Discover North Morocco & Chefchaouen — Self-Launched
8 days · North Morocco
Exodus charges £1,320
No-markup version: ~£395 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 8-day self-launched version of Exodus's guided North Morocco loop: Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque, Tangier where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, the blue city of Chefchaouen, a waterfall walk in Talassemtane National Park with a night in a Rif Mountains refuge, the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the medieval medina of Fez. Everything is bookable independently via local buses, shared grands taxis and Morocco's excellent ONCF trains, staying in budget riads, guesthouses and mountain refuges for a fraction of the group-tour price.
Day-by-day
Arrive Casablanca
Casablanca
Fly into Mohammed V Airport and take the ONCF train (every ~30 min, ~45 min, ~£3) to Casa Voyageurs or Casa Port station. Check into a budget hotel or hostel near the old medina or the Hassan II Mosque. Wander the Art Deco-era city centre and the Habous quarter, then eat a cheap tajine or grilled fish dinner in the medina for £4-6. Pick up a Moroccan SIM (Maroc Telecom or Orange, ~£5 for data) if you haven't already.
🚌ONCF airport train ~£3
🛏Budget hotel/hostel near Casa Port (e.g. Hotel Guynemer or similar, ~£20-28 dbl room)
- →Habous quarter walk
- →Casablanca medina stroll
- →Corniche sunset
Hassan II Mosque & on to Tangier
Casablanca → Tangier
Join a guided 45-min tour of the Hassan II Mosque (book on arrival at the ticket office, ~£11; non-Muslims only via guided visit, cover knees/shoulders). Then travel north to Tangier: the ONCF train from Casa Voyageurs to Tangier Ville takes ~4h30 and costs about £18-20 (2nd class) — book at the station or on the ONCF site. On arrival, walk the Petit Socco, the Kasbah and the medina, and watch sunset where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean.
🚌ONCF train Casablanca–Tangier ~£19, ~4h30
🛏Budget guesthouse in Tangier medina (e.g. Pension or small hotel, ~£22-30 dbl room)
- →Hassan II Mosque guided tour (~£11)
- →Tangier medina & Kasbah
- →Cafe Hafa mint tea
Tangier free morning, then Chefchaouen
Tangier → Chefchaouen
Morning free: visit the American Legation Museum (the only US National Historic Landmark abroad, ~£4), the Kasbah Museum (~£2) or the Caves of Hercules by shared taxi (~£6 return). Midday, take a shared grand taxi or CTM bus to Chefchaouen — buses leave several times daily (~3h, ~£6-8). Arrive in the Rif foothills and settle into a cheap guesthouse inside the blue medina. Hike up to the Spanish Mosque for sunset over the blue-washed town (free, ~20 min uphill).
🚌CTM or shared grand taxi Tangier–Chefchaouen ~£7, ~3h
🛏Guesthouse in Chefchaouen medina (~£18-25 dbl room)
- →American Legation Museum (~£4)
- →Spanish Mosque sunset hike (free)
Chefchaouen medina & bread-making class
Chefchaouen
Join a local walking tour of the blue medina — bookable same-day through your guesthouse or on GetYourGuide (~£12-15 for 2h). After, relax at Uta el Hammam Plaza over a mint tea. In the afternoon, book a Moroccan bread & patisserie workshop at a community cafe such as Cafe Clock (~£20-25, includes a visit to the local ferran communal oven and a feast of your own baking with mint tea, butter, olive oil and jam). Evening free to explore the artisan shops.
🚌Walk / short petit taxi
🛏Guesthouse in Chefchaouen medina (~£18-25 dbl room)
- →Guided medina walk (~£13)
- →Cafe Clock bread-making class and feast (~£22)
Talassemtane National Park waterfall & Rif refuge
Akchour → Talassemtane NP → Rif Mountains
Take a shared grand taxi or local bus from Chefchaouen to Akchour (~1h, ~£3). Walk roughly an hour along the river to the waterfall viewpoint, with an optional detour across the rock arch known as God's Bridge (free; bring decent shoes and cash for the small parking/guide tips). Look out for Barbary macaques and raptors. Have lunch at one of the riverside grill stalls (~£5). Then arrange onward transport deeper into the Rif to a simple mountain refuge — bookable directly or via local guesthouses/Booking.com — for a night with valley views.
🚌Shared grand taxi Chefchaouen–Akchour ~£3; local transfer into park ~£8
🛏Simple mountain refuge in the Rif (e.g. Caiat Lounge Refuge-style, ~£12-18 pp incl. dinner)
- →Akchour waterfall walk (free)
- →God's Bridge rock arch
- →Rif Mountains overnight
Volubilis Roman ruins to Fez
Rif → Volubilis → Fez
Travel from the Rif down to Moulay Idriss/Volubilis by shared taxi and bus via Ouazzane or Dardara (~4h, ~£10). Explore the UNESCO-listed Roman ruins of Volubilis — the site entry is ~£6 and an on-site local guide ~£9 (or share one). See the mosaics, baths, oil presses and the triumphal arch. Then continue ~1h to Fez by bus or grand taxi (~£3-5). Check into a budget riad in the medina (Fez riads offer excellent value at £20-30 for a double with courtyard).
🚌Shared taxi + bus RF–Volubilis–Fez ~£14 total
🛏Budget riad in Fez medina (~£22-32 dbl room incl. breakfast)
- →Volubilis entry (~£6)
- →Roman ruins local guide (~£9 shared)
Fez medina, tanneries & free afternoon
Fez
Book a small-group medina walking tour through your riad or GetYourGuide (~£15-20 for 3h) taking in the car-free medina — the largest in the world — the Chouara tannery viewing terraces and the ninth-century al-Karaouine University, the oldest continuously operating university. Beware unofficial 'guides' who offer to walk you to the tannery then demand commission; use a booked guide and carry small change for leather-shop tips. Late lunch around 3-4pm, then a free afternoon for the souks, the Bou Inania madrasa (~£3) and the Bab Bou Jeloud gate.
🚌Walk; petit taxi ~£1-2 per hop
🛏Budget riad in Fez medina (~£22-32 dbl room incl. breakfast)
- →Fez medina guided walk (~£17)
- →Chouara tannery
- →al-Karaouine University
- →Bou Inania madrasa (~£3)
Train to Casablanca or Marrakech — trip ends
Fez → Casablanca / Marrakech
Take an early ONCF train from Fez: services reach Casablanca in about 4h (~£16, arriving late morning) or Marrakech in about 7h (~£22, arriving early afternoon) — book seats in advance on the ONCF site or app. Grab a station snack for breakfast. From Casablanca (Casa Port/Voyageurs) you can connect to Mohammed V Airport by train (~£3), or from Marrakech take the airport bus/taxi. Trip ends.
🚌ONCF train Fez–Casablanca ~£16 or Fez–Marrakech ~£22
🛏None (onward travel) or extra night if extending
- →Onward travel / optional Marrakech extension
Self-launched vs. Exodus
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£395 | £1,320 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £925 per person (70%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus-style trips? Check them out here.~£395
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 Discover North Morocco & Chefchaouen — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £395 per person for 8 days in North 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 Exodus?+
Yes — Exodus charges around £1,320 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £395 — a saving of roughly £925 (70%) per person.
How long is the North Morocco trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through North 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, hiking, budget trip through North 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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