14-Day Tangier to Marrakech Tour: Chefchaouen, Sahara & Essaouira
Our longest Tangier itinerary — the same north-to-Sahara route with room for the Akchour waterfalls, a choice between Ouzoud Waterfalls or Imlil, and two full days on the coast at Essaouira.
Overview
Our longest Tangier itinerary — the same north-to-Sahara route with room for the Akchour waterfalls, a choice between Ouzoud Waterfalls or Imlil, and two full days on the coast at Essaouira.
This is a 14 Days / 13 Nights private tour for your group only, starting with pickup from your accommodation in Tangier and finishing in Marrakech. You travel in a private vehicle with driver-guide, so the pace, stops and photo breaks are set around you.
Gallery
Highlights
- ✓Chefchaouen's medina and a hike to the Akchour waterfalls
- ✓Roman ruins at Volubilis and a guided day in the Fes medina
- ✓A full day around Merzouga, including a nomadic family visit
- ✓Choose Ouzoud Waterfalls or a day trekking in the Imlil valley
- ✓Two days at the coast in Essaouira before flying out
Day-by-day itinerary
Arrive Tangier
Arrival and hotel check-in. Tangier sits where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic, and there's no set plan for the rest of the day — just time to settle in.
Tangier to Chefchaouen
Sightseeing in Tangier's medina and seafront, a stop in Tetouan — a smaller, less-visited medina town in its own right — and on to Chefchaouen for the night.
Chefchaouen
A full day in the blue-washed medina, whose distinctive look developed over the 20th century and has made it one of the most photographed towns in the country. For anyone wanting to get outdoors, an optional hike to the Akchour waterfalls in the surrounding Rif mountains takes a few hours round trip through a river valley and a natural rock bridge known as "God's Bridge."
Chefchaouen to Fes
We visit Volubilis, the best-preserved Roman ruins in Morocco, and Meknes, an imperial city known for its monumental Bab Mansour gate, on the way to Fes.
Fes medina
A guided tour of the Fes el-Bali medina with a local guide — genuinely necessary here, since it's one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world and easy to get lost in without one. Expect stops at historic madrasas, the leather tanneries, and the old Jewish Quarter.
Fes to Merzouga
We cross the Middle Atlas through Ifrane and its cedar forest, home to Barbary macaques, toward the edge of the Sahara. Camels take the final stretch into the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset, followed by dinner and an overnight stay in camp.
A day around Merzouga
A 4x4 explores more of the dunes and desert landscape than a camel trek alone would cover, plus a visit with a nomadic family — a genuine, low-key stop over tea. The second night is at a riad in Merzouga, or back at camp if you prefer.
Merzouga to Dades Valley
Sunrise from a dune above camp, then a drive through Todra Gorge, where canyon walls climb roughly 300 meters above the valley floor, on to the Dades Valley for the night.
Dades Valley to Marrakech
We follow the "Road of a Thousand Kasbahs" and stop at Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO-listed ksar used in numerous film productions, before crossing the High Atlas at the Tizi n'Tichka pass into Marrakech.
Marrakech sightseeing
A guided day around the Koutoubia, Marrakech's largest mosque; the Bahia Palace, known for its carved cedar ceilings; and Jemaa el-Fna, the main square that turns into food stalls and street performances after dark.
Ouzoud or Imlil
A choice of two very different days: the Ouzoud Waterfalls, a roughly 110-meter cascade with a viewing trail and resident Barbary macaques, or a day of trekking around Imlil, the trailhead village for Mount Toubkal in the High Atlas. Tell us your preference and we'll confirm with your driver-guide.
Marrakech to Essaouira
We drive to the Atlantic coast at Essaouira, passing through argan forests along the way — the only place in the world the argan tree grows wild.
Essaouira
A free day to explore Essaouira's UNESCO-listed medina, its sea-facing ramparts (the Skala), and its working fishing port, before transferring on toward Marrakech or Casablanca depending on your departure city.
Departure
Breakfast and an airport transfer to close out the trip.
Want to change the pace or add a night?
Every tour is private and can be adjusted. Send us your dates and group size.
✓ Included
- ✓Pick-up in Tangier and drop-off in Marrakech
- ✓Private trip — your group only
- ✓Private transportation in an air-conditioned, comfortable vehicle
- ✓Fuel and all vehicle expenses
- ✓Private English-speaking, well-experienced driver-guide for the whole trip
- ✓13 nights accommodation (hotels, riads, and desert camp)
- ✓1 night desert camp near Merzouga, including camel trek, and 1 night riad in Merzouga (or a second camp night)
- ✓Breakfast every morning at your hotel, riad or desert camp
- ✓5 dinners — 2 in Merzouga, 1 in the Dades Valley and 2 in Essaouira
- ✓Guided walks in Fes and Marrakech
- ✓Sandboarding at the desert camp (optional)
- ✓Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel or riad every day
✕ Not included
- ✕Lunches, and dinners in Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fes and Marrakech
- ✕Drinks and bottled water
- ✕Entrance fees to monuments and sites
- ✕Tips and personal expenses
- ✕Travel insurance
Route map
Frequently asked questions
Do we choose Ouzoud or Imlil in advance, or decide during the trip?
Either works — tell us your preference when booking, or decide once you're in Marrakech and we'll confirm it with your driver-guide.
Where does the tour actually end?
You're transferred from Essaouira toward Marrakech or Casablanca for departure — tell us which airport you're flying out of and we'll route the final transfer accordingly.
Is this a private tour?
Yes, fully private for all 14 days — our longest Tangier itinerary, but still your own vehicle, driver-guide, and pace throughout.
Is the Akchour waterfall hike included, or optional?
It's optional — day 3 in Chefchaouen leaves room for it, but you can spend the day in the medina instead if a several-hour round-trip hike isn't what you're after.
Why two nights in Merzouga instead of one?
It leaves a full free day around Merzouga (day 7) for the 4x4 dune exploring and nomadic family visit, rather than a single overnight and straight out.
Is Imlil trekking suitable for non-hikers?
Imlil itself and the lower valley trails are manageable for most fitness levels; the full Mount Toubkal ascent is a separate, multi-day undertaking not included here — if you're unsure, Ouzoud Waterfalls is the easier of the two day-11 options.
Is this trip suitable for older travelers or families?
Given its length, the main things to plan around are stamina for two weeks of travel and comfort with the optional activity days (Akchour, Ouzoud/Imlil) — none of which are compulsory, so the trip flexes to a slower pace if needed.
What should we pack for a route through the Rif, the desert, the Atlas, and the coast?
Layers throughout given the range this route covers, sturdy shoes for any hiking days, comfortable shoes for the medinas, and a scarf for the camel trek and mosque courtyards.
Are entrance fees and lunches included?
No — entrance fees to monuments and sites, lunches, and drinks are excluded throughout; breakfast and dinner are included daily.
Customize your journey with Through Morocco
Want to add a day, skip a stop, or travel at a different pace? This itinerary is a starting point — tell us what you have in mind and we'll adjust the route.
Have a question?
We're here to help you plan your Morocco trip. Send us a message and our team will reply with availability, pricing, or a personalized itinerary just for you.
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13-Day Morocco Tour from Tangier
The full Tangier loop with the coast built in — Chefchaouen, Fes, the Sahara, Marrakech, a day trip to Essaouira, and a run down to Casablanca and Rabat before circling back north.
- A day exploring Tangier itself — the Kasbah Museum, the medina, and the Caves of Hercules
- Chefchaouen's blue streets and the Roman ruins at Volubilis
- A guided walk through the Fes medina, including its madrasas and tanneries
- Camel trek and overnight camp in the Merzouga dunes, plus a Berber family visit
12-Day Morocco Tour from Tangier: Fes, Sahara & Coast
A full loop from Tangier through Chefchaouen, Fes, the Sahara, and the Atlantic coast, back to Tangier — for travelers who want to see the north, the desert, and the imperial cities in one trip.
- Explore the blue-washed lanes of Chefchaouen
- Guided walks in Fes and Meknes
- Camel trek and overnight camp in the Merzouga dunes
- Cross the High Atlas and visit Ait Ben Haddou
8-Day Tangier Morocco Tour: Chefchaouen, Fes & the Sahara
A tighter week-long loop out of Tangier than our longer tours — the north, the Sahara, and Marrakech, with an airport transfer built into the final day.
- Chefchaouen's blue-washed lanes in the Rif mountains
- Roman ruins at Volubilis and the imperial city of Meknes
- A guided day in the Fes medina, including its historic tanneries
- Camel trek and overnight camp in the Merzouga dunes
15-Day Morocco Itinerary from Casablanca
Our longest Casablanca itinerary — the same north-to-Sahara route as our 12-day tour, extended south through the saffron town of Taliouine and Taroudant to Agadir and Essaouira before looping back through Marrakech.
- Chefchaouen, Volubilis, and a full day in the Fes medina
- Camel trek and overnight camp in the Merzouga dunes
- The "Route of 1000 Kasbahs" through the Dades Valley to Ouarzazate
- Taliouine's saffron country and the walled town of Taroudant