The Student Backpacker

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2-day city-hop between lectures: flights, food & hidden gems — all under £200?

Day 1: Arrival, Riads & Quad Biking

I booked a spontaneous weekend away to Marrakech for just £37 return from Gatwick, using Skyscanner, determined to pack the best of Morocco into two days without blowing my student budget.

It started early — a £1.75 night bus ride to Farringdon, then a £8.85 Train to Gatwick, where I grabbed a meal deal and a pint for £11.69 and headed towards the gates. I’ll keep a tally where I can to see if I can make the budget! Right now the tally is £59.29.

After landing in Marrakech, I loaded up a £7 eSIM so I wouldn’t be lost without data. This is something that just barely lasted my stay, and I really should’ve pre-loaded an e-SIM, but I’m still learning! I withdrew £19.12 in Moroccan dirhams at the airport, which actually lasted me a surprising amount of the trip, despite wasting several pounds on exchange fees!

Leaving the airport, I hit my biggest mistake of the trip: the car rental. I’d pre-booked a cheap car for £30.56 over 2 days, thinking it’d be fun to escape the city and see the Atlas Mountains. What I didn’t know was that being under 21 added a £58.73 young driver fee, which I only found out after landing. For suspense purposes I’ll waive the fee, giving a running total of £115.97, but will the fee make me over budget?

The pickup process was also a nightmare — I spent ages trying to find the rental office and nearly missed the window to return it. If you’re planning something similar, use a proper rental brand or skip the car entirely and just taxi around — the Atlas mountain breaks including transportation are cheap enough!

I checked into a traditional riad that afternoon that I’d booked for just £18.89 on Trivago — There’s quite literally 100’s in the dead center for £10-20 a night in August, and plenty for ~£20 with a pool. Simple, clean, and next to the Medina. I dropped my bag, stepped outside, and b-lined to the private pools to cool off from the 30°C sun and the travel.

Later that evening, I booked a last-minute quad biking session for just £13.09. It was a surreal way to kick off the trip — speeding through dusty trails with the call to prayer echoing across the hills. I enjoyed mint tea, olives, bread and a honey dip under a canopy in the middle of the dessert with the group of quad bikers. Riding back into the sunset, I got many photo ops from the tour leader.

Nightlife Surprise

After getting back, I instantly got swept up in the chaos and colour of the city. I wandered the narrow streets, got disorientated in the vibrancy of the Jamaa el Fnaa square, and explored the grounds of the Koutoubia Mosque. I enjoyed a Marrakech-specific lamb tagine in the streets along with a coke, crepe and a tip for a poultry £11.08 before continuing my exploration.

I wound up at a restaurant a little off the beaten track down a botanical alleyway, while I was searching for the clubs and nightlife. The clubs in the city are very expensive due to alcohol being mostly banned, so when I stumbled upon this local place offering me grilled chicken, local snacks and locally brewed beer cans, I knew I lucked out. The most shocking part is — they refused to take a single penny. I don’t expect everyone to find a place like this, but it’s a prime example of how kind the people of Marrakech really are.

Day 2: Souks, Souvenirs & Atlas mountains

After a long night, I woke up later than I expected. I still had time to pack up and freshen up, while enjoying a morning coffee on the roof terrace of my riad, before heading into the Souks for a bit of shopping. I took out another £30.36 (with a lot of fees), which stretched the rest of the day while I shopped till I dropped. Soaps, spices, clothing, trinkets, magnets… I even nearly got a fake pair of sunglasses! In this way, these souks reminded me of the Turkish Bazaars I saw in Fethiye, with less spices and more knock-offs. But the highlight was the natural soaps and ras el hanout tagine spice mix, both of which are so cheap in the markets.

With the late wake up and the encapsulating nature of the Souks, I ran out of time for the Bahia palace. Part of me wishes I stayed in Marrakech and explored the palaces and mosques properly, but I had one last thing planned! I roamed the outside grounds, grabbed a dry fruit ice cream and wandered back to the hire car.

Despite the rush, I made it into the countryside for a few hours, grabbed lunch at a roadside spot, and tried to make the most of it. My own route I planned took me up sone pretty mountain roads, along some villages, to the infamous Ourika village; a pretty mountain town, with an old bridge, some food spots, deck chairs and a gushing river. It was a cool stop, but it wasn’t the only place I wanted to see there.

I wanted to go further up the mountains, to the steppe villages and Berber culture, hikes around dramatic waterfalls, the dramatic drive of the Tizi n’ Tichka; all things I sadly had to miss out on due to time constraints. I wanted time at the airport, something I ended up needing. I ended up only going to Ourika village, with its dramatic terrain surrounding it and colourful carpets along the river, perfect to cool off and enjoy a mint tea. This is a part of the world I need to revisit with more time, I’d recommend staying in Marrakech if you’re as pinched for time as I was and properly soaking the sights up!

Final Budget & Flight Home

I drove back to the airport, eventually dropped my car off after some struggle and collapsed on the flight home, I’ve never slept so well on a plane. I got the £8.85 train back to London and took one last £1.75 to my halls, making it home for 3AM, just in time to sleep 8 hours and go to my midday lecture on the 5th.

In total, I spent £258.72, a bit over my given budget. However, avoiding the mistakes and assuming taxi’s would have cost as much as my hire car did without the fee, I would have spent £199.99. This trip is definitely possible for under £200, and I would love to do it again for that sort of money!

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Final Thoughts & Tips

Despite the hiccups, I had an amazing time. Marrakech is intense, beautiful, and full of unexpected moments. A few quick takeaways:

• Don’t hire a car unless you’re 21+ and going with a major brand.
• Avoid walking with your phone/map open at night — stick to taxis late in the evening.
• Either explore the city properly or the mountains — cramming both into two days made things feel rushed.
• I missed Bahia Palace, and that’s a regret — leave room for the highlights!

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If you’re looking to do something similar, I’ve built a free AI trip planner that’ll generate a student-friendly itinerary just like this one. You can check it out here: [coming soon].

Planning short, chaotic, fun trips like this one? Hit follow — more madness coming soon.