Photo: Ben Bender, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsNorthern Morocco 7-Day Itinerary: Tangier to Fes via Chefchaouen
Seven days is enough to cross the whole north: fly into Tangier, see Asilah and Tetouan, spend three nights in Chefchaouen, then drive south past Volubilis and Meknes to fly home from Fes.
- Days
- 7
- Driving
- about 471 km
- Starts
- Tangier (TNG airport or ferry)
- Ends
- Fes (FEZ airport)
- Quote
- Free, in writing
Northern Morocco 7-day itinerary: the stops
Tangier to Asilah (day 1)Photo: Rodrigo Silva, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Tangier to Tetouan and Chefchaouen (day 2)Photo: Yamen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Chefchaouen medina, kasbah and Spanish Mosque (day 3)Photo: Badr Rachadi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Akchour waterfalls and God's Bridge hike (day 4)Photo: Itachoo1, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Day-by-day itinerary
No day has more than about 4 hours in the car. You never drive back the way you came. Chefchaouen gets three nights, because the blue town is best early and late.
Day 1: Tangier to Asilah
- Tangier to Asilah · 49 km · about 45 minutes
Photo: Rodrigo Silva, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Land at Tangier airport or come off the ferry. Your driver meets you.
Asilah is 45 minutes down the Atlantic coast. It is a small walled town of white houses with murals painted on them. Walk the sea wall at sunset.
Overnight: Asilah or Tangier
Day 2: Tangier to Tetouan and Chefchaouen
- Tangier to Tetouan · 60 km · about 1 hour
- Tetouan to Chefchaouen · 63 km · about 1¼ hours
Photo: Yamen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Tetouan's medina is listed by UNESCO. It was rebuilt by families who came from Granada, and it still looks Andalusian. A local guide helps here: the lanes are a maze.
After lunch the road climbs for about an hour into the Rif. You reach Chefchaouen in the late afternoon.
Overnight: Chefchaouen
Day 3: Chefchaouen medina, kasbah and Spanish Mosque
Photo: Badr Rachadi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Walk the medina before 10:00, when the lanes are empty. See the kasbah on Outa el Hammam square and the spring at Ras el Ma.
In the evening, walk up to the Spanish Mosque for sunset over the town. It takes about 20 minutes.
Overnight: Chefchaouen
Day 4: Akchour waterfalls and God's Bridge hike
- Chefchaouen to Akchour · 33 km · 45 to 55 minutes
Photo: Itachoo1, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons The Akchour trailhead is 33 km away, 45 to 55 minutes by road, in Talassemtane National Park. Paths follow the river to waterfalls and to a natural stone arch called God's Bridge.
Wear shoes that can get wet. You are back in town for dinner.
Overnight: Chefchaouen
Day 5: Chefchaouen to Volubilis and Meknes
- Chefchaouen to Volubilis · 165 km · 3¼ to 3¾ hours
- Volubilis to Meknes · 28 km · about 35 minutes
Photo: Mhobl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons The longest drive of the week: about 4 hours at the wheel, out of the mountains through Ouezzane, split by a long stop.
Volubilis is a Roman town with mosaics still on the floors. Then on through the holy town of Moulay Idriss to Meknes.
Overnight: Meknes
Day 6: Meknes to Fes
- Meknes to Fes · 73 km · about 1 hour
Photo: Robert Prazeres, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons See the Bab Mansour gate and the royal granaries in the morning. Fes is one hour away by motorway.
Spend the afternoon settling into a riad in the old medina.
Overnight: Fes
Day 7: Fes medina tour and departure
Photo: Uwe Brodrecht, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons A guided morning in Fes el-Bali: the tanneries, the medersas and the craft lanes. Fes airport is about 15 km from the old city.
Your free quote
Private and custom, so there is no fixed price: we shape this route to your dates, your group and your budget (the car, the nights, where you sleep, a local guide in the medinas or not). Tell us what you have in mind and we send a free written quote.
Drive times and distances
| From → to | Distance | Drive | Road |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tangier → Asilah | 49 km | about 45 minutes | Atlantic motorway |
| Tangier → Tetouan | 60 km | about 1 hour | Coast motorway and N2 |
| Tetouan → Chefchaouen | 63 km | about 1¼ hours | N2 up into the Rif |
| Chefchaouen → Akchour | 33 km | 45 to 55 minutes | Small mountain road east of town |
| Chefchaouen → Volubilis | 165 km | 3¼ to 3¾ hours | N13 via Ouezzane |
| Volubilis → Meknes | 28 km | about 35 minutes | Through Moulay Idriss |
| Meknes → Fes | 73 km | about 1 hour | A2 motorway |
Distances and times from OpenStreetMap routing, checked November 2026, rounded up. They leave out stops. Mountain roads in the Rif are often slower.
Tips before you go
- This is a one-way trip. Book an open-jaw flight: into Tangier (TNG), out of Fes (FEZ).
- Coming by ferry from Spain? Start the same way. Tanger Ville port is in the city.
- Short on time? Drop Asilah and Meknes and it becomes a 5-day trip.
- You can also run it backwards, Fes to Tangier.
FAQ
Is 7 days enough for northern Morocco?
Yes. Seven days covers Tangier, Asilah, Tetouan, Chefchaouen with Akchour, Volubilis, Meknes and Fes, with no day longer than about 4 hours of driving.
How many nights should I spend in Chefchaouen?
Two or three. One full day for the town, one for the Akchour waterfalls. The town is at its best early in the morning and at sunset, so sleeping there matters more than the number of days.
Where should I fly into for a northern Morocco trip?
Fly into Tangier (TNG) and out of Fes (FEZ), or the other way round. That way you never drive the same road twice.
More North Morocco tours from Chefchaouen
2 days · Free quote
Chefchaouen to Fes via Volubilis and Meknes
Photo: Jerzystrzelecki, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
2 days · Free quote
Tarifa or Algeciras to Chefchaouen by Ferry and Car
Photo: Николай Максимович, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons