How do you get from Tangier to Marrakech?

By private tour vehicle it is a multi-day overland trip through Chefchaouen, Fes and usually the Sahara, taking 5 to 8 days depending on stops. There is also a fast train of about 5 hours and flights, but you would skip everything in between.

Is Tangier worth visiting?

For a day, yes, the medina, the kasbah, the Caves of Hercules and Cap Spartel where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean. Most travellers use it as a gateway rather than a base.

How long is the drive from Tangier to Chefchaouen?

About 115 km and two hours on a well-maintained road, which makes Chefchaouen the natural first stop on any tour heading south.

Morocco Tours from Tangier: Overland Routes South to Marrakech

August 27, 2026 · 2 min read

If you are arriving by ferry from Spain or flying into the north, Tangier is a natural place to start a Morocco trip and work your way south to Marrakech. The route takes in the blue city, the imperial cities, the Sahara and the Atlas in one line, with no backtracking.

The classic Tangier-to-Marrakech route

Tangier to Chefchaouen, the blue city, about 2 hours. Then Volubilis Roman ruins and Meknes, on to Fes for two nights. From Fes, cross the Middle Atlas past Ifrane and the cedar forest to Merzouga for a night in the Sahara. Head west through the Todra and Dades gorges to Aït Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate, then over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech.

How many days do you need?

5 to 6 days: Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fes and straight on to Marrakech — cities only, no desert. See the Marrakech Express 6 Days Tour from Tangier.

7 to 8 days: add the Sahara and the Atlas kasbah trail. This is the most popular length — the 7 Days Tour from Tangier to Marrakech or the 8 Days Tour from Tangier to Marrakech.

9 or more days: a slower pace with more time in Fes and the desert, or a coastal detour. See the 9 Days Tour from Tangier to Marrakech.

14 days: the grand loop covering the north, the desert, the Atlas and the coast — the 14 Days Grand Morocco Tour from Tangier.

Tangier to Chefchaouen

Just two hours on a good road, and the single most photographed town in Morocco. Most itineraries stop for a night; a few treat it as a long lunch stop on the way to Fes. Full guide: Chefchaouen, Morocco's blue pearl.

Should you start in Tangier or fly into Marrakech?

Start in Tangier if you are coming from Spain, want the north and Chefchaouen near the start while you are fresh, and are happy to end in Marrakech for your flight home. Fly into Marrakech instead if your priority is the desert and you have under a week, since the north adds distance. Our departure-city guide compares all four gateways.

Can you do the route in reverse?

Yes. Marrakech to Tangier works identically and is common for travellers flying into Marrakech and out of Tangier, or catching the ferry back to Spain at the end of the trip.

Every route above runs as a private tour with your own driver-guide and vehicle. See all our tours or send us your dates.