Riads, kasbahs and hotels
Traditional houses with private room and bathroom, in the medinas or overlooking the valley.
- Private room
- Dinner and breakfast
12 Days Morocco Tour from Tangier to Marrakech
12 days from Tangier to Marrakech
Twelve days, two seas and one desert: Morocco at its most complete, finishing by the Atlantic.
From €750 per person Book now
Highlights
- Chefchaouen
- Volubilis
- Fez
- Camel trekking
- Night in Erg Chebbi
- Todra and Dades
- Ait Benhaddou
- Marrakech
- Essaouira
- Sidi Kaouki beach
Trip overview
This is the itinerary for those who want to see it all. To the great crossing from Tangier to Marrakech — Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Fez, Merzouga, the Todra, the Dades, Ouarzazate — it adds two days on the coast: Essaouira, the white-and-blue city of the trade winds, and the wild beach of Sidi Kaouki.
After so many miles of mountain and desert, ending with your feet in the Atlantic sand is the best possible finale. The last night is in Marrakech, a short hop from the airport.
Ideal for: travellers with two weeks to spare looking for the whole of Morocco: cities, desert, mountains and sea.
- Duration
- 12 days / 11 nights
- Home
- Tangier
- End
- Marrakech
- Type
- Private
- Departures
- Every day
- Language
- English / Spanish
Day-by-day itinerary
-
Day1
Tangier → Chefchaouen
Welcome in Tangier. If time allows, we take a turn around Cape Spartel or nearby Asilah before climbing into the Rif. Overnight in Chefchaouen.
- Cape Spartel or Asilah (optional)
- Rif
- Chefchaouen
-
Day2
Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Meknes → Fez
We make the most of the early hours in Chefchaouen, when the light slants into the alleyways and the blue is at its most intense. Then we head down to Volubilis to walk among its Roman mosaics, pass through Meknes by the Bab Mansour gate and reach Fez in the late afternoon.
- Chefchaouen in the morning
- Mosaics and arch of Volubilis
- Bab Mansour, Meknes
- Arrival in Fez
-
Day3
Fez city tour
The Fez medina is a world apart: more than nine thousand lanes where leather, copper and silk are still worked as they were centuries ago. We walk it from gate to gate, stopping at the Chouara tannery, the Karaouine and Seffarine Square.
- Chouara tannery
- Karaouine Mosque (exterior)
- Bab Boujloud
- Seffarine Square
-
Day4
Fez → Ifrane → Azrou → Ziz Valley → Merzouga
We leave Fez for the Middle Atlas. Ifrane and its pitched roofs, the Azrou cedars and their macaques, and the plateaus of Midelt follow one another before the Ziz Valley announces the desert. We dine in Merzouga with the dunes right in front of us.
- Ifrane
- Azrou macaques
- Lunch in Midelt
- Ziz palm grove
-
Day5
Merzouga → Khamlia → Erg Chebbi
In the morning we visit a nomad family and the village of Khamlia, where Gnawa music sounds like an echo of sub-Saharan Africa. As evening falls we mount our camels and ride into Erg Chebbi to spend the night at the camp.
- Tea with a nomad family
- Gnawa music in Khamlia
- Sunset camel trek
- Dinner and campfire at the camp
-
Day6
Erg Chebbi dunes → Todra Gorges → Dades Valley
We get up before dawn to watch the sun light up the dunes. After a shower and breakfast we take the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs: a walk along the floor of the Todra Gorges, the viewpoint over the Tinghir palm grove and arrival in the Dades Valley.
- Sunrise in the dunes
- Todra Gorges
- Tinghir palm grove
- Dades Valley
-
Day7
Dades Valley → Ouarzazate
A short and very photogenic stage. We drive up the Dades Gorges, cross the Valley of Roses at Kelaat M’Gouna and pause at the Skoura oasis before entering Ouarzazate, with the afternoon free.
- Dades Gorges
- Valley of Roses
- Skoura oasis
- Afternoon in Ouarzazate
-
Day8
Ouarzazate → Ait Benhaddou → Marrakech
We begin at the Taourirt Kasbah, former residence of the Glaoui pasha, and continue to Ait Benhaddou, the mud-brick ksar the caravans once passed on their way to Marrakech. The Tizi n’Tichka lifts us to 2,260 metres before we descend to the Red City.
- Taourirt Kasbah
- Ksar of Ait Benhaddou
- Tizi n’Tichka
- Arrival in Marrakech
-
Day9
Marrakech with a local guide
A local guide shows you the Marrakech medina: the Koutoubia, the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs and the maze of the souks. The afternoon is free for shopping, a hammam or simply watching the world go by from a terrace on Jemaa el-Fna.
- Koutoubia
- Bahia Palace and Saadian Tombs
- Souks of the medina
- Jemaa el-Fna at nightfall
-
Day10
Marrakech → Essaouira
At 8 am we set off for the coast via Chichaoua. We pass through the only region in the world where the argan tree grows, stopping at a cooperative. In Essaouira, the old Mogador, we stroll along the ramparts, the harbour and the medina.
- Argan cooperative
- Skala ramparts
- Essaouira harbour
- Medina
-
Day11
Essaouira → Sidi Kaouki → Marrakech
After breakfast we drive to Sidi Kaouki beach, 30 km to the south: a quiet village popular with surfers. Time for a walk along the shore before returning to Marrakech.
- Sidi Kaouki beach
- Atlantic coast
- Return to Marrakech
-
Day12
Marrakech → Airport
Transfer to Marrakech airport. End of the trip — until next time.
- Airport transfer
Timings and the order of visits may be adjusted according to the season, road conditions and your preferences.
What’s included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle
- English- or Spanish-speaking driver-guide
- Fuel
- Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation
- Accommodation every night
- Dinners and breakfasts
- One camel per person in the desert
- Night in a camp with private tent
- Turban and sandboarding in the dunes
- Photo stops whenever you like
What’s not included
- Lunches
- Drinks
- Flights
- Travel insurance
- Entrance fees to monuments
- Tips
Accommodation
We choose small places with character, where a home-cooked dinner is part of the experience. In the desert you can choose between two types of camp.
Standard camp
Private tent with beds, blankets and shared bathrooms. The simplest and most authentic option.
- Private tent
- Dinner and breakfast
- Campfire and drums
Luxury camp
Spacious tents with a large bed, private bathroom and shower, electricity and dinner served at the table.
- Private bathroom
- Dinner and breakfast
- Campfire and drums
A tip from our team
If you love the sea, we can change the order and spend two nights in Essaouira instead of returning to Marrakech on day 11.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a private tour or a group tour?
It is completely private: the vehicle, the driver and the itinerary are just for you and your companions. You will not share the trip with strangers, so we can stop wherever you like and adapt the timings.
Can I change the itinerary of “12 days from Tangier to Marrakech”?
Yes. What you see is our standard proposal. We can add a night, change the start or end point, include a guided visit or adjust the stages to your flights. Tell us what you need and we will send you a tailor-made version.
What is the difference between the standard and the luxury camp?
In both you have a private tent, dinner, breakfast and an evening of drums by the campfire. The luxury camp adds a private bathroom with shower inside the tent and more refined décor; in the standard camp bathrooms are shared and you shower in the morning at the hotel in the village.
How long is the camel trek?
About an hour and a half each way, at a gentle pace and accompanied by a camel handler. We set off a couple of hours before sunset to arrive in good light. If anyone cannot or would rather not ride, let us know and we will find an alternative.
How do I book and how do I pay?
Send us the form or write to us and we will confirm availability and the final price within 24 hours. We accept online payment (Visa, MasterCard and PayPal), as well as cash or card in person.
When is the best time of year for this tour?
You can travel all year round. Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) have the mildest temperatures. In winter the days are sunny but desert nights are cold, and in summer it is best to start early and make the most of the vehicle’s air conditioning.
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