Self-Launched Morocco: Tangier to the Atlas & Sahara (10 Days)
10 days · Morocco
Morocco Excursions charges £1,085
No-markup version: ~£462 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of the classic 10-day Tangier-to-Marrakech loop: the blue streets of Chefchaouen, Roman Volubilis, the Fez medina, a night under the stars in Erg Chebbi, the Todra Gorges and Dades Valley, Ait Ben Haddou, and Marrakech. Instead of a private guided coach you'll use Morocco's excellent CTM/ONCF/Supratours buses and trains, join a small shared 3-day desert tour from Merzouga (or Fez) where a local driver-guide makes sense, and book licensed city guides only where they genuinely add value (Fez and Marrakech medinas). Costs are rough per-person estimates in GBP for shared hostel/guesthouse rooms and local transport — actual prices vary by season and negotiation.
Day-by-day
Tangier → Chefchaouen: into the blue
Chefchaouen
Arrive at Tangier (Ibn Battouta airport, ferry port from Spain, or train from Rabat/Casablanca). From the port or Ville train station take a petit taxi to Gare Routière and catch a CTM or local bus to Chefchaouen (roughly 3h, ~£6-7); buses leave several times a day from around 08:00 to mid-afternoon, so plan an early arrival. Alternatively a grand taxi shared with others can cost £8-10 per seat. Check into a riad-style guesthouse or hostel in the medina. Spend the late afternoon wandering the blue-washed alleys and the Plaza Uta el-Hammam, and eat a cheap tagine or kefta sandwich for dinner.
🚌CTM/local bus Tangier → Chefchaouen, ~3h, ~£6-7
🛏Medina guesthouse or hostel dorm/private in Chefchaouen (~£12-18 pp)
- →Wander the blue medina lanes
- →Plaza Uta el-Hammam at sunset
- →Cheap tagine dinner in the square
Chefchaouen: Kasbah, walls and the Rif
Chefchaouen
A slow day on foot. Visit the 15th-century Kasbah and its garden (entry ~£1), the ethnographic museum inside it, and the Mohammed V square. Walk up to the Spanish Mosque for the classic view over the blue town — best around late afternoon light. If you want a proper hike, a local guide to Akchour waterfalls or the Talassemtane National Park costs around £25-35 for a half-day and can be arranged through your guesthouse; solo hikers can also go independently but the trails are not well marked. Shop for woven blankets and rugs in the medina — always agree a price before buying.
🚌On foot; optional shared taxi to Akchour trailhead ~£3
🛏Medina guesthouse or hostel in Chefchaouen (~£12-18 pp)
- →Kasbah and ethnographic museum (~£1)
- →Spanish Mosque viewpoint walk
- →Optional half-day hike to Akchour waterfalls (~£25-35 with local guide)
Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Meknes → Fez
Fez
Big travel day. Take an early CTM or Supratours bus from Chefchaouen towards Meknes/Fez (or the direct bus to Fez, ~4h, ~£8). The simplest way to fit in Volubilis and Meknes is to break the journey: go to Meknes first (bus ~3.5h), leave your bag at a café or the station, then take a local bus or shared grand taxi ~30 min out to Volubilis (~£2-3 each way). Volubilis is open roughly 08:30-18:00, entry ~£6, and is best with a printed guide or audio app rather than a hired guide. Back in Meknes, see Bab el-Mansour, the medina, the Jewish quarter (Mellah) and the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail (free, non-Muslims enter the courtyard). Late afternoon train from Meknes to Fez, ~45 min, ~£2. Stay in a guesthouse inside or just outside the Fez medina.
🚌Bus Chefchaouen → Meknes ~3.5h ~£6; shared taxi to Volubilis ~£2-3; train Meknes → Fez ~45min ~£2
🛏Fez medina guesthouse/riad or hostel (~£14-20 pp)
- →Volubilis UNESCO Roman ruins (~£6 entry)
- →Bab el-Mansour gate and Meknes medina
- →Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail
- →Meknes Mellah (Jewish quarter)
Fez: the medina with a licensed guide
Fez
Fez's medina is the one place where a guide is genuinely worth it — it's 9,000 alleyways and you will get lost (which is fine, but you'll see less). Book an official licensed guide through your riad or a platform like GetYourGuide: roughly £25-40 pp for a half-day shared group, more for private. Highlights: Bab Boujloud, the Bou Inania madrasa, the University of Al-Qarawiyyin (and the adjacent Kairaouine mosque exterior), the tanneries (viewed from a terrace; ignore the 'free mint sprig' men who then demand money), and the Royal Palace gate. Expect touts pushing 'guide' services in the medina — politely decline and stick with your licensed guide. Afternoon: viewpoint at Borj Nord or Merenid Tombs for panoramic medina views. Note the Majorelle/Menara Gardens in the source itinerary are in Marrakech — save those for day 9.
🚌On foot in the medina; petit taxi across town ~£1-2
🛏Fez medina guesthouse/riad or hostel (~£14-20 pp)
- →Licensed half-day medina walking tour (~£25-40)
- →Bou Inania madrasa and Al-Qarawiyyin
- →Tannery terrace viewpoint
- →Merenid Tombs panoramic viewpoint
Fez → Middle Atlas → Merzouga desert camp
Merzouga / Erg Chebbi
This is the one leg best done as a small shared tour rather than DIY. Book a 3-day Fez-to-Merzouga-to-Marrakech (or Fez-to-Merzouga-to-Fez) shared desert tour in advance via GetYourGuide or a reputable local agency: roughly £110-160 pp for 3 days including transport, one night in a desert camp, some meals and the camel trek. You'll drive via Ifrane (the 'Moroccoan Switzerland'), the Azrou cedar forest with its Barbary macaques, Midelt for lunch, and the Ziz Valley, arriving at Merzouga late afternoon. Camel trek into Erg Chebbi for sunset (~1h), then the camp: Berber tea, dinner, drumming around the fire. Nights are cold from October to March — bring layers.
🚌Shared 3-day desert tour minibus (Fez → Merzouga), included in tour cost; camel trek included
🛏Sahara desert camp in Erg Chebbi (tent, shared bathroom or basic ensuite), included
- →Ifrane and Azrou cedar forest stop
- →Camel trek into Erg Chebbi at sunset
- →Berber dinner and drumming at desert camp
Merzouga: dunes, nomads and Gnawa music
Merzouga / Khamlia
Wake for sunrise over the dunes (worth it). After breakfast at camp, the shared tour typically runs a 4x4 excursion through Erg Chebbi to a nomadic family settlement and the old Mifis mining area, then to Khamlia, a village of Gnawa (sub-Saharan) descent, for tea, a Gnawa music session and Berber pizza for lunch — this is usually included but confirm what your specific tour covers and tip the musicians. Alternatively, DIY: hire a 4x4 with driver in Merzouga for ~£30-40 per vehicle for a half-day, split between others at your guesthouse. Afternoon free for dune walks or a sandboard; extra quad or buggy rides run ~£20-30 if you want them.
🚌4x4 excursion (included in shared tour); otherwise ~£30-40 per vehicle split
🛏Merzouga guesthouse or second night at camp, included in shared tour
- →Sunrise on the dunes
- →4x4 to nomadic settlement and Mifis
- →Khamlia Gnawa music session and Berber pizza lunch
- →Optional sandboarding / quad biking
Merzouga → Rissani → Todra Gorges → Dades Valley
Dades Valley / Boumalne Dades
Leave Merzouga early with the shared tour. Stop at Rissani's traditional market (biggest on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays) — good for dates, spices and a taste of a real southern Moroccan souk. Drive through Berber villages and the palm oases to Tinghir, then walk the Todra Gorges (free; a short riverside path, ~30-60 min). Continue to the Dades Valley, where the road snakes through the famous switchbacks. If your shared tour ends in Marrakech, you'll stay overnight in Dades as planned; if you're doing it fully independently, CTM has limited service here so a shared grand taxi between Tinghir and Boumalne Dades is the realistic option (~£5-8 per seat). Dinner at your guesthouse.
🚌Shared tour minibus (included); independent alternative: shared grand taxis ~£5-8 per leg
🛏Dades Valley guesthouse (included in shared tour, or ~£15-20 pp independently)
- →Rissani traditional market
- →Todra Gorges riverside walk
- →Dades Valley switchback drive
Dades → Valley of Roses → Ait Ben Haddou → Marrakech
Marrakech
Long but spectacular drive. Pass through the Valley of Roses (Kelaat M'Gouna), the Skoura palm oasis and Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate, plus the Atlas Film Studios if you're into film sets (~£7 entry). The highlight is Ait Ben Haddou, the UNESCO ksar used in Gladiator and Game of Thrones — entry to the ksar itself is free, though local guides at the bottom will offer a walk-up for ~£5-10 (optional). Lunch in Ait Ben Haddou. Then cross the High Atlas over the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260m) and arrive in Marrakech by evening. Independent travellers can do the Ouarzazate → Marrakech leg by CTM bus, ~4-5h, ~£8-10.
🚌Shared tour minibus (included); independent alternatives: CTM bus Ouarzazate → Marrakech ~£8-10
🛏Marrakech medina hostel or riad (~£15-22 pp)
- →Valley of Roses and Skoura oasis
- →Taourirt Kasbah, Ouarzazate
- →Atlas Film Studios (~£7, optional)
- →Ait Ben Haddou ksar
- →Tizi n'Tichka High Atlas pass
Marrakech: madrasas, palaces and the Jemaa el-Fnaa
Marrakech
Morning guided walk in the medina — book a small-group GetYourGuide tour (~£20-30) or a licensed guide via your hostel (~£30-40 private, split between two). Cover the Koutoubia Mosque exterior, the Saadian Tombs (~£6), Bahia Palace (~£6), and the souks. Afternoon: Majorelle Garden (~£13, book a timed ticket online to skip the queue) and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum next door if you like. As evening falls, walk to Jemaa el-Fnaa: food stalls, storytellers, musicians and orange juice for pennies. Sunset from a rooftop café terrace (a drink costs ~£3-5, which buys the view).
🚌On foot and petit taxis ~£1-2 per ride
🛏Marrakech medina hostel or riad (~£15-22 pp)
- →Small-group medina walking tour (~£20-30)
- →Saadian Tombs and Bahia Palace (~£6 each)
- →Majorelle Garden timed ticket (~£13)
- →Jemaa el-Fnaa at dusk
- →Rooftop sunset drink
Marrakech: hammam and departure
Marrakech
Final morning: either a traditional hammam and scrub (local neighbourhood hammams cost ~£3-5; tourist spas ~£20-30), a last souk shop, or the Menara Gardens if you want a quiet olive-grove walk. Then get to Menara Airport by taxi (~£7-10, agree the price first or insist on the meter) or take bus 19 (~£2.50) — allow 45 minutes for the airport run. If you're flying from a different city, ONCF trains from Marrakech to Casablanca take ~3h for ~£8.
🚌Petit taxi to airport ~£7-10, or airport bus 19 ~£2.50
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Local hammam (~£3-5) or tourist spa (~£20-30)
- →Last souk wander
- →Optional Menara Gardens
Self-launched vs. Morocco Excursions
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Morocco Excursions | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£462 | £1,085 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £623 per person (57%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Morocco Excursions-style trips? Check them out here.~£462
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 Morocco: Tangier to the Atlas & Sahara (10 Days) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £462 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 Morocco Excursions?+
Yes — Morocco Excursions charges around £1,085 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £462 — a saving of roughly £623 (57%) 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 adventure, culture, 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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