Tangier to Marrakech: An 8 to 10 Day Itinerary Through Morocco

Tangier is where many travellers first set foot in Morocco, off the ferry from Tarifa or Algeciras or on a flight into Ibn Battouta airport. Marrakech is where most of them fly home. The good news is that the road between the two crosses almost everything Morocco is known for: the blue town of Chefchaouen, the imperial cities, the Sahara dunes and the kasbahs of the south. Here is the route we drive, with honest distances and driving times.

The route at a glance

Tangier → Chefchaouen → Volubilis and Meknes → Fes → Middle Atlas → Merzouga (Sahara) → Todra Gorge → Dades Valley → Ait Benhaddou → Marrakech. In total it is roughly 1,700 km, which is why we recommend at least 8 days.

Day by day (8 days)

1. Tangier to Chefchaouen (about 115 km, 2 hours). An easy first day through the green Rif foothills. Afternoon in the blue lanes and sunset from the Spanish Mosque.
2. Chefchaouen to Fes via Volubilis and Meknes (about 240 km, 4 hours of driving). The Roman mosaics of Volubilis, then the Bab Mansour gate in Meknes.
3. Fes. A full day in Fes el-Bali with a local guide: madrasas, the Chouara tanneries and the craft quarters.
4. Fes to Merzouga (about 470 km, 8 to 9 hours). The longest day: Ifrane, the cedar forest near Azrou, Midelt and the Ziz Valley. Camel ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes and a night at a desert camp.
5. Merzouga to the Dades Valley (about 300 km, 5 to 6 hours). Sunrise over the dunes, then the Todra Gorge.
6. Dades Valley to Ait Benhaddou (about 150 km, 3 hours). The Valley of Roses, Skoura and Ouarzazate; sunset at the kasbah village.
7. Ait Benhaddou to Marrakech (about 190 km, 4 hours). Over the Tizi n’Tichka pass; evening at Jemaa el-Fna.
8. Marrakech. Guided morning in the medina, then on to the airport or your next stop.

This is exactly our 8-Day Tour from Tangier to Marrakech via the Sahara.

If you have 10 days

Two extra days make a big difference. We add Tangier itself (the kasbah, the old medina and Cap Spartel), the Atlantic town of Asilah on the way south, a free day in Chefchaouen, and a 4×4 day around Merzouga so you are not rushing out of the desert. See the 10-Day Grand Tour from Tangier.

If you only have 4 days

Skip the desert and keep it northern: Tangier, Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Meknes and Fes, finishing in Fes where you can take the train onwards. That is our 4-Day Northern Morocco Tour. If you are only passing through on a ferry or cruise, the Tangier and Asilah Day Tour fits into one day.

Practical tips

• Ferries: the fast ferry from Tarifa lands at Tangier Ville port, right by the medina; ferries from Algeciras arrive at Tanger Med, about an hour east. Tell us which one and we will meet you there.
• Best season: spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). Summer is very hot in the south; winter nights in the desert and the Atlas are cold.
• The long day: Fes to Merzouga is the only really long drive. We stop often, and it crosses some of the most varied scenery of the trip.
• Going the other way: the same route works from Marrakech to Tangier. Just ask.

All our tours are private, with your own driver-guide and vehicle, and every route can be changed to suit you. Send us your dates on WhatsApp.

Written by Hda Abdou, founder of Morocco Cultours.