Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

For me, the camel ride out into the desert and sleeping under the stars! Tents are provided but you do not have to use them. A group of us slept on mattresses on the sand just outside of the camp.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Khalid is an excellent guide, very experienced,knowledgeable and intelligent. You couldn't really ask for better.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't worry about currency, you will have plenty of opportunity to get it on arrival. Of the eleven in the group only one had currency brought from outside. A sleeping bag is not necessary, blankets are provided in the desert camp. I took a bag liner and only used it once, it wasn't really necessary either. Wet wipes are a good idea, there is no washing water in the desert camp. Don't change too much money at once, wait until you get to Marrakech for the big spends, the money changers there are the best. Haggle,haggle, haggle at all market stalls. The Yves saint laurent garden is highly over- rated, find something else to do! Marrakech is great for street photography, especially in the market areas.

Most Inspirational Moment

I really enjoyed the high atlas mountains and the chance to mix with the Berber villagers. We sat and had tea and homemade almond cake with a one lady whilst we found out more about her culture and daily lives, and she found out about ours. It was full of laughs and interesting information. Further to this we also learnt a lot from our guide and visited a local school. At the school, we treated (well this is debatable) the kids to a rendition of Ba Ba Black sheep and they sung us a beautiful Arabic song. The Camel ride was also fun although you prob will get camel saws! ha. Star gazing in the Sahara was also a highlight for me.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Knowledgeable and had a passion for his country that was contagious.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You will be staying at a different place most nights so be prepared for this. I have traveled before and so was used to being on the go and also taking in the long drives (to be honest the longest is six hours) there are also lots of breaks and different photo opportunities. But it is something to be aware of. Also, if you are veggie, options are limited for most of the trip. I mean I do like Omelet but really is that or tagine until the last two nights. So perhaps bring some extra snackage I would say - Embrace everything and go with the flow.

Most Inspirational Moment

Being in the Sahara, the sunset and the night sky. Also the Atlas Mountains which were stunning.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good: knowledgeable and took us to some great restaurants!

Advice for Potential Travellers

We didn't need our sleeping bags: there were made up beds in both the Sahara camp and the gite where we had a tent/room for ourselves. It was very hot at the end of March/beginning of April and only needed a jumper in the evening in the desert. A couple of longer drives, but the scenery was stunning. The camel ride was fun after the first 10 min of getting used to it but does leave you a little sore!

Most Inspirational Moment

The Atlas Mountains. It was a lovely walk although longer than we expected and the gite is lovely. Go for the hammam too!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good!

Advice for Potential Travellers

My advice would be consider not taking a sleeping bag, I never needed it, there are nice beds even in the desert and blankets are available. I would take a travel pillow as many pillows were very fat and hard! Definitely take a torch and either take or buy snacks as it can be a long time between meals. Take a swimming costume, I didn't and I regretted it, all the hotels have a pool and it's very hot! And book your own flights not with royal air maroc! Every flight was delayed and our flight home was cancelled and I have never received worse customer service than from that airline.

Most Inspirational Moment

Sitting on the sand dunes in the Sahara watching the sunset. No artists palette will ever be able to paint the colours, or the scenery. Nothing can replace the memories of the complete tranquil peace

Advice for Potential Travellers

Travelled late March-didn't need a sleeping bag at all-the beds in the 'tents' had blankets. I didn't change any currency before arriving, and found it easy to swap into Dirham on the first day Don't forget swim wear-at least 3 hotels had pools

Most Inspirational Moment

Riding camels and camping in the desert and 24 hours later walking in the Atlas Mountains in snow!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rashid couldn't have been any better. He was friendly, efficient and great company.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go with Exodus....! This company proved to be so impressive in terms of organisation, efficiency, itinerary and group profile. I loved my trip!

Most Inspirational Moment

Contrast of the desert and the mountain experiences.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent, mixed with the group well. Knowledgeable and approachable. We were a very well behaved group so he had an easy time!!!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't change money at the first hotel as the exchange rate was very poor. Very cold at night in December in the gite and desert. Be prepared. Your body will know that you have been on the camel ride but it's all part of the fun and experience.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many, but three highlights: (a) New Year's Eve in the mountain gite. A long low table with floor cushions, a private party, delicious food, a visit from the local police (nothing we did - but we did hide the celebratory drinks bottles pretty sharpish!), games of GREED and cards until midnight, when two ladies revealed they had downloaded Big Ben chimes and Auld Lang Syne. An extraordinary evening that I will NEVER forget (b) Riding camels into the desert, songs and drumming around the campfire - and the game of "chicken" which came back to haunt me the next day (c) The foodie tour of Marrakesh - the lamb cooked undergrounds was exquisite!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Lahcen was a great leader - most importantly he listened to feedback and suggestions from the group and adapted plans to suit. Nothing was too much trouble and he played a full part in the great British NYE celebrations - which was lovely.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you travel in the winter months as we did - do not expect the weather to be hot, even in Marrakesh. You can certainly forget the swimming costume! We found the desert accommodation to be much better than the description suggests - two people sharing a private hut with proper beds and no need for our sleeping bags; the first couple of hotels were colder and we used our thermal liners - my friend even slept in her bobble hat! Take Euros to spend in the airport if you cant get Moroccan currency in the UK (some did manage to). Do the foodie tour in Marrakesh!

Most Inspirational Moment

The local school in the village where the gite is was insprational to us, in that the school is very poor by our standrds, yet the local kids were there trying to learn and be educated. We spoke to the tour leader and we went with him to the school and gave some gifts of pens to the schoolteacher for the children. The desert experience was amazing !!!! The stars.....wow!! We felt very small & insignificant underneath the star filled sky. And the sunrise next morning... Don't miss it!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our tour leader Mustapha ( the slim one!) was brilliant! His local knowledge, enthusiasm and love for his country was limitless! Nothing was too much trouble for him, he showed us the real Morocco and we loved it all! He seemed to know just where to stop & show us such interesting things, a local pottery, a local market, villages etc. He was full of helpful advice for every situation!

Advice for Potential Travellers

The desert experience was wonderful but it was cold at night. Apart from a sleeping bag, a silk liner is a good idea and also wear 'layers' to keep warm, take hat & gloves. The stay at the gite was great, but it was very cold in our bedroom (we were upstairs & it was December!) ..so definitely pile on the layers there! We used sanitizer before we ate each time and didn't suffer any upset tums. We took walking poles and used them when needed. Try and have a Hamman and a massage when you get to Marrakech.. Your tour lead should be able to arrange it for you.. We did & it was great! We bought some currency from Travelex at Heathrow airport, but other members of the group said they hadn't got any dirhams left when they had tried to purchase some. You will be able to get some from an ATM / bank the next day. Follow the yellow line at Casablanca airport to the departure lounge, our connecting flight from Casablanca to Ouarzarate was very late in departing....we were in the departure lounge for ages & no explanation was given!! Having asked 'official' looking men (airport police??) a few times, the general answer was 'it will go soon' !!! Eventually we boarded & all the group luggage turned up in Ouarzarate!

Most Inspirational Moment

Camping in the Sahara and waking in the middle of the night to see the stars. Unforgettable and a very special sense of timelessness. Indeed much more Christmas-like (shepherds watch their flocks/3 wise men etc) than all the twinkling tatt at home! The in-camp evening entertainment was also fantastic with the local camelliers and camp caretaker doubling up as great drummer/singers. Our whole group got really into it with lots of improvisation and participation. 

Thoughts on Group Leader

I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that we found Mustapha to be a kind attentive and extremly humourous guide. His obvious passion for his country and Berber people together with his excellent language skills made the whole trip run very smoothly and with considerable added interest. Our driver was excellent too ... not at all crazy, just very calm and steady.... AND awake!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Pack light! It does get pretty cold at night so just layer up and go scruffy. I might think about wearing cycle shorts (covered) on the Camel ride as fairly demanding on the deriair! Trip note suggestions that women should take cover-up long skirts seemed uneccessary though a large scarf was fairly handy. Also the swimming pools at hotels are absolutly freezing and not really a viable option for December visits.