Self-Launched Morocco: Imperial Cities, Chefchaouen, and Sahara Desert from Casablanca
10 days · Morocco
Travel-To-Desert charges £1,590
No-markup version: ~£344 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Discover Morocco's imperial cities, blue-washed Chefchaouen, and the majestic Sahara independently — no tour operator required. Follow this self-launched version of the classic 10-day Casablanca loop, using comfortable riads and guesthouses, public transport and shared desert tours, all at a fraction of the commercial price. From the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca to camel rides over Erg Chebbi dunes and Roman ruins at Volubilis, this is the same epic route on your own terms.
Day-by-day
Arrival in Casablanca
Casablanca
Arrive at Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) and take the train (Line 1) or an airport shuttle bus to Casablanca Port or Casa Voyageurs station. Check into a budget hotel or riad in the city centre. If you land with time to spare, wander down the boulevard de la Corniche along the Atlantic coast and enjoy a seafood dinner at a local restaurant in the Ain Diab district.
🚌Airport train/shuttle from CMN ~£2
🛏Budget hotel or riad near Casa Port centre, ~£12
- →Airport arrival via train or shuttle from CMN
- →Sunset stroll along the Corniche
- →Coastal seafood dinner in Ain Diab
Casablanca to Marrakesh via the Hassan II Mosque
Casablanca to Marrakesh
Start the morning visiting the magnificent Hassan II Mosque, Morocco's largest mosque, with its minaret towering over the Atlantic. Take the guided interior tour (joined, every hour). Then travel by ONCF train from Casa Voyageurs to Marrakesh (~2h30). Check into a riad in the medina and take a first evening wander to warm up for the days ahead.
🚌ONCF train ~£9
🛏Traditional riad in Marrakesh medina, ~£15
- →Visit Hassan II Mosque (guided entry)
- →ONCF train Casablanca to Marrakesh
- →Evening wander through Marrakesh medina
Marrakesh Old Town Highlights
Marrakesh
Spend the day self-guiding through Marrakesh's historic heart. Enter the Koutoubia Mosque gardens, tour the opulent Bahia Palace, and visit the mysterious Saadian Tombs. Stroll through the labyrinthine souks, then finish at the chaotic, captivating Jemaa el-Fna square where food stalls, snake charmers and storytellers gather at dusk. You don't need a guide — a good map or offline app works well.
🚌Local walking + petit taxi
🛏Traditional riad in Marrakesh medina, ~£15
- →Visit Bahia Palace
- →Visit Saadian Tombs
- →See Koutoubia Mosque
- →Wander the souks
- →Dinner and street food at Jemaa el-Fna
Marrakesh to the Dades Valley via Ait Benhaddou
Atlas Mountains to Dades Valley
Head out on the road to the Sahara. Book a shared grand taxi or join a day transfer heading over the High Atlas Tizi-n-Tichka pass. Stop at the iconic Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou (a UNESCO World Heritage site and film set), pass Atlas Film Studios and Kasbah Taourirt in Ouarzazate, then continue through the Rose Valley to the dramatic Dades Valley gorge. Overnight in a guesthouse along the valley.
🚌Shared grand taxi/transfer ~£13
🛏Guesthouse in Dades Valley, ~£14
- →Drive over Tizi-n-Tichka pass
- →Visit Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou
- →Pass Atlas Film Studios and Kasbah Taourirt
- →Scenic drive through Rose Valley and Dades Gorge
Dades to Merzouga — the Erg Chebbi Sahara
Dades to Merzouga (Erg Chebbi)
Travel east towards the desert through the Todra Gorge, walking along the dramatic canyon walls carved from 300m-high limestone. Continue to Merzouga, gateway to the Erg Chebbi dunes. In the late afternoon take a camel trek out into the golden dunes for sunset, try a spot of sandboarding, and sleep in a simple desert camp under the vast starry sky, with drum music and a bonfire around the campfire.
🚌Shared grand taxi/transfer to Merzouga ~£12
🛏Budget desert camp near Merzouga, ~£14 inc dinner
- →Walk through Todra Gorges
- →Camel trek into Erg Chebbi dunes
- →Sandboarding
- →Sunset over Merzouga dunes
- →Overnight in desert camp with bonfire
Merzouga to Fes via the Middle Atlas
Merzouga to Fes
Wake early for a stunning sunrise over the orange Erg Chebbi dunes before riding by camel back to Merzouga. Then catch a shared transport heading via the Ziz Gorges, through the Middle Atlas cedar forests where Barbary macaques live around Azrou village. Make a quick photo stop in the alpine-style ski town of Ifrane, then arrive in the imperial city of Fes for the night.
🚌Shared grand taxi/bus ~£13
🛏Budget riad in Fes medina, ~£13
- →Sunrise camel ride back from the dunes
- →Drive through Ziz Gorges
- →Spot monkeys in the Azrou cedar forest
- →Photo stop in Ifrane
Exploring Fes — Imperial Soul of Morocco
Fes
Dive into Fes el-Bali, the world's largest car-free urban area and a maze of 9,000 alleyways. Join a local guide for a few hours (highly worthwhile here) or use an offline map. See the Al Quaraouiyine University, the ornate Bou Inania Medersa, the Nejjarine fountain, and the Mellah Jewish quarter. Wander through the tanneries and craft souks where potters, weavers and metalworkers still practise medieval trades.
🚌Local walking (medina car-free)
🛏Budget riad in Fes medina, ~£13
- →Visit Al Quaraouiyine University
- →Tour Bou Inania Medersa
- →Explore the Mellah and synagogue
- →See Nejjarine fountain and tanneries
- →Walk through medina craft souks
Fes to Chefchaouen via Roman Volubilis
Fes to Chefchaouen
Take a morning excursion to the spectacular Roman ruins of Volubilis, with its remarkably preserved mosaics and triumphal arch. Then continue by shared grand taxi or bus northwest to the striking blue-washed mountain town of Chefchaouen. Climb through its photogenic blue alleyways at golden hour and settle into a riad with a courtyard view over the Rif Mountains.
🚌Shared grand taxi ~£11
🛏Guesthouse in Chefchaouen, ~£13
- →Tour the Roman ruins of Volubilis
- →Travel via grand taxi to Chefchaouen
- →Evening stroll through blue-washed medina
The Blue Pearl — Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen
Take a relaxed day to soak up Chefchaouen's famous blue-washed lanes. Visit Outa-el-Hammam square, the 17th-century Kasbah of Moulay Ismail and its folklore museum, admire views from the Spanish Mosque lookout, and hike or wander up to the Ras-el-Ma natural springs. Stop for mint tea in a café with panoramic Rid Mountain views and simply get lost in the impossibly photogenic streets.
🚌Local walking
🛏Guesthouse in Chefchaouen, ~£13
- →Visit Outa-el-Hammam square
- →Tour the Kasbah of Moulay Ismail and museum
- →Walk to the Ras-el-Ma springs
- →Hike to the Spanish Mosque viewpoint
- →Mint tea with mountain views
Chefchaouen to Casablanca via Rabat
Chefchaouen to Casablanca
Travel south by shared grand taxi/bus to Rabat, Morocco's capital, and visit the iconic unfinished Hassan Tower with its rows of columns, plus the adjoining Mausoleum of Mohammed V. Then catch the ONCF train from Rabat Ville to Casablanca for your departure. The route is complete — imperial cities, blue streets, Roman ruins and the endless Sahara, all on your own schedule.
🚌Grand taxi + ONCF train ~£9
🛏Final night near Casablanca airport/centre (optional), ~£13
- →Visit the Hassan Tower in Rabat
- →See the Mausoleum of Mohammed V
- →Train from Rabat to Casablanca
Self-launched vs. Travel-To-Desert
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Travel-To-Desert | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£344 | £1,590 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,246 per person (78%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Travel-To-Desert-style trips? Check them out here.~£344
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 Morocco: Imperial Cities, Chefchaouen, and Sahara Desert from Casablanca cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £344 per person for 10 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-To-Desert?+
Yes — Travel-To-Desert charges around £1,590 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £344 — a saving of roughly £1,246 (78%) per person.
How long is the Morocco trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 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, 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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