180 km · About 3.5–4 hours each way by car

6.Aït Benhaddou

A fortified earthen ksar on a hillside above a river, Aït Benhaddou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a frequent film location. The road crosses the High Atlas by the 2,260-metre Tizi n'Tichka pass, so an overnight stay in Ouarzazate or the valley makes the trip far less rushed.

Getting there

Car with driver or tour over the Tizi n'Tichka pass

Best for

Culture, First-timers

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• City buses link the medina, Gueliz, the train station, Jardin Majorelle and the airport, and a hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus loops the main districts.
• ONCF trains from the station in Gueliz run north to Casablanca, Rabat, Fes and Tangier, the way most travellers continue around Morocco.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask