Our 12 days tour from Tangier is the complete private loop of Morocco from the Strait of Gibraltar, at an unhurried pace: the Blue City of Chefchaouen, two nights in Fes, the Sahara at Merzouga, the gorges and kasbahs of the south, two nights in Marrakech, the ocean in Essaouira, Casablanca, Rabat and Asilah, and two final nights in Tangier.

The last two days are what make it different: a guided day in Tangier itself, from the Kasbah and Café Hafa to Cape Spartel and the Caves of Hercules, and a relaxed departure day for your flight or ferry. You travel privately, only with your own group, in an air-conditioned vehicle with the same driver-guide all the way.

Quick answers about the 12 days tour from Tangier

• What does the 12 days tour from Tangier cover? Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fes, Merzouga, the Todra and Dades gorges, Ait Ben Haddou, Marrakech, Essaouira, Casablanca, Rabat, Asilah, Cape Spartel and the Caves of Hercules.
• How is it different from the 10 day tour? It adds two nights in Tangier, with a full day in the city and Cape Spartel and a relaxed departure day.
• Are there guided visits? Yes. Licensed local guides show you Fes on day 3 and Marrakech on day 7, and your driver-guide shows you Tangier on day 11.
• How many nights in the desert? One, in a camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes; a second night can be added.
• What is the longest day? Day 4, Fes to Merzouga, about 470 km and 8 hours with stops.
• What is not included? Lunches, drinks, entrance fees and tips.

Highlights of the 12 days tour from Tangier

• A night in Chefchaouen, the Blue City founded in 1471.
• A full guided day in Fes el-Bali, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.
• A camel trek at sunset and a night in a camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes.
• The Todra Gorge, the Dades Valley and the Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou.
• Two nights in Marrakech with a guided tour of the medina.
• A night by the ocean in Essaouira.
• The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca and the Kasbah of the Udayas in Rabat.
• The white town of Asilah on the Atlantic.
• A day in Tangier: the Kasbah, Café Hafa, Cape Spartel and the Caves of Hercules.

Why choose a private 12 day Morocco tour from Tangier?

Twelve days is for travellers who want the whole country without rushing. You get every highlight of the ten-day loop, then two nights in Tangier, a city most tours only drive through, and a free morning before your flight or ferry so the trip does not end with a long drive.

Because it is private, you can also move the extra nights elsewhere: a second night in the dunes, a night in Ait Ben Haddou or a day in Tetouan. Read about private vs group tours in Morocco to compare the two formats.

Itinerary of the 12 days tour from Tangier

The plan below is our standard route for the 12 days tour from Tangier. We adjust the stops, the hotels and the camp to your wishes. Distances and driving times do not include stops.

Day 1: Tangier – Rif Mountains – Chefchaouen

Your driver-guide meets you at your hotel, at Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport or at the port of Tanger Ville or Tanger Med if you arrive on the ferry from Spain to Morocco. Before leaving, there is time for a short drive up to the Kasbah and the Café Hafa terrace, where the Strait of Gibraltar and the coast of Spain are often visible, only 14 km away.

The road then climbs into the green Rif Mountains, past villages of farmers and goat herders, to Chefchaouen. Founded in 1471 by Moulay Ali Ben Rachid, the Blue City grew with Andalusian Muslims and Jews who arrived from Spain. Spend the afternoon on foot in the blue lanes, around the Outa el Hammam square and the red-walled kasbah, and climb to the Spanish Mosque for the sunset over the town.

• Driving distance: about 115 km
• Driving time: about 2 hours 15 minutes
• Overnight: riad or hotel in Chefchaouen
• Meals: not included (free choice of restaurant)

Day 2: Chefchaouen – Fes

After breakfast and a last walk in Chefchaouen while the streets are still quiet, you leave the Rif and drive south through the olive groves around Ouezzane and the wheat fields of the Saïss plain.

You reach Fes in the early afternoon. The rest of the day is free to settle in your riad, or your driver-guide can take you to the Borj Nord and the Marinid tombs, where the whole medina of Fes el-Bali spreads below you at sunset. On request, we take the longer road through the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the imperial city of Meknes, which adds about 90 minutes.

• Driving distance: about 200 km
• Driving time: about 4 hours
• Overnight: riad or hotel in Fes
• Meals: breakfast

Day 3: Fes guided tour of the medina

Today a licensed local guide shows you Fes el-Bali, founded in the 9th century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. With more than 9,000 lanes, it is the largest car-free urban area in the world, so the visit is on foot and the guide is essential.

You see the Bab Bou Jeloud gate, the Bou Inania Madrasa, the Al Quaraouiyine mosque and university founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri, the Nejjarine fountain, and the Chouara tannery seen from a terrace above the dye pits. After lunch, visit Fes el-Jdid with the golden gates of the Royal Palace and the old Mellah.

• Driving distance: city day, on foot
• Driving time: —
• Overnight: riad or hotel in Fes
• Meals: breakfast

Day 4: Fes – Ifrane – Middle Atlas – Merzouga: camel trek and desert camp

Leave Fes after breakfast and climb into the Middle Atlas. Ifrane, built in the 1930s with sloping roofs, is called the Switzerland of Morocco. Near Azrou you stop in the cedar forest to see the Barbary macaques. Have lunch in Midelt, at the foot of the Jbel Ayachi, 3,737 m.

In the afternoon you follow the Ziz Valley, a green ribbon of palm groves between red cliffs, and continue through Erfoud to Merzouga. At the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes, which rise to about 150 m, you leave the vehicle and ride a camel to your camp for the sunset. Dinner is served in the camp, followed by Berber drums around the fire and a sky full of stars.

• Driving distance: about 470 km
• Driving time: about 8 hours with stops
• Overnight: desert camp in Erg Chebbi
• Meals: breakfast and dinner

Day 5: Merzouga – Rissani – Todra Gorge – Dades Valley

Wake up early to watch the sunrise over the dunes, then ride back by camel and have breakfast. You drive through Rissani, the old caravan town of the Tafilalt, and along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs to Tinghir.

Walk into the Todra Gorge, where limestone walls up to 300 m high close in to about 10 m apart over a clear stream. In the afternoon you continue to the Dades Valley and its Monkey Fingers rock formations, and sleep in a kasbah hotel overlooking the gorge.

• Driving distance: about 300 km
• Driving time: about 5 hours 30 minutes
• Overnight: hotel or kasbah in the Dades Valley
• Meals: breakfast and dinner

Day 6: Dades Valley – Skoura – Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – Marrakech

Leave the Dades Valley through Kalaat M’Gouna, the valley of roses, and the palm grove of Skoura with the Kasbah Amridil. In Ouarzazate, the Hollywood of Africa, you pass the Atlas film studios and the Kasbah Taourirt.

At Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, you climb through the ksar to the old granary for the view. Seen in Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia and Game of Thrones, it is the best-preserved fortified village in the south. In the afternoon you cross the High Atlas on the Tizi n’Tichka pass, 2,260 m, and reach Marrakech in the early evening.

• Driving distance: about 330 km
• Driving time: about 6 hours 30 minutes
• Overnight: riad or hotel in Marrakech
• Meals: breakfast

Day 7: Marrakech guided tour

A licensed local guide takes you through the medina of Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. You see the Koutoubia minaret from the 12th century, the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs and the Ben Youssef Madrasa, then walk into the souks of the dyers, the metalworkers and the spice sellers.

The afternoon is free for the Majorelle Garden, a hammam or the rooftop cafés. In the evening, walk to Jemaa el-Fna, the square of storytellers, musicians and food stalls, UNESCO-listed as a masterpiece of oral heritage.

• Driving distance: city day, on foot
• Driving time: —
• Overnight: riad or hotel in Marrakech
• Meals: breakfast

Day 8: Marrakech – argan country – Essaouira

Leave Marrakech in the morning and cross the flat plain of the Haouz to the argan forest, where goats sometimes climb into the trees. Stop at a women’s cooperative to see how argan oil is pressed by hand.

In Essaouira, the old Mogador and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, walk along the 18th-century ramparts of the Skala, through the medina and down to the blue fishing boats of the port, where you choose fresh fish for lunch. The evening is free by the ocean.

• Driving distance: about 190 km
• Driving time: about 2 hours 45 minutes
• Overnight: riad or hotel in Essaouira
• Meals: breakfast

Day 9: Essaouira – Casablanca – Hassan II Mosque – Rabat

After breakfast you drive north to Casablanca, the economic capital of Morocco. Visit the Hassan II Mosque, finished in 1993 on a platform over the Atlantic; its minaret of about 210 m is one of the tallest in the world, and guided visits inside are open to non-Muslims, except on Friday mornings.

After a walk on the Corniche, the motorway follows the coast to Rabat, where you arrive in the early evening and stay in a riad in the medina or a hotel in the new town.

• Driving distance: about 470 km
• Driving time: about 5 hours 30 minutes
• Overnight: riad or hotel in Rabat
• Meals: breakfast

Day 10: Rabat – Asilah – Tangier

In the morning visit Rabat, the capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012: the Hassan Tower, the marble Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the white and blue lanes of the Kasbah of the Udayas, above the mouth of the Bou Regreg.

The motorway then takes you north to Asilah, a small white town inside 15th-century Portuguese ramparts, for lunch and a walk past the murals of the medina. You reach Tangier in the late afternoon and check in to a hotel or riad for two nights, with time for a first walk on the Boulevard Pasteur and the Terrasse des Paresseux, the terrace of the lazy, above the port.

• Driving distance: about 250 km
• Driving time: about 3 hours
• Overnight: riad or hotel in Tangier
• Meals: breakfast

Day 11: Tangier: Kasbah, medina, Cape Spartel and the Caves of Hercules

A day to discover Tangier itself, the city where Africa faces Europe. Walk up through the medina to the Kasbah and the old sultan’s palace of Dar el Makhzen, stop at the American Legation, the first property the United States owned abroad, and have mint tea at Café Hafa, open since 1921 above the Strait.

In the afternoon your driver-guide takes you west to Cape Spartel, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic, and to the Caves of Hercules, whose sea opening looks like a map of Africa. You return to your hotel for the last evening of the tour.

• Driving distance: about 40 km
• Driving time: about 1 hour
• Overnight: riad or hotel in Tangier
• Meals: breakfast

Day 12: Tangier – departure

Breakfast at your hotel and free time until your transfer. Your driver-guide takes you to Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport, to the Tanger Ville port for the fast ferry to Tarifa, or to Tanger Med for Algeciras.

That completes the 12 days tour from Tangier. Bslama, and see you again in Morocco.

• Driving distance: about 15 km to the airport or port
• Driving time: about 20 minutes
• Overnight: end of the tour
• Meals: breakfast

Gallery of the 12 days tour from Tangier

What is included in the 12 days tour from Tangier

Included

• Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel, Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport or the port of Tanger Ville or Tanger Med.
• Private air-conditioned vehicle with fuel and tolls.
• English-speaking driver-guide (Spanish or French on request).
• 1 night in Chefchaouen, 2 in Fes, 1 in a desert camp, 1 in the Dades Valley, 2 in Marrakech, 1 in Essaouira, 1 in Rabat and 2 in Tangier.
• Licensed local guides for the medinas of Fes and Marrakech.
• Tangier day with Cape Spartel and the Caves of Hercules.
• Camel trek in Erg Chebbi (one camel per person).
• 11 breakfasts and 2 dinners (desert camp and Dades Valley).

Not included

• Lunches and drinks.
• Entrance fees (Bou Inania, Bahia Palace, Hassan II Mosque, Caves of Hercules, Ait Ben Haddou).
• Extra activities such as sandboarding, quad or buggy rides.
• Tips and personal expenses.
• Ferry tickets, flights and travel insurance.

Map of the 12 days tour from Tangier

In detail, the loop is: Tangier → Chefchaouen → Fes (2 nights) → Ifrane → Azrou → Midelt → Ziz Valley → Merzouga (desert camp) → Rissani → Todra Gorge → Dades Valley → Skoura → Ouarzazate → Ait Ben Haddou → Tizi n’Tichka → Marrakech (2 nights) → Essaouira → Casablanca → Rabat → Asilah → Tangier (2 nights) → Cape Spartel and Caves of Hercules.

Accommodation options

Every option of the 12 days tour from Tangier uses the same route, vehicle and driver-guide. Only the level of comfort changes, and we confirm the exact names when you book.

12 days tour from Tangier price

The price of the 12 days tour from Tangier is on request, because every private tour is quoted for your own group. In practice, four things change it:

• Group size: the price per person falls as more travellers share the vehicle, so couples, families and small groups each get their own quote.
• Accommodation level: standard, superior or luxury riads, kasbahs and desert camps.
• Season: Christmas, New Year, Easter and the spring and autumn peaks book up first.
• Extras: local guides, entrance fees, sandboarding, quad or buggy rides, a private dinner on the dunes.

Send us your dates and the number of travellers through our contact page or on WhatsApp, and we reply with a written quote and no hidden costs. Every Morocco tour package we send already includes the vehicle, fuel, the driver-guide, the hotels, the desert camp and the meals listed below.

How to book this 12 day Morocco tour from Tangier

Booking the 12 days tour from Tangier takes three short messages, and we answer the same day.

1. Send your travel dates, number of travellers and preferred accommodation level through the contact form, by email at favoritesmoroccotours@gmail.com or on WhatsApp (+212 786 278 943).
2. We reply the same day with a personalised itinerary and a clear, all-in price for your group.
3. You confirm the dates. Payment by PayPal is accepted, and we explain the details when you book.
4. Your driver-guide meets you at your hotel, Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport or the port of Tangier on the first morning, holding a sign with your name.

Favorites Morocco Tours vs other Morocco tour companies

Most long Morocco tour packages from Tangier spend their extra days on more driving. Ours spends them on rest and on Tangier itself, a city with three thousand years of history, and keeps two nights in Fes and two in Marrakech.

We are a local team, so we publish real driving times, keep one driver-guide for the whole trip and never add compulsory shopping stops. For the south coast and Agadir, compare the 15 days Morocco tour from Tangier.

Know before you go

• Day 4 (Fes to Merzouga) and day 9 (Essaouira to Rabat) are the longest days, about 8 and 6 hours with stops.
• Day 11 can be replaced by a day trip to Tetouan, the white dove of the Rif; see our guide to Tetouan.
• Ferries from Tarifa reach the Tanger Ville port in about one hour, and those from Algeciras reach Tanger Med in about 90 minutes; see our ferry from Spain to Morocco guide. Morocco is one hour behind Spain for most of the year.
• Bring your passport, not only an ID card: it is required to enter Morocco from Spain.
• From December to February, snow is possible in the Middle Atlas and on the Tizi n’Tichka, and desert nights drop close to freezing. Pack a warm layer; see what to wear in Morocco.
• In July and August the south is very hot, often above 40 °C. Spring and autumn are the best seasons: check the best time to visit Morocco.
• Bring cash in dirhams for lunches, entrance fees and tips. ATMs exist in every city on the route but not at the desert camp; see our guide to the Moroccan dirham and to tipping in Morocco.
• Pack a small overnight bag for the desert camp, because your main luggage stays in the vehicle.
• Tell us about any allergy or diet before departure. Riads and camps prepare vegetarian and vegan meals with notice.

Extra activities

These activities are optional on the 12 days tour from Tangier. We book them on request, at an extra cost.

Reviews

Travellers who start their private Morocco tour in Tangier, many of them after the ferry from Spain, share their experience after each trip, and a short review helps other people choose. If you have already travelled with us, read and write reviews on TripAdvisor.

 
 
 
 
  EXCELLENT  
  
 Based on 14 reviews 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Tripadvisor  
  
 
 Nieves P 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Viaje a Marruecos con amigos.
Fue un viaje increíble!!! Lo pasamos muy bien y la gente es maravillosa…
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Tripadvisor  
  
 
 Carolina C 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Lo mejor en el Desierto del Sahara
Una experiencia simplemente inolvidable. Dormir bajo un cielo lleno de estrellas, recorrer las impresionantes dunas del Sahara y disfrutar de la hospitalidad marroquí hizo de este viaje algo mágico. Marruecos me regaló paisajes espectaculares, cultura fascinante y recuerdos que llevaré conmigo para siempre. ¡Una aventura que recomiendo al 100%! 🌵🐪✨
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Tripadvisor  
  
 
 sarah a 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Excellent séjour
Le séjour était merveilleux tant les activités que la cuisine. Rashid était génial, serviable et à l’écoute. Je recommande les yeux fermés. Sarah
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Tripadvisor  
  
 
 Cris A 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Las estrellas del desierto.
Experiencia excepcional!! Nos trataron super bien, la noche en el desierto fue increíble. La fiesta en la hoguera super divertida. Las Jaimas muy confortables, la comida rica, en resumen volvería a ir una y mil veces.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Tripadvisor  
  
 
 angel a 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Amazing experience, the sceneries, culture and friendly people
Nothing but praise and gratitude!! Everything was spectacular and exceeded our expectations! Not only the places we visited but also the hotels and riads where we stayed! I especially highlight the attention, care, professionalism, and warmth of our guide Moha: always kind, attentive, taking care of every detail, and making sure we were comfortable. Additionally, an excellent photographer! He helped us capture the joy and the landscapes! Always with a smile!! Thank you!!!!
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Tripadvisor  
  
 
 Hermila De Jesú... A 
 
 
 
 Verified 
.
Estuvimos muy contentas en un viaje de 8 días por Marruecos, Moha fue nuestro conductor, siempre amable, respetuoso y muy profesional, no solo nos llevó a los puntos previstos sino que también nos mostró la cultura y tradición de las familias Marroquíes ¡super recomendable! Gracias totales
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Tripadvisor  
  
 
 Irma B 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Viaje espectacular
Fue un viaje increíble , superó mis expectativas , nuestro Guía y conductor Moha fue siempre muy amable , días antes de iniciar se puso en contacto y todo fue muy bien organizado , los hoteles, comidas, el campamento espectacular , nuestro tour fue solo para nuestro grupo de 3 y fue muy cómodo , lo recomiendo totalmente
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Tripadvisor  
  
 
 Timothy N 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Trip Around Morocco
We had an awesome trip with our family of 7 (&3 young kids). We went from Marrakesh to Erg Chebbi to Fes and had amazing stops along the way , which gave our kids a great experience. Highly recommended
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Tripadvisor  
  
 
 susana b 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Moha conductor
Hicimos un toque y nos acompañó Moha como conductor!! El mejor chofer!!! Un genio!!
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Tripadvisor  
  
 
 María Trinidad G 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Hicimos de nuestro sueño, una realidad !
​"¡Una experiencia inolvidable en el Sahara! Reservamos el tour de 3 días desde Marrakech a Merzouga y superó todas nuestras expectativas. Nuestro guía Mohamed Alt-Said , fue increíble: no solo es un conductor experto, sino que nos explicó todo sobre la cultura bereber con mucha paciencia. Pueblos de adobe, con sus maravillosas gentes . El campamento en las dunas era mágico y la cena junto al fuego fue el mejor momento del viaje. Moha, nos hizo disfrutar de una cena inolvidable bajo las estrellas. Precioso amanecer y divertida excursión 4 x 4 en desierto. El coche era moderno y muy cómodo. Si buscas una agencia honesta y profesional en Marruecos, no busques más. ¡Totalmente recomendados!"
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
   
 
 

Frequently asked questions

Is 12 days too long for Morocco?

No. Twelve days lets you see the whole country with two nights in Fes, Marrakech and Tangier, so you unpack three times and the drives stay reasonable.

What do we do on the day in Tangier?

The medina and the Kasbah, the American Legation, mint tea at Café Hafa, Cape Spartel where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic, and the Caves of Hercules.

Can we add Tetouan or a second desert night?

Yes. We can replace the Tangier day with Tetouan, or move one Tangier night to the Merzouga dunes.

Can you pick us up at the port after the ferry from Spain?

Yes. Your driver-guide waits at the Tanger Ville port (ferries from Tarifa) or at Tanger Med (ferries from Algeciras), and we follow your ferry time if it changes. See our ferry from Spain to Morocco guide for routes and crossing times.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. You travel only with your own group, in a private air-conditioned vehicle with the same driver-guide all the way, and you can change the stops and the pace.

Can I skip the camel ride?

Yes. A 4×4 can drive you to the camp instead, at no extra cost.

Do the desert camps have private bathrooms?

Superior and luxury tents have a private bathroom with shower and toilet. Standard camps have shared facilities.

What is the best time of year for the 12 days tour from Tangier?

March to May and September to November. Winter nights in the desert are cold, and July and August are very hot in the south.

What vehicle do you use?

A private air-conditioned vehicle sized for your group, from a Toyota Land Cruiser or Prado to a Mercedes Vito or Sprinter minibus.

How far in advance should I book?

Two to four weeks is usually enough. For Easter, Christmas, New Year and the summer ferry season, book as early as possible.

How do I pay?

We accept payment by PayPal, and we explain the details when you confirm your booking.

Have another question about the 12 days tour from Tangier?

Write to us through our contact page or on WhatsApp.

Who we are

Favorites Morocco Tours is a local travel agency based in Marrakech, and the 12 days tour from Tangier is one of the private routes we run every season. We design tailor-made Morocco tours from Casablanca, Marrakech, Fes and Tangier. Our drivers and guides grew up on these roads, speak English, Spanish and French, and know the small places that big coach tours never stop at. Learn more about us.

Popular tours from Tangier

• 6 days tour from Tangier to Marrakech
• 7 days tour from Tangier
• 10 days tour from Tangier
• 15 days Morocco tour from Tangier

More Morocco tours and guides

• All tours from Tangier
• All Morocco tours and packages
• Morocco tours from Spain: crossing from Madrid, Barcelona and Andalusia
• Ferry from Spain to Morocco: routes, crossing times and prices
• Chefchaouen, the Blue City: guide
• Asilah, Morocco: guide
• Tetouan, Morocco: things to do
• Fes, Morocco: complete city guide
• Sahara Desert in Morocco: travel guide
• Best Morocco tour companies: how to choose

Contact us

• Phone / WhatsApp: +212 786 278 943
• Email: favoritesmoroccotours@gmail.com
• Office: Marrakech, Morocco