15 day Morocco itinerary from Tangier: overview table
Unlike shorter routes, this itinerary does not head straight from the desert to Marrakech. After the Sahara it swings south-west through the Anti-Atlas to Taroudant and the Atlantic coast, so you finish in Marrakech having seen almost every region of the country.
| Day | Route | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tangier | Cap Spartel, Caves of Hercules, Kasbah | Tangier |
| 2 | Tangier – Tetouan – Chefchaouen | Tetouan medina (UNESCO), Rif Mountains | Chefchaouen |
| 3 | Chefchaouen (free day) | Blue medina, Spanish Mosque viewpoint | Chefchaouen |
| 4 | Chefchaouen – Volubilis – Meknes – Fes | Roman mosaics, Bab Mansour | Fes |
| 5 | Fes | Guided medina tour, Chouara Tannery | Fes |
| 6 | Fes – Ifrane – Azrou – Midelt – Merzouga | Cedar forests, Ziz Valley | Hotel by the dunes |
| 7 | Merzouga and Erg Chebbi | Nomads, Khamlia, sunset camel trek | Desert camp |
| 8 | Merzouga – Rissani – Todra – Dadès | Sunrise, Rissani market, Todra Gorge | Dadès Valley |
| 9 | Dadès – Kelaat M'Gouna – Ouarzazate – Aït Benhaddou | Valley of the Roses, film studios, ksar | Near Aït Benhaddou |
| 10 | Aït Benhaddou – Taliouine – Taroudant | Saffron country, Anti-Atlas | Taroudant |
| 11 | Taroudant – Agadir – Essaouira | Atlantic coast road, argan trees | Essaouira |
| 12 | Essaouira (free day) | Ramparts, fishing port, medina | Essaouira |
| 13 | Essaouira – Marrakech | Jemaa el-Fna at sunset | Marrakech |
| 14 | Marrakech | Bahia Palace, souks, Majorelle | Marrakech |
| 15 | Departure | Transfer to RAK or CMN | – |
Who should choose 15 days in Morocco from Tangier?
This is the trip for travellers who want to see the whole country once, properly. It suits people arriving by ferry from Spain who have a full fortnight, couples on a long honeymoon, retired travellers who prefer a slower pace and families who want rest days built in.
- Compared with the 10 days tour from Tangier: you gain a second night in Chefchaouen, a night beside Aït Benhaddou, Taroudant and two nights on the coast in Essaouira.
- Compared with the 14 day itinerary from Casablanca: similar length, but this route starts in the far north and returns through the Anti-Atlas and the coast instead of crossing the High Atlas twice.
Because the tour is private, any part of it can be changed. Some travellers drop Taroudant to add an extra desert night; others add a day in the High Atlas before Marrakech. Tell us what matters most to you and we will shape the route around it.
Driving, pacing and rest days on a two-week Morocco tour
The full route covers well over 2,500 km, but it is spread across 15 days, with five days that have little or no driving: Chefchaouen, Fes, the Merzouga desert day, Essaouira and Marrakech. The longest legs are day 6, Fes to Merzouga, roughly 8 to 9 hours with stops, and day 11, Taroudant to Essaouira via Agadir, roughly 5 to 6 hours. Essaouira to Marrakech is about two and a half hours.
Your private driver-guide stays with you throughout and works in English, French, Spanish or Italian; Spanish and Italian depend on availability and are confirmed before booking. In Fes and Marrakech a licensed local guide accompanies you on foot through the medinas.
Accommodation
Nights are spent in riads in Chefchaouen, Fes, Taroudant, Essaouira and Marrakech, a hotel at the edge of the dunes, a desert camp and kasbah-style hotels in the Dadès Valley and near Aït Benhaddou. You can choose a comfort or a luxury category; Merzouga itself has only comfort-category hotels, so the upgrade applies elsewhere, including at the desert camp. See our Morocco accommodation guide.
Sahara, Anti-Atlas and Atlantic: the southern loop
On day 7 you explore around Erg Chebbi by 4x4, visit a nomad family and hear Gnawa music in Khamlia, then ride camels for about an hour and a half into the dunes for sunset and a night at camp. The camel ride depends on camel availability that day; if none are free, you go to camp by 4x4 with a sunset stop on the dunes and ride the next morning instead. The comfort camp has private tents for two with their own bathroom and toilet, and a partner camp with air-conditioned tents is also used.
The days that follow are what set this tour apart. After the Todra Gorge and the Dadès Valley you sleep near the ksar of Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, when the day visitors have left. Then you cross the Anti-Atlas through Taliouine, Morocco's saffron centre, to walled Taroudant, before reaching the ocean at Agadir and following the coast north to Essaouira and the Atlantic coast.
Practical tips: season, packing and money
- Best seasons: spring and autumn suit every region on the route. In summer the north and Essaouira are pleasant while the desert and inland cities are very hot; in winter desert nights are cold and Chefchaouen can be wet.
- Packing: layers for four very different climates, a warm jacket for desert nights and the Atlas, a windproof layer for Essaouira, sun protection, a scarf and comfortable walking shoes.
- Money: the dirham (MAD) is a closed currency, so withdraw or exchange it in Morocco. Carry cash for lunches, city dinners, entrance fees and tips, which are not included.
- Ferry: book your crossing separately and share the port and arrival time so your driver-guide can meet you.
International flights and ferries are not part of the package. If you want to explore Tangier before setting off, our Tangier and northern Morocco guide has ideas.