Morocco: Historic Cities & Sand Dunes of the Sahara — Self-Launched

Land at Mohammed V Airport and take the ONCF train (approx £4, ~40 min) into Casablanca's Casa-Voyageurs or Casa-Port station. Check into a budget hotel or hostel near the old medina. Spend the late afternoon walking the Art Deco streets of the centre and the corniche, then eat your first tagine or a plate of sardines near the port. No group welcome meeting needed — use the evening to confirm your onward CTM coach tickets for tomorrow.

🚌ONCF train from Mohammed V Airport to Casa-Port (~£4)

🛏Budget hotel/hostel near Casa-Port (~£18-25)

• →Arrive and transfer by ONCF airport train
• →Walk the Art Deco city centre and Corniche
• →Dinner in the medina

Start early with a self-guided or small-group guided visit to the Hassan II Mosque (one of the world's largest; non-Muslim guided tours run several times a day, approx £12). Then take the frequent ONCF train north to Rabat (approx £3, ~1 hr). In Rabat, walk the Kasbah des Oudaias with its blue-and-white lanes and Atlantic views, the medina and souks, the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. Grab mint tea and Moroccan sweets at a medina stall. Overnight in Rabat or push on to Meknès by train (approx £8, ~2.5 hrs) depending on your energy.

🚌ONCF trains Casablanca–Rabat (~£3) and Rabat–Meknès (~£8)

🛏Budget riad/hostel in Rabat or Meknès (~£20-28)

• →Hassan II Mosque guided visit
• →Kasbah des Oudaias and Rabat medina
• →Hassan Tower & Mausoleum of Mohammed V
• →Mint tea and sweets in the souk

Explore Meknès' old medina and market stalls in the morning — Bab Mansour gate, the huge Heri es-Souani granaries and the imperial city walls. Then take a shared grand taxi or local bus out to the Roman ruins of Volubilis (approx £3-4) and hire a certified local guide on site (approx £8-10, shares well if you team up with other travellers) to bring the mosaics and arches to life. Continue by shared taxi/bus to Chefchaouen in the Rif Mountains (approx £8-10, 3-4 hrs) and settle into a guesthouse in the blue-washed medina.

🚌Shared grand taxi/bus Meknès–Volubilis (~£4) and Volubilis–Chefchaouen (~£9)

🛏Guesthouse in Chefchaouen old town (~£15-22)

• →Meknès medina and Bab Mansour
• →Volubilis Roman ruins guided tour
• →Travel into the Rif Mountains to Chefchaouen

A free day to wander Chefchaouen's dreamy blue streets at your own pace. Hike up to the Spanish Mosque viewpoint for sunrise or sunset over the town, browse the craft shops around Place Uta el-Hammam, and try local goat's cheese, fresh bread and a tagine on a rooftop. Optional: a guided half-day hike into the Talassemtane National Park or a cooking class with a local family. Stay a second night in your guesthouse.

🚌Walking

🛏Guesthouse in Chefchaouen old town (~£15-22)

• →Spanish Mosque viewpoint hike
• →Wander the blue medina and craft shops
• →Optional Rif Mountains day hike or cooking class

Travel by CTM coach or shared transport to Fes (approx £8-10, 4-5 hrs). Check into a riad or hostel in or near the medina. In the afternoon/evening follow a local guide through the Fes medina — one of the world's largest, with 9,000+ winding streets — including the famous Chouara tannery viewed from a leather-shop balcony, the Bou Inania madrasa and the souks. Beware of unofficial 'guides'; book a licensed guide in advance via GetYourGuide or your riad (approx £20-25).

🚌CTM coach or shared transport Chefchaouen–Fes (~£9)

🛏Riad/hostel near Fes medina (~£18-28)

• →CTM coach to Fes
• →Guided Fes medina walking tour including the tannery
• →Evening in the souks

Morning to deeper-explore Fes: the Al-Attarine souk, pottery and zellige workshops, or a food tour sampling pastilla, harira and camel-milk sweets. In the afternoon begin heading south — most travellers overnight in Midelt or Azrou to break the long drive to Merzouga. Take the CTM/regional bus or shared grand taxi (approx £12-15). If you prefer fewer stops, an overnight bus toward Rissani/Merzouga is possible but tiring.

🚌CTM bus or shared grand taxi Fes–Midelt (~£13)

🛏Guesthouse in Midelt/Azrou (~£15-20)

• →Optional Fes food tour or craft workshops
• →Bus/shared taxi south via the Middle Atlas
• →Overnight in Midelt or Azrou

Continue to Merzouga on the edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes (approx £10-12, 4-5 hrs). Drop your main bag at a guesthouse, take only an overnight bag, and in the late afternoon ride a camel into the dunes to a desert camp (approx £30-40 including camel trek and dinner/B&B; book direct or via Klook/GetYourGuide). Watch the sunset over the sand, eat a tagine under the stars, and sleep in a Berber tent or camp.

🚌CTM bus/shared taxi to Merzouga (~£11) plus camel ride

🛏Sahara desert camp, Merzouga (~£30-40 incl. camel trek, dinner & breakfast)

• →Travel to Merzouga
• →Camel trek into the Erg Chebbi dunes
• →Dinner and overnight in a Sahara desert camp

Wake for sunrise over the dunes and camel or 4x4 back to Merzouga. Optional morning: visit the Gnawa music village of Khamlia or a fossil workshop, or take a 4x4 excursion to the seasonal Lake Dayet Srji. Then travel west to Tinghir and the dramatic Todra Gorge (approx £10-12, 3-4 hrs) for an afternoon hike between the 300m canyon walls. Overnight in a guesthouse in the gorge.

🚌Shared taxi/bus Merzouga–Tinghir (~£11)

🛏Guesthouse in Todra Gorge (~£15-22)

• →Sunrise over the dunes
• →Optional Khamlia Gnawa music visit
• →Todra Gorge hike

A relaxed morning in the gorge, then continue through the Valley of the Roses (Kelaat M'Gouna) and the Dades Valley with its sculpted rock formations and kasbahs. Stop at viewpoints and a rose-water cooperative if timing allows. Overnight in a guesthouse or small hotel in the Dades Valley area, ready for the run to Ouarzazate and Aït Ben Haddou tomorrow.

🚌Shared taxi/bus Tinghir–Dades/Kelaat M'Gouna (~£8)

🛏Guesthouse in Dades Valley (~£15-22)

• →Todra to Dades Valley scenic drive
• →Valley of the Roses and rose-water cooperative
• →Dades rock formations viewpoints

Travel to Aït Ben Haddou via Ouarzazate (approx £10-12). Explore the UNESCO-listed ksar of Aït Ben Haddou, the most famous fortress in the Ounila Valley and a filming location for Gladiator, Babel and Game of Thrones — hire a local guide at the gate (approx £6-8) to explain the earthen ksar's history. Optionally visit the Atlas Film Studios and Kasbah Taourirt in Ouarzazate. Overnight in Aït Ben Haddou or Ouarzazate.

🚌Shared taxi/bus Dades–Aït Ben Haddou via Ouarzazate (~£11)

🛏Guesthouse in Aït Ben Haddou/Ouarzazate (~£18-25)

• →Guided visit to Aït Ben Haddou kasbah (UNESCO)
• →Optional Atlas Film Studios and Kasbah Taourirt
• →Ounila Valley scenery

Cross the High Atlas via the spectacular Tizi n'Tichka pass to Marrakech (approx £10-12, 4-5 hrs by bus or shared taxi). Check into a riad or hostel in or near the medina, then dive into Djemaa el-Fna at dusk — street food stalls, storytellers, musicians and juice vendors. Grab a rooftop mint tea and, if you like, book an optional Marrakech hot-air balloon flight (approx £180-200) for tomorrow with a local operator.

🚌CTM bus or shared grand taxi Ouarzazate/Aït Ben Haddou–Marrakech (~£11)

🛏Riad/hostel in Marrakech medina (~£20-30)

• →Drive the Tizi n'Tichka pass over the High Atlas
• →Djemaa el-Fna square at night
• →Optional Marrakech hot-air balloon flight (pre-bookable)

Final day exploring Marrakech: the Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, the Koutoubia minaret, the Majorelle Garden and the souks and spice market of the medina. Eat a farewell tagine or try a hammam before heading to Marrakech Menara Airport (taxi ~£6-8). If you booked the balloon flight, it usually runs at dawn before departure — check timings carefully.

🚌Petit taxi to Marrakech Menara Airport (~£7)

🛏Departure day (no overnight included)

• →Bahia Palace and Saadian Tombs
• →Koutoubia and Majorelle Garden
• →Marrakech souks and hammam; airport transfer