Highlights of Morocco — Self-Launched 12-Day Loop from Casablanca
12 days · Morocco
Travel Chasers formerly Expat Explore charges £1,650
No-markup version: ~£650 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of the classic Casablanca–Rabat–Chefchaouen–Fes–Sahara–Marrakesh–Essaouira loop, done independently using Morocco's excellent CTM/Supratours coaches, shared grand taxis and locally-booked guides. You'll cover the same medinas, the Todra Gorge, a night in a Merzouga desert camp, Aït Ben Haddou and Essaouira — but staying in riad guesthouses and hostels instead of 4-star hotels, and booking guides activity-by-activity. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Casablanca to Rabat
Casablanca / Rabat
Start early at the Hassan II Mosque (exterior free; guided interior entry ~£12, book a slot online) before it gets hot. Then take the train from Casa Voyageurs to Rabat Ville — ONCF trains run roughly hourly and take about an hour for £4-6. In Rabat, self-walk the medina, the Oudayas Kasbah and the Hassan Tower/Mausoleum of Mohammed V, all free. Stay in a riad guesthouse in the medina.
🚌ONCF train Casablanca–Rabat ~£5 (1h)
🛏Riad guesthouse dorm or private room in Rabat medina (~£15)
- →Hassan II Mosque exterior (optional guided interior ~£12)
- →Oudayas Kasbah & medina walk
- →Hassan Tower and Mausoleum of Mohammed V
Rabat to Asilah to Chefchaouen
Asilah / Chefchaouen
Take an early CTM or Supratours coach from Rabat to Asilah (~3h, ~£9), drop your bag at the bus station lockers or a café, and wander the whitewashed, mural-covered Asilah medina and sea walls. Mid-afternoon continue by coach or shared grand taxi via Tangier to Chefchaouen (~3-4h, ~£10-12). Arrive in time for blue-hour photos in the medina.
🚌Rabat–Asilah coach ~£9; Asilah–Chefchaouen coach/taxi ~£11
🛏Hostel or small guesthouse in Chefchaouen medina (~£14)
- →Asilah medina and street-art walk
- →Chefchaouen blue medina at sunset
Chefchaouen to Fes
Chefchaouen / Fes
Morning hike up to the Spanish Mosque viewpoint for views over the blue town (free, ~40 min round trip), then explore the kasbah and Ras El Ma. In the afternoon take the coach to Fes (~4h, ~£11). Check in near Bab Boujloud and eat dinner at a cheap medina eatery — a tagine is £3-4.
🚌Chefchaouen–Fes coach ~£11 (4h)
🛏Riad hostel near Bab Boujloud, Fes (~£14)
- →Spanish Mosque viewpoint hike
- →Kasbah and Ras El Ma riverside
Fes medina deep-dive
Fes
Hire a licensed local guide for a half-day medina walk (book via GetYourGuide or your riad, ~£25-30) to see the tanneries (Chouara), Bou Inania Madrasa, Nejjarine Fountain and Seffarine Square — a guide genuinely helps you avoid getting lost and hassled. Afternoon free for the Andalusian quarter. Optional day trip to Volubilis: shared grand taxi to Moulay Idriss plus a taxi up, entry £6, ~£25 total.
🚌Walking; optional grand taxi to Volubilis ~£25 return
🛏Riad hostel near Bab Boujloud, Fes (~£14)
- →Guided Fes medina walk (~£27)
- →Chouara tanneries
- →Bou Inania Madrasa and Nejjarine Fountain
- →Optional Volubilis Roman ruins (entry £6)
Fes over the Atlas to Merzouga
Ifrane / Ziz Valley / Merzouga
This is the long transfer day. The cheapest option is the CTM coach Fes–Merzouga via Meknes and the Ziz Valley (~9-10h, ~£18) — book the early departure. With 2-3 others you can share a grand taxi or a minivan transfer for ~£30-40 each and stop at Ifrane and the Ziz Valley viewpoints. In Merzouga, arrange a desert camp with camel trek (many camps on Booking.com or GetYourGuide, ~£35-50 including dinner, breakfast and camel ride) and sleep under the stars in a Berber tent.
🚌Fes–Merzouga coach ~£18 (or shared transfer ~£35)
🛏Merzouga desert camp, Berber tent with dinner & breakfast (~£42)
- →Ifrane and Ziz Valley stops
- →Camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes
- →Desert camp night with Berber music
Merzouga to Todra Gorge to Ouarzazate
Todra Gorge / Kalaat M'Gouna / Ouarzazate
Sunrise on the dunes, then back to Merzouga village. Take a shared grand taxi or local bus to Tinerhir (~2h, ~£8), walk the Todra Gorge canyon floor (free), then continue via Kalaat M'Gouna's rose valley to Ouarzazate — shared taxi hops or the afternoon bus, ~£12-15 total. Reserve accommodation in advance; this leg is long and buses thin out late afternoon.
🚌Shared grand taxis Merzouga–Tinerhir–Ouarzazate ~£22
🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel in Ouarzazate (~£16)
- →Sunrise on Erg Chebbi dunes
- →Todra Gorge canyon walk
- →Kalaat M'Gouna rose valley stop
Aït Ben Haddou and over the Tizi n'Tichka to Marrakesh
Ouarzazate / Aït Ben Haddou / Marrakesh
Morning at Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate (entry ~£2), then a shared grand taxi (~30 min, ~£2) to Aït Ben Haddou — cross the river and climb to the granary at the top (free, small tip expected). Early afternoon catch the shared taxi or CTM coach to Marrakesh over the Tizi n'Tichka pass (~4h, ~£10-13). Check into a medina hostel and eat in Jemaa el Fna at night.
🚌Grand taxi to Aït Ben Haddou ~£2; coach/taxi to Marrakesh ~£12
🛏Hostel or riad room in Marrakesh medina (~£16)
- →Taourirt Kasbah (entry ~£2)
- →Aït Ben Haddou ksar climb
- →Tizi n'Tichka mountain pass
- →Jemaa el Fna at night
Marrakesh: souks, palaces and a cooking class
Marrakesh
Self-walk the medina: Koutoubia, Bahia Palace (£6), Saadian Tombs (£6), the souks and Jemaa el Fna. In the afternoon join a small-group Moroccan cooking class (harira, tagine and pastries) booked on GetYourGuide or Klook, ~£30-38 including market shopping and your dinner.
🚌Walking
🛏Hostel or riad room in Marrakesh medina (~£16)
- →Koutoubia and Bahia Palace (entry ~£6)
- →Saadian Tombs (~£6)
- →Moroccan cooking class (~£34)
Marrakesh gardens and museums
Marrakesh
Buy the combo ticket for Majorelle Garden and the Musée Berbère (~£14, book a timed slot online in high season), then walk to Medersa Ben Youssef (~£5) and the Almoravid Koubba. Late afternoon hammam at a mid-range local bathhouse (~£15). Optional Fantasia dinner show at Chez Ali or a riad (~£30) if you want the folklore-night experience.
🚌Walking / petit taxi ~£2 per hop
🛏Hostel or riad room in Marrakesh medina (~£16)
- →Majorelle Garden + Musée Berbère (~£14)
- →Medersa Ben Youssef (~£5)
- →Hammam (~£15)
- →Optional Fantasia dinner show (~£30)
Marrakesh to Essaouira
Essaouira
Take the CTM or Supratours coach from Marrakesh to Essaouira (~3h, ~£8). Ask the driver to stop at an argan oil cooperative en route (many coaches do) or visit the ones just outside town. Afternoon exploring the whitewashed medina, the ramparts and the fishing port; grab grilled sardines at the port for £4-5.
🚌Marrakesh–Essaouira coach ~£8 (3h)
🛏Surf hostel or guesthouse in Essaouira medina (~£15)
- →Argan oil cooperative visit
- →Essaouira medina and ramparts walk
- →Fishing port and fresh fish dinner
Essaouira beach day to Casablanca
Essaouira / Casablanca
Morning on Essaouira's wide beach — optional beginner surf lesson (~£25) or a walk to Diabat, the village that inspired Jimi Hendrix. Afternoon coach to Casablanca (~4-5h with a change in Marrakesh or Safi, ~£12-15). In the evening stroll the Corniche and have a final seafood dinner in the Habous or old medina (£8-10).
🚌Essaouira–Casablanca coach ~£14
🛏Budget hotel or hostel in central Casablanca (~£18)
- →Essaouira beach / optional surf lesson (~£25)
- →Diabat walk
- →Casablanca Corniche evening
Casablanca and departure
Casablanca
If you haven't already, visit the Hassan II Mosque interior on the morning English tour (~£12) and the Art Deco old medina and Central Market. Train or airport bus to Mohammed V Airport (train ~£2, taxi ~£15) depending on your flight time.
🚌Train to Casablanca airport ~£2
🛏None (departure day)
- →Hassan II Mosque interior tour (~£12)
- →Central Market and Art Deco walk
Self-launched vs. Travel Chasers formerly Expat Explore
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Travel Chasers formerly Expat Explore | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£650 | £1,650 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,000 per person (61%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Travel Chasers formerly Expat Explore-style trips? Check them out here.~£650
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 Highlights of Morocco — Self-Launched 12-Day Loop from Casablanca cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £650 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 Travel Chasers formerly Expat Explore?+
Yes — Travel Chasers formerly Expat Explore charges around £1,650 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £650 — a saving of roughly £1,000 (61%) 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, hiking 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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