Self-Launched Moroccan Family Adventure: Marrakech, the Sahara & the High Atlas
9 days · Morocco
G Adventures charges £1,600
No-markup version: ~£465 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of G Adventures' 9-day family loop from Marrakech over the High Atlas to the Sahara dunes of Erg Chebbi, the Dades Gorge and the fortified village of Aït Ben Haddou. Instead of a private minivan and two CEOs, you'll string together Morocco's excellent (and cheap) shared grands taxis, CTM/Supratours coaches and local minibuses, sleeping in family-friendly riads, desert guesthouses and kasbah hotels. The route is identical in spirit — Amazigh village visits, sunset stargazing on the dunes, a tagine cooking class, henna in the medina and Gnaoua music in Merzouga — but bookable piece by piece. Costs are backpacker/mid-budget estimates in GBP and exclude international flights; Morocco's comfortable small hotels are reasonably priced so this sits closer to budget-mid than dirt-cheap backpacking.
Day-by-day
Arrive Marrakech — settle into the medina
Marrakech
Fly into Marrakech Menara (RAK) and take a petit taxi into the medina or Gueliz (~£5-7, agree the price first or insist on the meter). Skip the included arrival transfer — the airport taxi rank is reliable and cheap. Check into a family-friendly riad near Jemaa el-Fnaa or a guesthouse in Gueliz, then spend the evening acclimatising: mint tea on a rooftop, an easy first wander around the square as the food stalls fire up. Buy a Moroccan SIM (Maroc Telecom or Orange, ~£4-6 for data) at the airport or in town and draw cash from an ATM — you'll want dirhams for shared taxis all week.
🚌Petit taxi from RAK airport to the medina (~£5-7)
🛏Family riad/guesthouse in the medina or Gueliz (twin/family room, ~£20-30/night)
- →Rooftop mint tea and first look at Jemaa el-Fnaa
- →Buy local SIM card and draw cash
Over the High Atlas to Ouarzazate via Aït Ben Haddou
Ouarzazate
This is the day the tour uses a private minivan — you'll do it on the CTM or Supratours coach from Marrakech to Ouarzazate (~£7-9, roughly 4-5 hours over the Tizi n'Tichka pass), which is comfortable, air-conditioned and stops for photos and snacks. Book online a day or two ahead. On arrival, take a shared grand taxi or local minibus the 30km back to Aït Ben Haddou for a sunset look at the ksar (or visit en route by asking the driver to stop at the village junction). For the film-studio fix, Atlas Studios in Ouarzazate is self-bookable at the gate (~£7pp) — you can tour the Egyptian and gladiator sets yourself without a guide.
🚌CTM/Supratours coach Marrakech-Ouarzazate ~£8; shared grand taxi to Aït Ben Haddou ~£2-3
🛏Kasbah guesthouse in Ouarzazate or Aït Ben Haddou (~£20-30/night)
- →Coach over Tizi n'Tichka pass
- →Atlas Studios self-guided visit (~£7)
- →Sunset at the Aït Ben Haddou ksar
Ouarzazate to Merzouga — into the dunes
Merzouga
A long transfer day (the original is also a big driving day). Take the morning coach or a shared grand taxi from Ouarzazate along the Draa/Todra corridor toward Rissani, then a local taxi or minibus the last stretch to Merzouga (~£12-16 total, 5-6 hours). Arrive at a desert guesthouse on the edge of Erg Chebbi, drop bags and walk 10 minutes to the sand for sunset. Most guesthouses lay on a hearty Amazigh dinner (~£8-10, often included) and will happily point you to a dune for stargazing — the Sahara night sky here is genuinely spectacular and costs nothing.
🚌Coach + shared taxi Ouarzazate to Merzouga ~£12-16
🛏Desert guesthouse/auberge at the foot of Erg Chebbi (~£18-28/night)
- →Sunset walk on the dunes
- →Amazigh dinner at the guesthouse (~£9)
- →Desert stargazing
Erg Chebbi 4x4, Gnaoua music and a bonfire
Merzouga
Book a half-day 4x4 excursion through your guesthouse the night before (~£25-35 per vehicle, so ~£8-12pp for a family of four) — drivers take you to the fossil fields, a nomad family camp and the dunes for sandboarding. In the afternoon, ask the guesthouse to arrange a visit to a local Khamlia village where Gnaoua musicians play (~£3-5 tip/entry). Optional camel ride at sunset (~£12-15pp). Finish with dinner and a bonfire storytelling session at the guesthouse — most desert auberges do this as standard for guests, gratis.
🚌Guesthouse-arranged 4x4 (~£8-12pp shared)
🛏Desert guesthouse/auberge at Erg Chebbi (~£18-28/night)
- →Half-day 4x4 to fossil fields and nomad camp (~£10pp)
- →Khamlia Gnaoua music visit (~£4)
- →Optional camel ride (~£13)
- →Bonfire and storytelling
Merzouga to the Dades Gorge
Dades Gorge
Head west via Rissani and Tinejdad to Boumalne Dades on a shared grand taxi or coach (~£10-14, 4-5 hours — break the journey at the Todra Gorge if you like, an easy add-on). From Boumalne, a local taxi up into the Dades Gorge costs ~£6-8 for the vehicle. Check into a gorge-side hotel and walk the valley paths yourself — the rock formations, the 'monkey fingers' outcrop and the kasbah villages are all freely accessible on foot. Local guides in the gorge charge ~£10-15 for a half-day if you want context on the geology and Berber village life.
🚌Shared taxi/coach Merzouga-Boumalne Dades ~£12; local taxi into gorge ~£7
🛏Hotel in the Dades Gorge (~£18-28/night)
- →Todra Gorge stop en route
- →Self-guided walk through Dades Gorge
- →Optional local guide (~£12)
Dades to Aït Ben Haddou — tagine cooking class
Aït Ben Haddou
Travel back down to Ouarzazate and on to Aït Ben Haddou by shared taxi/coach (~£10-14, 3-4 hours). Book a tagine cooking class through your kasbah guesthouse or a local family cooking school in Aït Ben Haddou (~£15-20pp including all ingredients and dinner) — these are the same hands-on sessions the tour uses and are easily arranged direct or via GetYourGuide. Spend the late afternoon exploring the ksar's winding alleys and climbing to the granary at the top for the view (entry ~£2).
🚌Shared taxi/coach Dades to Aït Ben Haddou ~£12
🛏Kasbah guesthouse in Aït Ben Haddou (~£20-30/night)
- →Hands-on tagine cooking class (~£17)
- →Ksar entry and granary climb (~£2)
- →Village walk at sunset
Aït Ben Haddou to Marrakech — henna and the square
Marrakech
Coach or shared grand taxi back over the Atlas to Marrakech (~£8-10, 4 hours). Check back into a medina riad or Gueliz hotel, then head to a henna shop or a henna artist in the souks for a traditional design (~£5-8, agree the price up front to avoid the square's hard-sell artists). In the evening, wander Jemaa el-Fnaa as the storytellers, snake charmers and food stalls take over — completely free and one of the best nightly spectacles in Africa.
🚌Coach Aït Ben Haddou-Marrakech ~£9
🛏Riad or hotel in Marrakech (~£22-32/night)
- →Henna design in the souks (~£6)
- →Evening at Jemaa el-Fnaa
- →Optional Majorelle Garden (~£16, book online)
Marrakech medina, palaces and a riad farewell dinner
Marrakech
Do the medina as a self-launched walking loop: Bahia Palace (~£6) and the Saadian Tombs (~£6) open in the morning before the crowds, then dive into the souks for spices, rugs and lanterns. A licensed local guide for a 3-hour medina walk runs ~£25-35 for the group if you want the stories — book via GetYourGuide or a riad recommendation. Afternoon free for a hammam (~£20-30) or the Majorelle Garden. Finish with a family dinner in a riad courtyard or a cheap local grill off the square (~£12-15pp).
🚌Walking; occasional petit taxi ~£2
🛏Riad or hotel in Marrakech (~£22-32/night)
- →Bahia Palace and Saadian Tombs (~£12 combined)
- →Souk browsing
- →Optional guided medina walk (~£30/group)
- →Optional hammam (~£25)
Depart Marrakech
Marrakech
Last mint tea and a final market run for argan oil and spices, then a petit taxi to the airport (~£5-7) for your flight home. If you have time, the Jardin Majorelle and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum are near each other in Gueliz for a relaxed final morning.
🚌Petit taxi to RAK airport ~£6
🛏None (departure day)
- →Final souk shopping
- →Optional Majorelle Garden/YSL Museum
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£465 | £1,600 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,135 per person (71%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£465
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 Moroccan Family Adventure: Marrakech, the Sahara & the High Atlas cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £465 per person for 9 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,600 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £465 — a saving of roughly £1,135 (71%) per person.
How long is the Morocco trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 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, adventure, 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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