13 Days Morocco Tour from Tangier

Day 1: Welcome to Tangier, Morocco

Your 13 days Morocco tour from Tangier begins the moment you land in this coastal city, long known as the Gateway to Africa. Set where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea, Tangier carries a distinct blend of Moroccan tradition and European influence that you won’t find anywhere else in the country. Spend your first afternoon wandering the old Medina, walking the seafront Corniche, and visiting Cape Spartel and the Cave of Hercules, where the two seas visibly converge. In the evening, settle in with a Moroccan dinner and rest up before the journey south begins.

Day 2: Tangier – Rabat – Casablanca [356 km]

After breakfast, you’ll trace the Atlantic coastline south to Rabat, Morocco’s capital. The Hassan Tower is the first stop an unfinished 12th-century minaret that has stood as a symbol of the city for eight centuries. From there, step into the Kasbah of the Udayas, a fortress above the Bou Regreg River, and wander its blue-and-white lanes before pausing in the Andalusian Gardens.

By afternoon you’ll arrive in Casablanca, the country’s commercial center. The Hassan II Mosque is the highlight here one of the largest mosques in the world, built on the water’s edge with a minaret over 200 meters tall and mosaic work that took thousands of artisans years to complete. Close the day with a walk along La Corniche, Casablanca waterfront strip of cafés and restaurants, before checking into your hotel.

Day 3: Casablanca to Essaouira [378 km]

This morning’s drive brings you to Essaouira, a fortified port town on the Atlantic that feels worlds away from Casablanca pace. The ramparts of Skala de la Ville are the place to start, giving sweeping views over the harbor and the blue fishing boats below. Spend the afternoon threading through the working port and the medina’s narrow streets, then wind down with one of the coast’s best sunsets over the water.

Day 4: Essaouira to Marrakech [178 km]

Take the morning slow in Essaouira before heading inland to Marrakech. The drive cuts through Argan forests, where it’s not unusual to spot goats climbing the trees to reach the fruit one of the more surprising sights on this route. Arriving in Marrakech puts you right in the middle of Jemaa el-Fnaa Square, where snake charmers, food stalls, and storytellers turn the square into Morocco’s most famous open-air theater by evening. It’s one of the clearest contrasts on this 13 days Morocco tour from Tangier quiet coastal towns giving way to Marrakech energy.

Day 5: Guided Tour of Marrakech

A local guide leads you through Marrakech landmarks today, starting with the Bahia Palace, a 19th-century residence built around courtyards, carved cedar ceilings, and gardens designed for shade and quiet. Next is the Saadian Tombs, sealed for centuries and rediscovered in 1917, followed by the Koutoubia Mosque, whose minaret set the design template for mosques across Morocco and Spain.

The afternoon is yours to explore the souks Marrakech’s maze of covered markets selling leather, spices, lanterns, and textiles, much of it still made by hand in workshops behind the stalls. If you’re planning to extend your trip, the Ourika Valley day trip from Marrakech is a popular add-on for travelers who want a half-day in the Atlas foothills.

Day 6: Marrakech – Ait Benhaddou – Ouarzazate – Dades Valley [324 km]

Leaving Marrakech, the route climbs into the High Atlas Mountains over the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, one of the highest paved roads in North Africa, with mountain villages and terraced valleys along the way. The first stop is Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO-listed fortified village of red-earth buildings that has appeared in dozens of film and television productions.

From there you’ll reach Ouarzazate, nicknamed the Hollywood of Morocco for its film studios, and visit the Taourirt Kasbah, once the residence of the Glaoui family who controlled much of southern Morocco. The day ends in the Dades Valley, known for its rock formations and river gorge scenery.

Day 7: Dades Valley – Todra Gorge – Merzouga Desert [267 km]

Today’s drive takes you deeper into southern Morocco, with a stop at Todra Gorge a canyon where limestone cliffs rise nearly 300 meters on either side of a narrow river passage. From there, the road continues toward Merzouga and the edge of the Sahara. As you approach the dunes, you’ll transfer to camel for the ride into your desert camp, timed to arrive as the sun sets over the sand. Dinner is a traditional Berber meal, followed by music around the fire under a sky with very little light pollution.

Day 8: Explore Merzouga Desert

Set an early alarm for sunrise over the dunes one of the most photographed moments on any 13 days Morocco itinerary. After breakfast, head to Khamlia, a village known for Gnawa music brought south by sub-Saharan communities generations ago. Lunch here is often a chance to try Berber pizza, a layered flatbread cooked in the sand rather than an oven.

The afternoon is open for desert activities: a 4×4 excursion into the dunes, sandboarding, or quad biking, depending on what you’d rather do with a free day in Merzouga.

Day 9: Merzouga Desert – Ziz Valley – Cedar Forests – Ifrane – Fes [462 km]

Leaving the desert, the road follows the Ziz Valley, a long ribbon of palm groves fed by the Ziz River that cuts through otherwise dry, rocky terrain. Further north, you’ll pass through Azrou and its cedar forests, home to Barbary macaques that often approach the roadside. The final stretch runs through Ifrane, a mountain town built in a European alpine style that’s earned it the nickname the Switzerland of Morocco. You’ll arrive in Fes by evening, ready for a full day exploring one of Morocco’s oldest imperial cities.

Day 10: Guided Tour of Fes

Fes el-Bali, the old walled city, is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world, and a guide is genuinely useful here the medina has over 9,000 narrow streets and alleys. The Al Quaraouiyine University, founded in 859 AD, is recognized as the oldest continuously operating university on record. Nearby, the Chouara Tannery still uses dyeing methods unchanged for centuries, with the leather pits visible from surrounding terraces. The rest of the day covers madrasas, spice markets, and metalwork souks that make Fes the country’s clearest window into pre-modern Moroccan life. If Fes leaves you wanting more time in the city, our Tours from Fes page has other itinerary options built around it.

Day 11: Fes – Volubilis – Chefchaouen [225 km]

The morning stop is Volubilis, a Roman city abandoned in the 11th century, with mosaic floors still intact after nearly 2,000 years. From there, the route climbs into the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen, the blue city, where entire streets, staircases, and doorways are painted in shades of blue that shift with the light through the day. Spend the evening wandering the medina at a relaxed pace.

Day 12: Free Day in Chefchaouen

Today is unscheduled walk the blue Medina, visit the small Kasbah Museum, browse the wool and leather shops the town is known for, or find a rooftop café for mint tea with views over the Rif. Chefchaouen rewards slow mornings more than any other stop on this route, so this day is built to let you set your own pace.

Day 13: Transfer to Tangier or Casablanca Airport

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to Tangier or Casablanca Airport for your departure flight, bringing this 13 days Morocco tour from Tangier to a close.

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