Morocco Highlights in 7 Days — Self-Launched
7 days · Morocco
Imago Travel charges £1,065
No-markup version: ~£412 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of Imago Travel's 7-day Casablanca-to-Marrakesh loop, hitting the Hassan II Mosque, Rabat, the blue streets of Chefchaouen, Roman Volubilis and Meknes, Fes medina, the Middle Atlas, a Sahara night in Erg Chebbi, Todra Gorge, the Dades and Draa valleys, Ait Ben Haddou and the Tichka Pass. Instead of a 4–7 person guided minibus, you travel by Morocco's excellent CTM/SUPRATOURS coaches, shared grands taxis and trains, staying in riads, hostels and a budget desert camp. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP per person and will shift with season and bargaining.
Day-by-day
Arrive Casablanca — Hassan II Mosque & Habous Quarter
Casablanca
Fly or train into Casablanca and check into a budget hotel or hostel near the old medina or Gauthier district. In the afternoon walk the Corniche and take one of the timed guided tours inside the Hassan II Mosque (the only way non-Muslims can enter — book a slot via the mosque's official site, ~£11). Then wander the Habous Quarter's arcaded souk for mint tea and msemen. Casa's tram and taxis are cheap; use the tram for the medina-to-Corniche run.
🚌Petit taxi from airport (~£25-30) or train from Mohammed V Airport to Casa Voyageurs (~£3.50); tram/taxi in town ~£1-2
🛏Budget hotel/hostel in Gauthier or near the medina (~£20-25)
- →Hassan II Mosque interior guided tour (official slots, ~£11)
- →Habous Quarter stroll and mint tea
- →Corniche seafront walk
Casablanca → Rabat → Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen
Take an early train (ONCF, ~1hr, ~£4) up to Rabat. Store bags at the station, then hit Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V (free) on foot, and the Kasbah of the Udayas overlooking the river mouth. Continue by train to Tangier or direct CTM coach to Chefchaouen — the coach route via Tangier is the practical option; book a CTM or Supratours ticket online or at the counter the day before. Arrive into the blue town in the late afternoon and sleep in a small riad or guesthouse inside the medina.
🚌ONCF train Casa→Rabat ~£4; CTM/Supratours coach Rabat→Chefchaouen ~£12-15 (long day, ~6-7hrs total)
🛏Medina guesthouse/riad in Chefchaouen (~£18-25)
- →Hassan Tower & Mausoleum of Mohammed V (free)
- →Kasbah of the Udayas viewpoint
- →Evening in Chefchaouen's blue medina
Chefchaouen → Volubilis & Meknes → Fes
Fes
Spend the morning on the Spanish Mosque trail above town for the classic view, then take a shared grand taxi or bus to Ouazzane and onward, or the direct CTM service south towards Meknes/Fes. The easiest self-launch hack: join a shared day transfer or book a driver for the Meknes–Volubilis leg, or simply base in Meknes for a few hours. Visit the Roman ruins of Volubilis (entry ~£6) and the monumental Bab Mansour in Meknes, then a train or coach the short hop into Fes. Check into a riad in the Fes medina.
🚌Coach Chefchaouen→Meknes ~£8-10; local taxi to Volubilis and back ~£8 shared; train Meknes→Fes ~£2
🛏Fes medina riad or hostel (~£20-25)
- →Spanish Mosque viewpoint hike
- →Volubilis Roman ruins (~£6 entry)
- →Meknes medina & Bab Mansour
- →Hammam in the Fes medina (~£8-12)
Fes medina day, then into the Middle Atlas
Fes / Midelt
A proper day in the Fes medina: hire a licensed local guide for a half-day walking tour (~£25-35, split between two) or self-navigate with a map — cover Al Quaraouiyine, the Bou Inania Madrasa (~£2), the Nejjarine fountain and museum, and the Chouara tanneries (view from a terrace, tip ~£1). Grab a traditional breakfast of bissara and bread. Late afternoon, take the coach south over the Middle Atlas towards Midelt (via Azrou's cedar forest) and overnight in a simple hotel or guesthouse there so you're set up for the desert run.
🚌CTM/coach Fes→Midelt ~£8-10 (~4hrs)
🛏Simple guesthouse in Midelt (~£15-20)
- →Half-day guided Fes medina walk (~£25-35 split)
- →Bou Inania Madrasa (~£2)
- →Tanneries terrace viewpoint
- →Middle Atlas drive through Azrou cedars
Midelt → Ziz Valley → Erg Chebbi desert camp
Merzouga
Coach or shared taxi down through the Ziz Valley gorges to Erfoud/Rissani, then a local grand taxi or bus into Merzouga. Book a budget-to-mid desert camp independently (many Merzouga guesthouses sell 1-night Erg Chebbi packages with camel ride, dinner, Berber tent and 4x4 pickup for £30-55 per person). Leave bags at the auberge, ride camels out at sunset, and sleep under the dunes. Agree the price in writing beforehand and confirm the return transfer for the morning.
🚌Coach Midelt→Rissani/Erfoud ~£8; shared taxi to Merzouga ~£3; camp transfer included
🛏Desert camp, Berber tent, shared (~£30-45 incl. dinner/breakfast)
- →Ziz Valley palm oasis stops
- →Camel trek into Erg Chebbi at sunset
- →Berber tent night in the dunes with dinner and drums
Merzouga → Todra Gorge → Ouarzazate
Ouarzazate
Sunrise on the dunes, then back to Merzouga for breakfast and a bus or shared taxi towards Tinghir. Spend an hour or two walking the Todra Gorge (free) and then push on through the Dades Valley's kasbah-lined road towards Ouarzazate. This is the longest transport day of the trip: use CTM/Supratours connections via Tinghir and Boumalne, or team up with other travellers for a shared grand taxi. Overnight in a budget hotel or riad in Ouarzazate town.
🚌Bus Merzouga→Tinghir ~£4; Tinghir→Boumalne shared taxi ~£4; Boumalne→Ouarzazate coach ~£6-8 (or a shared full-day grand taxi ~£20-25 pp)
🛏Budget hotel/riad in Ouarzazate (~£18-25)
- →Sunrise over Erg Chebbi
- →Todra Gorge walk (free)
- →Dades Valley kasbah drive
- →Atlas Film Studios or Taourirt Kasbah if time (~£4)
Ait Ben Haddou → Tichka Pass → Marrakesh
Marrakesh
Morning shared taxi or local bus to Ait Ben Haddou (25km, ~£2-3 each way) — climb to the granary at the top (free entry to the village, small fee for the ksar climb ~£1). Back in Ouarzazate, visit the Atlas/Cinema studios if you skipped them yesterday. Then take the coach over the High Atlas via the Tichka Pass to Marrakesh (~5hrs, ~£8-10) — the scenery is the show. Arrive Marrakesh by late afternoon/early evening, drop bags at a medina hostel, and celebrate with a tagine in Jemaa el-Fnaa.
🚌Shared taxi Ouarzazate↔Ait Ben Haddou ~£5 return; coach Ouarzazate→Marrakesh ~£8-10
🛏Marrakesh medina hostel (~£15-22)
- →Ait Ben Haddou ksar & granary climb
- →Tichka Pass High Atlas crossing
- →Jemaa el-Fnaa evening and street food
Self-launched vs. Imago Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Imago Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£412 | £1,065 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £653 per person (61%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Imago Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£412
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 Morocco Highlights in 7 Days — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £412 per person for 7 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 Imago Travel?+
Yes — Imago Travel charges around £1,065 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £412 — a saving of roughly £653 (61%) per person.
How long is the Morocco trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 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, 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?
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