Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

The camel trek into The Sahara was awe inspiring. We had a sand dune view of the setting sun.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Khaled was our guide. He was friendly and enthusiastic about sharing his country. He kept us informed daily of upcoming meeting points etc. and was highly organized. He listened to our desire for quick lunches and took us to amazing, affordable restaurants for dinner. He was fantastic for showing us the every day men/women of his country. He was also up for a laugh and joking around. He had to deal daily with 2 of our fellow travellers who were ill informed and ill prepared for this trip. He was very patient with their very challenging behavior.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There’s a lot of down time on the bus for long hours of travelling between cities. There’s also a lot of walking on uneven ground. Wear comfortable shoes. The 5 km uphill trek to our hotel in the High Atlas MTS was a surprise. Mules were available for our gear and anyone needing some assistance up the hill. It was quite arduous. We were there in early March and wore our winter coats most of the time. Our hotels were clean and ok. It was cold at night but all the hotels supplied lots of blankets. We all had a hot shower every morning. Other reviews spoke of inadequate hot water but we never experienced that.

Suggestions

Be prepared for a country of vast contrasts. Big bustling urban cities, remote villages, seashores resort area, mountains and the Sahara Desert. I was so impressed by Morocco. It has something for everyone and is very clean and safe to travel within. If you’re considering a vacation here…you’re going to love Morocco.

Most Inspirational Moment

If I had to pick one inspirational moment it would have to be sitting on the top of a sand dune in silence watching the sun rise over the Sahara. Truly unforgettable.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was Youssef and Mohammad our driver. Everything Youssef organised was with the group in mind and extremely punctual. On long trips lunch time food was preordered to save time in restaurants. The suggested places to eat at night were always very good. A few occasions we were told it was possible to purchase alcohol and that the venue we were staying would happily refrigerate beers/soft drinks or wine for us. Youssef would always help find an ATM or money exchange if requested. Overall he was a very thoughtful helpful member of the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There are some pieces of advise I wish I had had: 1. Some of my fellow travellers changed money at the airport and were talked into putting some money onto a card to draw out at ATM’s ….what they didn’t realise until too late was the £30 charge for doing so. As ATM’s are plentiful and also money exchanges there is no need to change money at the airport if you have a prepaid transfer booked. If you are staying at the Hotel Gossassine there is an ATM 200yds from the hotel and a money exchange a further 50yds on. (There is also a Carrefour supermarket located in the basement :100yds from the hotel in a shopping Mall) 2. I wasn’t sure what clothing to take, especially as Morocco is a Muslim country: I erred on the conservative side taking mostly long sleeved tops and longer knee length shorts. You actually only need to cover up when visiting The Hassan 11 Mosque. When in the seaside town of Essaouira there is a beach with people wearing swimming costumes…it had a much more relaxed feel. If I went again I would take more of a mixture of sleeveless/sleeved tops and trousers/shorts for June travel. 3. We stopped at potteries/argon oil/herbalists etc which were very interesting but were on the expensive side, however it was hard to tell if we would see the items for sale elsewhere…. I can tell you with experience that you will. There are good shopping opportunities in the seaside place of Essaouira and back in Marrakech on the final days. I just wish I had known that!

Suggestions

Final words: if you like adventure and are not too precious about the standard of hotels (although they were always clean) then this is the holiday for you. Excellent value. My group consisted of people from Australia, Slovakia, Iceland, Barbados, USA and British, which only added to the experience. What a fabulous adventure.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting the roman ruins at Volubilis and watching the sunset and sunrise in the Sahara Desert. The hammam was an experience you should not miss. The architecture in the palaces is breathtaking. The scenery even more so. The trek in the High Atlas was fun.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Essaid was one of the best guides I have experienced. He was great fun, full of knowledge, loved his country and became part of the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If going in the winter months take more warm clothes than suggested. Had we known how cold it was going to be in the mornings, evenings and night we would have taken more than a fleece, hat and gloves. Not all the hotels have hairdryers or sink plugs. If your trip is fully booked, be prepared for a cramped minibus.

Suggestions

This is a great trip and really good value for money. Eating out is really cheap and you won't come back hungry. The food was delicious.

Most Inspirational Moment

Loved visiting the Berber villages and staying in remote areas and learning more about the Berbers and Nomads.

Thoughts on Group Leader

I can tell that our leader loves his job. He was always prepared, provided us with all the information we needed to be safe and enjoy ourselves and multi tasked often to ensure our needs were met. He was kind, warm and very knowledgeable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Set your expectations correctly. You may not always get to take long showers (extended drought) or have diverse options for food. But you won’t go hungry.

Most Inspirational Moment

Being in the village in the high atlas was amazing. Walking in, staying in the beautiful Kasbah Oliver, waking to the sound of the call to prayer echoing down the valley, trekking up the valley with the sound of running water and local people with their mules passing us and going about their daily lives, and of course the hammam experience were all unforgettable.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Alli was fabulous. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he was always available and checking that everyone was fine. He told us so much about Moroccan history and culture and he was such fun too. A wonderful ambassador for his country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for short turn arounds and early starts (though not every day). Particularly after the overnight in the desert camp.

Most Inspirational Moment

It really is hard to pick just one! If pressed, I would have to say the time spent in the desert dunes, riding a camel and then climbing to the highest point for sunset was magical. The sunrise in the dunes was also beautiful with the added bonus of a spectacular planetary alignment just before dawn. We were also lucky enough to be out in the desert for a total lunar eclipse which was very special.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Essaid was an excellent guide. He was always attentive and well organised, a kind and gentle host, rightly proud of his country and culture. He was curious to try some yoga and at Kasbah Oliver I introduced him to some sun salutations o the roof terrace at dawn. That was a lovely moment.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Embrace everything! This is described as a leisurely holiday but you will be kept busy. Consider the heat and your tolerance to it. It was in to the mid 30s for most of our time in mid May which we found fairly comfortable as it is dry and not humid but I would find it hard later in the summer. Don’t expect to pay by card in many of the restaurants, you will need a fair amount of cash. I wish that I had taken earplugs as the cities were noisy - Moroccans like their motorbikes and spend half the night revving them up! Rural locations and Essaouira are much quieter. If you like using a walking pole it can be handy in he High Atlas, but this is not essential. Definitely try the public hammam as it supports a good cause and it is hilarious! In Marrakesh, the Jardin Majorelle is worth visiting but book for as early as possible as it gets very busy. I would recommend visiting the Jardin Secret as well which is quieter and really beautiful too.

Suggestions

As we flew from Manchester, we had extra time in Marrakesh either side of the trip. Thanks to fairly last minute EasyJet cancellations, we actually arrived two days in advance which meant that we got to know Marrakesh quite well. As a result, I feel we got more out of Marrakesh .

Most Inspirational Moment

Sleeping under the stars in the Sahara was a dream come true. We were lucky to have perfect clear skies and the Milky Way was incredibly bright and clear. Waking up early to take an optional morning camel trek out to the dunes to watch the sunrise (having already camel trekked for the sunset the previous day) and seeing the sand change colours as the light changed.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fouad was absolutely outstanding. He went out of his way to make sure everyone got the most out of their trip and was constantly organising added little extras (tea and cake at a local home in the Atlas Mountains; local live music demonstration on the edge of the desert; organising for specific shops to open early so a few more last-minute souvenirs could be purchased). He was super organised and never once lost his smile and humour. He took great care of everyone, especially when a few of our group member suffered from dodgy stomachs, and made sure everyone had access to pharmacies and extra stops whenever necessary. He was truly like family by the end of the trip. Likewise, our diver Mo-Mo was such a lovely gentleman, always ready with a smile and a helping hand. He took incredible care of us in the bus and made us all feel very safe whilst on the roads.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Embrace the culture and the experiences and go with the right attitude to try everything (ride the camel, climb that sand dune, try the tagine, explore the souks). Do not go expecting 5* western accommodation, facilities or food - it is not that kind of holiday. Be prepared that, although the trip is rated "leisurely", it is not a relaxing, slow-paced trip. The holiday is pretty full on for the whole two weeks to ensure that you get the absolute most out of it and it is completely worth it.

Suggestions

Make sure you leave room in your suitcase for souvenirs - beautiful leather goods from the tanneries in Fez; art and silver jewellery in Essaouira; pottery in Meknes.

Most Inspirational Moment

Nothing stood out as being particularly inspirational but everything was enjoyable. The camel trips were fun.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both group leader Hamid and driver Reduan were excellent at their respective jobs, and very good company.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just look forward to the enjoyment of having everything organised for you.

Most Inspirational Moment

Sunrise in the Sahara atop a dune with Louise

Thoughts on Group Leader

Adil is fun, helpful and informative and goes that extra mile, you can't go wrong with him. He even arranged a birthday cake as my birthday occured whilst in Fez

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't pack too many clothes, plenty of chances to launder and quickly dry. Take the opportunity to do extra yourself, get up early to go around Rabat in the early morning before the sun rises and go along the front to the Kasbah. Get up early and do as many sunrises as you can in the Sahara and Skoura. Get a roof terrace to watch the sun go down in Marrakech. Go for the hammam, its different! Be open to new experiences.