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Private multi-day tour · 21 days from Tangier

3 Weeks in Morocco: the 21-Day Grand Tour from Tangier

Three weeks in Morocco with no rush. North, desert, Atlas and sea: Tangier, Tetouan and two nights in Chefchaouen, Meknes and three nights in Fes, the Middle Atlas, two nights by the Sahara, the Todra and Dades gorges, two nights in a High Atlas village, Marrakech, Essaouira and the coast road home.

Length
21 days, 20 nights
Starts
Tangier
Ends
Tangier

Price on request · your quote within 2 hours (8am to 10pm)

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  • Private: your group only
  • Licensed guides the whole way
  • Free cancellation 48 h before
★★★★★4.9 91 Google reviews
The hairpin bends of the road climbing out of the Dades Gorge
  1. Tangier Start, 1 night
  2. Chefchaouen 2 nights
  3. Meknes 1 night
  4. Fes 3 nights
  5. Merzouga 2 nights, 1 at camp
  6. Ait Ben Haddou 1 night
  7. Imlil 2 nights
  8. Marrakech 2 nights
  9. Essaouira 1 night
  10. Casablanca 1 night
  11. Rabat 1 night
  12. Tangier End
  • Private tourYour group only
  • Guide and driverFrom Tangier, the whole trip
  • Round trip from Tangier21 days, 20 nights
  • 20 nights includedAt the level you choose

The complete journey

Three weeks, the long way round

Tour Guide Tangier's 21-day private tour is our longest route: a loop from Tangier through the north, the imperial cities, the Middle Atlas, the Sahara, the gorges of the south, the High Atlas, Marrakech and the Atlantic coast, with a private Tangier-based guide and driver.

Three weeks change the pace. The main stops get two or three nights, so you have time for what the shorter tours drive past: the Akchour waterfalls near Chefchaouen, a night in Meknes, a crafts day in Fes, the Todra and Dades gorges on separate days, two nights in Imlil for walks in the High Atlas, and Essaouira by the sea. Most drives are five hours or less, and the coast road home is split with a night in Casablanca.

It suits travellers with time who want one long journey through Morocco, couples on a long holiday, families with older children and anyone who prefers to unpack and stay a while. It begins and ends in Tangier, close to the ferry port and the airport. For shorter routes, see all our Morocco tours from Tangier.

  • 21 days, 20 nightsTangier round trip
  • Local guidesFes, Marrakech, Rabat, the Atlas
  • Two nights, main stopsThree in Fes
  • Longest driveAbout 5 hours

Day by day

Your 3-week Morocco itinerary, day by day

Drive times are estimates with stops. Every day can be changed before you travel, or on the road.

  1. Day01

    Tangier

    Tangier, the Kasbah and the medina

    • Short transfers in town
    • Riad or hotel in Tangier

    Pickup at the airport, the ferry port, the station or your hotel. Your guide walks you up to the Kasbah for the view across the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain, then down through the medina, the Petit Socco and the Grand Socco. If you arrive early, the afternoon can take in Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules on the Atlantic.

    You see The Kasbah · The medina · Cap Spartel

    The medina roofs and the bay of Tangier seen from the Kasbah

  2. Day02

    Tangier to Chefchaouen via Tetouan

    Tetouan's medina, then Chefchaouen

    • About 2.5 h, 125 km, with stops
    • Riad in Chefchaouen

    East to Tetouan, the white city at the foot of the Rif, for a walk from Feddan square and the Royal Palace into the medina that refugees from Granada rebuilt at the end of the 15th century, now on the UNESCO list. Chefchaouen in the late afternoon.

    You see Feddan square · Tetouan medina · Chefchaouen

    Feddan square in Tetouan, its pebble mosaic, palms and the white medina behind

  3. Day03

    Akchour and back to Chefchaouen

    The Akchour waterfalls and the blue city

    • About 45 min each way
    • Riad in Chefchaouen

    A morning at Akchour, in Talassemtane National Park, walking up the river to the waterfalls: about an hour each way to the first falls, longer to the big waterfall or to God's Bridge, a natural rock arch. Back in Chefchaouen, the afternoon is for the blue lanes, the Kasbah and sunset from the Spanish Mosque. For more of the Rif and Akchour on foot, there is a 4-day hiking tour from Tangier.

    You see Akchour waterfalls · God's Bridge · Spanish Mosque

    A turquoise river pool at Akchour near Chefchaouen, below green slopes and limestone cliffs in the Rif Mountains

  4. Day04

    Chefchaouen to Meknes via Moulay Idriss and Volubilis

    Moulay Idriss, Volubilis and a night in Meknes

    • About 4.5 h, 200 km, with stops
    • Riad in Meknes

    South through the hills to Moulay Idriss, the holy town on its two hills, and Volubilis below it, where the Roman floor mosaics are still in place. The evening in Meknes, on El Hedim square in front of the Bab Mansour gate.

    You see Moulay Idriss · Volubilis · El Hedim square

    The Roman ruins of Volubilis

  5. Day05

    Meknes to Fes

    Imperial Meknes, then Fes

    • About 1 h, 70 km
    • Riad in Fes

    A morning in Meknes, the capital of Sultan Moulay Ismail: the Bab Mansour gate, the vast granaries and stables of Heri es-Souani and the Agdal basin beside them. Fes after lunch, with the Royal Palace gates in Fes el-Jdid and the view over the old city from the Merinid tombs.

    You see Bab Mansour · Heri es-Souani · Royal Palace gates

    The bronze doors and zellige of the Royal Palace gates in Fes

  6. Day06

    Fes

    Fes el-Bali with a local guide

    • No long drive
    • Riad in Fes

    A full day on foot with a licensed Fes guide in Fes el-Bali: the Bab Boujloud gate, the Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasas, the Al Quaraouiyine mosque and university, founded in the 9th century, and the Chouara tannery from a terrace above the dye pits.

    You see Bou Inania madrasa · Al Quaraouiyine · Chouara tannery

    The dye pits of the Chouara tannery in Fes

  7. Day07

    Fes

    The crafts of Fes and a free afternoon

    • Short transfers in town
    • Riad in Fes

    A morning with the makers: the potters' workshops outside the walls, where zellige tiles are cut and set by hand, and the weavers and brass workers of the medina. The afternoon is yours, for a hammam, the Mellah or a long lunch on a riad terrace.

    You see Pottery and zellige · Weavers · The Mellah

    Painted tagines and ceramic jars stacked outside a pottery shop in the Fes medina

  8. Day08

    Fes to Midelt via Ifrane and Azrou

    Ifrane and the cedars of the Middle Atlas

    • About 4 h, 210 km, with stops
    • Kasbah hotel in Midelt

    Up to Ifrane, the mountain town of sloping roofs and its stone lion, then the Atlas cedar forest near Azrou, where Barbary macaques live among the trees. Across the high plateau to Midelt, a town of apple orchards below the Jbel Ayachi range.

    You see Ifrane · Azrou cedar forest · Jbel Ayachi

    Tall Atlas cedars in the forest near Azrou in the Middle Atlas, with horses and visitors at the roadside

  9. Day09

    Midelt to Merzouga via the Ziz valley

    Down the Ziz valley to the dunes

    • About 4.5 h, 260 km, with stops
    • Hotel by the dunes, Merzouga

    Through the Ziz gorges and the long ribbon of palm groves in the Ziz valley, past Errachidia and the blue spring of Meski, to Merzouga. The first sight of the Erg Chebbi dunes comes in the late afternoon, from a hotel at their edge.

    You see Ziz gorges · Ziz valley · Erg Chebbi

    The palm groves of the Ziz valley

  10. Day10

    Merzouga and Erg Chebbi

    Khamlia, a camel ride and a night at camp

    • Short drives around the dunes
    • Desert camp, Erg Chebbi

    A day in the desert at its own speed: the Gnawa musicians of Khamlia, lunch in the shade, and in the late afternoon a camel ride into the dunes. Sunset from a crest, dinner by the fire and a night at a private camp under the stars.

    You see Khamlia · Camel ride · Desert camp

    A camel caravan crossing the Sahara dunes

  11. Day11

    Merzouga to the Todra Gorge via Rissani

    Rissani's souk and the Todra Gorge

    • About 4 h, 210 km, with stops
    • Hotel by the Todra Gorge

    Sunrise on the dunes, then Rissani, the old capital of the Tafilalt oasis, with its souk and the ruins of Sijilmasa, the caravan city, nearby. West past oases and earthen villages to Tinghir and the Todra Gorge, where you sleep beside the canyon.

    You see Rissani souk · Tinghir · Todra Gorge

    The tiled monumental gate at the entrance to Rissani, with palms beside it

  12. Day12

    Todra Gorge to the Dades valley

    A morning in the Todra, an afternoon in the Dades

    • About 2.5 h, 110 km
    • Kasbah hotel in the Dades valley

    An early walk in the Todra Gorge before the day visitors arrive, when the light comes down its walls. Then the short drive to the Dades Gorge, past the Monkey Fingers rocks and up its hairpin road, for an afternoon at your kasbah above the river.

    You see Todra Gorge · Monkey Fingers · Dades Gorge

    The Monkey Fingers rock formations above the green valley floor of the Dades Gorge

  13. Day13

    Dades to Ait Ben Haddou via Skoura and Ouarzazate

    Roses, palms and Ait Ben Haddou

    • About 3.5 h, 175 km, with stops
    • Guesthouse at Ait Ben Haddou

    Kelaat M'Gouna, the town of the Damask rose, then the palm grove of Skoura and the 17th-century Kasbah Amridil, open to visitors. Ouarzazate and its Taourirt kasbah, and Ait Ben Haddou for sunset from the top of the ksar.

    You see Kelaat M'Gouna · Kasbah Amridil · Ait Ben Haddou

    An earthen kasbah tower among the palms of the Skoura oasis

  14. Day14

    Ait Ben Haddou to Imlil over the Tizi n'Tichka

    Over the High Atlas to Imlil

    • About 5 h, 215 km, with stops
    • Guesthouse in Imlil

    The ksar in the morning light, then the climb to the Tizi n'Tichka pass at about 2,260 metres, with a detour to the Glaoui kasbah at Telouet if you like. Down the north side and up through Asni to Imlil, a Berber village at about 1,740 metres below Jbel Toubkal.

    You see Tizi n'Tichka pass · Telouet · Imlil

    Snow on the High Atlas above a valley of trees

  15. Day15

    Imlil

    Walking in the Imlil valleys

    • No driving
    • Guesthouse in Imlil

    A day on foot with a local mountain guide: through walnut groves and terraced fields to Aroumd, the village under the Toubkal massif, and on paths between the hamlets of the valley, with a picnic or lunch in the village. As long or as short as you like, and back at the guesthouse for tea at sunset.

    You see Aroumd · Walnut groves · Toubkal massif

    The stone and earth houses of Aroumd on a slope below the High Atlas peaks, near Imlil

  16. Day16

    Imlil to Marrakech

    Down to Marrakech

    • About 1.5 h, 65 km
    • Riad in Marrakech

    A slow morning in the mountains, then Marrakech by lunchtime. The afternoon for the Majorelle Garden, and the evening in Jemaa el-Fna as the food stalls light up.

    You see Majorelle Garden · Jemaa el-Fna

    Jemaa el-Fna square in Marrakech at dusk, with lit market stalls and the Koutoubia minaret behind

  17. Day17

    Marrakech

    Marrakech with a local guide

    • Short transfers in town
    • Riad in Marrakech

    A licensed local guide leads you to the Koutoubia, the Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, the Ben Youssef madrasa and the souks, with lunch on a rooftop. The evening is free.

    You see Bahia Palace · Saadian Tombs · Ben Youssef madrasa

    The large tiled courtyard of the Bahia Palace in Marrakech

  18. Day18

    Marrakech to Essaouira

    Argan country and the Atlantic

    • About 3 h, 185 km
    • Riad in Essaouira

    West through the argan country, with a stop at a women's argan oil cooperative, to Essaouira, the walled port on the UNESCO list. The afternoon at the Skala du Port and the fishing harbour, where the catch comes in on blue boats.

    You see Argan cooperative · Skala du Port · Fishing harbour

    Rows of blue wooden fishing boats in the harbour of Essaouira, trawlers moored behind them

  19. Day19

    Essaouira to Casablanca

    A morning in Essaouira, then Casablanca

    • About 5 h, 370 km, with stops
    • Hotel in Casablanca

    The morning on the ramparts of the Skala de la Ville and their cannons, in the thuya-wood workshops beneath them and in the old Mellah. After lunch, up the coast on fast roads to Casablanca for the night.

    You see Skala de la Ville · Thuya workshops · The Mellah

    Old cannons along the Skala de la Ville rampart above the Atlantic in Essaouira

  20. Day20

    Casablanca to Rabat

    The Hassan II Mosque and the capital

    • About 1.5 h, 90 km
    • Riad or hotel in Rabat

    The Hassan II Mosque on its platform over the ocean, with a guided visit inside at one of the set times (the ticket is paid on site). Then north to Rabat for a free afternoon in its medina and by the river, before the guided visit of the capital the next morning.

    You see Hassan II Mosque · Rabat medina

    The minaret of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca framed by a carved arch at dusk

  21. Day21

    Rabat to Tangier via Asilah

    Rabat, Asilah and back to Tangier

    • About 3 h, 250 km
    • Drop-off anywhere in Tangier

    A morning in Rabat with a licensed local guide: the Kasbah of the Udayas above the river mouth, the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. Lunch in Asilah inside its Portuguese ramparts, and Tangier in the afternoon, where the journey began.

    You see Kasbah of the Udayas · Hassan Tower · Asilah

    A mural of long-necked figures and red flowers on a white wall in the medina of Asilah

Where you sleep

20 nights, 14 places

  • 1 night

    Tangier

    A riad in the medina or a hotel

  • 2 nights

    Chefchaouen

    A riad in the medina

  • 1 night

    Meknes

    A riad in the medina

  • 3 nights

    Fes

    A riad in or next to the medina

  • 1 night

    Midelt

    A kasbah hotel

  • 2 nights

    Merzouga

    A hotel at the edge of the dunes, then a private tent at a desert camp

  • 1 night

    Todra Gorge

    A hotel by the gorge

  • 1 night

    Dades valley

    A kasbah hotel above the river

  • 1 night

    Ait Ben Haddou

    A guesthouse facing the ksar

  • 2 nights

    Imlil

    A mountain guesthouse in the village

  • 2 nights

    Marrakech

    A riad in the medina

  • 1 night

    Essaouira

    A riad in the medina

  • 1 night

    Casablanca

    A hotel in the city, near the ocean

  • 1 night

    Rabat

    A riad in the medina or a hotel

Three levels, one route

  • Standard

    Family-run riads and guesthouses, each room with its own bathroom. At the desert camp, a private tent.

  • Comfort

    Boutique riads with more space and character, often with a roof terrace or a pool. At the camp, a larger tent with its own bathroom.

  • Premium

    The best riads and kasbah hotels on the route, and dinners in the riads on request. At the camp, a luxury tent with proper beds.

Tell us the level you want when you ask for your quote. You can mix them, for example a Comfort riad in the city and a Premium tent in the desert. In Imlil, the rooms are in mountain guesthouses and lodges at every level.

Good to know

Before you ask for a quote

  • Longest drive

    About 5 hours

    No day is long: the coast road home is split with a night in Casablanca, and most days are five hours or less.

  • Pace

    Relaxed

    Two or three nights at the main stops, and free time in Fes and Imlil.

  • Pickup

    Anywhere in Tangier

    Your hotel, Ibn Battouta airport, Tanger Ville station, the ferry port or a cruise terminal. Tanger Med port for an extra fee.

  • Ends

    Tangier

    Drop-off at your hotel, the ferry port, the airport or a cruise terminal.

  • Walking

    Easy to moderate

    Medina lanes on city days, the river path at Akchour and village paths in the Imlil valleys, all easy to shorten.

  • Best months

    March to May, September to November

    In winter the High Atlas passes can have snow and desert nights are cold; July and August are very hot in the south.

  • Languages

    English, French, Spanish, Arabic

    Your guide speaks the language you choose.

  • Group

    Private, any size

    One travel party per vehicle: a car for up to 3, a minivan for 4 to 7, larger vehicles for bigger groups.

  • Price

    On request

    Every trip is quoted for your dates, group size and hotels. Once every detail is agreed and you have our invoice, a 40% deposit by bank transfer or PayPal holds it, refunded if you cancel up to 48 hours before departure; the rest is paid on the first day.

  • Children

    Welcome

    Tell us their ages with your dates: the quote counts every guest, and child seats are on request.

  • Your booking

    Confirmed in writing

    Nothing is booked until we confirm it by WhatsApp or email.

  • Limited mobility

    Tell us when you book

    Tell us about limited mobility or a wheelchair when you ask for a quote: we tell you honestly what works and plan the route, the hotels and the walks around you.

Clear terms

What's included and what's not

Included

  • A private air-conditioned vehicle for the whole trip
  • Your Tangier-based guide and driver from start to finish
  • Licensed local guides in Fes, Marrakech and Rabat
  • A local mountain guide for the walks in Imlil
  • 20 nights of accommodation at the level you choose
  • Breakfast every day
  • The camel ride at sunset, dinner and breakfast at the desert camp
  • Fuel, tolls and parking
  • Bottled water in the vehicle

Not included

  • Flights and ferry tickets
  • Lunches, and dinners not listed as included
  • Optional extras such as quad biking in Merzouga, a hammam or a balloon flight in Marrakech
  • Entry fees to monuments and museums, including the guided visit of the Hassan II Mosque
  • Tips for guides and drivers
  • Travel insurance

Price on request: we quote per person for your dates, your group size and the hotel level you choose.

Why this tour

Why travel this way

  • The long way round

    Our longest route: the north, the imperial cities, the Sahara, the High Atlas and the Atlantic, back to Tangier.

  • Two nights at the main stops

    Fewer bags to pack, and time for Akchour, a crafts day in Fes, the Imlil valleys and a morning by the sea in Essaouira.

  • Guided from Tangier

    A private Tangier-based guide and driver, with licensed local guides in Fes, Marrakech and Rabat and a mountain guide in Imlil.

  • Your trip, your pace

    A private vehicle, your guides and your group only. Stop where you like and change the plan on the road.

Compare

This tour or a nearby one?

Three round trips from Tangier side by side: the nights in each region and the pace.

21-Day Grand Tour14-Day Mountains, Desert and SeaImperial Cities & Sahara
Length21 days14 days9 days
Nights in Fes322
Nights by the dunes221
Nights in the High Atlas210
Nights in Essaouira110
DetailsYou are hereSee the 14-Day Mountains, Desert and SeaSee the Imperial Cities & Sahara

The same for all three Pace: Relaxed

Your quote

Get a price for your dates

Tell us when you travel, how many you are and the hotel level you like. You get a day-by-day plan and a per-person price. Nothing to pay until every detail is agreed and you have our invoice.

Price on request per person, for your group

  • Private: your group only
  • 21 days, 20 nights
  • Starts in Tangier, ends in Tangier
  • Free cancellation up to 48 hours before
  • Free quote, no obligation
  • 40% deposit once every detail is agreed
  • Reply within 2 hours (8am to 10pm)

Step 1 of 3 Your trip

* required

How firm is that date?

Children count towards your group size.

Step 2 of 3 Comfort and route
Hotel level

Levels can be mixed night by night.

Rooms you need

The route
How do you arrive for the start?
Which port?
Where should the trip end?
A special occasion?
Guide language
Step 3 of 3 Check and send

Our team replies on WhatsApp. Start with your country code.

  • 40% deposit by bank transfer or PayPal once every detail is agreed and the invoice is sent. The 60% balance is paid on the first day.
  • Deposit refunded in full up to 48 hours before.

This is a request: nothing is booked until our team confirms in writing. Reply within 2 hours, between 8am and 10pm Tangier time. Nothing to pay until you have our invoice. No spam, ever.

We use your details only to answer and plan your request, and keep them 12 months. Privacy policy

What is included
  • Price on request.
  • Booked when the deposit arrives.
  • Not included: flights and ferry tickets, most meals, entries, tips, insurance.
  • + Pick-up fee at Tanger Med (our team adds it)
  • Bad weather, a closed port or a strike: a new date or a full refund, your choice.

Good to know

Three weeks in Morocco: questions about this tour

What travellers ask before they book.

Still deciding?Ask a guide directly on WhatsApp.
Is 3 weeks in Morocco too long?

Not at this pace. The main stops get two or three nights, most drives are five hours or less, there are free afternoons in Fes and Imlil, and the coast road home is split with a night in Casablanca. If three weeks is more than you have, see 2 weeks in Morocco: the 14-day tour keeps the mountains, the desert and the sea.

Do we keep the same guide for three weeks?

It depends on your dates and the season: we tell you when we send your plan, before anything is booked. Licensed local guides join for the medina walks in Fes, Marrakech and Rabat, and a mountain guide for the walks in Imlil.

Can we take a day off along the way?

Yes, you can take a day off along the way: any day can become a rest day at your riad, and the free time in Fes and Imlil can be stretched or moved. Tell us before you travel, or tell your guide on the road.

What should we pack for three weeks?

Layers. Days are warm in spring and autumn, but the High Atlas and the desert are cold at night and Essaouira is often windy. Bring good walking shoes for Akchour and Imlil, a warm jacket, a hat or scarf against the sun, and clothes that cover shoulders and knees for the visit inside the Hassan II Mosque.

How much does it cost?

The price depends on your dates, your group size and the hotel level you choose, so we quote it for you, usually within 2 hours (8am to 10pm). The per-person price falls as the group grows.

Is a deposit required?

Yes, 40% of the trip price. Once we have agreed every detail, we send you an invoice and you pay the deposit by bank transfer or PayPal. It is refunded in full if you cancel up to 48 hours before departure; a later cancellation or a no-show is not refunded. The balance is paid on the first day of your tour, in cash, by PayPal or by bank transfer.

More multi-day tours

Other routes from Tangier

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Tangier round trip · Private · Price on request

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