9 Days Morocco: Casablanca to Marrakech Self-Launched
9 days · Morocco
Morocco Top Travel charges £1,290
No-markup version: ~£560 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Morocco Top Travel's 9-day Casablanca loop — imperial cities, the Rif mountains, Roman ruins and a Sahara camp — done independently using Morocco's excellent train network, CTM/Supratours coaches and shared grand taxis. You'll hit Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque, Rabat, blue Chefchaouen, Volubilis and Meknes, two days in Fes, the cedar forest and Ziz Valley down to the Erg Chebbi dunes, Todra Gorges, Dades Valley, Ait Ben Haddou and Marrakech — sleeping in family-run riads and a mid-range desert camp, joining small-group walking tours and a shared 3-day desert circuit instead of a private guide and driver. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Casablanca — Hassan II Mosque & Corniche
Casablanca
Land at Mohammed V Airport and take the ONCF train from the airport station into Casa Voyageurs or Casa Port (~30-40 MAD / £3, runs roughly hourly, 45 mins) rather than a private transfer. Check into a medina or Gauthier-district guesthouse. Spend the afternoon on the Corniche at the Hassan II Mosque — the guided interior tour runs a few times daily (~140 MAD / £11), otherwise the exterior and ocean-side plaza are free. Evening stroll through the old medina and a cheap tajine dinner.
🚌ONCF airport train to city centre ~£3; walk/tram locally
🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Gauthier/medina, ~£16-20 (e.g. small riad or Casa hostel)
- →Hassan II Mosque exterior and Corniche walk
- →Optional Hassan II Mosque interior guided tour (~£11)
- →Old medina and Habous quarter wander
Casablanca → Rabat → Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen
Early train to Rabat (~40 MAD / £3, 1 hr). Walk from Rabat Ville station to the medina: Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V are free, then explore the Oudayas Kasbah and its Andalusian garden. Catch an afternoon CTM or Supratours bus from Rabat to Chefchaouen (~90-110 MAD / £8-9, 4-4.5 hrs, book online a day ahead). Arrive in the blue city and settle into a small medina riad. Optional sunset hike up to the Spanish Mosque for the classic panorama.
🚌ONCF train Casa–Rabat ~£3; CTM/Supratours coach Rabat–Chefchaouen ~£9
🛏Family-run riad in Chefchaouen medina, ~£18-22
- →Hassan Tower and Mausoleum of Mohammed V
- →Oudayas Kasbah and gardens
- →Chefchaouen medina blue-alley walk
- →Sunset viewpoint at the Spanish Mosque
Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Meknes → Fes
Fes
Morning in Chefchaouen for photos before the crowds, then take the bus down to Meknes (~90 MAD / £8, 3.5 hrs) or a shared grand taxi to Moulay Idriss. From there a shared taxi or local bus reaches the Volubilis Roman ruins (~10 km). Volubilis entry is ~70 MAD / £6 and you can hire a licensed site guide at the gate for ~150 MAD split between a few travellers, or use the signage and a phone audio guide. Afternoon: Bab Mansour and the atmospheric medina of Meknes, then an hour's train to Fes (~30 MAD / £2.50).
🚌Coach to Meknes ~£8; shared grand taxi to Volubilis ~£2-4 split; train Meknes–Fes ~£2.50
🛏Budget riad in Fes medina, ~£18-22 (two nights)
- →Volubilis Roman ruins (entry ~£6)
- →Bab Mansour gate and Meknes medina
- →Moulay Idriss hillside town viewpoint
Fes — Full day in the medina
Fes
Book a small-group medina walking tour via GetYourGuide or a licensed guide through your riad (~£20-30 per person, 3-4 hrs) — this is genuinely worth it to navigate Fes el-Bali. Cover Bab Boujloud, the Bou Inania medersa (~70 MAD / £6), Al-Qarawiyyin and the Nejjarine fountain, the tanneries (view from a terrace, tip the guide ~20 MAD), and the Attarine museum. Afternoon free to get lost in the craft souks and buy leather. Cheap street food: bissara and msemen for lunch.
🚌All walking within the medina
🛏Budget riad in Fes medina, ~£18-22
- →Small-group Fes medina walking tour (~£25)
- →Bou Inania Medersa (~£6)
- →Tanneries terrace viewpoint
- →Attarine museum and craft souks
Fes → Ifrane → Cedar Forest → Ziz Valley → Merzouga (desert camp)
Merzouga
The long desert day. Cheapest independent option is the shared 3-day Fes-to-Marrakech desert circuit sold by dozens of Fes and Marrakech agencies (often ~£70-90 pp including transport, one or two nights' accommodation, camel trek and some meals) — book a day or two ahead in Fes. If you prefer fully DIY: CTM/Supratours bus Fes to Merzouga via Errachidia (~150-180 MAD / £13-15, 9-10 hrs, early departure), passing Ifrane, the Azrou cedar forest and the Ziz gorges. On arrival, a camel trek into Erg Chebbi (~200-250 MAD / £18-21 including guide, sunset timing) leads to a mid-range desert camp with a Berber drum session and dinner. Upgrade to a 'luxury' camp for ~£35-50 pp if you want the comfort of the operator's version.
🚌CTM/Supratours coach ~£14, or shared desert circuit minibus ~£15-20 pp for the leg
🛏Mid-range Sahara tented camp in Erg Chebbi, ~£25-35 pp incl. dinner and breakfast
- →Azrou cedar forest and Barbary macaques stop
- →Ziz Valley and gorges viewpoints
- →Camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes
- →Sunset over the dunes, Berber drumming and campfire
Merzouga → Rissani → Todra Gorges → Dades Valley
Boumalne Dades
Wake for sunrise on the dunes and breakfast at camp, then 4x4 or camel back to Merzouga village. Stop in Rissani for its Tuesday/Sunday-style souk (smaller daily market otherwise) and a cheap medfouna pizza. Join a shared grand taxi or a local bus toward Tineghir (~80-100 MAD / £7-8, 3 hrs), then walk or take a shared taxi into Todra Gorges for the canyon stroll between the 300 m walls. Continue by shared taxi or CTM to Boumalne Dades (~£4-5) and overnight in a valley guesthouse.
🚌Shared grand taxi / local bus Merzouga–Tineghir ~£8; shared taxi to Todra and Dades ~£6
🛏Riad/guesthouse in Dades Valley, ~£18-22
- →Sunrise over Erg Chebbi
- →Rissani market
- →Todra Gorges canyon walk
- →Dades Valley viewpoints
Dades → Rose Valley → Ouarzazate → Ait Ben Haddou → Marrakech
Marrakech
Early shared taxi or bus down the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs to Kelaat M'Gouna (Rose Valley) and on to Ouarzazate (~100 MAD / £8-9). Skip the pricey film studio tour unless you're keen (~80 MAD / £7); instead take a shared taxi to Ait Ben Haddou (~30 MAD) and pay the local guide at the ksar entrance (~100-150 MAD split, or free with a good map and self-guided walk up to the granary). Then a shared grand taxi or CTM bus over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech (~100-120 MAD / £9-10, 4 hrs). Evening free in the medina.
🚌Shared taxis / CTM bus Dades–Ouarzazate ~£9; Ait Ben Haddou transfer ~£3; Ouarzazate–Marrakech ~£10
🛏Budget riad or guesthouse in Marrakech medina, ~£20-25 (two nights)
- →Rose Valley and Skoura palm groves
- →Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou (ksar walk)
- →Tizi n'Tichka pass over the High Atlas
- →Optional Ouarzazate film studios (~£7)
Marrakech — Souks, gardens and Djemaa el-Fna
Marrakech
Start early at the Koutoubia gardens (free), then a small-group medina walking tour booked via GetYourGuide (~£18-25) covering the Saadian Tombs (~70 MAD / £6) and the souks. Jardin Majorelle needs a timed ticket booked online in advance (~150 MAD / £12, plus ~50 MAD for the YSL Museum if you want it). Afternoon in the souks — Babouche, Cherratine and the Chouari basket market — then dinner from the food stalls in Djemaa el-Fna as it lights up. Optional: hammam (~£15-25) or the sunrise hot-air balloon (~£150+, book direct with operators like Ciel d'Afrique).
🚌Walking plus a couple of petit-taxi hops (~£1-2 each)
🛏Budget riad or guesthouse in Marrakech medina, ~£20-25
- →Koutoubia Mosque and gardens
- →Marrakech medina walking tour (~£20)
- →Saadian Tombs (~£6)
- →Jardin Majorelle (pre-booked ~£12)
- →Djemaa el-Fna evening food stalls
Marrakech → Casablanca Airport / Departure
Casablanca
Take the ONCF train from Marrakech station to Casablanca (~100-140 MAD / £9-12, 3 hrs) and change at Casa Voyageurs for the airport train (~£3), or if you're flying out of Marrakech RAK just take local transport to the airport. If your flight leaves late, squeeze in a last souk coffee or the Bahia Palace (~70 MAD / £6). Allow 3.5-4 hrs total for the Marrakech–Casablanca airport journey.
🚌ONCF train Marrakech–Casablanca ~£10 + airport train ~£3
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Optional Bahia Palace (~£6) before departure
- →Train journey across the plains
Self-launched vs. Morocco Top Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Morocco Top Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£560 | £1,290 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £730 per person (57%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Morocco Top Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£560
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 9 Days Morocco: Casablanca to Marrakech Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £560 per person for 9 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 Top Travel?+
Yes — Morocco Top Travel charges around £1,290 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £560 — a saving of roughly £730 (57%) per person.
How long is the Morocco trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 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 adventure, culture, backpacker 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?
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