What to Do in Marrakech During the Marrakech International Film Festival
Screenings at FIFM fill your evenings, not your days — here's how to spend the rest of your time in Marrakech during the festival, from a half-day in the Agafay desert to the Atlas Mountains and Essaouira.
What to Do in Marrakech During the Marrakech International Film Festival
The Marrakech International Film Festival (FIFM) is one of the most prestigious cinematic events in Africa and the Arab world, and its 2026 edition runs November 20-28. Screenings, red-carpet events, and industry panels fill the evenings, but festival days themselves have real gaps — mornings and afternoons free before the schedule picks up again — which makes FIFM week a genuinely good excuse to see more of the region around Marrakech rather than just its cinemas. Below are the day-trip options that work best around a festival schedule, roughly ordered by how much of your day they take.
If you only have a few free hours between screenings, the Agafay desert is the practical choice — about 45 minutes from the city, close enough for a half-day out: a stony, rolling desert landscape with camel rides, quad biking, and luxury camps that do a sunset dinner under the stars, all without the two full days a trip to the actual Sahara dunes requires.
For a fuller day, the Ourika Valley, about an hour into the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, is known for its waterfalls, Berber markets, and riverside lunch spots — a slower, greener contrast to the city. A similar distance in the other direction, Essaouira on the Atlantic coast offers a completely different mood: a fortified, UNESCO-listed medina, fresh seafood at the port, and if the wind cooperates, windsurfing or kitesurfing. Roughly the same drive time takes you to Ouzoud, home to North Africa's tallest waterfalls (about 110 meters), where a short boat ride gets you to the base of the falls and wild Barbary macaques are a common sight along the trails.
A trip through the High Atlas Mountains to villages like Imlil, around 1.5 hours from Marrakech, is worth it if you want mountain scenery and a traditional Berber lunch without committing to a full trekking day. And if you have a full day to spare, the drive over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Aït Benhaddou, roughly 3.5 hours away, takes you to Morocco's best-known UNESCO-listed ksar and a film-industry connection genuinely worth knowing about at a film festival: this fortified village and the nearby Ouarzazate studios have stood in for dozens of international productions over the decades (Game of Thrones' Yunkai scenes among the more recognizable), which is part of why Ouarzazate carries the "Morocco's Hollywood" nickname.
And if you'd rather stay in the city between screenings, Marrakech itself rewards a slow wander: the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, the souks around Jemaa el-Fnaa, and the Majorelle Garden are all worth an afternoon each, and none require leaving the city limits.
Planning around the festival
November in Marrakech is mild — expect days around 20-25°C and cooler nights, so pack layers regardless of which day trips you choose. Because FIFM draws a real crowd, accommodation and popular day-trip slots book up faster than a typical November week, so it's worth arranging both well ahead of the festival dates rather than after you land.
Plan your day trips with us
We're MerzougaWay, a private desert-tour operator based in the south — we can help arrange the Agafay-desert day trip or a longer excursion toward Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate around your festival schedule, privately and on your own timing rather than a fixed group departure.
📱 WhatsApp: +212 675-203319 📧 Email: [email protected]
MerzougaWay Team
We are a passionate team of local guides dedicated to sharing the beauty and culture of our home, Morocco. Our journey began with a simple desire to offer authentic, memorable experiences that go beyond the typical tourist trails.
