Highlights of Morocco - In Comfort

Most Inspirational Moment

There wasn't ONE ...... there were many inspirational MOMENTS - experiencing first hand both Arab and Berber cultures - the amazing diversity of habitats through the Country (especially the scenery around Kasbah Oliver) - the diversity of architecture - from the huge Casablanca Mosque to deserted mud-brick Kasbahs - the (general) friendliness of people - a 'picnic' dinner on the terrace of our Fes Riad watching the City and Mosques light-up and the sounds of many Calls to Prayer.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sayeed - personable, helpful, efficient and informative. Note It is regretful that some adverse and totally unfair comments have been made about Sayeed. Such comments are totally unfounded and unreasonable. We would welcome another Tour lead by him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be accepting of a different culture, the different habits and the different standards. Don't consider Morocco to be all sun and heat - it can be cold at night.

Suggestions

The Exodus Trip Notes contain many inaccuracies, even to the extent of being misleading. Such Notes should accurately and truthfully manage expectations. They contain factual inacuracies (journey times for instance), lack of advice for colder visit times and do not accurately reflect some of the physical difficulties and challenges that will be encountered. Should the latter points be made clearer to prospective Travellers, and if the question 'Is this Trip for you' is answered correctly, it could avoid the negativity expressed by some people for whom this trip is maybe not suitable (as within our Tour Group, unfortunately). That said, the Trip was most enjoyable and would be recommended without hesitation to other (suitable, willing and interested) travellers.

Most Inspirational Moment

Simply just seeing such a variety of scenery in Morocco

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both group leader and bus driver were very good

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take extra warm clothing for trips run at that time of the year

Suggestions

This trip was described as "in Comfort" and "Premium". The accommodation was mostly fine but Kasbah Sawadi and Kasbah Oliver did not measure up to those descriptions, The rooms and bedding felt as if they could have done with a good airing. We did experience unusually cold weather for that time of the year but there was no heating at all at Riad Oliver. The owner of Riad Sawadi was not particularly welcoming e.g. gave us his introduction in French but we found out later that he did speak perfect English. However, his staff were fine. The stay at the Bedouin tent was a waste of time as it was only 100 yards from our previous hotel. It would have made more sense just to have stayed over in that hotel. We fully appreciated that the tents had to be moved next to the hotel because of concerns about protecting the sand dunes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Not great. He didn’t seem to care that we were there.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Maybe book a different trip.

Suggestions

The accommodation wasn’t great, and by comparing the premium trip with the normal trip I think you should save yourself the extra money and just do the basic trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

Riding camels in desert, walking in Atlas Mountains, souks in Fez, visiting local families, local hamman in mountains.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good, but could have given more information on long drives even about the country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Even though it is a Premium trip, places to stay where not special but ok for our needs. Minibus for 15/16 people far too small and on the very long journeys it was pretty uncomfortable but we survived!

Suggestions

Morocco is a country with friendly people, sights and sounds and experiences everywhere and this trip covers so much. Would recommend (if transport was improved) for anyone.

Most Inspirational Moment

It has to be the desert - the camel ride through the sand dunes to the Bedouin tent was magical and a great experience. Loved the High Atlas mountain stay meeting the locals and being invited in a home for a simple meal - the berbers were so friendly and welcoming. Really enjoyed the hike through the High Atlas mountains with great views. Enjoyed free time by the sea in Essaouira - a chance to relax and wander the souks which were a lot more peaceful than busy Marrakech.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Abdullah was a great guide - competent and knowledgeable with a great love of his Berber heritage and culture which he shared with us. He kept us safe and took us to lots of different places to eat, recommending what we should eat and avoid. A lovely man who encouraged us to ask questions about life in Morocco, it's people, culture and religion. He knew everyone. Thanks Abdullah.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do some reading and preparation before you go especially if you haven't travelled much outside of Europe. This 'premier' tour is not premier by British standards. The accommodation whilst reflecting the Moroccan experience of riads and kasbahs looks lovely and exotic, in practice they are often very basic with hard beds, faulty equipment, poor plumbing and not cleaned to the standard you might expect. Once you accept this - immerse yourself in its difference as they are beautiful. The people on the whole are very welcoming and friendly especially in the rural areas but you will experience poverty and sights that you may find uncomfortable - but this is Morroco - prepare to experience all it has and you will have a great time. '

Most Inspirational Moment

The desert sky at night – wow! No light pollution, and a wonderful view. The camel ride to get there was great too.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our Guide Mohamed was very good – informative, polite, considerate and with a sense of humour. And thank you very much for the cake on my birthday – a lovely surprise!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be aware that hotel gradings in Morocco may not equate to the same in the UK. When it says Premium, the hotel won’t necessarily be 4*! The standards (eg. maintenance of buildings - dodgy sockets / broken mirrors etc) may not be what you would expect. The travel times given in the trip notes might be misleading – when there are lots of stops for breaks en-route, the journey will (obviously) take longer. So to manage expectations, the travel times are probably just road travel times, and participants should be prepared for late arrival at some destinations. I didn’t feel it was a problem, as I was happy to have the breaks and enjoy the journey, and don’t understand what the rush to get to destination was. Top tip: Don’t wear your good mesh-top walking shoes/boots in the sand dunes! The beautiful sand is like powder, and your shoes will fill with sand in the structure of the shoe, which then squeezes your toes – and is almost impossible to get it all out.

Suggestions

We travelled in late February/March, and the rooms in the Kasbah Oliver in the mountains were very cold and wind blew through draughty windows. Thermals are a ‘must’ at night. The Kasbah Oliver had nowhere outside that was partially protected from the sun in the day (at least, I didn't see anywhere). An awning for the roof terrace or outside the front entrance terrace would be good. The trip notes said we would need a towel at Kasbah Oliver, but this was actually provided.

Most Inspirational Moment

We walked to the top of the Todrha Gorge and a nomad family were camped there. The group were invited to share tea in their tent and we were able to ask questions about their lifestyle. I found this quite special. There were lots of highlights - I loved walking around the medina in Fez, walking on our own in the Sahara, the sheer variety of all the sights we saw. There were a few more demanding days in the Todrha Gorge and High Atlas, where it was pretty cold and windy, so having a full day in Essouria with no planned activities was much needed by the time we got to it.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Lachsen was an absolute 100% star. Everything perfectly organised and he made sure we were all aware of what we would be doing every day, start times, when luggage needed to be out. He told us so much about what it was like to live in Morocco, as well as information on the history and geography of the country. Special mention too for Ibrahim, our driver, who had long days and some tricky driving conditions (flooded roads!) to contend with. The local guides were also very good and had great senses of humour.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We went late October/early November and I don't know if our weather was typical - it was never what I would call really hot - very warm and pleasant certainly - but once you got to altitude at the Todrha Gorge and High Atlas it got very cold and sometimes windy. The accommodation there is also more basic than elsewhere, so I wished I had packed more cold weather gear.

Suggestions

Accommodation was an interesting mix - all the Riads were great, particularly liked the one in Essouria. Hotel itself in Fez was fine, but the location wasn't great - not easy to find somewhere to eat nearby. The place in the Todrha Gorge was more like a youth hostel, standards wise, and the room was pretty basic and not especially clean. Not too much of a problem for a couple of nights. That though is followed by 2 nights at Kasbah Oliver and our group got the best rooms in the place as another group had not turned up. Those rooms were fine. If those rooms had not been free though we would have been 3 or 4 to a room with mattresses on the floor and toilet/wash facilities elsewhere on the landing which was open to the elements. That would not have been great, coming after 2 nights at Todrha and I think Exodus should always book those better rooms, even if it means a marginal price hike. This was a great holiday though and would thoroughly recommend it.

Most Inspirational Moment

Camel ride into the desert and night in the camp. Otherwise: Chefchaoen - this was not on the itinerary, but was able to visit it before as I spent 4 days in Tangier before the trip and then took the train to Casablanca (20 Euros First class, highly recommended). Would recommend looking into the possibility of including Tangier and, in particular, Chefchaoen on the itinerary.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent

Advice for Potential Travellers

Late October should count as a "winter" departure. We were all very glad that we had packed a few warm clothes and should probably have packed more of them.

Suggestions

The group was very surprised to be told that, as this was a Premium departure, there would be shared accommodation at the Kasbah Oliver in Telouet. The Trip notes said "1 night in an auberge, 2 nights in a mountain gite and 1 night camping, all with shared facilities" and we all understood "shared facilities" to mean shared bathrooms, but not shared bedrooms. Because another group did not arrive, the married couples and the single man were able to have separate accommodation; however, not the three "single" women. The Trip Notes should make is much clearer that it is not only "shared facilities" that are involved, but "shared accommodation."

Most Inspirational Moment

It's between the sand dunes in the Sahara Desert and the High Atlas mountains. Both have to be seen to be believed and the skies were absolutely amazing after the sun went down.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Youseff was really helpful and just an all round great guy. Also the driver Mustafa, literally nothing was too much trouble for him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The travelling times on the trip notes. Double them.

Most Inspirational Moment

Each area had something different, ,enjoyed the desert . also the Atlas Mountains, only problem we had was the distances somedays 8 to 10 hours in total travelling ,too much, not only for us but the driver & guide.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for a couple of really long days.

Suggestions

No