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Can AI plan your holiday?

Seeing as AI is being touted as the end of the travel industry, I asked our resident Morocco guru Barbara what she thought about a ChatGPT itinerary. In the name of science.

Thea: “Barbara, I’m writing a newsletter about how AI can’t plan trips as well as we can, so here’s an interesting experiment: what do you think of this itinerary?  Can AI plan your holiday?

I asked for “1 week in Morocco including the desert” and then played with a few prompts.”

This is what ChatGPT came up with:

Day 1: Arrival in Marrakech

• Morning: Arrive in Marrakech, check into your riad (traditional Moroccan house with an interior garden).
• Afternoon: Visit the famous Jemaa el-Fnaa square. Explore the bustling souks (markets), and visit the Koutoubia Mosque.
• Evening: Enjoy a traditional Moroccan dinner at a local restaurant and experience the lively atmosphere of the square after dark.

Day 2: Explore Marrakech

• Morning: Visit the Bahia Palace and Saadian Tombs. Wander through the lush Majorelle Garden, home to the Yves Saint Laurent Museum.
• Afternoon: Explore the historic Medina, including the Ben Youssef Madrasa and the Marrakech Museum.
• Evening: Experience a Moroccan hammam (spa) and relax.

Day 3: Atlas Mountains Day Trip

• Morning: Depart early for a day trip to the Atlas Mountains. Visit the traditional Berber villages and enjoy a guided hike around the beautiful Ourika Valley or Imlil.
• Afternoon: Have lunch in a local Berber home or a mountain lodge.
• Evening: Return to Marrakech for a relaxed evening.

Day 4: Ait Benhaddou & Ouarzazate

• Morning: Depart Marrakech for Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site and famous ksar (fortified village).
• Afternoon: Continue to Ouarzazate, known as the “Gateway to the Sahara.” Visit the Taourirt Kasbah and Atlas Studios, where many famous films were shot.
• Evening: Overnight in Ouarzazate.

Day 5: Ouarzazate to Merzouga (Sahara Desert)

• Morning: Drive from Ouarzazate to Merzouga, with stops along the way at the Dades and Todra Gorges, both stunning natural landscapes.
• Afternoon: Arrive in Merzouga, the gateway to the Sahara Desert. Prepare for your camel trek into the desert.
• Evening: Camel trek at sunset into the Erg Chebbi dunes. Spend the night in a traditional Berber camp, enjoying dinner and music under the stars.

Day 6: Merzouga to Fez

• Morning: Wake up early to witness the sunrise over the dunes. Return to Merzouga by camel.
• Afternoon: Depart for Fez, passing through the Ziz Valley and the Middle Atlas Mountains. Stop in Ifrane, known as the “Switzerland of Morocco,” for a quick visit.
• Evening: Arrive in Fez and check into your riad.

Day 7: Explore Fez

• Morning: Explore the ancient city of Fez, starting with the Fes el Bali (Old Medina), a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the Al Quaraouiyine University, the Bou Inania Madrasa, and the Chouara Tannery.
• Afternoon: Continue exploring Fez, including the Royal Palace, Mellah (Jewish Quarter), and the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts.
• Evening: Enjoy your last night in Morocco with a traditional dinner in a local restaurant.

Day 8: Departure

• Morning: Depending on your flight time, you can enjoy some last-minute shopping or relaxation before heading to the airport for your departure.

Barbara:

Interesting!  This itinerary is sort of alright, but only if you want to say you’ve ‘been there, done that’ about Morocco and squeeze 2 weeks worth of travel into 1.

What this itinerary doesn’t highlight is how much time you are going to spend in the car.  There’s going to be a lot of driving in this proposed week.

Firstly, you need at least full 2 days to explore Marrakech and this itinerary doesn’t take into account the arrival time – if your flight gets in during the afternoon or evening of the first day, you’re going to miss so much!

I also wouldn’t choose Ouarzazate for an overnight – it makes the journey to the Sahara longer the following day, and it’s not one of the best places to stay overnight: better as a day visit.

Instead, I’d suggest going to Skoura to break up the trip to the Sahara. This way, you’re not exhausted by the time you get to the desert.

One of my big ‘no’s’ though here is that the drive to Fes takes around 9 hours, and there is not much time for any sightseeing on the way – what a waste of a day!  Plus, you’ll want that day for the city: one day in Fes is not enough in my opinion. Again, you need at least full two days to really get a sense of the city.

If I were planning this week, my suggestion would be to would skip Fes this time and concentrate on the circle route from Marrakech to a lesser-known part of the desert.

In a nutshell, and in answer to your question ‘can AI plan your holiday?’  My view is this trip is overloaded. There’s far too much driving and not enough time to actually explore and enjoy Morocco.

If you want to just tick off places you’ve been then it’s OK, but I’d prefer a more relaxing and more immersed approach: it’ll make for a much better trip.

If you want a really well thought-out week in Morocco with a trip to the desert, try our ‘Under the Sky in the Sahara Desert‘ itinerary or, if the sand isn’t your thing, then try our ‘Coast and Atlas Mountains‘ route.