Self-Launched: 3 Days Casablanca to Chefchaouen via Rabat, Volubilis & Meknes
3 days · Morocco
Discover Morocco Tours charges £435
No-markup version: ~£148 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Discover Morocco Tours' 3-day Casablanca–Rabat–Chefchaouen–Volubilis–Meknes loop, done entirely on Morocco's excellent and cheap train and bus network. You'll see the same big hitters — Hassan II Mosque, Rabat's Hassan Tower and Kasbah, the blue streets of Chefchaouen, the Roman ruins of Volubilis and Meknes' Bab el-Mansour — but travel by ONCF train and CTM bus, sleep in budget riads and hostels, and join short local walking tours on the ground rather than paying for a private driver-guide. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP per person and assume shared dorm or budget double accommodation; solo travellers in private rooms will pay more.
Day-by-day
Casablanca highlights, then train to Rabat
Casablanca → Rabat
Start early in Casablanca. Leave your bag at your hostel and head to the Hassan II Mosque for the 09:00 or 10:00 guided interior tour (around £11-13; it's the only way non-Muslims can go inside, and it's worth it — book online or turn up 30 mins early as slots sell out). Then wander the old medina and the art-deco Habous/new town streets at your own pace, grabbing a msemen and mint tea for breakfast (about £2). Around 14:00 walk or take a petit taxi (£1-2) to Casa Voyageurs station and catch an ONCF train to Rabat — roughly 1 hour, second class about £3-4, trains every 30-60 mins. In Rabat, check into a medina riad or hostel, then walk to the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V (free), and finish with the Oudayas Kasbah and its café at sunset. Eat dinner in the medina — a tajine or grilled fish for £5-7.
🚌ONCF train Casablanca (Casa Voyageurs) to Rabat Ville, ~1hr, £3-4 second class; walking and petit taxis in town
🛏Budget riad or hostel in Rabat medina (dorm £10-14, private double £25-35)
- →Hassan II Mosque guided interior tour (self-booked, ~£12)
- →Casablanca medina and Habous quarter walk
- →Hassan Tower and Mausoleum of Mohammed V (free)
- →Oudayas Kasbah and Andalusian gardens at sunset
Rabat to the blue city of Chefchaouen
Rabat → Chefchaouen
Morning in Rabat: explore the Chellah necropolis (about £3) or the Archaeological Museum if you have time, then head to the CTM or Supratours terminal for the bus to Chefchaouen. The direct bus takes about 4.5-5.5 hours and costs roughly £10-13; book a day ahead via the CTM app or at the station. Alternatively take a train to Tangier or Fes and connect by bus, but the direct CTM is simplest. Arrive in Chefchaouen late afternoon, check into a guesthouse in the medina, and take a free/small-tip walking tour or simply get lost in the blue-washed lanes yourself. Hike 10 minutes up to the Spanish Mosque for sunset over the Rif mountains — free and the best viewpoint in town. Dinner of bissara, bread and a tagine for £5-7.
🚌CTM/Supratours bus Rabat to Chefchaouen, ~5hr, £10-13
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Chefchaouen medina (dorm £9-13, private double £22-32)
- →Chellah necropolis, Rabat (~£3)
- →Self-guided or tip-based walking tour of Chefchaouen medina
- →Sunset hike to the Spanish Mosque viewpoint
- →Souq and craft browsing in the medina
Volubilis and Meknes, then back to Casablanca
Chefchaouen → Volubilis → Meknes → Casablanca
Leave Chefchaouen early (around 07:30) on a CTM bus or shared grand taxi to Meknes or the Volubilis turn-off — about 3.5-4 hours, £7-10; ask the driver to drop you at Moulay Idriss/Volubilis. From the turn-off take a local taxi or shared taxi to Volubilis (about £3-4) and spend 1.5-2 hours in the Roman ruins with the on-site ticket office (£6) — or pre-book a small-group Volubilis + Moulay Idriss tour on GetYourGuide if you'd rather have a guide. Continue by shared taxi to Moulay Idriss Zerhoun (£1-2) for a quick terrace view, then to Meknes (£1-2): see Bab el-Mansour, the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail (free entry for the courtyard) and the medina, lunch for £4-5. In the late afternoon take the ONCF train from Meknes to Casablanca, about 3-3.5 hours, £6-8, arriving in time for an evening flight or a final night in the city.
🚌CTM bus Chefchaouen to Volubilis/Meknes ~4hr £7-10; shared taxis between Volubilis, Moulay Idriss and Meknes £1-4 each hop; ONCF train Meknes to Casablanca ~3.5hr £6-8
🛏None included (day trip) — optional hostel in Casablanca £8-13 dorm if you need a night before flying
- →Volubilis Roman ruins self-guided visit (£6 entry)
- →Moulay Idriss Zerhoun viewpoint stop
- →Meknes medina, Bab el-Mansour and Moulay Ismail Mausoleum (free)
- →Optional small-group Volubilis guided tour via GetYourGuide (~£15-20)
Self-launched vs. Discover Morocco Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Discover Morocco Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£148 | £435 |
| Duration | 3 days | 3 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £287 per person (66%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Discover Morocco Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£148
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 Self-Launched: 3 Days Casablanca to Chefchaouen via Rabat, Volubilis & Meknes cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £148 per person for 3 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 Discover Morocco Tours?+
Yes — Discover Morocco Tours charges around £435 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £148 — a saving of roughly £287 (66%) per person.
How long is the Morocco trip?+
This itinerary runs 3 days, covering 3 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 culture, budget, backpacker 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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