Morocco With Kids – An Amazing 10-Day Itinerary
Thinking of heading to Morocco with kids and looking for itinerary ideas and top tips?
I’ve always loved Morocco – before kids I’d been there four times with both friends and with work. Some say Morocco is a little like Marmite, and I am happy to say that I love both! After the arrival of Dylan, our second son, we planned to go on a 2 month road trip and decided to go from the UK over to Portugal and then on to Morocco. Dylan was just 4 months old by the time we arrived in Tangier and went to Morocco with kids.
Morocco is an amazing country and a gateway to North Africa, it’s one of the best places we’ve visited with our kids. There is so much variety in what it has to offer, from its rich history and vibrant cultural heritage through to its adventure activities such as camel trekking in the Sahara and surfing lessons on the Atlantic Coast. On our family road trip we spent four weeks travelling Morocco and really got to get to know the country and what it has to offer. From our time in Morocco we’ve created a fantastic 10 day itinerary to help inspire you in your Moroccan family adventure!
Ultimate 10-Day Itinerary in Morocco With Kids
Morocco Itinerary Day 1: Arrival into Tangier & drive to Chefchaouen
Journey time: 2 hours | Locations: Tangier & Chefchaouen
To get to Morocco we took our car over on the ferry from Tarifa in Spain to Tangier. Straight away we headed up into the mountains to Chefchaouen – Morocco’s famous and beautiful blue city. If you have time then you can visit Tangier, however, we kept it for the end of our family trip as we knew that we’d do it on our way to get the ferry back to Spain. Don’t worry if you don’t have time to visit it, because you’ll head to Fes and Marrakech as part of this itinerary so you’ll get to visit other cities and medinas along the way.
Chefchaouen with kids
Chefchaouen is a stunning mountain city that has been painted bright blue. The most popular theory is that after WWII, when the Jewish community grew, blue was painted on the walls, floors and steps as a religious practice. It is said to represent the colour of the sky and connect the city to heaven and God. Carl and I both agree that starting there with our sons was one of the best places to go to because they could acclimatise to the local culture after arriving into Morocco.
There are some amazing things to do there which makes it a great first stop on your Morocco family holiday. The best way to start your time in Chefchaouen is to explore the Medina (old town) and souks (shops) so that you can take in the vibe and the stunning blue colours all around you. In the central square “Plaza Uta el Hamman” you can enjoy a refreshing drink and a bite to eat whilst people watching. Our eldest Cam loved watching the street performers that sporadically came in to entertain us.
After exploring the Medina, you should head along the river to one of the cafes, order an orange juice and enjoy it with your feet in the cooling river water. Kids will love splashing in the water, and it’s a great way for them to cool off.
Sunset in Chefchaouen
One of the best places to head for sunset is up to the Spanish Mosque. It is high above the city and from there you’ll have an incredible view as the sunsets behind it. You’ll find that it can get incredibly busy. However, there’s a wonderful atmosphere as people wait for the sun to set. Lots of people stopped to chat with Cam, and he had a great time running around at the top as we waited.
After sunset, there are lots of great places in the main square to choose for dinner. It was perfect as they were happy to make an omelette for Cam as he wasn’t quite ready for a full Moroccan cuisine. He happily had a nibble of our local dishes. After dinner there is a small play area outside the city walls which is the perfect place for young children to meet other kids.
Day 2: Chefchaouen to Volubilis then on to Fes
Journey time: 3.5 hours | Locations: Chefchaouen, Volubilis & Fes
After relaxing in the morning, you can then drive over to Fes. On the drive there we’d highly recommend making a stop at Volubilis. Quite a few people on this route might decide to stop at Meknes, which one of the imperial cities of Morocco. However, we’d heard that the main sites were shut when we were in Morocco so we decided not to go. Even if Meknes is still shut, Marrakech and Fes are both incredible imperial cities.
The Ancient Roman City of Volubilis
This Roman ruins is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates back to the 1st century AD. It is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a large Roman colonial town. When we visited the museum was shut, and they were making some improvements to the site in general. You can hire a guide when you get there, however, we decided not to as we wanted to explore it at our own pace (and to be able leave if we got too hot!)
What makes it exceptional are the amazing mosaics, large pieces of which remain intact. To make it fun for Cameron we’d look at the mosaics and spot the animals, or ask what the people were up to – we let his three-year-old imagination run wild!
Top tip: There is zero shade at Volubilis. Bring something for shade, whether that’s a hat or an umbrella and plenty of water.
Fes
On arrival at Fes we went straight to the Merenid tombs. These are the royal tombs on the outside of the city and have an epic panoramic view over the city. You can really see how large Fes is from this viewpoint. From the number of mosque minarets, the tanneries on one side and several of the city gates.
We chose to stay in a small riad just on the edge of the Medina by Bab Boujloud, because this meant that we were just on the edge of the action without staying in the medina itself.
In the afternoon Fes Medina is a great place to wander around and take in the hustle and bustle of people going about their lives. We stayed relatively near Bab Boujloud in the afternoon so that we didn’t get lost. Cameron loved the sights, smells and sounds – plus seeing other young children there as well.
We found a perfect place for dinner called Cafe Clock. We enjoyed it because they were super welcoming of families with kids and we met quite a few kids there which was fun for Cam. And they also had a great menu with tasty food. We visited it a couple of nights in a row and they had different events in the evenings, such as live music and storytelling.
Day 3: Explore the City of Fes
Journey time: 0 hour | Locations: Fes
Walking Tour of Fes
We always like to, where possible, take a walking tour of any new city that we visit. And Fes was no exception. It’s got 10,000 streets in the Medina alone, so you’ll really get a lot from having a tour guide on hand. Our tour guide took us from one side of the city at Bab Boujloud through to the Chouara Tannery and back. As you can see, Cam really enjoyed our tour!
There’s a lot to see in Fes. Rather than list everything out we thought we’d list some fun facts that we learnt on our tour:
- There are no cars. It’s incredible as you’ll see people pushing trolleys overloaded with goods, maybe a donkey or two, but no cars. They can’t fit down the narrow streets.
- The Chouara Tannery is almost 1,000 years old. You’re best to have a high up view to get an appreciation of the size of it. Don’t forget to sniff the mint they offer you as it can be smelly.
- It used to be the only source of ‘Fez’ hats
- It has the oldest university in the world
- There are over 300 mosques in the old Medina, because every neighbourhood has a mosque
- Its Arms Museum is home to 8,000 weapons which is one of the largest stockpiles in the world
- It has one of the oldest water clocks in the world
Take some timeout at a waterpark
Yes, we just mentioned a water park! That’s because, after we toured the old medina and had some lunch, we wanted to cool off. We try to remember when we’re travelling with our kids, that as well as the cultural element, they also sometimes need a little kiddie fun time. And as our riad didn’t have a swimming pool, we drove 20 minutes out of town to the local water park called Rim Aquatic to spend a half day splashing around.
The water park was good for older children as well as it had some great slides. And for younger children, there was a special area with small slides and water canons. There was also a small restaurant on site if you wanted something to eat or drink. It was a great place to cool off and prepare for the next few very busy days.
Top tip: If you’re looking for something else, and want to avoid going to a water park, then you could use this afternoon to head to Meknes.
In the evening, we had our second meal at Cafe Clock, because it was that great and the team were so welcoming!
Day 4: Drive to Merzouga and then Camel Ride into the Sahara Desert
Journey time: 7 hours | Locations: Fes & Merzouga
The journey
On this day, you’ll have an epic day of driving ahead of you, it’s a long trip. This is because, between Fes and Merzouga, where the Sahara Desert tour leaves from, there is not very much to stop and see. We stopped at Ifran, the Moroccan version of Switzerland, for some drinks. There isn’t really much to see there, so you won’t want to stop for too long. And we then briefly stopped again a while later when we were in the forests and barbary monkeys were swinging from the trees. This part of Morocco is famous for monkeys.
Other than these couple of things to see, the only other time we stopped was a the gas station for fuel and a cold drink. We do a lot of road trips and long haul flights, and on days like these, we simply let the tablet/iPad work its magic. Because at the end of the day, it’s a long journey and we all need to get through it happy.
Camel ride into the sunset – one of best things in Morocco with kids!
Oh wow, was the 7 hour journey worth it! We booked our Sahara Desert Tour with Camel Trip Morocco to start that afternoon. We arrived at our guest house for 4 pm and by 4:30 pm we were on our camel ride out to our desert camp in the Erg Chebbi sand dunes.
Carl had Cameron (our 3 year old) sat in front of him on the camel, and I had Dylan in a baby carrier on my front. Cam loved the experience of getting up high and going through the desert. And Dylan loved it so much that he spent most of the 2 hours asleep on me.
Our guide was incredible because he was welcoming and extremely caring. Plus he clearly respected his camels (he even slept with them during the night). I have to say, that we sadly did see some other tours and the camels were less well cared for.
We stopped about 20 minutes before sunset to watch the sun go down. There’s nothing quite like it – it was INCREDIBLE!
Desert Camp in the Sahara Desert
After sunset, we ended up at our luxury desert camp. When they say luxury it’s important to remember that these are desert camps, and so they are simple luxury. Our bedouin-style tents were great, the beds were comfortable, the showers were hot and powerful, and they were warm. It’s important to remember, that in the evenings the temperature in the desert drops significantly, so you’ll want to take some warm clothes with you.
After a dinner there was music, singing and dancing around a campfire. And the opportunity to wander off for some star gazing in the clear night sky.
Note: We wanted to make it clear, that the Erg Chebbi sand dunes are amazing. However, the area is also very touristy and busy. During our sunset camel ride there were at least 10 other camel rides happening at once, plus 4×4’s blasting around, and people on quad bikes. If you’re expecting the solitude of the desert to yourself then the best time is very early in the morning before sunrise.
Day 5: Erg Chebbi Sand Dunes then onto Tinghir
Journey time: 7 hours | Locations: Merzouga & Tinghir
Sunrise and sand boarding
You’ll want to make sure that you are up for sunrise. It’s the quiet time in the Erg Chebbi sand dunes, and the perfect time to spot animal prints in the sand before everyone else rises. We took up some chairs to the top of a dune right by our camels and watched the sunrise.
After sunrise, no family adventure would be complete with some fun having a go at sand boarding. It’s easy to spend an hour having fun doing this. We ended up joining in with some other guests at the desert camp as we all took turn with the boards and cheering each other on. Cam loved coming down when one of us carried him – or when he was sat on the board. Just be prepared for a lot of sand to go everywhere!
Quad Biking – some optional fun
Cameron has a love of all things fast and noisy – he’s a baby petrol head! We arranged for Carl to take him on a quad bike across the sand dunes. Yes, they take small children just 3 years old. The quad biking can be added onto your day tour, and takes about an hour or so. They’ll kit you up in a helmet and goggles and then take you onto the sand dunes. Then you’ll bash around them doing high speed laps. They both had such a good time!
4×4 tour and lunch at a Berber village
The 4×4 tour takes you through the sand dunes and out to see the Berber villages. We went to one with a community bread oven and sat with some women as they baked. It was great as we had a chance to eat some fresh bread. You’ll also get a chance to listen to some Gnaou musicians. They have their roots in sub-Saharan countries, including Sudan, Mali, and Niger. You’ll sit with some of the locals and musicians to listen to traditional Gnaou music, which involves lot of chanting and clanking, and dancing. We finished with lunch at a locals house which was a flat bread style pizza.
Drive to Tinghir
In the afternoon you’ll need to start the drive back to Marrakech and a good place to stop is Tinghir. It’s in a valley between the High Atlas Mountains in the north and the Little Atlas Mountains in the south. Its a beautiful oasis town and makes the perfect place to stop and explore the Todra Gorge. You’ll arrive late in the day and probably want to head straight to your accommodation. We found a wonderful restaurant called Restaurant Cafe Central which served fantastic Moroccan cuisine at a budget friendly price. And if your kids have some energy left, then we highly recommend heading to the public gardens opposite the restaurant. They have these light up cars that young kids can drive themselves around the square in.
Top tip: If you’re looking for some evening entertainment, then we found that most of the major cities and towns have these kids areas that come alive late afternoon and run into the evening. These ares place that have electric cars, small carousels and plenty of other kids to play with.
Day 6: Tinghir, Dades Gorge to Ait-Ben-Haddou
Journey time: 3.5 hours | Locations: Tinghir, Dades Gorge & Ait-Ben-Haddou
Head into the Todra Gorge
The Todra Gorge is a series of spectacular limestone river canyons, some up to 400m hight. The last 600 metres of the Todgha gorge are the most spectacular. They are easily accessible from the main road into the gorge. If you’re into climbing then there are tours that you can join that will take you up a variety of pitches up the limestone walls.
Depending on the age of your kids and what sort of walking/hiking you like to do, there are lots of cools trails that you can follow. We went high up into the the gorge. Then we followed it back down into the Tinghir oasis which was about 11km and 3 hours long.
In the Tinghir oasis you’ll go through the palm grove. This was amazing as you’ll walk through an area full of palm trees, alongside a system of artificial irrigation which provides the water needed to grow food within the oasis. As well as having a chance to look at the beautiful old kasbah (city fortifications) that run alongside it.
Drive the Dades Gorge
Journey time: 1 hour
After lunch there is a fantastic drive into Dades Gorge. Dades Gorge is a zig zag of a road that takes you up into the mountains. At the top is a cool restaurant called Café-Restaurant Timzillite where you’ll get some great views of the surrounding area. Plus they have this cool swing that kids can enjoy whilst you have your drink or food.
Stop in Ouarzazate for the Gladiator film set
Journey time: 2 hours
We included this on our list, as it’s a stop on the way between Tinghir and Ait-Ben-Haddou. It is famous for the film sets that are built there. If you’ve watched Gladirtor then you’ll recognise some of the scenes as you take the tour around the studio. We went to Atlas Studio and Cam thought it was hysterical that that there were lots of “fake buildings” to look at. As he’s just three years old he just couldn’t understand it. We did have a rather funny moment when he ran off and went for a nature pee behind “a building” in the Gladiator set……..kids!
Sleep at Ait-Ben-Haddou
Journey time: 30 minutes
The best way to end the day is to head to Ait-Ben-Haddou near to Ouarzazate for the night. There isn’t a huge amount to do there, however, by staying the night it means that you are there ready for sunrise.
Day 7: Ait-Ben-Haddou to Marrakech
Journey time: 3 hours | Locations: Ait-Ben-Haddou & Marrakech
Visit to the Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
Carl is a massive Gladiator fan – I think he’s watched the movie over 200 times! So when we’d heard about Ait Ben-Haddou we had to make a stop there on the way to Marrakech. The thing that really surprised us was that it was really kid friendly.
A ksar of is a group of earthen buildings surrounded by high walls that creates a traditional pre-Saharan habitat. Ait-Ben-Haddou, is a really well-preserved example of one which is why it is a UNSECO World Heritage Site. The best time of day to see it, is either at sunrise or sunset. We were there for sunrise watching from our hotel terrace, and it did not disappoint – it was incredible! Afterwards, we ate breakfast before going off to explore the ksar for ourselves.
You might want to pick up a local guide when you arrive, we’ve heard that they’re about US$10. We didn’t have a tour guide as we just wanted to explore at our own pace. You can cross the bridge and just head into the ksar on our own and the best thing to do is to head up to the old ruined grain store. It’s at the top and has the best view of the surrounding area.
Top tip: The ksar is free to enter as it’s a public village. However, within the village, there are some individual buildings that you can pay a small entrance fee to go inside. They usually cost around 20dh.
Drive to Marrakech
This drive is incredible! You’ll be on a route called Tizi n’Tichka which is a mountain pass linking the south-east of Marrakesh to Ait-Ben-Haddou. It takes you through the High Atlas mountains. We absolutely loved this part of the road trip, there was so much for us to see and talk about with Cameron. Drives like this are the reason that we enjoy road trips as a whole family.
Once you arrive, you’ll find that Marrakech is a whirlwind of flavours, colours, sounds and smells! It can be chaotic and noisy and possibly quite intense for some kids (and even adults too) who are first-time visitors. So if you’ve not been before, be prepared for the intense change of pace from the calm of the last few days.
Before you arrive you’ll want to decide between staying in the medina itself, or outside the medina. We opted for a family run riad outside of the medina with a swimming pool. We’d arranged for our host, a local family, to give us a cookery lesson. This was a great way for us to learn more about Moroccan cuisine and have fun eating dinner together.
Top tip: If you want to learn more about Moroccan cuisine and your kids like cooking, then you should definitely book in for a cooking class. Most riad owners will happy to host you for a cooking class if you ask them.
Day 8: Marrakech – An essential to any Morocco itinerary with kids
Marrakech Walking Tour
We love to arrive into a new city and take a walking tour. There are so many fun things to do in Marrakech with kids. It’s a great way to familiarise ourselves with the area before we go off and explore on our own. We tend to tag-team looking after the kids so that we get to enjoy some of the tour each. Whilst the other one plays with the kids a bit to keep them entertained. Our tour started off at Koutoubia Mosque and included the Jewish Quarter, souks, the palaces and gates of the old Medina. It ended at Djemaa el Fna.
After the tour there are lots of great restaurants, cafe and food stalls on the edge of Djemaa el Fna for lunch. Some even have a great panoramic view of the square itself.
Visit either the Saadian Tombs or Bahia Palace
We did the Saadian Tombs after our lunch when we visited. However, another good option would be to go to the Bahia Palace instead. They’ve both got some great shade for young kids enjoy and space to explore and run around,
The Saadian Tombs are majestic tombs are above ground, and you can spend a relaxing hour wandering and exploring them. These incredible tombs were originally built during the 1600s by Sultan al-Mansour ed Dhabi. The main centrepieces to enjoy is a 12-pillar mausoleum after the Sultans death was walled up. It rediscovered in 1917, and since then these incredible tiled structures have been opened up for people, like us, to enjoy. Cam enjoyed looking inside them, whilst it also gave us a respite from the heat.
Playground
Nearby to the Saadian Tombs and the Bahia Palace is a large playgound in the Menara Gardens that was super busy with locals kids around 4/5pm. Cameron made friends with some young children who were a similar age and they spent half an hour playing football together. There are vendors selling popcorn, ice creams, drinks and some toys, and it has a lovely community atmosphere.
Djemaa el Fna with kids
The main square of Marrakesh is called Djemaa El Fna is where you’ll find the best street theatre and story telling Marrakech has to offer. It’s where visitors and locals gather to share stories and be entertained. The biggest draw for us as a whole family was the excitement of watching the people in the crowds, joining in on the street games, trying to local street food and meeting other young kids. It kicks off late afternoon/early evening around sunset every day when the food stalls are built and the storytellers and performers arrive. It’s definitely one of the best things to do in Marrakech with little kids. We loved it!
Eating in Djemaa El Fna
There are lots of different street food vendors to try in the Djemaa El Fna. You can order dishes such as tangia, brochettes (little kebabs) and even snails too. Eating street food at these stalls is totally an experience in itself and not to be missed. It was one of the best dining experiences that we had in Morocco because there’s a really cool atmosphere of locals and tourists eating and chatting together. We tried various dishes from the menu each time we went.
One evening we headed up for a panoramic view over Djemaa El Fna by going to a restaurant on the edge of the square with a terrace. You don’t have to have a full blown meal there, we just went for a drink. It’ll give you a great perspective to enjoy the square from, and seats if your kids are tired and need a rest.
Day 9: Essaouira
Journey time: 2.5 hours | Locations: Marrakech & Essaouira
There is no better last stop on your trip to Morocco with kids than to head to the stunning port town of Essaouira. There are so many great things to do there. It’s located on the Atlantic Ocean and is another UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its old medina and fishing dock. It’s a fantastic place to explore with kids of all ages. We took a walking tour so that we could learn more about the rich history of the town. They took us from the town, past the fishing boats that were unloading their hauls ready to sell to the local restaurants all the way back through the medina into the Jewish quarter. You can really get to feel the vibe of the city from a walking tour!
Food wise, there are some incredible local restaurants by the edge of the dock where you can have fresh fish that’s been caught that morning. As well as lots of other restaurants dotted throughout the medina serving both Moroccan and international cuisine.
Just outside the town is the main beach. It can get extremely windy in Essaouira, so much so that it’s not always practical to just lie on the beach. In fact, it’s famous for being a great kitesurfing location! We headed to the beach and took our kite to fly, as it was too windy for playing in the sand or swimming.
In the late afternoon and early evening you’ll find families promenading along the beach front. There are lots of food stalls selling snacks such as corn on the cob, pop corn as well as locals on the beach working out and doing some amazing acrobatics. We saw the same local acrobats later in the evening performing in the main square.
Top tip: If you’re looking for a relaxation beach, then we’d recommend Sidi Kaouki. You can also have surf lessons there – Cameron had a go, but at three years old found it a bit too much hard work.
In the evening the main square has some performers and local young children come out to enjoy themselves playing small games of football. Cam really enjoyed joining in with their football. There’s also a delicious crêperie on the edge of the edge of the square if you’ve got a sweet tooth like we do!
Day 10: Essaouira back to Marrakesh
Journey time: 2.5 hours | Locations: Marrakech & Essaouira
As this is the last day of your road trip through Morocco with kids and you might be flying back home, you’ll probably want to be flexible on your last day as to how much or how little you do. Depending on your return flight home you might choose to spend the morning relaxing in Essaouira before heading back to Marrakech. Or, you might want to head straight back to Marrakech if you’re short of time and see some other sites there instead.
Top tip: If you don’t fancy travelling to Essaouira then you could spend an extra day in Marrakech. Or, if you’d like something a little bit different you could head to the Agafay Desert and go hot air ballooning or quad biking.
FAQ’s On Visiting Morocco With Kids
Yes, it’s very safe for families. Like any other city that you visit, you’ll want to keep your valuables safe, stick to the tourist areas and be aware of petty crime such as pickpocketing. However, just to be safe, we’d always recommending checking with your local foreign office before booking any international travel.
The tap water in most main cities in Morocco is chlorinated and safe to drink, however, we wouldn’t advise drinking tap water. It’s much safer for yourself and your children if you either buy bottled water or use a water bottle with an inbuilt water filter.
Our itinerary is best done either by renting a car in Morocco, or hiring a private taxi. If you rent a car, then you the hire car company will usually rent a car seat to you as well if you have small children that need one. Renting a car in Morocco is super easy, and the roads themselves are pretty well maintained and easy to navigate. Google maps did a great job of getting us from place to place!
Generally, between March and May, or between September and November is the better time to visit Morocco with kids. In those months the weather is most likely to be milder (the summer months can get very hot) which makes it more comfortable to explore.
Yes, from my experience of breastfeeding in Morocco, you most definitely can. You’ll want to make sure that you have a muslin to hand to cover yourself as you feed, as a respect to their local Moroccan culture, in case baby pulls off and leaves you exposed. On many occasions I had local ladies giving my thumbs up and pointing at my feeding in a gesture of kindness to say what I was doing was good. I never once felt uncomfortable.
Yes, you can easily get a good taste of Morocco in 10 days. However, as always, it’s much easier and more relaxing if you spend long in a country. If you do want to extend your visit then you can still do our 10 day itinerary, and just spend extra days in each stop.
Morocco has two official language which are Arabic and Amazigh. Amazigh is the official name of Moroccan Berber and is spoken by 26% of the population. However, most Moroccans will also speak some French and English too.
Yes, there’s some great public transport in Morocco, and it’s very budget-friendly. However, if you’re travelling Morocco with kids it’s a lot easier to rent a car or private taxi because you can travel at your own pace.
Final Thoughts On Morocco With Kids
We loved our family trip to Morocco with our kids. There are so many fun things that you can do together. Whether visiting a historical site, learning to surf or riding camels in the Sahara desert. Our 10 day itinerary includes some of the best things to do in Morocco.
If you’re wanting to stay longer then you can add on a trip to Agadir for more surfing and relaxation. Or some extra days onto each stop, and add a day or two in Tangier at the start of your trip. As you can probably tell, Morocco has been on of our favourite countries to visit as a family.
