Nine days feels like the sweet spot for a first timer right?

[jannymanny]

After reading about fifty million blog posts I've settled on nine days for my first Morocco trip and I'm trying to convince my friends that this is actually the perfect amount of time to see a decent chunk without burning out. Everyone keeps saying two weeks minimum but I just can't take that much time off work right now. I found this really thoughtful 9 day Morocco travel itinerary that starts in Marrakech, heads over the mountains to the desert for a couple nights in a camp, and then winds up in Fes before flying out from there which seems to hit all the highlights without that frantic "must see everything" energy. My only hesitation is whether spending two nights in the desert is too much if you're not the type to just sit and stare at sand for hours but I keep hearing that the stars and the silence are something else entirely. Also trying to figure out if we should book a private driver for the desert leg or join a group tour to save money and maybe meet some other travelers. Anyone done a similar loop in about nine days and have thoughts on pacing or must-see stops along the way?