Merzouga Desert Journey
Casablanca to Marrakech via the Sahara
Grand Morocco in 14 Days
The Saghro Traverse
Atlas lakes to Saghro
Erg Chigaga & Lake Iriki
From Marrakech
From Fes
From Casablanca
Couples
Families
Friends
Boutique riads
Luxury desert camps
Nights under the stars
Our story
Your driver-guide
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12-Day Grand Atlantic Coast: Tangier to Agadir
This is the long road down the ocean. You begin at the tip of Africa in Tangier and follow the Atlantic south for more than a thousand kilometres. On the way: the white walls of Asilah, the Roman ruins of Lixus, the royal capital of Rabat, Portuguese El Jadida and the oyster lagoon of Oualidia. Then two nights in Essaouira, two in the surf village of Taghazout and two on the cliffs of Mirleft, near the red arch of Legzira. The pace is slow: most days have a short drive and a long afternoon by the sea.
Best for: Travellers with time who want to follow the whole Atlantic coast, from the Strait of Gibraltar to the edge of the Sahara.
Highlights
- Tangier, Cap Spartel and the meeting of two seas
- Asilah's painted walls and the Roman ruins of Lixus
- Rabat's Kasbah of the Oudayas and Hassan Tower
- Portuguese El Jadida and the Oualidia lagoon
- Essaouira, Imsouane and Taghazout
- Mirleft, Legzira and Sidi Ifni
Day by day
Driving times are honest estimates for the time behind the wheel. Stops for photos, tea and lunch come on top, and you can always ask your driver to stop.
Day 1Arrival in Tangier
Arrival in Tangier
Your driver meets you at Tangier airport or the port and takes you to your hotel. Evening walk through the Kasbah and dinner with a view over the Strait of Gibraltar. Night in Tangier.
Day 2Tangier – Cap Spartel – Asilah
Tangier – Cap Spartel – Asilah
Out to Cap Spartel, where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, and the Caves of Hercules. Then south along the ocean to Asilah, a whitewashed town inside Portuguese ramparts, its walls painted by artists. Sunset from the ramparts. Night in Asilah.
Day 3Asilah – Larache – Lixus – Rabat
Asilah – Larache – Lixus – Rabat
South to Larache, an old Spanish port, and the ruins of Lixus above the Loukkos river, a Phoenician and Roman city linked to the legend of the garden of the Hesperides. In the afternoon, on to Rabat. Night in a riad in the medina.
Day 4Rabat and the Kasbah of the Oudayas
Rabat and the Kasbah of the Oudayas
A day in Morocco's calm, green capital: the blue and white lanes of the Kasbah of the Oudayas above the river mouth, the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, and the ruins of the Chellah, full of storks. Free evening in the medina.
Day 5Rabat – Casablanca – El Jadida – Oualidia
Rabat – Casablanca – El Jadida – Oualidia
Past Casablanca, with a stop at the Hassan II Mosque over the ocean, to El Jadida, the Portuguese Mazagan, with its ramparts and vaulted cistern. In the late afternoon you reach the calm lagoon of Oualidia. Oysters for dinner. Night by the lagoon.
Day 6Oualidia – Safi – Essaouira
Oualidia – Safi – Essaouira
Along the cliffs to Safi and its potters' hill, then south through fishing villages to Essaouira. Evening walk through the medina to the sea walls. Night in a riad in the old town.
Day 7Essaouira at leisure
Essaouira at leisure
A free day in Essaouira: the fishing port in the morning, the Skala ramparts, the galleries of the medina and the long beach.
Day 8Essaouira – Imsouane – Taghazout
Essaouira – Imsouane – Taghazout
South on the coast road between argan trees and the ocean to Imsouane and its long wave, then on to the surf village of Taghazout. Night by the sea.
Day 9Taghazout, surf and Paradise Valley
Taghazout, surf and Paradise Valley
A day for the sea: a beginner's surf lesson, yoga or the beach, and in the afternoon the palm gorge and rock pools of Paradise Valley in the Atlas foothills.
Day 10Taghazout – Agadir – Tiznit – Mirleft
Taghazout – Agadir – Tiznit – Mirleft
Past Agadir to Tiznit, the walled town of silversmiths, and back to the ocean at Mirleft, a quiet town on the cliffs. Night in a guesthouse over the sea.
Day 11Mirleft – Legzira – Sidi Ifni – Mirleft
Mirleft – Legzira – Sidi Ifni – Mirleft
The red arch of Legzira standing in the surf, then Sidi Ifni, Spanish until 1969, with its blue and white Art Deco town over the sea. Last sunset in Mirleft.
Day 12Mirleft – Agadir airport
Mirleft – Agadir airport
A slow morning by the sea, then your driver takes you to Agadir airport or your hotel in Agadir, where the journey ends.
Where you'll stay
These are our usual choices. If one is full on your dates we book a place of the same standard, and you can ask for an upgrade.
Price per person
| Group size | Per person |
|---|---|
| 2 travellers | €2,720 |
| 4 travellers | €2,040 |
| 6 travellers | €1,810 |
Your car and driver-guide cost the same for 2 or 6 people, and we book one double or twin room for every two travellers, so the price per person drops as your group grows. Hotels and breakfast are included. Travelling alone, or with 3 or 5? Ask us and we send your exact price within 24 hours.
What's included
Included
- Private air-conditioned car with your own English-speaking driver-guide
- Fuel, tolls and parking
- Airport or hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Hand-picked riads and sea-view hotels, double or twin rooms
- Breakfast every day
- Passenger insurance in the vehicle
Not included
- Flights
- Lunches
- Dinners
- Drinks
- Entrance fees
- Surf lessons
- Local guides
- Tips
- Personal expenses
Questions about this journey
Is twelve days on the coast too much driving?
No. The longest day is about four hours behind the wheel, and three days have almost no driving at all. You stay two nights in Rabat, Essaouira, Taghazout and Mirleft.
When is the best time for a coastal tour?
From May to October for warm, dry days. The Atlantic stays fresh even in summer, around 18 to 22°C in the water, and the trade winds keep the coast much cooler than Marrakech. The south coast around Taghazout and Mirleft is mild all year, so these journeys also work well from November to April.
Can we swim everywhere?
Not everywhere. The Atlantic has strong currents on some beaches, so your driver-guide will show you the safe, sheltered spots, and lifeguards work on the main town beaches in summer.
Can we add the Sahara or the mountains?
Yes. Every journey is private, so we can add a desert night, a day in the Atlas or extra nights by the sea. Tell us what you would like and we send you a new route and price.
How is the price calculated?
Your car and driver-guide cost the same for 2 or 6 people, and we book one double or twin room for every two travellers, so the price per person drops as your group grows. Travelling alone or with an odd number? Ask us for your exact price.
More journeys
Southern Atlantic Coast
From the blue port of Essaouira to the surf villages and the red cliffs of Legzira, one week down Morocco's wildest coast.
From €1,580 per person
The Old Atlantic Coast
Portuguese fortress towns, an oyster lagoon and the blue port of Essaouira, on the old coast road from Casablanca.
From €1,350 per person
The Mediterranean Coast
Clear water, white towns and the wild Rif coast road to the coves of Al Hoceima: Morocco's other sea.
From €1,350 per person
Where will your road begin?
Tell us your dates and who's coming. Abdou or one of the team will send you a route and a price within 24 hours.