Self-Launched Morocco Grand Circuit: Casablanca to the Sahara & Atlantic Coast

Land at Mohammed V Airport and take the ONCF train from the airport station straight into Casablanca's Casa-Voyageurs or Casa-Port (about 45 min, ~£3). Check into a budget riad or guesthouse near the old medina. Wander the Habous Quarter, Mohammed V Square, the Art Deco Anfa district and the Ain Diab corniche at sunset.

🚌ONCF airport train ~£3

🛏Budget riad/guesthouse in central Casablanca (~£25-35)

• →Airport train into the city
• →Habous Quarter and Mohammed V Square
• →Ain Diab corniche stroll

In the morning visit the Hassan II Mosque (the only one in Morocco open to non-Muslims on guided tours, ~£12) and the Notre Dame de Lourdes cathedral. Take an afternoon ONCF train to Rabat (~1 hr, ~£4). In Rabat walk the Oudaya Kasbah, Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and Bab Challah, plus the UNESCO-listed medina.

🚌ONCF train Casablanca-Rabat ~£4

🛏Riad or budget hotel in Rabat medina (~£25-35)

• →Hassan II Mosque guided tour
• →Oudaya Kasbah
• →Hassan Tower & Mausoleum of Mohammed V

Train or CTM bus north to Assilah (Rabat-Tangier via Assilah, ~3.5-4 hrs, ~£10). Spend a couple of hours in the whitewashed medina of Assilah — its ramparts and murals are the highlight — then continue to Tangier by bus or grand taxi (~1 hr, ~£3). Evening in Tangier's medina and around the Petit Socco.

🚌CTM bus Rabat-Assilah-Tangier ~£13 total

🛏Guesthouse/riad in Tangier medina (~£25-35)

• →Assilah medina and ramparts walk
• →Fresh seafood lunch in Assilah
• →Tangier medina evening wander

Bus or shared taxi to Tetouan (~1 hr, ~£3) to see its Andalusian medina, then continue by bus or grand taxi to Chefchaouen (~2 hrs, ~£5). Arrive in time for the blue city at golden hour — a classic photo stop. Hike up to the Spanish Mosque viewpoint for sunset over the Rif Mountains.

🚌Bus/grand taxi Tangier-Tetouan-Chefchaouen ~£8

🛏Dar/guesthouse in Chefchaouen (~£20-30)

• →Tetouan medina
• →Chefchaouen blue medina wander
• →Spanish Mosque sunset viewpoint

Long travel day south. Take a bus to Meknes via Volubilis (~4-5 hrs, ~£12). Volubilis Roman ruins are 3 km off the Meknes road — reachable by grand taxi from Moulay Idriss or Meknes (~£8 return, entry ~£7). In Meknes see Bab Mansour, the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail and Heri es-Souani. Then a train or bus to Fes (~1 hr, ~£4).

🚌Bus Chefchaouen-Meknes ~£12, train Meknes-Fes ~£4, local taxis ~£8

🛏Riad/guesthouse in Fes medina (~£25-35)

• →Volubilis Roman ruins
• →Bab Mansour & Meknes medina
• →Heri es-Souani granaries

Hire a licensed local medina guide for a half day (~£25-35 shared) or self-navigate with a map. Cover Al-Attarine Madrasa, Bou Inania Madrasa, the Al-Qarawiyyine University area, the Ennajarine fountain, the tanneries (view from a terrace) and Fes el-Jdid. Watch out for unofficial 'guides' — agree a price in advance.

🚌Walk + short petit taxi hops ~£3

🛏Riad/guesthouse in Fes medina (~£25-35)

• →Guided Fes medina walk
• →Al-Attarine and Bou Inania madrasas
• →Tanneries viewpoint

Take a CTM bus or shared grand taxi south over the Middle Atlas through the cedar forests of Ifrane ('Little Switzerland') and Azrou, with its Barbary macaques and cedar handicraft stalls (~5 hrs, ~£12). Break the journey in Azrou for a walk in the Cedre Gouraud forest. Overnight in Midelt, the apple capital of the Middle Atlas.

🚌CTM bus or shared taxi Fes-Midelt ~£12

🛏Guesthouse/hotel in Midelt (~£20-30)

• →Ifrane town stop
• →Azrou cedar forest and macaques
• →Middle Atlas mountain drive

Continue by bus or shared taxi south down the Ziz Valley palm oasis to Erfoud and on to Merzouga (~5 hrs, ~£12). Erfoud is famous for its fossil workshops — worth a quick stop. Arrive in Merzouga in the afternoon, climb a dune to watch the sunset over Erg Chebbi and settle into a guesthouse at the edge of the dunes.

🚌Bus/shared taxi Midelt-Merzouga ~£12

🛏Guesthouse at Erg Chebbi edge (~£20-30)

• →Ziz Valley viewpoint stop
• →Erfoud fossil workshops
• →Sunset dune climb at Erg Chebbi

Day trip to Khamlia for Gnaoua music and tea, and to the seasonal Dayet Srji lake to spot flamingos and desert birds (~£15 for a local 4x4). In the late afternoon start a camel trek into the dunes (~£25-30 including overnight camp) to a Berber camp for dinner, drumming and star-gazing. Most budget camps run this same route.

🚌Local 4x4 + camel trek ~£40

🛏Desert camp in Erg Chebbi (~£30-45 incl. dinner/breakfast)

• →Khamlia Gnaoua music and tea
• →Dayet Srji lake birdwatching
• →Camel trek to desert camp with Berber music

Camel trek back to Merzouga at sunrise, then travel west to Tinghir for the Todra Gorges — a short walk between the 300 m canyon walls is free and unmissable (~30 min). Continue into the Dades Valley, where the road winds through the 'Monkey Fingers' rock formations. Overnight in a valley guesthouse.

🚌Shared taxi/private driver Merzouga-Todra-Dades ~£25

🛏Guesthouse in Dades Valley (~£20-30)

• →Sunrise camel trek back
• →Todra Gorges walk
• →Dades Valley viewpoint drive

Travel to the UNESCO ksar of Ait Ben Haddou (~£10 shared). Join a short local guide walk through the kasbah (or free to wander). Continue via the carpet town of Taznakht and Taliouine, Morocco's saffron capital (saffron farm visits ~£5-10). Finish in Taroudant and explore its relaxed, mostly local medina and souks.

🚌Shared 4x4/private driver Dades-Ait Ben Haddou-Taroudant ~£30

🛏Riad/guesthouse in Taroudant (~£20-30)

• →Ait Ben Haddou kasbah walk
• →Taliouine saffron farm stop
• →Taroudant medina and souks

Short hop to Agadir (~1.5 hrs, ~£5) for the beach and promenade — or skip straight ahead. Then a CTM bus up the coast to Essaouira (~4 hrs, ~£10). Evening on the ramparts (Skala de la Ville) and through the breezy medina, with a fresh grilled-fish dinner at the port.

🚌Bus Taroudant-Agadir ~£5, CTM Agadir-Essaouira ~£10

🛏Riad/guesthouse in Essaouira (~£25-35)

• →Agadir beach and promenade
• →Essaouira ramparts and Skala
• →Essaouira medina evening walk

Morning on the seaport, the cannons of the Skala and the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah museum (~£6), plus the fish market. Afternoon bus to Marrakesh (~2.5-3 hrs, ~£8). Check into a riad in the medina and head to Jemaa el-Fna at dusk for the food stalls and street performers.

🚌CTM bus Essaouira-Marrakesh ~£8

🛏Riad in Marrakesh medina (~£25-40)

• →Essaouira seaport and cannons
• →Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah museum
• →Jemaa el-Fna square at night

Cover the classic sights self-booked: Majorelle Garden (~£8 timed entry), Koutoubia Tower, the Saadian Tombs (~£6), Bahia Palace (~£6) and Ben Youssef Madrasa (~£5). Spend the afternoon getting lost in the souks — Souk el Attarin, Chouari, Smata and the tanneries — and finish back at Jemaa el-Fna.

🚌Walking + petit taxi hops ~£5

🛏Riad in Marrakesh medina (~£25-40)

• →Majorelle Garden
• →Saadian Tombs and Bahia Palace
• →Ben Youssef Madrasa and souk wander

Take the ONCF train from Marrakesh to Casablanca Casa-Voyageurs (~3 hrs, ~£10), then the airport train onward for your flight. If your flight leaves from Marrakesh instead, the RAK airport bus or a taxi (~£12) is the easy option. Allow at least a 3-hour buffer before check-in.

🚌ONCF train ~£10 + airport train ~£3

🛏None (departure day)

• →ONCF train Marrakesh-Casablanca
• →Airport transfer