Tangier Trip Overview
Start in Tangier and end in Marrakesh! With the In-depth Cultural tour 9-Days private tour from Tangier to Marrakech, you have a 9 days tour package taking you through Tangier, Morocco and 5 other destinations in Morocco.
Additional Info
* Duration: 9 days
* Starts: Tangier, Morocco
* Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
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What to Expect When Visiting Tangier, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco
Start in Tangier and end in Marrakesh! With the In-depth Cultural tour 9-Days private tour from Tangier to Marrakech, you have a 9 days tour package taking you through Tangier, Morocco and 5 other destinations in Morocco.
Itinerary
Day 1: Tangier
Pass By: Tangier, Tangier, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
Pick up from Tangier port or airport. Depending on your arrival, we visit Tangier.
Guarding the Strait of Gibraltar, Tangier has for centuries been Europe’s gateway to Africa. Its blend of cultures and influences is unique in Morocco.
Stop At: St. Andrew’s Church, Rue d’Angleterre 50, Tangier Morocco
We visit St Andrew’s Church. One of the charming oddities. Built from 1894 to 1905, on land granted by Queen Victoria, the interior of this Anglican church is in Moorish style, with no graven images, and the Lord’s Prayer in Arabic. Behind the altar is a cleft that indicates the direction of Mecca; carved quotes are from the Quran. A real interfaith experience! Outside in the church graveyard, there are some fascinating wartime headstones, including the fighter pilot shot while escaping (which read ‘Good Hunting, Tim’) and the moving sight of the entire downed aircrew, their headstones attached shoulder to shoulder.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: American Legation, __8 Rue d’Amerique, Tangier 90000 Morocco
Morocco was one of the first countries to recognise the fledgling United States, and this was the first piece of American real estate abroad. It is also the only US National Historic Landmark on foreign soil. After we tour the museum, you will realise that you have entered the plot of an exotic historical novel!
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Musee de la Kasbah, El Casbah Square, Tangier Morocco
The museum is perfectly sited in Dar el-Makhzen, the former sultan’s palace (where Portuguese & British governers also lived) and has recently been completely renovated.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Hercules Cave, Cap Spartel, Tangier 90060 Morocco
The cave has two openings, one to sea and one to land. The sea opening is known as “The Map of Africa”. It is believed that the Phoenicians created the sea opening which is in the shape of Africa when looked at from the sea. There are also some markings on the wall in the shape of eyes, that are said to be made by the Phoenicians, which make up a map of the local area. The cave itself is part natural and part man-made. The man-made part was used by Berber people to cut stone wheels from the walls, to make millstones, thus expanding the cave considerably.
Duration: 20 minutes
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight stay in Tangier: Hotel la Tangerina or similar
Day 2: Tangier – Chefchaoun
Pass By: Chefchaouen, Chefchaouen, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
Departure from Tangier to Chefchaouen via Rif Mountains. Beautifully sited beneath the raw peaks of the Rif, Chefhcaouen is one of the prettiest towns in Morocco, an artsy, Bluewashed mountain village that feels like its own world.
Stop At: Chefchaouen Medina, Chefchaouen Morocco
We reach Chefchaouen, our licensed tour guide will take you for a visit to the town.
Chefchaouen medina is one of the loveliest in Morocco. Small and uncrowded, it’s easy to explore, with enough winding paths to keep you diverted, but compact enough that you will never get too lost. Most of the buildings are painted a blinding Blue-white, giving them a clean, fresh look, while terracotta tiles add an Andalucian flavor. The heart of the medina is the shady, cobbled Plaza Uta el-Hammam which is lined with cafes and restaurants, all serving similar fare. IT is a peaceful place to relax and watch the world go by.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Place Outa el Hammam & Kasbah, Avenue Hassan II, Chefchaouen 91000 Morocco
The plaza of Uta el-Hammam is dominated by the red-hued walls of the kasbah and the adjacent Grand Mosquée. Note-worthy for its unusual octagonal tower and recently restored, the Grande Mosquée was built in the 15th century by the son of the town’s founder. The kasbah is a heavily restored walled fortress that now contains a lovely garden, a small Ethnographic Museum, and an even smaller art gallery. The ethnographic museum contains some fascinating views of old Chefchaouen, including the plaza and the kasbah.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Spanish Mosque, Chefchaouen 90001 Morocco
Looking west, you will easily spot the Spanish mosque on a hilltop not far from the medina. It is a pleasant walk along clear paths and well worth the effort. From the hilltop minaret, you will have a grand view of the entire town sprawling over the green hills below.
Duration: 30 minutes
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight stay in Chefchaouen: Dar Chaouen or similar
Day 3: Excursion to Akchour waterfalls
Stop At: Akchour, Akchour, Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
After breakfast, our licensed guide will escort you to visit Morocco’s lost paradise Akshour waterfalls, a stunning turquoise waterfall oasis at the end of an easy 5.5km drive in the Rif Mountains, near Chefchoauen. After an enjoyable day, free time, an overnight stay in Chefchaouen.
Duration: 6 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight stay in Chefchaouen: Dar Chaouen or similar
Day 4: Chefchaouen – Volubilis – Moulay Idriss – Meknes – Volubilia Winery – Fes
Stop At: Volubilis, Morocco
We Depart from Chefchaouen to Fes visiting Volubilis.
The city is the best-preserved archaeological site in Morocco & was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. Its most amazing features are its many beautiful mosaics preserved in situ. The site was originally settled by Carthaginian traders in the 3rd century BC. One of the Roman Empire’s most remote outposts, Volubilis was annexed in about AD 40. According to some historians, Rome imposed strict controls on what could sand could not be produced in its North African possessions, according to the needs of the empire. One result was massive deforestation & the large-scale planting of wheat around Volubilis. As the neighboring Berber tribes began to reassert themselves, so the Romans abandoned Volubilis around 280. Nevertheless, the city’s populations of Berbers, Greeks, Jews, and Syrians continued to speak Latin till the arrival of Islam. The building felled by the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Moulay Idriss, Moulay Idriss, Meknes-Tafilalet Region
The picturesque whitewashed town of Moulay Idriss sits astride two green hills in a cradle of mountains slightly less than 5km from Volubilis and is one of the country’s most important pilgrimage sites. It is named for Moulay Idriss, a great-grandson of the prophet Mohammed, the founder of the country’s first real dynasty, and morocco’s most revered saint. His tomb is at the heart of the town. We head to a terrace that provides a vantage point high above the mausoleum and most of the town for pictures.
Duration: 10 minutes
Pass By: Meknes, Meknes, Fes-Meknes
We reach Meknes to visit some of its historically rich landmarks.
Meknes is the fourth imperial city, quieter and smaller than its grand neighbor, it is also more laid-back with less hassle, yet still has all the winding narrow medina streets and grand buildings that it warrants as a one-time home of the Moroccan sultanate. Meknes is blessed with a hinterland abundant with cereals, olives, wine, citrus fruit, and other agricultural products that remain the city’s backbone.
Stop At: Bab Mansour Gate, 17, Rue Ain El Anboub et Rue Lalla Aicha Adouia Quartier HAMMAM JDID, Meknes 52000 Morocco
The focus of the Place el-Hedim is the huge gate of Bab el-Mansour, the grandest of all imperial Moroccan gateways. The gate is well preserved with lavish Zellij and inscriptions across the top. It was completed by Moulay Ismail’s son, Moulay Abdallah, in 1732.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Heri es Souani, Meknes Morocco
It is Moulay Ismail’s immense granaries and stables, Heries Souani, that were ingeniously designed. Tiny windows, massive walls, and a system of underfloor water channels kept the temperatures cool and air circulating. The building provided stabling and food for an incredible 12000 horses, and Moulay Ismail regarded it as one of his finest architectural projects.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Sahrij Swani, Meknes Morocco
Immediately north of the granaries and stables lies an enormous stone-lined lake, the Agdal Basin. Fes by a complex system of irrigation channels some 25km long, it served as both a reservoir for the sultan’s gardens and a pleasant lake. There are plenty of benches to break our stroll around the water, and a giant Giacometti-like statue of a traditional water seller.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Volubilia-Domaine de la Zouina, Commune d’Ait Bourzouine, BP 63 Boufekrane, Meknes 51000 Morocco
Wine production in Morocco is believed to have been introduced by Phoenician settlers and was definitely established in the era of Ancient Rome. Large-scale wine production with extensive vineyards was introduced into Morocco by the French during the protectorate. We visit Volubilia domain for a unique experience
Duration: 1 hour
Pass By: Fes, Fes, Fes-Meknes
After an enjoyable journey, we reach the cultural capital Fez. The city attracted scholars and philosophers, mathematicians and lawyers, astronomers, and theologians. Craftsmen built them houses and palaces, kings endowed mosques and Medersas (religious schools), and merchants offered exotic wares from the silk roads and sub-Saharan trade routes. Although Fez lost its influence at the beginning of the 19th century, it remains a supremely self-confident city whose cultural and spiritual lineage beguiles visitors.
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Riad Ahlam or similar
Day 5: Guided visit of Fes
Stop At: Royal Palace of Fez, Avenue Omar Ibnou Khattab, Fes 30004 Morocco
After breakfast, a licensed guide takes you on a journey to visit Fes starting with the royale palace. The entrance to the palace is stunning, an example of modern restoration, but the 80 hectares of palace grounds are not open to the public. We must suffice with viewing its imposing brass doors, surrounded by fine zellij and carved cedarwood.
We walk through the Jewish quarter (Mellah). In the 14th century, Fes became a refuge for Jews, thus creating a Mellah (Jewish quarter). The record suggests that the move was orchestrated to offer the Jews greater protection, and they certainly did enjoy the favor of the sultan, repaying him with their loyalty during the conflict. Their old houses remain, with their open balconies looking onto the streets a marked contrast to Muslim styles.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Borj Nord, Avenue des Merinides, Fes 30030 Morocco
We head up here for one of the best panoramas of the city. Like its counterpart on the southern hills (Borj Sud). Borj Nord was built by Sultan Ahmed al-Mansour in the late 16th century to monitor the potentially disloyal populace of Fes.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Bou Inania Medersa, Rue Talaa Sghira, Fes 30110 Morocco
It is the finest of Fes theological colleges. It was built by the Marinid sultan Bouinan between 1350 & 1357. The madrasa underwent extensive restoration a few years ago, and the results are amazing: elaborate zellij and carved plaster, beautiful cedar, and massive brass doors.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Chouara Tannery, Hay Lablida Chouara, Fes 30030 Morocco
One of the three tanneries in the city of Fez, Morocco. It is the largest tannery in the city and one of the oldest. The tanning industry in the city is considered one of the main tourist attractions. The tanneries are packed with round stone vessels filled with dye or white liquids for softening the hides. The leather goods produced in the tanneries are exported around the world.
The visit ends by drop you off at your accommodation. Free time & overnight stay in Fes.
Duration: 10 minutes
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight stay in Fes: Riad Ahlam or similar
Day 6: Fes – Ifran – Midelt – Errachidia – Erfoud – Merzouga
Stop At: Ifrane, Ifrane, Fes-Meknes
Early departure to Merzouga desert through Ifran.
A Tidy, & modern, it feels more like Switzerland relocated to the Middle Atlas than North Africa. the French-built Ifrane in the 1930s, deliberately trying to recreate an alpine-style resort. It has neat red-roofed houses, blooming flower beds, and lake-studded parks, all kept impeccably tidy.
Take pictures of Ifran’s landmark. It is the stone lion that sits on a patch of grass; it was carved by a German soldier during WWII when Ifrane was briefly as a prisoner-of-war camp and commemorates the last wild lion, which was shot near here in the early 1920s.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Azrou Cedar Forest, Azrou Morocco
The Cedar forests are notable as a habitat for a sub-population of Barbary macaques, we might be lucky to spot a troupe foraging in the woods
Duration: 5 minutes
Pass By: Midelt, Midelt, Meknes-Tafilalet Region
Midelt sits in apple country between the Middle and the High Atlas. The landscape offers some breathtaking views, especially of the eastern High Atlas, which seem to rise out of nowhere. Midelt consists of little more than one main street (Ave Mohammed V in the north, which becomes Ave Hassan II to the south), and a modest souq
Pass By: Errachidia, Errachidia, Meknes-Tafilalet Region
Garrison towns are not generally known for their hospitality or culture, but Errachidia is trying to change that with the hospitality of its people. Besides Errachidia is home to a sizable military population stationed here to keep an eye on the nearby border with Algeria, it is also home to the enormous theatre that hosts performers from throughout the Sahara at the festival du Desert.
Pass By: Erfoud, Erfoud, Meknes-Tafilalet Region
Fossilized bathtubs and moist, sweet dates are Erfoud’s current claims to fame, though it was once the end of the road. In September or October Erfoud has an increasingly well-attended date festival, with dancing and music. The market at the southern end of town sells local dates alongside fresh produce.
Pass By: Merzouga, Merzouga, Draa-Tafilalet
Once among the dunes, you will be welcomed into a charming Kasbah where you will be able to relax beside the swimming pool, and enjoy the tunes of a desert blues band well into the evening.
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight stay in Merzouga desert: Hotel Takoujt or similar
Day 7: Desert Culture + Tea with Nomads + Camel Trek
Stop At: Erg Chebbi, Erg Chebbi, Meknes-Tafilalet Region
Watching the sun rise amongst the dunes is a magical experience, and not to be missed. Your breakfast will be waiting for you upon your return, after which you will have the opportunity to visit the nomadic communities around Merzouga, stopping for tea in the souks, and enjoying the traditional Gnawa music. As the mid-day sun wanes, we will mount our camels and trek into the pink sands of the Moroccan Sahara; here, we will have ample free time for you to explore and take in the beauty and vastness of the desert dunes. Once the sun sets, a Moroccan dinner will be served alongside live music around the campfire, after which you are free to explore again – this time in the company of a million stars exploding against the pitch-black sky and the all-encompassing silence of the Sahara at night.
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight stay in the Erg Chebbi Dunes: Luxurious Desert camp Tiziri
Day 8: Merzouga – Todgha gorge – Amridil kasbah – Skoura
Pass By: Tinejdad, Tinejdad, Meknes-Tafilalet Region
Early wake up to watch the magical colors before it. Breakfast, then we start our journey Skoura via Erfoud and Tinjdad.
Back when caravans arrived loaded with gold and dazed after months of Sahara sun, they were understandably skittish – but Tinjdad (Nomad in the Berber language) put them at ease. Five Berber and Saharan tribes crossed paths at this hitching post, quenching thirsts at the Sources of Lalla Mimouna.
Stop At: Todgha Gorge, R 703 near the town of Tinerhir, Tinerhir 45520 Morocco
The drive takes you to Tinghir to explore the Todgha gorge.
Being stuck between a rock and a hard place is a sublime experience in the Todra Gorge, where the massive fault dividing the High Atlas from the Saghro mountain is at some points just wide enough for a crystal-clear river and single-file trekkers to squeeze through. The road from Tinghir passes green Palmeras and Berber villages until, 15km long, high walls of pink and Grey rock close in around the road. The approach is thrilling and somehow urgent, as though the doors of heaven were about to close before you.
Duration: 20 minutes
Pass By: Boumalne Dades, Boumalne Dades, Souss-Massa
Nomads crossings, rose valleys, and two-tone kasbahs: even on paper, the Dades valley stretches the imagination. From the daunting High Atlas to the north to the rugged Jebel Saghro range south, the valley is dotted with oases and mudbrick palaces that give the region its fairytale nickname – Valley of a thousand kasbahs.
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight stay in Boumalne Dades: Dar Blues or similar
Day 9: Bouamlne Dades – Skoura – Ouarzazate – Marrakech
Stop At: Kasbah Amridil, Ouled Bourasse, Skoura Ahl El Oust 45502 Morocco
After breakfast, we drive to Marrakech via Skoura visiting Amridil kasbah.
Morocco’s most coveted kasbah is this 17th-century wonder, which appears on Morocco’s 50-Dirham note. Signposted just a few hundred meters from the main road, this living museum shows that traditional kasbah life hasn’t changed much over the centuries, with hand-carved door locks, an olive-oil press, still-functioning bread ovens, and goats bleating in the courtyard.
Duration: 20 minutes
Pass By: Ouarzazate, Ouarzazate, Draa-Tafilalet
Strategically located and has gotten by largely on its wits instead of its looks. For centuries, people from Atlas, Draa & Dades valley converged to do business at Ouarzazate’s sprawling Taourirt kasbah, and a modern garrison town was established here in the 1920s to oversee France’s colonial interests. The movie business gradually took off in Ouarzazate after the French protectorate left in the 1950s, and ‘Ouallywood’ movie studios have built quite a résumé providing convincingly exotic backdrops for movies supposedly set in ancient Rome, Somalia, and Egypt.
Stop At: Taourirt Kasbah, Avenue Mohammed V, Ouarzazate 45000 Morocco
Unlike other Glaoui kasbahs, Taourirt escaped ruin by moonlighting, as a Hollywood backdrop and attracting the attention of Unesco which was carefully restored small sections of the Glaoui inner sanctum.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Cinema Studio Atlas, Km 5, BP 28 Route de Marrakech, Ouarzazate 45000, Morocco
The first ‘Oullywood’ studio displays sets and props from movies filmed here, including Jewel of the Nile, Kingdom of Heaven, and Kundun.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Ait Ben Haddou, Ait Ben Haddou, Souss-Massa
The Unesco protected kasbah seems suspiciously frozen in time: with Hollywood touch-ups, it still resembles its days in the 11th century as an Almoravid caravanserai. Movie buffs recognize this red mudbrick kasbah 32km from Ouarzazate from Lawrence of Arabia, Jesus of Nazareth (for which much of Ait Benhaddou was rebuilt), Jewel of the Nile and Gladiator.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Telouet, Telouet, Souss-Massa
The once-glorious stronghold has been left to crumble, and the best indication of Telouet’s former position as the center of a trans-Saharan trading empire is the 2nd-floor receiving court. No less than 300 artisans were recruited to complete salons faceted with stucco, zellij, and painted cedar ceilings that make Marrakech’s royal Bahia Palace seem like a freshman artisan effort. But the Telouet kasbah was not destined to be the Pasha’s ultimate pleasure palace. After independence, Pasha Glaoui was ousted from the Bahia palace and died shortly thereafter of cancer in exile in Telouet.
Duration: 20 minutes
Pass By: Marrakech, Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi
We drive to Marrakech via Tizi N Tishka pass and many Berber towns and villages. The tour ends by drop you off at your accommodation.
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
