It is one of the most common questions we get from families planning a Morocco trip: how many days should we spend in Marrakech? The honest answer depends on what you want to do, whether you’re adding a desert trip, and how much downtime your family needs between adventures.
We’ve been to Marrakech twice now with our three kids, and the two trips looked very different. The first time we stayed in the Medina and packed in as much as possible. The second time we based ourselves at a resort outside the city and built in more breathing room. Both approaches taught us a lot about how to pace a Marrakech trip well.
Here is our honest breakdown:
The Short Answer: Plan for at Least 3 Days in Marrakech
Three days is the minimum we’d recommend for Marrakech itself. That gives you enough time to explore the Medina properly, visit a couple of key historical sites, experience the food scene, do one or two excursions, and actually absorb the city rather than just rushing through it.
If you want to add a Sahara Desert trip, you’ll need at least 3 additional days on top of that, making 6 to 9 days total for a Marrakech plus desert itinerary.
Here is how we’d break it down depending on how long you have.
3 Days in Marrakech: The Essential Experience
Three days is enough to hit the highlights without feeling too rushed, as long as you’re strategic about it.
Day 1: Arrive, Settle In & Ease Into the Medina
Arrive, get your bearings, and resist the urge to overplan your first afternoon. The Medina is sensory overload in the best possible way and it takes a little time to adjust, especially with kids. A gentle first evening wandering toward Jemaa el-Fna square to watch the street performers, grab fresh orange juice, and find a rooftop spot for dinner is the perfect introduction.
We loved DarDar Rooftop for a first evening meal. Great views, relaxed atmosphere, and solid food that eases you in beautifully.
Day 2: Medina Deep Dive
This is your full Medina day. Start early before the crowds and heat build up. Head to Ben Youssef Madrasa first thing, it is one of the most beautiful historical sites in the city and our kids genuinely loved exploring the hidden rooms and stairwells. From there, work your way through the spice markets and a Berber pharmacy, let the kids smell and explore everything, and find Café de Espices for the best hummus of your life.
Afternoons are best spent somewhere shaded and cool. Dar El Bacha Palace is ideal because you can tour the museum and then queue for Bacha Coffee, one of the most unique café experiences in the city.
Give each of your kids a small amount of Moroccan Dirham before hitting the souks and let them negotiate for their own souvenir. It turns shopping into one of the most memorable parts of the trip.
Book a Private Medina Shopping Tour here
Day 3: Desert Excursion or Cultural Experience
Use your third day for an excursion. The Agafay Desert is the easiest and most family-friendly option, just 40 minutes from the city. A camel ride, ATV adventure, and sunset dinner at a desert camp makes for an incredible final day before heading home.
Alternatively, if desert isn’t your thing, a hot air balloon at sunrise followed by a family cooking class is a wonderful way to spend a last day in Marrakech.
Book a Camel Ride in the Agafay Desert here
Book a Hot Air Balloon Ride here
Book a Family Cooking Class here
5 Days in Marrakech: The Sweet Spot for Families
Five days is our ideal recommendation for families visiting Marrakech. It gives you everything from the 3-day itinerary plus room to breathe, a proper resort or riad pool day, and one more meaningful experience without anyone feeling like they need a holiday to recover from the holiday.
What to add with 5 days:
- A full resort or riad day with pool time and zero agenda. This is especially important if you have young children. Building in downtime is what makes the rest of the trip enjoyable rather than exhausting.
- A henna tattoo experience at the Henna Art Cafe in the Medina. Kids love it and the artwork is stunning.
- A traditional Moroccan hammam spa experience. An absolute must for adults. Eucalyptus steam room, full body scrub with black soap, and a finish with argan oil. Book a private room if you prefer more privacy.
- A Berber family visit in the Atlas Mountains, a deeply enriching experience where kids can try homemade bread and mint tea and learn about a completely different way of life.
Book a Henna Tattoo Workshop here
Book a Traditional Hammam Experience here
Book a Sunset Berber Camp Dinner here
9 Days: Marrakech Plus the Sahara Desert
If you want the full Morocco experience with a Sahara Desert adventure, plan for around 9 days total. This is the trip we did on our first visit and it was one of the most extraordinary things we’ve ever done as a family.
The breakdown looks something like this:
- 3 days in Marrakech
- 1 night in Ouarzazate on the drive south
- 2 nights at Sunrise Sahara Camp in the desert
- 1 day driving back with a stop in Fes or another city
- 2 more days back in Marrakech or flying home
The 9-hour drive from Marrakech to the Sahara needs to be broken into two legs. We stopped overnight in Ouarzazate, which is a lovely town in its own right and a great place to rest before the final push into the desert.
The Sahara itself is unlike anything else. Camel rides at sunset, campfire music under a sky full of stars, sandboarding down the dunes, and waking to a sunrise over the desert that genuinely takes your breath away. For families with older kids, this is a bucket list trip.
Book Riad Mamouche in Mourzouga here
Find the best rental car rates for your Morocco road trip here
Quick Reference: How Many Days in Marrakech?
- 3 days: Medina highlights, one excursion, essential food stops. Good for a long weekend or a stopover.
- 5 days: The sweet spot for families. Covers everything above plus downtime, a spa day, and a second excursion.
- 7 days: Marrakech fully explored with a possible overnight in the Agafay Desert and day trips to nearby villages.
- 9+ days: Marrakech plus the Sahara Desert. The full Morocco family adventure.
Our Biggest Tip: Build In Downtime
Whatever length of trip you choose, the most important thing we learned across two visits is to schedule downtime deliberately. Marrakech is stimulating, busy, and wonderful, but it can also be overwhelming, especially for young children. One or two planned “nothing” days at your riad or resort pool makes the whole experience more enjoyable for everyone.
On our second visit we based ourselves at the Iberostar Waves Club Palmeraie, an all-inclusive resort outside the Medina with a kids’ club, splash park, and every sport imaginable. The resort days in between excursions made the cultural experiences feel even richer because nobody was burned out.
Book Iberostar Waves Club Palmeraie here
Browse all family-friendly hotels in Marrakech here
Getting to Marrakech
Flights arrive at Menara Airport (RAK). We use Skyscanner to find the best deals and always recommend checking flexible dates for the best fares.
For travel insurance that covers the whole family, SafetyWing’s Essential Plan includes kids under 10 at no extra cost and is built for families who travel internationally.
