Northern Morocco · Route planner
Northern Morocco Itinerary from Tangier for 5 or 7 Days
A northern route has a rhythm of its own. You start by the Strait of Gibraltar, walk the old streets of Tétouan and spend time in the blue lanes of Chefchaouen before heading down to Fes. Five days suits travelers moving on from Fes. Seven gives you another night in the Rif and a full day for Meknes and Volubilis.
Five days or seven days, night by night
The overnight plans assume a Tangier arrival and a Fes departure. Arrival day and flight day are included in the count.
| Day | 5-day route | 7-day route |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive and walk Tangier. Sleep in Tangier. | Arrive and settle in. Sleep in Tangier. |
| 2 | Tétouan medina, then Chefchaouen. Sleep in Chefchaouen. | Tangier kasbah and optional Cap Spartel. Sleep in Tangier. |
| 3 | Chefchaouen morning, then drive to Fes. Sleep in Fes. | Tétouan on the way to Chefchaouen. Sleep in Chefchaouen. |
| 4 | Fes guided medina day. Sleep in Fes. | Chefchaouen medina and viewpoint. Sleep in Chefchaouen. |
| 5 | Depart Fes. | Volubilis and Meknes to Fes. Sleep in Fes. |
| 6 | Trip complete. | Fes guided visit. Sleep in Fes. |
| 7 | Trip complete. | Depart Fes. |
Choose five days for a compact one-way journey
This version has four nights: one in Tangier, one in Chefchaouen and two in Fes. It works best when your arrival gives you a few hours in Tangier on day one. Day two includes Tétouan on the way to Chefchaouen. Day three gives you a blue-medina morning before the road to Fes. Keep day four for the full Fes walk.
Choose seven days for the Rif and Roman sites
Use two nights in Tangier, two in Chefchaouen and two in Fes. The extra Tangier day gives you a kasbah walk or time out at Cap Spartel. Two Chefchaouen nights let you explore without your luggage. On day five, leave early for Volubilis and Meknes on the longer route to Fes. Check local guiding and opening hours before counting on both visits.
Driving and meeting points
Tangier to Tétouan is roughly 1–1½ hours. Tétouan to Chefchaouen takes about 1½–2 hours. Chefchaouen to Fes directly is roughly four hours, while a Volubilis and Meknes detour turns it into a full travel day. Agree the riad gate in each city. A pedestrian lane marked on a map can involve a longer walk with bags than the distance suggests.
If your flight or ferry leaves from Tangier
These examples finish in Fes. For a return from Tangier, put the northbound journey on the previous day and replace an activity or add a night. A morning flight or a fixed ferry check-in is a poor match for a same-day road transfer from Fes. For a trip that also reaches the dunes, compare the private Tangier-to-Marrakech desert route and allow extra days for the Sahara.
Questions travelers ask
Do these five- and seven-day routes include Merzouga?
No. They focus on the Rif and Fes. A Sahara visit involves a separate long road leg south of Fes.
Where should we sleep for a morning Fes flight?
Spend the last night in Fes and confirm the vehicle meeting point and airport pickup time with your accommodation.
Can we use a ferry arrival from Spain?
Yes. Check whether the ticket names Tanger Ville or Tanger Med and allow time for the terminal transfer before planning visits.