In short. This 14-day Morocco itinerary is the full loop. You start in Casablanca, see Rabat and Chefchaouen, spend time in Fes, cross the desert dunes near Merzouga, and finish in Marrakech and Essaouira. The plan uses 2 nights in the main cities, so the pace stays calm. It suits travellers who want to see the whole country in one trip.

Days 1-2: Casablanca and Rabat

Land in Casablanca and stay one night. Visit the Hassan II Mosque in the morning, when tours run and the light is good. The mosque sits on the sea and holds a large prayer hall. Walk the Corniche in the afternoon for a sea view and a coffee. Casablanca is a working city, so one day is enough for most travellers.

Day two drives north to Rabat, about 1 hour from Casablanca. Visit the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the Kasbah of the Udayas. The Kasbah has blue and white streets and a cafe with a sea view. Rabat is calm and clean, and half a day is enough. Sleep in Rabat or drive on to Chefchaouen in the afternoon.

Days 3-4: Chefchaouen and the north

Drive to Chefchaouen in about 4 hours from Rabat. The town is small and blue, with a main square and steep streets. Spend the afternoon walking and the sunset at the Spanish Mosque, a 30 minute climb. Eat in the square. The food is simple and the prices are lower than in Marrakech.

Day four is a slow morning in Chefchaouen, then a drive to Fes in about 4 hours. Or add a stop in Tetouan on the way. Tetouan has a white medina and a good museum, and it adds 1 hour to the drive. Reach Fes in the evening, check in, and rest. The next two days are on foot in Fes.

Days 5-6: Fes

Spend two days in Fes. Day five covers Fes el Bali with a local guide: Bab Bou Jeloud, the Bou Inania Madrasa, the tanneries and the old streets. The medina has no car traffic and no signs, so a guide is worth it. Take a mint sprig at the tanneries. Eat in the medina and rest in the afternoon.

Day six covers the Mellah, the Royal Palace gates and the Merenid Tombs at sunset. Or take a half-day trip to Volubilis, the Roman ruins about 1 hour away. The mosaics are clear and the site is quiet. Return to Fes for dinner. Two days in Fes is the right amount for a first trip.

Days 7-9: the desert road

Day seven drives from Fes to Merzouga in 7 to 8 hours, through the Ziz Valley, Midelt and the Middle Atlas. The road is long, so leave early. You reach Merzouga in the afternoon, and the camel ride to the camp leaves about 1 hour before sunset. The dunes near Merzouga rise up to about 150 m high. Dinner and music follow at the camp.

Day eight is a slow day near the dunes. Watch the sunrise, ride back to the village, and drive to the Dades Valley. Stop in the Todra Gorges, where cliffs rise up to about 300 m. Sleep in a hotel in the Dades Valley. Day nine drives to Marrakech over the Tizi n'Tichka Pass at 2,260 m, with a stop at Ait Ben Haddou. You reach Marrakech in the evening.

Days 10-11: Marrakech

Spend two days in Marrakech. Day ten covers Jemaa el-Fnaa, the Koutoubia Mosque, the Bahia Palace and the Saadian Tombs. Walk the souks in the late afternoon. Eat in the square at night. Lunch costs about 8 to 20 euros per person. Stay in a riad in the medina to walk everywhere.

Day eleven covers the Ben Youssef Madrasa, the Jardin Majorelle and the museums. Take a taxi to the garden. In the evening, take a roof terrace for tea. If you want a break from the city, swap one day for a day trip to the Atlas Mountains or the Ourika Valley. The drive takes about 1 hour each way.

Days 12-13: Essaouira on the coast

Drive from Marrakech to Essaouira in about 3 hours. The town is small, with a white medina, a port and a wide beach. Spend the afternoon walking the ramparts and the port, where fishing boats unload the catch. Eat grilled fish in the port restaurants. The food is fresh and the prices are fair.

Day thirteen is a slow day in Essaouira. Walk the beach, visit the shops, and try a surf lesson or a horse ride if you like. The wind is strong in the afternoon, so bring a jacket. Essaouira is the best place to end a long trip, because it is calm and the air is fresh. Sleep two nights here, not one.

Day 14: fly home from Marrakech

Drive back to Marrakech in about 3 hours, or fly from Essaouira if your flight allows it. Most travellers drive back to Marrakech for the flight home. Leave Essaouira 5 hours before a flight from Marrakech, to allow for the drive and check-in. Use the last morning for a slow breakfast and a last walk on the beach.

Fourteen days is a long trip, so pack light and wash clothes once in Fes or Marrakech. Keep your passport, cash and phone in one bag. The plan above is a loop with no backtracking, except for the drive back from Essaouira. That is the best way to use 14 days in Morocco.

What to book, and in what order

Book in this order: the desert tour first, then the hotels, then the flights. The desert tour fills first in high season, because the camps are small and the cars are few. Ask the operator to state each night, each drive time and what is in the price. The tour should state the hotel in the Dades Valley, the camp night, the camel ride, dinner at the camp and the breakfasts. Lunch, drinks and tips are often extra, so take cash in dirhams for those. A shared tour often starts from around 120 euros per person, and a private tour for two often starts from around 240 euros per person. Prices change by season, so ask for a clear quote for the full 14 days.

Then book the hotels in Casablanca, Fes, Marrakech and Essaouira. Pick a hotel near the sea in Casablanca, a riad in the medina in Fes and Marrakech, and a small hotel near the port in Essaouira. Ask each place to meet you on arrival if it sits in an old town. Then book the flights to fit the plan. Land in Casablanca and fly home from Marrakech if you can, because that matches the loop. Keep your passport, cash and phone in one bag, pack light, and wash clothes once in Fes or Marrakech.