Imperial Morocco & The Blue City - Self-Launched 8 Days
8 days · Morocco
On The Go Tours charges £715
No-markup version: ~£385 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched version of On The Go Tours' 8-day "Imperial Morocco & The Blue City" route — Casablanca, Rabat, Volubilis, Chefchaouen, Talassemtane National Park, Fes, the High Atlas and Marrakech — rebuilt using public CTM/ONCF buses and trains, hostel and riad stays, and self-bookable local guides instead of a private group departure. Same highlights, a fraction of the cost.
Day-by-day
Arrive Casablanca — old medina & Corniche
Casablanca
Fly into Mohammed V Airport and take the ONCF train into Casa-Port or Casa-Voyageurs (~£4, 45 min). Check into a medina-adjacent hostel or budget hotel. Spend the afternoon wandering the old medina and the art-deco new town, then walk the Corniche seafront for sunset. Optional: splurge on a drink at Rick's Cafe (book ahead). Buy your onward CTM bus ticket to Rabat at the station tonight to lock in a morning departure.
🚌ONCF airport train to Casablanca (~£4); walking + petit taxi around town (~£2-4)
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in the medina / new town, £15-25
- →Wander Casablanca old medina and souks
- →Hassan II Mosque exterior and Corniche sunset walk
- →Optional drinks at Rick's Cafe
Casablanca — Rabat, Hassan II Mosque & Kasbah of the Udayas
Rabat
Join a timed English-language guided tour inside the Hassan II Mosque (book online via the mosque's official site, ~£12; non-Muslims can only enter on guided visits). Then take the CTM or ONCF train/bus to Rabat (~1 hr, £3-5). In Rabat, walk the medina and the atmospheric Kasbah of the Udayas, then follow the beach behind the medina for a breezy late afternoon. Overnight in the medina area.
🚌Casablanca–Rabat CTM bus or ONCF train (~£3-5, 1 hr); petit taxis in Rabat (~£2-4)
🛏Hostel or small guesthouse in Rabat medina, £15-25
- →Guided Hassan II Mosque interior tour (~£12, book direct online)
- →Explore Rabat medina and Kasbah of the Udayas
- →Beach walk behind the Rabat medina
Rabat — Volubilis Roman ruins — Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen
Long travel day: take an early CTM bus or shared grand taxi to Meknes, then a local bus or shared taxi out to Volubilis (~40 min). The Roman ruins sit in open countryside — hire an on-site licensed guide at the gate for ~£8-10 or use the site's audio guidance. Continue by bus/shared taxi to Chefchaouen (via Ouazzane), arriving evening. Check into a blue-medina guesthouse and eat dinner in or around Plaza Uta el-Hammam.
🚌CTM bus Rabat–Meknes (~£6-8, 3 hrs) + shared taxi/local bus to Volubilis and on to Chefchaouen (~£8-12 total)
🛏Guesthouse or riad-style hostel in Chefchaouen medina, £15-25
- →Self-guided or locally guided Volubilis Roman ruins (~£8-10)
- →Evening at Plaza Uta el-Hammam
- →Street food dinner in Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen — Talassemtane National Park & Akchour Falls
Chefchaouen
Take a shared grand taxi to Akchour (the gateway to Talassemtane National Park, ~45 min, ~£3-5 shared) and hike to the Akchour Falls or God's Bridge. Note reviewers' advice: the two hikes are on different sides of the valley and realistically can't be done in one day — pick one and enjoy it properly. Bring water and snacks (mountain-area food options are limited). Late lunch at an Akchour riverside cafe, then return to Chefchaouen for the evening — this second night in the blue city is a trip highlight.
🚌Shared grand taxi Chefchaouen–Akchour return (~£6-10); hiking on foot
🛏Guesthouse in Chefchaouen medina, £15-25
- →Hike to Akchour Falls or God's Bridge in Talassemtane National Park
- →Riverside late lunch at Akchour
- →Second evening exploring Chefchaouen medina
Chefchaouen — Fes, medina & tanneries
Fes
Morning bus or shared taxi to Fes (~4 hrs, £8-12). Check in near Fes el Bali. Join an afternoon walking tour of the old walled city — book a licensed local guide through GetYourGuide or via your riad for ~£25-35 (worth it, the medina is a maze). Visit Chouara leather tanneries (viewpoints from leather-shop terraces are free, tip expected). Optional: a tagine-making class in the evening, or live Moroccan music at a restaurant in town.
🚌CTM/local bus or shared taxi Chefchaouen–Fes (~£8-12, 4 hrs); walking in the medina
🛏Riad-style hostel or budget guesthouse in Fes el Bali, £15-25
- →Guided walking tour of Fes el Bali (~£25-35, book via GetYourGuide)
- →Leather tannery viewpoints (~free, small tip)
- →Optional tagine-making class or Moroccan music dinner
Fes — High Atlas Mountains (Bin El Ouidane)
Bin El Ouidane / High Atlas
A travel-heavy day. Take a bus from Fes toward Beni Mellal (CTM, ~5-6 hrs, £10-14), then a shared taxi or local bus up to Bin El Ouidane lake in the High Atlas. Check into a simple lakeside guesthouse or gite if you booked ahead, and spend the afternoon relaxing by the water or on the terrace. Food options here are limited — pick up supplies in Beni Mellal before heading up.
🚌CTM bus Fes–Beni Mellal (~£10-14, 5-6 hrs) + shared taxi/local bus to Bin El Ouidane (~£4-6)
🛏Lakeside guesthouse or gite near Bin El Ouidane, £20-30
- →Bin El Ouidane lake views and swimming
- →Terrace relaxation at the guesthouse
High Atlas — Marrakech medina & Djemaa El Fna
Marrakech
Travel down to Marrakech by bus/shared transport (~3-4 hrs, £8-12). Optional detour: the Cascades d'Ouzoud waterfalls near Azilal/Demnate are roughly en route — a worthwhile stop if you have a driver or shared-taxi arrangement, but add a day if you want to do it properly. Arrive Marrakech, check into a medina hostel, then join a guided medina walk covering the Koutoubia Mosque, souks and Bahia-type highlights (~£20-25 via GetYourGuide). Finish the evening at Djemaa El Fna as the food stalls and performers fire up.
🚌Bus/shared transport Bin El Ouidane–Marrakech (~£8-12, 3-4 hrs); walking in the medina
🛏Hostel or budget riad in Marrakech medina, £18-28
- →Guided Marrakech medina walk — Koutoubia Mosque, souks (~£20-25)
- →Djemaa El Fna at night
- →Optional Cascades d'Ouzoud detour en route
Marrakech — depart or extend
Marrakech
A free morning for last souk shopping, a hammam, or the Majorelle Garden / Ben Youssef Madrasa before flying out from Marrakech Menara. If you have time to spare, add a night and use Marrakech as a base for a day trip to the Ourika Valley or Essaouira. Airport transfer by petit taxi (~£8-12).
🚌Petit taxi to Marrakech Menara airport (~£8-12)
🛏None (departure day) or add a final medina hostel night, £18-28
- →Souk shopping and hammam
- →Optional Majorelle Garden or Ben Youssef Madrasa
- →Optional Ourika Valley or Essaouira day trip if extending
Self-launched vs. On The Go Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | On The Go Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£385 | £715 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £330 per person (46%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more On The Go Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£385
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 Imperial Morocco & The Blue City - Self-Launched 8 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £385 per person for 8 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 On The Go Tours?+
Yes — On The Go Tours charges around £715 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £385 — a saving of roughly £330 (46%) per person.
How long is the Morocco trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 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, budget, 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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