9-Day Self-Launched Morocco: Casablanca to Marrakech via Sahara

Fly into Mohammed V International Airport. Take the Airport Express train (Ligne 1) directly to Casa Voyageurs or Casa Port station — tickets cost around £3 and the journey takes 35 minutes, far cheaper than the tour's airport transfer. Check into your budget riad or hostel in the Medina or around the Corniche. The rest of the day is yours to settle in, grab a tagine at a local café and explore the art deco boulevards of the city centre.

🚌Airport Express train from Mohammed V Airport to Casa Voyageurs (~£3, 35 mins)

🛏Riad or budget hostel in Casablanca Medina or near the Corniche — e.g. Auberge de Jeunesse Casablanca or a booking.com riad (~£18–25/night)

• →Arrive at Mohammed V International Airport — take the Airport Express train to city centre (~£3)
• →Walk the art deco streets of central Casablanca
• →Stroll the Corniche oceanfront promenade
• →Grab dinner at a local café — try harira soup and pastilla

Start early with breakfast, then head to Hassan II Mosque — the world's third-largest mosque and an unmissable landmark (guided entry ~£10, exterior free). Take the ONCF train from Casa Voyageurs to Rabat (~45 mins, ~£4). In Rabat, walk to the Hassan Tower and mausoleum (free), explore the Kasbah of the Oudaias, and stroll past the Mohamed V Mausoleum. In the afternoon, take a CTM bus from Rabat to Chefchaouen (~4 hrs, ~£10). Arrive and check into your riad in the blue Medina.

🚌ONCF train Casablanca → Rabat (~£4); CTM bus Rabat → Chefchaouen (~£10)

🛏Budget riad in Chefchaouen Medina — e.g. Riad Dar Echchaouen or similar (~£20–28/night)

• →Visit Hassan II Mosque exterior (free) or guided interior tour (~£10, book via GetYourGuide)
• →Train Casablanca to Rabat: ONCF (~£4, ~45 mins)
• →Explore Hassan Tower and Mohamed V Mausoleum, Rabat (free)
• →Walk the Kasbah of the Oudaias and its Andalusian gardens (free)
• →CTM bus Rabat to Chefchaouen (~£10, ~4 hrs)
• →Evening stroll through Chefchaouen's blue Medina

Rise early to explore Chefchaouen's blue-washed medina before the day-trippers arrive. Visit the central Plaza Uta el-Hammam, the fortified kasbah (entrance ~£2), and walk up to Ras El Ma waterfall (free). Take a morning CTM bus towards Meknes (~3.5 hrs, ~£9), then a shared grand taxi from Meknes to Volubilis (~£3 each, 20 mins). Spend 1–2 hours exploring the Roman ruins — entrance ~£4. Continue by grand taxi or local bus to Fes (~1.5 hrs, ~£5). Check in to your riad in the Fes el-Bali medina.

🚌CTM bus Chefchaouen → Meknes (~£9); grand taxis Meknes ↔ Volubilis (~£3); bus/grand taxi to Fes (~£5)

🛏Budget riad in Fes el-Bali Medina — e.g. Riad Laaroussa budget option or Dar Bensouda (~£22–30/night)

• →Morning wander through Chefchaouen's blue alleyways and Plaza Uta el-Hammam
• →Visit Chefchaouen's fortified kasbah and museum (~£2)
• →Walk to Ras El Ma natural spring and waterfall (free)
• →CTM bus Chefchaouen → Meknes (~£9, ~3.5 hrs)
• →Shared grand taxi Meknes → Volubilis (~£3)
• →Explore Volubilis Roman ruins — entrance ~£4
• →Grand taxi or bus Volubilis/Meknes → Fes (~£5)

Dedicate a full day to Fes el-Bali, one of the world's largest living medieval cities. Book a half-day guided medina walking tour via GetYourGuide (~£15–20pp) to navigate the 9,000+ lanes and get proper context. Highlights include the Bou Inania Medersa (entrance ~£2), the Nejjarine Fountain and woodworking museum (~£2), the Chouara tanneries (free from surrounding leather shop terraces), the Jewish mellah quarter, and the iconic Bab Bou Jeloud blue gate. Spend the afternoon exploring independently — browse the souks, try a msemen street pancake, and haggle gently in the spice market.

🚌Walking throughout — Fes medina is pedestrian only

🛏Same riad as Day 3 in Fes el-Bali Medina (~£22–30/night)

• →Book a half-day guided Fes medina walking tour via GetYourGuide (~£18pp)
• →Visit Bou Inania Medersa — stunning Marinid architecture (~£2)
• →Explore Nejjarine Square, fountain and woodworking museum (~£2)
• →View the Chouara tanneries from a leather shop terrace (free)
• →Wander the Jewish mellah quarter (free)
• →Explore the spice, metalwork and pottery souks
• →Sunset at Bab Bou Jeloud and dinner in the medina

This is the longest travel day — an epic crossing of the Middle Atlas and into the Sahara. Book a shared day-trip transfer/shuttle from Fes to Merzouga via a local agency (this route is well-serviced by shared shuttles for ~£20–30pp, far cheaper than private hire). The route passes through Ifrane — Morocco's Alpine-style ski town — and the cedar forest at Azrou where wild Barbary macaques roam freely. Arrive at Merzouga in the late afternoon in time for camel trekking at sunset. Book your camel trek and desert camp night directly in Merzouga (~£30–40 all-in including dinner and breakfast).

🚌Shared shuttle Fes → Merzouga via Ifrane/Azrou (~£25)

🛏Desert camp at Merzouga — book directly at the Merzouga dune base or via GetYourGuide (~£25–30/night including dinner)

• →Shared shuttle Fes → Merzouga via Ifrane and Azrou (~£25, ~7 hrs)
• →Stop at Ifrane — Morocco's 'Alpine town' and snow lion statue
• →Walk in Azrou cedar forest and spot Barbary macaques (free)
• →Camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes at sunset (~£15–20, book locally on arrival)
• →Overnight at a traditional Berber desert camp with dinner included (~£25–30)
• →Berber drum music and fire dancing at the desert camp

Wake before dawn for the Sahara sunrise over the Erg Chebbi dunes — one of Morocco's most magical moments. After breakfast at camp, make your way back to Merzouga village. Hire a shared grand taxi or arrange a day-transfer to travel west via Rissani souk (Wednesday and Sunday are market days) and Erfoud's fossilised marble workshops (free to browse). Continue to Todra Gorge — a dramatic 300m-high limestone canyon. Entrance is free; walk the gorge floor independently. Book a short rock climbing session via a local guide if desired (~£20). Continue to Dades Valley for the night.

🚌Grand taxis: Merzouga → Rissani (~£3); Rissani → Erfoud → Tinghir/Todra (~£8); Todra → Dades Valley (~£8)

🛏Budget guesthouse or riad in Dades Valley — e.g. Riad Mamma or similar (~£18–25/night including dinner)

• →Sahara sunrise viewing from the sand dunes (free — you're already at camp)
• →Camel or walk back to Merzouga village from desert camp
• →Visit Rissani souk and old town — grand taxi from Merzouga (~£3)
• →Browse Erfoud fossilised marble and ammonite workshops (free)
• →Explore Todra Gorge canyon walls — walk the gorge floor (free)
• →Optional: rock climbing at Todra Gorges with a local guide (~£20)
• →Grand taxi or shared transfer to Dades Valley (~£8)

Drive or take a shared transfer through the dramatic Dades Gorge switchbacks in the morning. Pass through Kalaat M'Gouna — the Valley of Roses — famous for its rose festival each May. Continue to Ouarzazate, the 'Hollywood of Africa', where you can self-visit Atlas Film Studios (entrance ~£5 — one of the world's largest film studios, used for Game of Thrones and Gladiator). Then head 30km to the UNESCO World Heritage kasbah of Aït Benhaddou (entrance ~£2) — one of Morocco's most photogenic sites. Take an afternoon CTM bus or shared taxi over the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260m) to Marrakech (~3.5 hrs, ~£8–12).

🚌Shared grand taxi/transfer Dades → Ouarzazate (~£8); CTM bus Ouarzazate → Marrakech via Tizi n'Tichka (~£10)

🛏Budget riad in Marrakech Medina — e.g. Riad Dar Zitoun or similar near Jemaa el-Fna (~£22–32/night)

• →Morning drive through Dades Gorge switchback road (viewpoint free)
• →Visit Kalaat M'Gouna — Valley of Roses village (free)
• →Self-visit Atlas Film Studios, Ouarzazate (~£5)
• →Explore Aït Benhaddou UNESCO kasbah (~£2, allow 1.5 hrs)
• →CTM bus or shared taxi over Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech (~£10, ~3.5 hrs)

Spend a full day exploring Marrakech's historic medina — a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Book a half-day guided medina tour via GetYourGuide (~£15pp) to visit the Koutoubia Mosque exterior, Saadian Tombs (entrance ~£3), and ornate Bahia Palace (~£3). Spend the afternoon at Majorelle Garden and the adjacent Yves Saint Laurent Museum (garden entrance ~£12 — book online in advance as it sells out). As evening falls, head to the electric Jemaa el-Fna square for street food, acrobats, storytellers, and musicians — completely free. Optionally, explore the Guéliz new town for modern Moroccan café culture.

🚌Walking and occasional petits taxis within Marrakech (fares ~£1–3 per ride)

🛏Same riad as Day 7 in Marrakech Medina (~£22–32/night)

• →Half-day guided Marrakech medina walking tour via GetYourGuide (~£15pp)
• →Visit Koutoubia Mosque exterior (free) — the city's landmark minaret
• →Saadian Tombs (~£3)
• →Bahia Palace (~£3)
• →Majorelle Garden and YSL Museum (~£12, book online in advance)
• →Jemaa el-Fna square at sunset — street food, musicians, acrobats (free)
• →Optional: explore Guéliz district cafes and boutiques (free)

Depending on your flight time, enjoy a final Moroccan breakfast — try msemen flatbread with argan oil honey. Take the ONCF train from Marrakech Gare to Casablanca Mohammed V Airport (direct service, ~£9, ~3 hrs — check oncf.ma for timetables and book a day ahead). Alternatively, CTM buses run the same route for slightly less. Arrive at the airport with time to spare. If you have a late flight, store bags at Marrakech station (left luggage available) and spend a final morning browsing the souks of Rahba Kedima.

🚌ONCF direct train Marrakech Gare → Casablanca Mohammed V Airport (~£9, ~3 hrs)

🛏None — departure day

• →Final Moroccan breakfast in the medina — msemen, mint tea, argan honey
• →Optional: last-minute souvenir shopping in Rahba Kedima spice square
• →ONCF direct train Marrakech → Casablanca Mohammed V Airport (~£9, ~3 hrs)
• →Depart from Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport