Planning 10 days in Morocco this October history lover from Canada, want to eat everything. Does my route make sense?

Hey r/travel! I've been obsessing over this trip for weeks and finally pulling the trigger. Flying into Marrakech from Toronto and I want to make sure my routing isn't completely insane before I book anything.

About me: Solo traveler, early 30s, been to Turkey and Portugal so I'm comfortable with busy medinas and getting a little lost. Morocco has been on my list forever — mainly because of the history and architecture, but honestly the food might be the bigger draw at this point.

My plan — 10 days, late October:

• Days 1–2: Marrakech — Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, get my bearings
• Days 3–4: Fes — I've read the medina is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in the world and I need to see it
• Days 5–6: Chefchaouen — I know it's on every Instagram but I genuinely love mountain towns
• Days 7–8: Merzouga — Sahara, one night in a desert camp
• Days 9–10: Ouarzazate + Aït Benhaddou on the way back south before flying home

What I'm specifically looking for advice on:

1. Is this loop doable by CTM buses + trains or am I going to waste half the trip in transit? Considering renting a car for the Merzouga → Ouarzazate leg
2. Fes medina — I want to do it solo but everyone says you need a guide. Is that actually true or is it just upselling?
3. Where do locals actually eat in Marrakech? I want to stay far away from the Jemaa el-Fnaa tourist menus
4. I'm Canadian — do I need a visa? I checked travel.gc.ca and it says no visa required for stays under 90 days, just want to confirm that's still the case
5. Any underrated history spots I might be skipping? I have flexibility to swap things around

Budget is around $2,500 CAD for everything on the ground. Already checked the wiki and the FAQ. Any help is massively appreciated — especially from anyone who's done a similar loop!