Tangier Day Trip from Malaga & Tarifa: Ferry, Medina, Camel Ride

4.88

(202 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is the way our guide Hassan greeted us on the Moroccan side—just this easy smile and a “salaam” that made me relax after the ferry. I’d been squinting at the horizon for ages, watching Tangier get closer through sea mist. The port was all chatter and movement, people waving, taxis honking. Hassan handed out fresh msemen (kind of like a chewy pancake) with honey for breakfast—sticky fingers, sweet smell, and suddenly it felt like we were really here.

Cap Spartel was windier than I expected. You could actually hear the Atlantic and Mediterranean colliding below—sort of a low roar. We took photos on these sandy dunes while some folks tried the camel ride (I chickened out but laughed when one camel just sat down mid-ride). The drive back into Tangier was full of little details: blue doors half open, kids playing football in alleys, that sharp scent of oranges from street stalls. Our private van made it easy to just watch everything pass by without worrying about getting lost or missing something.

I honestly thought the medina would be overwhelming but Hassan led us through side streets where old men played cards under striped awnings. He pointed out the Sultan’s Palace (closed Tuesdays—so we peeked into a synagogue instead), then steered us into a market so packed with spices I sneezed twice in a row. Lunch was this slow-cooked tagine—lamb, apricots, almonds—and mint tea poured high so it foamed up in the glass. At one point Li tried to say “thank you” in Arabic; everyone laughed because she got it wrong but nobody minded.

We finished at the Continental Hotel for coffee—tiles everywhere, faded sunlight coming through colored glass. There was this quiet moment when I just watched people coming and going outside, thinking how strange and good it felt to be somewhere new but also kind of familiar now. If you’re looking for a day trip from Malaga or Tarifa that’s more than just ticking boxes… well, you’ll see what I mean.