Tangier to Marrakech via the Sahara — Self-Launched

Start with an early CTM or Supratours bus from Tangier to Tetouan (about 1h, £4–5), a Spanish-flavoured whitewashed medina worth a couple of hours wandering and a cheap plate of grilled sardines. In the afternoon take a shared grand taxi or local bus onward to Chefchaouen (about 1h, £2–3). Base yourself in a small riad inside the blue medina and spend golden hour on the hillside Spanish Mosque viewpoint. Skip the paid Jebel Musa detour — it's a long way back west and eats your day. Book bus tickets at ctm.ma or at the station the day before.

🚌CTM/Supratours bus Tangier–Tetouan ~£4.50; grand taxi Tetouan–Chefchaouen ~£2.50

🛏Family-run riad in Chefchaouen medina, private room (£18–22)

• →Tetouan medina wander
• →Chefchaouen blue medina walk
• →Spanish Mosque sunset viewpoint
• →Rooftop dinner overlooking the medina

Take an early bus or shared taxi to Ouazzane then on to Moulay Idriss/Volubilis, or (much simpler) join a half-day Volubilis day trip from Fes later in the week. The practical independent version: bus Chefchaouen → Fes with CTM (about 4h, £8–10), then a local bus or petit taxi out to Volubilis in the morning if you're based in Fes. If you'd rather do it en route, get off at Meknes (cheap left-luggage), hire a grand taxi to Volubilis and Moulay Idriss for a couple of hours (£12–15 shared), see Bab Mansour gate and the medina, then take a train Meknes → Fes (45 min, £4). Evening: check into a Fes medina guesthouse.

🚌Bus Chefchaouen–Meknes/Fes ~£8; grand taxi Volubilis circuit ~£13 shared; train Meknes–Fes ~£4

🛏Guesthouse/riad inside Fes medina (£16–20)

• →Volubilis Roman ruins (entry ~£6)
• →Moulay Idriss hill town
• →Bab Mansour Gate & Meknes medina
• →Evening in Fes medina

Book an accredited local guide through your riad or a Fes walking tour on GetYourGuide (£15–20 for a half day, split between a group). Otherwise self-navigate: Bou Inania medersa, the Chouara leather tanneries (viewpoints from a terrace shop — small tip expected, ignore the 'free mint sprig' sales pitch), Al-Attarine souk and the spice stalls. Expect the tanneries to involve a hard-sell on leather goods; decide your budget before you go in. Afternoon: climb to the Borj Nord for city views, then a cheap tagine dinner in the medina. Buses and trains for the Sahara leg can be sorted today.

🚌Walking + petit taxis ~£3

🛏Same Fes medina guesthouse (£16–20)

• →Guided Fes medina half-day tour (~£16)
• →Chouara leather tanneries
• →Bou Inania medersa (small entry fee)
• →Spice & perfume souk stalls
• →Borj Nord viewpoint

The long transfer day. Cheapest reliable option is the CTM/Supratours bus Fes → Rissani or Erfoud (6–7h, £12–15), then a shared grand taxi or the camp's pick-up to Merzouga (£3–5). Alternatively, a Merzouga-based operator sells a shared 'Fes to desert' seat for £25–35 that includes the drive, camel trek and camp — often better value than piecing it together. Arrive mid-afternoon, drop bags, then a camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes for sunset (1.5h), sandboarding, and a night in a desert camp with tagine, drumming and Berber songs around the fire. Book the camp directly by email/WhatsApp well ahead — mid-range camps with private tent and shared bathroom run £25–35 pp including dinner and breakfast.

🚌Bus Fes–Rissani/Erfoud ~£13; shared taxi to Merzouga ~£4

🛏Desert camp, private tent with shared facilities, dinner + breakfast included (£28–35)

• →Camel trek into Erg Chebbi at sunset
• →Sandboarding
• →Berber dinner with live music at campfire
• →Stargazing in the dunes

Wake for sunrise on the dunes, camel or 4x4 back to the kasbah, then breakfast. Push west: shared grand taxi Merzouga → Rissani → Tinghir (Todra Gorge) is the classic route (£10–15 total), with an optional stop at the N'Kob fossil workshops. Todra Gorge is a worthwhile overnight if you want hiking — guesthouses are £15–20 and the canyon walk is free. If you want to match the original itinerary's Ouarzazate stop, continue by shared taxi/CTM via Boumalne Dades to Ouarzazate (long day, £12–18). Either way it's a scenic drive through the Dades and rose valley country.

🚌Shared grand taxis Merzouga–Tinghir ~£12; onward to Ouarzazate ~£15 if continuing

🛏Guesthouse in Todra Gorge or Ouarzazate (£16–22)

• →Desert sunrise
• →Camel or 4x4 ride back to Merzouga
• →Todra Gorge canyon walk
• →Optional N'Kob fossil workshop

Morning at the UNESCO ksar of Ait Benhaddou (entry to the granary ~£2, free to walk the village) — cross the river on foot, climb to the top for the view, and take mint tea with a family. Then the classic High Atlas crossing: shared grand taxi or CTM bus Ouarzazate → Marrakech over the Tizi n'Tichka pass (about 4h, £8–12; CTM is the most comfortable). Consider a half-hour stop at the Taouirirt Kasbah or the Atlas Film Studios (£5) if time allows. Arrive Marrakech by evening, check into a medina riad or hostel and eat at a cheap Jemaa el-Fna food stall.

🚌Grand taxi/CTM Ouarzazate–Marrakech ~£10

🛏Riad or private-room hostel in Marrakech medina (£18–25)

• →Ait Benhaddou ksar (UNESCO)
• →Tizi n'Tichka pass viewpoint
• →Optional Atlas Film Studios
• →Jemaa el-Fna square at night

Free walking tour or a GetYourGuide medina tour (£15–20) to decode the alleys: Bahia Palace, the Ben Youssef Medersa, the secret gardens and the souks. Or self-guide with a map and lean on the Koutoubia minaret as your compass. Lunch on msemen and harira in the medina (£4), then an afternoon hammam — a local neighbourhood hammam is £5–8, a tourist spa £20–30. Sunset from a rooftop café over Jemaa el-Fna, dinner for £8–10.

🚌Walking + petit taxis ~£4

🛏Same Marrakech riad/hostel (£18–25)

• →Guided or self-guided medina & souk walk (~£16)
• →Bahia Palace & Ben Youssef Medersa
• →Traditional hammam (~£8 local)
• →Koutoubia Mosque & Jemaa el-Fna at sunset

Slow breakfast, last souk browse, then the airport bus (line 19, ~£3) or a petit taxi (£6–8) to Menara Airport. If your flight is late, leave bags at the riad and spend the morning in the Jardin Majorelle or the Mellah. Allow two hours at the airport for check-in.

🚌Airport bus ~£3 or petit taxi ~£7

🛏—

• →Last souk shopping
• →Optional Jardin Majorelle