brookekintheusa
29 Nov 2022
Vacation of a lifetime! I reviewed many different tour packages and companies, but I felt that the Morocco 9 Days Tour from Marrakech was the best way to see as much of the country as possible in the time we had. Be wary that splitting time between Morocco and Spain/Portugal or spending a week in Marrakech will cheat you out of so much more that Morocco has to offer. My husband and I had many trip highlights, but a few included the camel ride and camping in the Sahara Desert, visiting the historic village of Ait Benhaddou, and taking in the view of Chefchaouen from the Spanish Mosque. The medinas in Fes and Marrakech were culturally rich and a fascinating contrast to the newer and more modern parts of the cities.
Unfortunately for my husband and I, getting to Morocco was a logistical nightmare. Flight delays caused us to arrive after the tour had already started, and in addition to that, the airline lost our luggage. Hamid, the owner, was in constant contact with us and coordinated a driver for our transfer to meet up with the tour group. Hamid even met up with the tour group briefly while we were in Marrakech, which was a thoughtful touch. Our guide and driver, Youssef, was funny, thoughtful, and when he told us he was at our disposal, he meant it. When our luggage never arrived, Youssef was kind enough to not only take us to the mall but walked with us store to store and helped us pick out new clothes. Hamid and Youssef helped us navigate an extremely stressful situation and we couldn’t be more grateful for their kindness.
There is a lot of time spent in the van during this tour, but it never felt overwhelming. There were frequent stops at scenic overlooks, co-ops, and other sites which helped break up the time. Local guides in Fes and Marrakech were friendly and knowledgeable on the history of the area. In Fes, we were taken to a rug shop and leather shop and heavily pressured to purchase goods. I understand the need for this, as the economy depends so heavily on tourists, but the rug shop felt uncomfortable. I don’t know why at any point it would be assumed that such a large purchase would be made so flippantly. All other interactions throughout the trip felt much more organic.
Riads were modest (by western standards) but gorgeous. Even more importantly, the staff were warm and welcoming and made us feel like family. We enjoyed the hearty breakfasts that were prepared each morning. The riads were also perfectly located to be able to easily walk to restaurants, markets, and other historical sites.
Morocco is a true gem!
-Brooke and Jason, USA
Overall, I still recommend Timeless Morocco from Tour Radar, but not to do it during summer. The hotels were enchanting but had long flight of steps.
On the first few days of the tour, I was with different groups and different drivers towards Merzouga. Although, I had the chance to meet new friends, I was unaware of other changes.
It was in Fes that I finally met my good English speaking guide and driver, Farid. He has a in-depth knowledge of Morocco's history. He was kind enough to transfer me to another hotel upon learning I had a sleepless night due to faulty air conditioning.
To mention a few, I love the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah, the camel trekking into the sand dunes of Morocco's Sahara Desert and stayed in probably the prettiest mountain village of Chefchaouen, "the blue city".