Self-Launched Imperial Cities of Morocco: Casablanca to Marrakech
4 days · Morocco
Desertbrise Travel charges £630
No-markup version: ~£410 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 4-day independent run through Morocco's imperial cities — Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque, Rabat's kasbah and Chellah, Roman Volubilis and Meknes, a deep dive into the Fes medina, and the Ouzoud Waterfalls before ending in Marrakech. Everything the group tour covers, but booked yourself: trains and CTM/Supratours buses between cities, hostels and riads instead of 3–4* hotels, and local guides hired by the half-day in Fes (or a cheap licensed guide arranged through your riad). Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Casablanca to Rabat: Hassan II Mosque, Chellah and the Oudaya Kasbah
Casablanca → Rabat
Start early in Casablanca. Hassan II Mosque runs guided visits roughly hourly in the morning (around 90 MAD / £7, closed to non-Muslim visitors at prayer times) — the only mosque in Morocco you can enter as a non-Muslim, and worth the splurge for the carved cedar and the Atlantic-side plaza. Walk the corniche or hop a tram if you're short on time, then take the ONCF train from Casa Voyageurs to Rabat Ville (about 1 hour, 2nd class ~40-50 MAD / £3-4, several per hour). In Rabat, check into a medina guesthouse, then do the classic loop on foot: Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohamed V (free), the Oudaya Kasbah and Andalusian Gardens (free, best light late afternoon), and the Chellah Necropolis (70 MAD / £5.50) with its storks and Roman-Merind dynasty ruins. Dinner in the medina — a tajine and mint tea will set you back £6-8.
🚌ONCF train Casablanca–Rabat ~£4; local tram/taxi ~£3
🛏Medina guesthouse / hostel private room, Rabat (approx £26)
- →Hassan II Mosque guided visit (~£7)
- →Hassan Tower & Mausoleum of Mohamed V (free)
- →Oudaya Kasbah & Andalusian Gardens (free)
- →Chellah Necropolis (~£5.50)
- →Medina wander
Rabat to Fes via Roman Volubilis and Meknes
Rabat → Meknes → Fes
Take an early ONCF train Rabat to Meknes (roughly 2h15, ~£8-10). Drop your bag in a locker at Meknes station or head straight out: a grand taxi to Volubilis (40 min, share with others for ~60-80 MAD / £5-7 each return, or a full car ~250-300 MAD) gets you to the Roman ruins — entry 70 MAD / £5.50, and the mosaics plus the view over the olive plain are the highlight of the day. Back in Meknes, walk through the monumental Bab Mansour gate (free) and, if open, the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum (free, modest dress). Late afternoon, hop the train Meknes–Fes (45 min, ~£3-4) and settle into a riad in the Fes medina or Ville Nouvelle. Evening: street food near Bab Boujloud — bissara soup, grilled skewers, £5-7.
🚌ONCF trains Rabat–Meknes–Fes ~£12; shared grand taxi to Volubilis ~£6
🛏Riad or budget hotel, Fes (approx £24)
- →Volubilis Roman ruins (~£5.50)
- →Bab Mansour Gate (free)
- →Moulay Ismail Mausoleum (free)
- →Evening medina food crawl
Fes el-Bali: full-day medina on foot with a local guide
Fes
Book a half-day licensed local guide the evening before — your riad can arrange one, or pre-book a GetYourGuide medina walking tour (~£25-35 per person for a small group). Even solo, a guide is worth it here: the medina has 9,000 lanes and no meaningful signage. Expect the medersas Bou Inania (70-100 MAD / £5.50-8) and Attarine (20 MAD / £1.60) with their carved cedar and zellige, the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts and Crafts (30 MAD / £2.40, lovely rooftop café), the exterior of Karaouiyine Mosque and University (the oldest continuously operating university in the world — non-Muslims don't enter), and the Bab Boujloud Blue Gate to orient yourself. Afternoon: tanning pits and workshops only if you actually want to buy — otherwise drift, drink tea, and eat cheap from the souk (fresh bread, olives, dates, ~£3).
🚌Walking; a grand taxi between medina gates ~£2
🛏Riad or budget hotel, Fes (approx £24)
- →Guided Fes el-Bali medina tour (~£30)
- →Medersa Bou Inania (~£6.50)
- →Medersa Attarine (~£1.60)
- →Nejjarine Museum (~£2.40)
- →Bab Boujloud (free)
Ouzoud Waterfalls and Barbary macaques, then on to Marrakech
Fes → Ouzoud → Marrakech
Long travel day, so start early. Best self-launched option: a CTM or Supratours bus Fes–Beni Mellal or Fes–Azilal (about 4-5h, ~£10), then a shared grand taxi or local taxi up to Ouzoud (~45 min, ~£5-8). Simpler and only slightly pricier: book a day-trip transfer from Fes that drops you at Ouzoud and continues to Marrakech, or hire a shared grand taxi direct Fes–Ouzoud (~£25-35 for the vehicle, split it). At the falls (free entry), walk the trail down for the panoramic viewpoints — expect Barbary macaques on the path, so don't leave bags open — then lunch at a riverside café under the spray (£6-8). Continue to Marrakech by CTM bus from Azilal or Beni Mellal (~£8-10, 3-4h), arriving evening. If you'd rather not rush it, spend the night in Ouzoud (£15-20 guesthouse) and take a morning bus to Marrakech instead.
🚌CTM/Supratours bus + shared grand taxis ~£30
🛏Hostel dorm or budget riad, Marrakech (approx £20) — or Ouzoud guesthouse if you split the day
- →Ouzoud Waterfalls trails & viewpoints (free)
- →Barbary macaque spotting (free)
- →Riverside café lunch
Self-launched vs. Desertbrise Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Desertbrise Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£410 | £630 |
| Duration | 4 days | 4 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £220 per person (35%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Desertbrise Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£410
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 Imperial Cities of Morocco: Casablanca to Marrakech cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £410 per person for 4 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 Desertbrise Travel?+
Yes — Desertbrise Travel charges around £630 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £410 — a saving of roughly £220 (35%) per person.
How long is the Morocco trip?+
This itinerary runs 4 days, covering 4 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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