Two bookings before you arrive: Majorelle for 8:00 on day 1 (sells out), and your day 3 trip (shared minibuses fill up on weekends in high season). Everything else can wait until you are there.
Days 1 and 2: the city
Follow the 2-day itinerary exactly: Majorelle and the Kasbah palaces on day 1, the medersa, Jardin Secret and the souks on day 2. With a third day in hand you can slow it down: drop the Saadian Tombs to the morning of day 3 if your trip leaves late, or give the souks a whole afternoon instead of two hours.
- Day 1: Majorelle 8:00 → YSL Museum (optional) → lunch Place des Ferblantiers → El Badi → Saadian Tombs → Bahia → sunset terrace → dinner on Jemaa el-Fna.
- Day 2: souks at opening → Ben Youssef Medersa 9:00 → Maison de la Photographie → Jardin Secret → lunch Mouassine → souks properly → Koutoubia gardens → hammam → riad dinner.
Day 3: choose your trip
- Ouzoud Waterfalls. The spectacle: 110-metre falls, rainbows, monkeys, swimming in summer. 2.5–3 hours each way; 8:00 to 19:00. Shared €15–30, private €90–150 per car. Best March–June. Full guide.
- Ourika Valley or Imlil (High Atlas). The mountains, 1–1.5 hours away. Ourika: Berber villages, the Setti Fatma falls (a 45-minute scramble), lunch by the river; half or full day, €15–40. Imlil: the trailhead for Toubkal, a village walk with a mountain guide, serious scenery; full day, €25–60. Less driving than Ouzoud, back by 17:00.
- Essaouira. The coast: a walled medina, the fishing port, grilled sardines, wind. 2.5–3 hours each way; shared €20–30. Best in summer when Marrakech is hot. Honestly better as an overnight.
- Agafay + a free morning. Sleep in, do the Saadian Tombs or the Dar Si Said museum, lunch by the pool, then the 15:00 pickup for the desert: quad or camel, sunset, dinner under the stars, back at 22:00. €20–70. The lazy option, and a good one. Full guide.
Day trips compared
| Trip | Driving | Price (shared) | Best for | Skip if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ouzoud | 5–6 h round trip | €15–30 | Waterfalls, photos, swimming (summer) | You hate minibuses |
| Ourika / Setti Fatma | 2–3 h | €15–40 | Mountains with less driving, families | You want big scenery (go to Imlil) |
| Imlil / Toubkal foothills | 3 h | €25–60 | Hiking, real High Atlas | Snow season without proper shoes |
| Essaouira | 5–6 h | €20–30 | Sea, seafood, cooler air | You only have the one day; stay overnight instead |
| Agafay (evening) | 1.5 h | €20–70 | Desert feeling, sunset, dinner | You expected dunes |
The three evenings
- Evening 1: Jemaa el-Fna. The square, the stalls, the storytellers. Non-negotiable on a first visit.
- Evening 2: hammam and a riad dinner, or a rooftop in the Medina (Nomad, Le Salama, Kabana near the Koutoubia for a drink with the view).
- Evening 3: depends on the day trip. After Ouzoud or Essaouira you are back at 19:00 and tired: dinner near your riad. After Ourika you have time for Gueliz: bars and restaurants on Rue de la Liberté and around the Carré Eden, the modern side of the city most visitors never see.
Budget per person, 3 days
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Monument entries (days 1–2) | ~420–570 MAD |
| Day trip, shared | €15–40 + lunch 100–150 MAD |
| Taxis, 3 days | 200–350 MAD |
| Food, 3 days | 450–1,200 MAD |
| Hammam | 300–600 MAD |
| Total excluding hotel | ~€200–330 |
See also: the best time to visit Marrakech, month by month.
3 days in Marrakech: frequently asked questions
Which day trip is best from Marrakech?
Can I do the Sahara in 3 days from Marrakech?
Not sensibly. Merzouga is 9–10 hours each way; the shortest Sahara tours are 3 days and 2 nights and spend most of it on the road. With three days in Marrakech, do Agafay for the desert feeling and save the real Sahara for a longer trip via Fes or Ouarzazate.
What order should I do the three days in?
City first (days 1–2), day trip last. Day trips leave at 7:30–8:00 and you come back tired, so putting it last means you are not wrecked for the Medina. If you are flying out late on day 3, pick a trip that returns by 17:00 (Ourika or Agafay lunch) rather than Ouzoud.
How much do 3 days in Marrakech cost?
Entry fees about 420 MAD, plus a day trip (€15–30 shared, €90–150 private) or Agafay evening (€20–70). With taxis, food and a hammam, budget €100–150 per person per day excluding the hotel, less if you eat at the stalls and take shared tours.
Is Essaouira worth it as a day trip?
It is 2.5–3 hours each way, which leaves 4–5 hours in town: the port, the ramparts, lunch at the fish grills, the medina. Lovely, but tight. If you can, stay a night there instead. As a day trip it is best done with a shared minibus (€20–30) rather than the Supratours bus, which gives you less time.
