Self-Launched: Casablanca to Marrakech — 8 Days Across Morocco
8 days · Morocco
Best Tours Morocco charges £1,290
No-markup version: ~£600 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Best Tours Morocco's 8-day Casablanca–Rabat–Chefchaouen–Fes–Marrakech route. You'll cover the same imperial cities, Rif Mountains medina, Roman ruins at Volubilis, the Fes medina and the Ourika Valley — but travelling by CTM/Supratours coaches, shared grands taxis and the ONCF train, sleeping in hostels and small riads, and booking local guides and day trips yourself (or via GetYourGuide / direct with guides). Costs are realistic backpacker-to-mid-range estimates in GBP and will vary by season and how much you haggle.
Day-by-day
Arrive Casablanca, mosque and train to Rabat
Casablanca → Rabat
Land at Mohammed V (CMN) and take the ONCF train from the airport station into Casa Voyageurs or Casa Port (~30-40 min, £3-4). Drop bags at a hostel or budget hotel near the medina or Gauthier district. Walk the Corniche and visit the Hassan II Mosque exterior and esplanade (free; interior guided visits ~£11 if you want one — book on arrival or in advance). In the late afternoon take a regional train to Rabat (~1 hr, £5-7) and check into a hostel/riad in the medina or Hassan area. Evening stroll in the medina and dinner at a local grill for ~£6-8.
🚌ONCF airport train to Casablanca (£3-4) + ONCF train Casablanca–Rabat (£5-7)
🛏Hostel or small riad in Rabat medina (~£18-25)
- →Hassan II Mosque esplanade (free)
- →Casablanca Corniche walk
- →Optional mosque interior tour (~£11)
Rabat highlights then north to Chefchaouen
Rabat → Chefchaouen
Morning self-guided walk of Rabat: Kasbah des Oudayas (garden entry ~£3), Hassan Tower and the Mohammed V Mausoleum (free), and the medina. Have a cheap tagine lunch (~£5). Around early afternoon take a CTM or Supratours coach north to Chefchaouen via Tangier or direct where available (~5-6 hrs total, £12-16) — book online a day or two ahead. Arrive in the blue city, check into a guesthouse in the medina, and get sunset views from the Spanish Mosque viewpoint (free, 20-min walk). Dinner on a rooftop ~£7.
🚌CTM/Supratours coach Rabat–Chefchaouen (~£12-16)
🛏Guesthouse in Chefchaouen medina (~£20-28)
- →Kasbah des Oudayas
- →Hassan Tower & Mohammed V Mausoleum
- →Spanish Mosque sunset viewpoint
Chefchaouen medina and Akchour waterfalls
Chefchaouen
Start with a slow wander of the blue medina: dye shops, the kasbah, and the weaving workshops — free to explore, or hire a local guide for ~£20-25 for a couple of hours. In the afternoon take a shared grand taxi to Akchour (~45 min, ~£3-5 per seat, or ~£20 private) for the hike to the Akchour waterfalls and the Pont de Dieu bridge — 3-4 hrs round trip, free. Bring water and snacks. Return to town for a cheap dinner (~£6) and mint tea at a café in the square.
🚌Shared grand taxi to Akchour and back (~£6-10)
🛏Guesthouse in Chefchaouen medina (~£20-28)
- →Chefchaouen medina walk
- →Akchour waterfalls hike (free)
- →Optional local guide (~£20-25)
Volubilis, Moulay Idriss and Meknes en route to Fes
Chefchaouen → Fes
Take an early CTM coach or a shared grand taxi to Meknes/Volubilis (~4 hrs; coach ~£9-12, or split a grand taxi). Visit the Roman ruins of Volubilis (entry ~£6) — an hour is enough, and site guides charge ~£10 if you want context. Stop in Moulay Idriss (free) and Meknes for Bab Mansour gate, the medina and the granaries (small entries ~£2-3). From Meknes take a train or coach to Fes (~45 min-1 hr, £3-5). Check into a riad/hostel in the Fes medina and eat dinner at a cheap local spot (~£6).
🚌Coach/grand taxi Chefchaouen–Meknes (~£9-12) + train Meknes–Fes (£3-5) + local taxis
🛏Riad or hostel in Fes medina (~£20-28)
- →Volubilis Roman ruins (~£6)
- →Moulay Idriss
- →Bab Mansour & Meknes medina
Full day in the Fes medina
Fes
Book a licensed medina guide the day before through your riad or GetYourGuide (~£25-35 for a half-day private guide, or join a small-group walking tour ~£15-20). Cover Bab Boujloud, Madrasa El Bouinania (~£2), Nejjarine Square and museum (~£2), the tanneries (free with a tannery shop visit; tip ~£1-2), the Jewish quarter and the royal residence gates. El Qarawiyyin mosque is for Muslims only but the exterior and university area are worth seeing. Lunch from a medina stall (~£4). Afternoon: pottery/ceramics workshop visit. Evening hammam ~£8-12 if you fancy it.
🚌Walking + short petit taxi rides (~£3)
🛏Riad or hostel in Fes medina (~£20-28)
- →Guided medina walk (~£20-30)
- →Bou Inania Madrasa & Nejjarine Museum (~£4)
- →Tanneries & pottery workshop
Train to Marrakech and explore the old city
Fes → Marrakech
Take the ONCF train from Fes to Marrakech (~7 hrs, 2nd class ~£16-22) — book a seat the day before and bring snacks. Alternatively fly (Ryanair/Air Arabia, often £25-45) if you're short on time. Arrive and check into a riad or hostel in the medina near Jemaa el-Fnaa (~£20-30). Late afternoon: Koutoubia Mosque gardens (free), Bahia Palace (~£6), and a wander through the souks. Spend the evening in Jemaa el-Fnaa — food stalls ~£5-7, and haggle for the juice and storytelling. Optional dinner at a rooftop restaurant (~£12).
🚌ONCF train Fes–Marrakech (£16-22) or budget flight (£25-45)
🛏Riad or hostel in Marrakech medina (~£20-30)
- →Koutoubia Mosque
- →Bahia Palace (~£6)
- →Jemaa el-Fnaa & souks
Ourika Valley and Atlas foothills day trip
Ourika Valley / Marrakech
Join a small-group Ourika Valley day tour (GetYourGuide/Klook, ~£20-35 incl. transport) or take a shared grand taxi from Bab er Robb to Ourika (~£4-6 each way) and hire a local guide for the Setti Fatma waterfall hike (~£10). Stop at Anima Garden if it appeals (~£12 entry — note it's not always included). Traditional Berber breakfast and mint tea in a village house (~£4-6), a short camel ride (~£5-8, negotiable), and lunch in a riverside Berber house (~£5). Optional quad biking or paragliding at Lalla Takerkoust (~£25-40). Return to Marrakech for a final evening in the medina.
🚌Shared grand taxi or small-group tour transport (~£15-20)
🛏Riad or hostel in Marrakech medina (~£20-30)
- →Ourika Valley & Setti Fatma waterfalls hike
- →Berber village breakfast & mint tea
- →Optional camel ride / quad biking
Departure from Marrakech
Marrakech
Breakfast at the riad, a last wander or a quick souk shop for spices and argan oil, then take bus 19 or a petit taxi to Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK) — bus ~£4, taxi ~£8-12. If you have a late flight, consider a morning at Jardin Majorelle (~£15, book online to skip queues) or the Saadian Tombs (~£3).
🚌Bus 19 or taxi to RAK airport (~£4-12)
🛏—
- →Last-minute medina shopping
- →Optional Jardin Majorelle (~£15)
Self-launched vs. Best Tours Morocco
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Best Tours Morocco | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£600 | £1,290 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £690 per person (53%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Best Tours Morocco-style trips? Check them out here.~£600
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 Self-Launched: Casablanca to Marrakech — 8 Days Across Morocco cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £600 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 Best Tours Morocco?+
Yes — Best Tours Morocco 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 £600 — a saving of roughly £690 (53%) 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, city-breaks, 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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