10-Day Morocco Grand Loop: Casablanca to the Sahara — Self-Launched
10 days · Morocco
Morocco Best Tours charges £1,300
No-markup version: ~£670 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Morocco Best Tours' 10-day Casablanca loop — Casablanca, Rabat, Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Fes, the Middle Atlas, a Sahara camp at Merzouga, Todra Gorges, Ait Ben Haddou, Marrakech and Essaouira — rebuilt using trains, CTM/Supratours coaches, shared grand taxis, a local desert guide and independently booked riads and hostels. The original is a private-driver small-group tour priced from US$1,660 (~£1,300) per person; done independently with the same route and highlights, realistic costs land around £640–700 per person including a comfortable private desert camp night. Booking desert transfers and the Merzouga camp through a local operator (or joining a shared 3-day desert tour from Fes) is the only place you'll want help — everything else is walk-on transport and direct bookable hotels.
Day-by-day
Arrive Casablanca — Hassan II Mosque and the corniche
Casablanca
Land at Mohammed V Airport and take the ONCF airport train into Casa Voyageurs or Casa Port (~£3, 40 mins) rather than a taxi. Check into a medina-side guesthouse or hostel. Spend the afternoon at the Hassan II Mosque — the only way inside is a timed guided visit bought at the ticket office (~£12, mornings and early afternoon; closed to visitors on Fridays). Walk the Ain Diab corniche at sunset and eat grilled fish or a tagine in the Habous or medina quarter (~£6-8).
🚌ONCF airport train ~£3; tram/taxi around town ~£2
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in the old medina (e.g. Hotel Aday area, ~£18-25 dorm/private twin)
- →Hassan II Mosque interior guided visit (~£12)
- →Ain Diab corniche walk
- →Habous quarter and medina wander
Casablanca → Rabat → Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen
Early train to Rabat (ONCF, ~1hr, ~£4). Store your bag at the station and walk to the Oudaya Kasbah and Bab Challah, then the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and Hassan Tower — all free or a couple of pounds. Grab lunch in the medina (~£5). Mid-afternoon take the train to Tangier (~3.5hrs, ~£10) or a CTM coach, then the local bus/coach to Chefchaouen via Tetouan (~2hrs, ~£4). It's a long day; if you prefer to slow it down, sleep in Rabat or Tangier and arrive in Chefchaouen by midday tomorrow. Check into a small riad inside the blue medina (~£18-25).
🚌Trains Casablanca–Rabat–Tangier ~£14 + bus Tangier–Chefchaouen ~£4
🛏Small riad/guesthouse in the Chefchaouen medina (~£20)
- →Oudaya Kasbah (free)
- →Mausoleum of Mohammed V & Hassan Tower (free)
- →Rabat medina lunch stop
Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Meknes → Fes
Fes
Morning in the blue alleyways: climb to the Spanish Mosque viewpoint (free, 20 mins) before the heat, browse the dye pits and the kasbah garden (~£1). Around 11am take a shared grand taxi or coach to Meknes (~3hrs, ~£7). From Meknes, a grand taxi to Volubilis and back is ~£10-12 shared — the Roman ruins with mosaics are the highlight; entry ~£6. If you'd rather have context, pre-book a Volubilis+Meknes day tour from Fes on GetYourGuide (~£35-45) and skip the DIY transport. Late afternoon bus or train Meknes–Fes (~45 mins, ~£2). Riad in the Fes medina (~£20-25).
🚌Shared taxi/coach Chefchaouen–Meknes ~£7; grand taxi Volubilis ~£11; Meknes–Fes ~£2
🛏Riad in the Fes medina (~£22)
- →Spanish Mosque viewpoint (free)
- →Volubilis Roman ruins (~£6 entry, ~£11 shared taxi)
- →Bab Al-Mansour, Sahrij Souani basin & Moulay Ismail mausoleum in Meknes (free)
Fes medina deep dive with a local guide
Fes
Book a half-day licensed medina walking guide (GetYourGuide, ~£25-30, 3-4hrs) — worth it in Fes more than anywhere, both for the history and to avoid getting lost or steered into shops. Cover Bab Boujloud, Bouanania medersa (~£2), the Najjarine fountain, the Chouara tanneries (view from a terrace, small tip), the Karaouiyine mosque exterior and university, the Mellah Jewish quarter, and the Borj Nord fortress for a city panorama (~£2). Afternoon free: a hammam (~£8-12) and mint tea on a rooftop. Evening train ticket sorted for tomorrow.
🚌Walking + petit taxi ~£2
🛏Riad in the Fes medina (~£22)
- →Half-day licensed medina guide (~£28)
- →Medersa Bouanania entry ~£2
- →Borj Nord fortress ~£2
Fes → Middle Atlas → Merzouga desert camp
Merzouga
Two good options. Cheapest: CTM or Supratours coach Fes–Merzouga (~7-8hrs, ~£15-18, leaves early morning), arriving late afternoon. Easier: join a shared 3-day Fes–Merzouga–Marrakech desert tour departing today (book on GetYourGuide/Klook, ~£90-120 including transport, one desert camp night, dinner/breakfast and a guide) — this is the single best-value piece of the whole trip and effectively covers days 5-7. Either way you pass Ifrane (Morocco's alpine 'little Switzerland') and the cedar forests of Azrou with Barbary macaques. Tonight: camel or 4x4 transfer into the Erg Chebbi dunes, sunset on the sand, tagine dinner, Berber drums around the fire, and stargazing from a private en-suite tent in a mid-range camp (~£40-55/night booked direct, or included in the shared tour).
🚌Coach Fes–Merzouga ~£16 or shared desert tour transport
🛏Private en-suite tent at a mid-range Erg Chebbi desert camp (~£45 direct, or included)
- →Ifrane and Azrou cedar forest stop
- →Camel ride into the dunes
- →Sunset on the dunes and Berber music around the campfire
Sunrise in the Sahara → Rissani → Todra Gorges → Dades Valley
Boumalne Dades
Up for sunrise over the dunes (free, and the best moment of the trip). Breakfast at camp, then head out west: Rissani's souk and donkey market (free), the Erfoud fossilised-marble workshops, then the road to Tinghir and the Todra Gorges — a 300m limestone canyon with a flat 1hr walk along the riverbed at the bottom, no guide needed. Continue to Boumalne Dades and its switchback valley viewpoints in late light. Guesthouse in Dades (~£18-22) with dinner included is normal here.
🚌Shared tour minibus, or shared grand taxi Merzouga–Tinghir ~£15 plus Tinghir–Boumalne ~£6
🛏Family-run guesthouse in Boumalne Dades (~£20, dinner often included)
- →Desert sunrise
- →Rissani souk
- →Todra Gorges riverside walk (free)
- →Dades Valley viewpoints
Dades → Rose Valley → Ouarzazate → Ait Ben Haddou → Marrakech
Marrakech
Through the Kalaa M'Gouna rose valley (rose harvest in May; rose co-op stalls free to browse), then Ouarzazate — the Atlas Film Studios tour is ~£7 if you're curious, otherwise just see the Taourirt kasbah exterior (~£2). The big one is Ait Ben Haddou: cross the river and climb to the granary at the top for free-ish (small local guide tip ~£2-3). Then the Tizi n'Tichka pass over the High Atlas into Marrakech (long driving day, ~7-8hrs total). Riad in the medina (~£22-28). If you took the shared Fes–Marrakech desert tour, today is its final day and ends in Marrakech.
🚌Shared tour minibus, or CTM/coach Boumalne–Marrakech ~£12-15 + shared taxis
🛏Riad in the Marrakech medina (~£25)
- →Rose Valley co-op stop
- →Atlas Film Studios (~£7, optional)
- →Ait Ben Haddou kasbah climb (~£2-3 tip)
Marrakech: palaces, gardens and souks
Marrakech
Beat the crowds to Majorelle Garden at opening — buy the timed ticket online in advance (~£13, often sold out same-day) and note the YSL Museum next door is extra. Then Bahia Palace (~£6) and the Saadian Tombs (~£6); the Koutoubia is free from outside. Lunch near Jemaa el-Fna (~£6). Afternoon: get deliberately lost in the souks, watch the metalworkers in Place des Ferblantiers, and consider a rooftop sunset. Evening on the square — food stalls are ~£5-7 for a full plate; haggle before you sit.
🚌Walking + petit taxi ~£3
🛏Riad in the Marrakech medina (~£25)
- →Majorelle Garden timed entry (~£13)
- →Bahia Palace (~£6)
- →Saadian Tombs (~£6)
- →Souk and Jemaa el-Fna evening
Marrakech → Essaouira (Atlantic coast)
Essaouira
Morning CTM or Supratours coach to Essaouira (~3hrs, ~£8). Drop bags at a guesthouse inside the ramparts (~£18-22). Afternoon: walk the Skala de la Ville ramparts, the fishing port with its blue boats, and the wind-beaten beach — all free. Browse the art galleries and thuya-wood workshops, and eat sardines straight off the grill at the port (~£4-5). If it's April-November the wind is steady enough for a beginner windsurf or kitesurf lesson (~£30-40). Sunset from the beach is the local ritual.
🚌CTM/Supratours coach Marrakech–Essaouira ~£8
🛏Guesthouse inside the Essaouira medina (~£20)
- →Skala ramparts and fishing port (free)
- →Essaouira beach sunset
- →Optional windsurf/kitesurf lesson (~£35)
Essaouira → Casablanca and onward
Casablanca
Breakfast in the medina, then the direct Supratours coach Essaouira–Casablanca (~5hrs, ~£12), or take the coach back to Marrakech (~£8) and the train Marrakech–Casablanca (~3.5hrs, ~£10) if timings suit better. Aim to be at Mohammed V Airport 3hrs before an intercontinental flight — from Casa Port it's ~£3 on the ONCF train. If your flight is very early, sleep the last night near Casa Voyageurs instead and leave Essaouira on day 9 evening.
🚌Supratours coach Essaouira–Casablanca ~£12 + airport train ~£3
🛏None needed (or budget hotel near Casa Voyageurs ~£20 if flight is early)
- →Medina breakfast and last-minute souvenir shopping
Self-launched vs. Morocco Best Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Morocco Best Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£670 | £1,300 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £630 per person (48%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Morocco Best Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£670
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does 10-Day Morocco Grand Loop: Casablanca to the Sahara — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £670 per person for 10 days in Morocco. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Morocco Best Tours?+
Yes — Morocco Best Tours charges around £1,300 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £670 — a saving of roughly £630 (48%) per person.
How long is the Morocco trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Morocco.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, adventure, budget trip through Morocco, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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