Best of Morocco: Self-Launched Marrakech to Fes Desert Route
6 days · Morocco
Morocco Premium Tours charges £880
No-markup version: ~£330 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of the classic 6-day Marrakech–Ait Benhaddou–Merzouga–Fes loop, swapping the private 4x4 and guide for shared grand taxis, CTM coaches and a public desert camp. You'll still see Marrakech's medina, cross the High Atlas via Tizi n'Tichka, wander the kasbah of Ait Benhaddou, ride a camel into Erg Chebbi for a night in Berber tents and get lost in Fes el-Bali — but you'll book the pieces yourself (local guides via GetYourGuide, desert camp direct or via Klook) for roughly a quarter of the package price. Costs are approximate backpacker/mid-range rates in GBP and assume shared accommodation or a dorm.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Marrakech
Marrakech
Fly into Marrakech Menara (RAK). Skip the private transfer and take bus line 19 from outside arrivals to Jemaa el-Fnaa (about 30 MAD / £2.50) or grab a petite taxi for 50-70 MAD if you arrive late. Check into a riad-converted guesthouse or a well-rated hostel dorm in the medina. Spend the evening acclimatising on Jemaa el-Fnaa — street food stalls, snake charmers, orange juice carts. Eat cheap at a stall (harira soup, grilled skewers) rather than the tourist terraces.
🚌Bus 19 from airport to Jemaa el-Fnaa ~£2.50
🛏Medina hostel or budget riad guesthouse (dorm £12-18/night)
- →Jemaa el-Fnaa evening wander
- →Street food dinner at the square
Marrakech medina with a local guide
Marrakech
Book a small-group or private half-day medina walking tour through GetYourGuide (roughly £20-28) instead of the package's included guide — you get the same souk navigation, history and haggling tips. Afternoon free for Bahia Palace (70 MAD) and the Saadian Tombs (70 MAD), then Ben Youssef Madrasa or the Majorelle Garden if you book a timed slot online in advance (Majorelle sells out — book ahead). Sunset from a rooftop cafe over the Koutoubia.
🚌Walkable medina; occasional petite taxi 20-30 MAD
🛏Medina hostel or budget riad guesthouse
- →GetYourGuide medina walking tour ~£24
- →Bahia Palace entry ~£6
- →Saadian Tombs entry ~£6
- →Majorelle Garden (pre-booked) ~£13
Over the High Atlas to Ait Benhaddou
Ait Benhaddou
Take the CTM or Supratours coach from Marrakech to Ouarzazate (about 4-5 hours, 80-100 MAD / £7-9), or a shared grand taxi for speed. The route crosses the Tizi n'Tichka pass with photo stops — sit on the right for the best views. From Ouarzazate take a shared grand taxi or local bus 30 km to Ait Benhaddou (about 20 MAD each in a shared taxi). Check into a family-run guesthouse. Cross the river to the UNESCO ksar in the late afternoon light and climb to the granary at the top — entry is around 20-30 MAD with a local caretaker guide. Dinner at your guesthouse (tagine, ~£6).
🚌CTM coach Marrakech–Ouarzazate ~£8, shared grand taxi to Ait Benhaddou ~£2
🛏Guesthouse near Ait Benhaddou (£14-20/night)
- →Tizi n'Tichka viewpoint
- →Ait Benhaddou ksar entry ~£2.50
- →Sunset from the ksar summit
Through the Dades and Todra gorges to the Sahara
Merzouga
This is the longest transfer day. Cheapest route: local bus or shared grand taxi Ouarzazate–Boumalne Dades, then on to Tinghir and Todra Gorge for a short walk, then a shared taxi or bus to Rissani and Merzouga — all told 8-9 hours for around £15-20 if you chain shared transport. Alternatively pre-book a one-way shared desert shuttle from Ouarzazate or Marrakech via GetYourGuide/Klook (about £35-45) which is easier solo. Arrive in Merzouga for the late-afternoon camel trek into Erg Chebbi — a standard Berber camp package (camel ride in, dinner, drums, breakfast, camel out) is about £35-50 booked direct or on Klook; luxury camps cost more. Sleep in a tent under the dunes.
🚌Shared bus/taxi chain via Dades, Todra and Rissani ~£18 (or pre-booked shared shuttle ~£40)
🛏Standard Berber desert camp in Erg Chebbi (£35-50 incl. camel trek, dinner and breakfast)
- →Todra Gorge walk
- →Sunset camel trek into Erg Chebbi
- →Berber drum night at camp
Sahara sunrise, then the road to Fes
Fes
Wake for sunrise over the dunes and the camel ride back to Merzouga village. Then take the CTM or Supratours coach Merzouga/Rissani to Fes — book online a day or two ahead; direct coaches run most days and take about 8-9 hours for 150-180 MAD (£12-15). If timings don't work, go Merzouga–Errachidia–Meknes–Fes by shared taxi and train. Arrive in Fes in the evening; check into a budget riad in or near the medina and eat a simple dinner (b'ssara soup and bread for under £5).
🚌CTM/Supratours coach Merzouga–Fes ~£13
🛏Budget riad or guesthouse in Fes medina (£14-22/night)
- →Sunrise camel ride out of Erg Chebbi
- →Free evening in Fes
Fes el-Bali guided walk and departure
Fes
Book a morning small-group medina walking tour via GetYourGuide (about £20-25) — the only realistic way to navigate Fes el-Bali's 9,000 lanes. You'll cover Bou Inania Madrasa, the Chouara tannery viewpoints, Nejjarine fountain and Al-Qarawiyyin. Leave time for a mint tea rooftop stop. Then take a petit taxi to Fes–Saïss airport (about 150 MAD / £12) or the airport bus for those flying out — the package's airport drop-off is easy to replicate for a few pounds.
🚌Petit taxi to Fes–Saïss airport ~£12
🛏Not included — onward travel
- →GetYourGuide Fes medina walking tour ~£22
- →Bou Inania Madrasa entry ~£2
- →Chouara tannery visit
Self-launched vs. Morocco Premium Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Morocco Premium Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£330 | £880 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £550 per person (63%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Morocco Premium Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£330
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 Best of Morocco: Self-Launched Marrakech to Fes Desert Route cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £330 per person for 6 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 Premium Tours?+
Yes — Morocco Premium Tours charges around £880 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £330 — a saving of roughly £550 (63%) per person.
How long is the Morocco trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 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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