Highlights of Morocco — Self-Launched 10-Day Loop from Casablanca
10 days · Morocco
Ciconia Exclusive Journeys charges £2,560
No-markup version: ~£480 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Ciconia Exclusive Journeys' 10-day "Highlights of Morocco" loop: Casablanca, Rabat, Volubilis & Moulay Idriss, Fez, the Middle Atlas and Sahara dunes near Merzouga, Todgha Gorge, Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate, Marrakech and back to Casablanca. Instead of a private coach and guide, you'll use Morocco's excellent train network (ONCF) for the Casablanca–Rabat–Fez–Marrakech legs and shared grand taxis or a seat in one of several daily 3-day desert tour minibuses (Merzouga) for the Atlas/south section. All the headline sights are self-bookable: Volubilis entry, a local Fez medina guide via GetYourGuide, a standard Sahara camel trek + desert camp, a Todgha Gorge walk, Ait Ben Haddou kasbah entry, and a Marrakech medina/food tour. Costs are approximate per person, mid-range backpacker style (guesthouse/riad dorms or simple doubles, local eateries, second-class train seats). Book desert tours and Marrakech riads 2-3 weeks ahead in high season.
Day-by-day
Arrive Casablanca — Hassan II Mosque & old medina
Casablanca
Land at Mohammed V Airport and take the ONCF train from the airport station to Casa Voyageurs or Casa Port (~40 min, 50 MAD / ~£4). Check into a guesthouse or hostel near the old medina or Gauthier district. Spend the afternoon walking the Habous/old medina lanes, the corniche at Ain Diab, and book a timed guided visit slot for the Hassan II Mosque (the only way inside — ~120 MAD / £10, morning slots Mon–Sat). Eat dinner at a cheap local fish grill near the port (~60–80 MAD).
🚌Airport train into town ~£4; walking + local tram/taxi in the city
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse near Casa Port (dorm ~£12–18, private double ~£25)
- →Hassan II Mosque exterior and corniche walk
- →Old medina and Habous quarter wander
- →Ain Diab seafront sunset
Train to Rabat — royal sights, then on to Fez
Rabat
Catch an early ONCF train Casablanca–Rabat (~1 hr, 40 MAD / ~£3). Do a self-guided loop of the city's free sights in 4-5 hours: Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V (free entry, modest dress), the Oudayas Kasbah overlooking the Bou Regreg, and the Mechouar exterior of the Royal Palace. Lunch in the medina (~50 MAD). In the late afternoon take the train Rabat–Fez (~3.5–4 hrs, 130–180 MAD / ~£12). Arrive Fez in the evening, check into a riad or guesthouse in the medina fringe; dinner at a cheap neighbourhood grill.
🚌ONCF train Casablanca→Rabat ~£3, Rabat→Fez ~£12; trams/petit taxis in Rabat ~£3
🛏Riad or guesthouse just outside Fez medina (dorm ~£10–15, private ~£25–35)
- →Hassan Tower & Mausoleum of Mohammed V
- →Oudayas Kasbah & Bou Regreg viewpoint
- →Rabat medina lunch stop
Fez medina deep-dive with a local guide
Fez
Book a half-day medina walking guide through GetYourGuide or at your riad (~£20–30 pp for a small-group tour). Cover Bab Boujloud, the Bou Inania madrasa, Nejjarine Square and its fountain, the tanners' pits, the spice market, and the exterior of the Qaraouiyine mosque (non-Muslims can't enter; the view from the medrasa terraces is the workaround). Skip the 'free' shop-tour traps — agree on a no-shopping route upfront. Afternoon: buy a Volubilis + Moulay Idriss day-trip seat from a Fez agency for tomorrow, or DIY with a shared grand taxi. Dinner at a cheap medina tagine spot (~60 MAD).
🚌Walking; petit taxi back to the riad at night ~20 MAD
🛏Riad or guesthouse, Fez medina fringe
- →Guided Fez medina walk (GetYourGuide)
- →Nejjarine fountain & spice market
- →Book Volubilis/Moulay Idriss transport for tomorrow
Roman Volubilis & holy Moulay Idriss
Fez / Volubilis
Day trip to Volubilis: the easiest self-launched option is a seat in a shared grand taxi from Fez's Bab Boujloud area to Moulay Idriss (~40 MAD each way, ~1 hr) and a short taxi hop or 30-min walk to the Roman site. Entry to Volubilis is ~70 MAD / £6; allow 2 hrs among the mosaics and the triumphal arch. Walk back into Moulay Idriss for the terrace viewpoint over the holy town and a cheap lunch (~50 MAD). Alternatively book a small-group Volubilis+Moulay Idriss half-day tour (~£25–35). Return to Fez for the evening and pre-book your seat on a 3-day Merzouga desert tour departing tomorrow.
🚌Shared grand taxis Fez–Moulay Idriss ~£7 return, or small-group tour transfer
🛏Riad or guesthouse, Fez
- →Roman ruins of Volubilis
- →Moulay Idriss terrace viewpoint
- →Book 3-day Sahara tour seat
Over the Middle Atlas to the dunes — Merzouga
Merzouga
Depart early on a shared 3-day desert minibus (Fez–Merzouga–Marrakech route, bookable via GetYourGuide, Klook or your riad, ~£90–130 pp including transport, a night in a desert camp and one guesthouse night). You'll climb through Ifrane and the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas, stop at Midelt for lunch and the Ziz Valley viewpoint, and reach Merzouga by late afternoon. Swap to a camel for the 1.5-hr ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes, watch sunset from the ridge, and overnight in a basic Berber tent camp with dinner and drums around the fire.
🚌Shared minibus Fez→Merzouga (part of 3-day tour package); camels into the dunes
🛏Sahara desert camp tent (included in desert tour package)
- →Middle Atlas / Ziz Valley drive
- →Camel trek into Erg Chebbi
- →Sunset over the dunes and desert camp night
Sunrise in the dunes, Todgha Gorge & Dades Valley
Todgha Gorge / Dades
Wake before dawn for sunrise on the dunes and camel back to Merzouga village. Rejoin the minibus: stop briefly at Rissani's market and the Moulay Ali Cherif zaouia exterior, then drive the Todgha Gorge — walk the 500 m canyon slot between the cliffs (free) and grab a riverside lunch (~60 MAD). Continue into the Dades Valley for a viewpoint stop, and overnight in a simple guesthouse in Boumalne Dades or Kelaat M'Gouna (included in most desert packages, or ~£15–20 independently).
🚌Shared minibus along the Todgha/Dades route
🛏Simple valley guesthouse (included in desert tour, or ~£18)
- →Dune sunrise
- →Rissani market & Moulay Ali Cherif zaouia
- →Todgha Gorge walk
- →Dades Valley viewpoints
Ait Ben Haddou kasbah & into Marrakech
Ait Ben Haddou / Marrakech
Morning drive via Ouarzazate (film studios optional, ~£5 entry) to Ait Ben Haddou. Pay the kasbah entry (~20 MAD / £2) and walk the steep path to the granary at the top for the classic view — 45 min up, and often a small 'guide' tip expected. Optional mint tea with a local family in the village (~30 MAD). The minibus finishes in Marrakech by evening; if you're DIY-ing this leg, take a CTM/Supratours bus Ait Ben Haddou→Marrakech (~£8–10, 4 hrs) plus a local taxi from Ouarzazate if needed. Check into a Marrakech medina riad or hostel and eat at a Djemaa el-Fna food stall (~70 MAD).
🚌Shared minibus / CTM bus to Marrakech ~£8–10; petit taxi to riad ~£3
🛏Marrakech riad or hostel dorm (dorm ~£12–18, private riad room ~£30–40)
- →Ait Ben Haddou kasbah climb
- →Berber mint tea in the village
- →Djemaa el-Fna evening food stalls
Marrakech: Koutoubia, Saadian Tombs, souks & hammam
Marrakech
Self-guided morning: Koutoubia Mosque gardens, the Saadian Tombs (~70 MAD / £6), Bahia Palace (~70 MAD) and the Ben Youssef madrasa area. Afternoon, join a small-group medina street-food or souk tour via GetYourGuide (~£25–35) or just wander and haggle yourself. Evening: hammam + scrub at a local (non-hotel) spa, ~£15–20, or relax on a riad rooftop. Pre-book an early bus/train for tomorrow if you prefer the scenic route back, otherwise enjoy Marrakech at a slow pace.
🚌Walking in the medina; petit taxis ~£2–3 per hop
🛏Marrakech riad or hostel
- →Koutoubia & Saadian Tombs
- →Bahia Palace and souks
- →Optional medina food tour (GetYourGuide)
- →Local hammam
Train Marrakech → Casablanca
Casablanca
Take the ONCF train Marrakech–Casablanca (~3 hrs, 120–180 MAD / ~£12), ideally the morning service. Drop bags and revisit anything you missed on day 1: Hassan II Mosque exterior and guided interior slot if you haven't done it, United Nations Square, the Anfa residential quarter, and the old medina's market streets. Optional drink stop at Rick's Café (book ahead, ~£10 for a drink). Buy a CTM/airport train ticket or plan your airport run for tomorrow.
🚌ONCF train Marrakech→Casablanca ~£12; local tram/taxi
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse near Casa Port / Gauthier
- →Hassan II Mosque guided visit
- →United Nations Square & Anfa quarter
- →Old medina market walk
- →Optional Rick's Café
Depart Casablanca
Casablanca
Slow breakfast, last-minute souk shopping or a corniche coffee, then take the airport train from Casa Voyageurs or Casa Port to Mohammed V (~40 min, ~£4). Buffer 3 hrs before an international flight. If your flight is late, a cheap option is a day pass on the tram to explore Ain Diab and the lighthouse end of the corniche.
🚌ONCF airport train ~£4
🛏—
- →Corniche coffee / last shopping
- →Airport train
Self-launched vs. Ciconia Exclusive Journeys
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Ciconia Exclusive Journeys | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£480 | £2,560 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,080 per person (81%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Ciconia Exclusive Journeys-style trips? Check them out here.~£480
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.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Highlights of Morocco — Self-Launched 10-Day Loop from Casablanca cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £480 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 Ciconia Exclusive Journeys?+
Yes — Ciconia Exclusive Journeys charges around £2,560 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £480 — a saving of roughly £2,080 (81%) 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, foodie 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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