12 Days Across Morocco: Self-Launched Sahara, Blue City & Imperial Cities
12 days · Morocco
LAHNITI TOURS charges £1,320
No-markup version: ~£675 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of LAHNITI TOURS' 12-day private Morocco circuit — Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains, Ait Ben Haddou, the Dades and Todra gorges, a Sahara night in a Berber camp at Erg Chebbi, Fes, Chefchaouen, Tangier, Rabat and Casablanca. Instead of a private driver and guide, you'll string together Morocco's excellent and cheap CTM/Supratours coaches plus the overnight train, join small-group walking tours booked via GetYourGuide or directly with local guides, and stay in riads and guesthouses. Same route, same highlights, roughly a third of the operator's US$1,672 (~£1,320) price tag.
Day-by-day
Arrive Marrakech — into the medina
Marrakech
Land at RAK and skip the private transfer: take the bus (line 19, ~30MAD/£2.50) or a petit taxi (~100MAD/£8) into the medina, or pre-book a shared airport shuttle on Klook for ~£4. Check into a medina riad or guesthouse near Jemaa el-Fnaa (many doubles from £20-30/night; dorms from £9). Spend the late afternoon getting lost in the souks and come back to Jemaa el-Fnaa at dusk as the food stalls and storytellers fire up. Eat at the square (grilled skewers + harira ~£5) or a cheap local tagine spot off Derb Sidi Bouloukat.
🚌Airport bus line 19 (~£2.50) or taxi (~£8)
🛏Medina riad/guesthouse, Marrakech
- →Jemaa el-Fnaa square at dusk
- →Medina souk wander
Marrakech — palaces, gardens and a local guide
Marrakech
The operator's guided Marrakech day is easy to replicate. Book a 3-hour small-group medina walking tour on GetYourGuide from ~£18-25, or just DIY: Bahia Palace (~70MAD), Saadian Tombs (~70MAD), the souks and the Ben Youssef Medersa. In the afternoon walk 25 minutes to the Jardin Majorelle (book online ~150MAD/£12, slots sell out) — or the free/cheap Menara or Anima gardens if Majorelle is full. Dinner in a cheap neighbourhood eatery in Gueliz or a £4-6 tagine in the medina.
🚌Walking; short petit taxi hops ~£2-3
🛏Medina riad/guesthouse, Marrakech
- →Small-group medina walking tour (GetYourGuide ~£20)
- →Bahia Palace & Saadian Tombs
- →Jardin Majorelle (pre-book online)
Over the Tizi n'Tichka to Ait Ben Haddou & Ouarzazate
Ouarzazate / Ait Ben Haddou
Take the CTM or Supratours coach from Marrakech to Ouarzazate (~5-6 hrs, ~£8-10), crossing the Tizi n'Tichka pass with mountain views. Get off at Ait Ben Haddou if you want to sleep beside the ksar (guesthouses from £15-20), or continue to Ouarzazate and take a shared grand taxi back out (15 min, ~30MAD). Explore the UNESCO-listed ksar on foot (free to enter; local guide at the gate ~£8 optional). Add the Taourirt Kasbah and Atlas Film Studios in Ouarzazate (~£5 each). Cheap tagine dinner in town.
🚌CTM/Supratours coach Marrakech–Ouarzazate ~£9; shared taxi to Ait Ben Haddou ~£3
🛏Guesthouse in Ait Ben Haddou or Ouarzazate
- →Tizi n'Tichka pass drive
- →Ait Ben Haddou ksar walk
- →Taourirt Kasbah
- →Atlas Film Studios
Skoura, Rose Valley and the Dades Gorges
Tinghir / Dades
Take a local bus or shared grand taxi from Ouarzazate to Kelaat M'Gouna (Rose Valley, ~1.5 hrs, ~£3) then on to Boumalne Dades (~1 hr, ~£2). Stop at the Skoura palm oasis en route (a shared taxi from Ouarzazate is ~£2-3). In the afternoon walk the Dades Gorges viewpoint trail, or arrange a local taxi up to the switchbacks (~£15 return, shareable). Overnight in a cheap guesthouse in Boumalne Dades or Tinghir (£15-22). Local dinner ~£6.
🚌Local buses/shared taxis Ouarzazate–Kelaat M'Gouna–Boumalne Dades ~£5-6
🛏Guesthouse in Boumalne Dades or Tinghir
- →Skoura Oasis
- →Rose Valley at Kelaat M'Gouna
- →Dades Gorges viewpoint walk
Todra Gorges to the Sahara — camel trek and Berber camp
Merzouga / Erg Chebbi
Reach the Todra Gorges by shared taxi from Tinghir (~30MAD/£2.50) and walk the canyon floor for free. Then take a local bus or shared taxi from Tinghir to Rissani/Merzouga (~3-4 hrs, ~£6-8). Book a desert camp package directly with a Merzouga operator or via GetYourGuide — standard backpacker rate is around £35-50 for a camel trek in at sunset, a Berber tent night, dinner, campfire drums and breakfast (private-vehicle transfers to the dunes are included by most operators). Add quad biking in the dunes for ~£22 if you like.
🚌Shared taxi Tinghir–Todra ~£2.50; bus/shared taxi Tinghir–Merzouga ~£7
🛏Berber desert camp, Erg Chebbi
- →Todra Gorges walk
- →Sunset camel trek on Erg Chebbi
- →Berber camp with dinner & drumming
- →Optional quad biking (~£22)
Sunrise in the dunes, then the long road to Fes
Fes
Wake for sunrise over the dunes (most camps include a short camel or 4x4 return). Shower and head to Merzouga or Rissani for a coach heading north. The scenic alternative to the operator's Ziz Valley drive is the CTM Merzouga–Fes service (~8-9 hrs, ~£15-18, usually via or connected at Errachidia/Rissani); break the journey at Midelt or Azrou if you want to see the cedar forest and Barbary macaques (Azrou is on the Fes route from the south). Arrive Fes, check into a medina riad near Bab Boujloud (£18-25), and grab a cheap street dinner — b'ssara soup and msemen for under £4.
🚌CTM coach Merzouga–Fes ~£16 (or split at Midelt/Azrou)
🛏Medina riad, Fes
- →Sunrise over Erg Chebbi
- →Ziz Valley / Middle Atlas scenery
- →Optional Azrou cedar forest & Barbary apes
Fes el-Bali — the world's great medieval medina
Fes
Book a half-day small-group Fes medina walking tour on GetYourGuide (~£20-28) — they cover the Chouara tannery (view from a terrace, small tip expected), Al-Attarine Madrasa (~20MAD), the Karaouine mosque courtyard and the souks, saving you endless dead ends and unofficial 'guides'. Spend the free afternoon on your own: the Bou Inania Madrasa, the Nejjarine museum, or book a hammam (local bathhouse ~£3-5, tourist hammam+scrub ~£15). Evening option: a 3-hour tagine cooking class (~£25-30).
🚌Walking; petit taxi back to riad ~£2
🛏Medina riad, Fes
- →Small-group Fes medina walking tour (GetYourGuide ~£24)
- →Chouara tannery
- →Al-Attarine Madrasa & Karaouine
- →Optional hammam or cooking class
Fes to the Blue City, Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen
Take the CTM bus from Fes to Chefchaouen (~4 hrs, ~£6-8, book a day ahead as it fills). Drop bags at a guesthouse in the medina (doubles from £18-25). Spend the afternoon doing exactly what the tour does — wandering the blue-washed lanes, Uta el-Hammam square and the Kasbah (entry ~60MAD/£5) with its gardens and art museum. Climb to the Spanish Mosque for the classic sunset view over the town (free, 20-min walk). Dinner: cheap goat cheese, bread and a tagine for ~£6.
🚌CTM bus Fes–Chefchaouen ~£7
🛏Medina guesthouse, Chefchaouen
- →Blue medina lanes
- →Uta el-Hammam square
- →Kasbah of Chefchaouen (~£5)
- →Spanish Mosque sunset viewpoint
Chefchaouen to Tangier — where the Atlantic meets the Med
Tangier
Bus or shared taxi from Chefchaouen to Tangier (~2.5 hrs, coach ~£5, shared grand taxi ~£8). Check in near the medina (£20-28). In the afternoon take a shared taxi or local bus out to Cape Spartel and the Cave of Hercules (~£5-8 return, combined entry ~£4) — the tour's exact itinerary, minus the private car. Back in town, walk the Tangier medina, the Petit Socco and the ramparts; the American Legation Museum is ~£3 if you want more. Eat at a cheap medina grill (~£5) or a café on the port.
🚌Coach Chefchaouen–Tangier ~£5; shared taxi to Cape Spartel & Cave of Hercules ~£6
🛏Hotel/guesthouse, Tangier
- →Cave of Hercules
- →Cape Spartel
- →Tangier medina & Petit Socco
- →Optional American Legation Museum
Asilah and on to Rabat
Rabat
Stop in Asilah en route south — the ONCF train runs Tangier–Asilah (~45 min, ~£3) and Asilah–Rabat (~3 hrs, ~£8). Leave bags at the station lockers or a café and wander the whitewashed, mural-painted medina and ramparts for a couple of hours (free). Arrive Rabat in the evening; stay in the medina or Agdal (doubles £22-30). Cheap dinner near Avenue Mohammed V for ~£6.
🚌ONCF train Tangier–Asilah ~£3, Asilah–Rabat ~£8
🛏Guesthouse/hotel, Rabat
- →Asilah painted medina & sea ramparts
- →Rabat medina evening stroll
Rabat's kasbah and towers, then Casablanca
Casablanca
Morning on foot: the Oudaya Kasbah (free, blue-and-white lanes above the river mouth), Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V (free entry, modest dress). Then take the ONCF train Rabat–Casablanca (~1 hr, ~£3) and check into a budget hotel or hostel near the centre (£20-28). In the late afternoon visit the Hassan II Mosque — the only way inside is a guided tour (~140MAD/£11, times posted daily; book or queue early in the day). Walk the Corniche and Place Mohammed V at sunset.
🚌ONCF train Rabat–Casablanca ~£3
🛏Budget hotel/hostel, Casablanca
- →Oudaya Kasbah
- →Hassan Tower & Mausoleum of Mohammed V
- →Hassan II Mosque guided visit (~£11)
- →Corniche & Place Mohammed V
Casablanca — souk, coast and departure
Casablanca
Last morning: the Habous/new medina quarter, the Central Market for a cheap fresh-fish breakfast (~£5), or the Marche Central coffee stop beloved of locals. If you're flying out, the Casa Port / Casa Voyageurs to Mohammed V airport train is ~50MAD/£4 (or a shared airport shuttle booked via Klook for ~£8). If you're looping back to Marrakech, the ONCF train is ~6-7 hrs for ~£15-18. Budget a final tagine and mint tea before you go.
🚌Airport train ~£4, or train Casablanca–Marrakech ~£16
🛏—
- →Habous quarter & Central Market
- →Final mint tea
Self-launched vs. LAHNITI TOURS
| This itinerary (self-launched) | LAHNITI TOURS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£675 | £1,320 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £645 per person (49%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more LAHNITI TOURS-style trips? Check them out here.~£675
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.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does 12 Days Across Morocco: Self-Launched Sahara, Blue City & Imperial Cities cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £675 per person for 12 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 LAHNITI TOURS?+
Yes — LAHNITI TOURS 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 £675 — a saving of roughly £645 (49%) per person.
How long is the Morocco trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 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, 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?
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