We wanted to write and tell you that our tour went perfectly. It was wonderful and we enjoyed every minute of it. We wanted to let you know what we thought were the Highlights, although we are sure we have missed recalling some.
Obviously, you chose the best driver, Majid is personable, knowledgeable, and a great driver. We believe he knows everyone in Morocco; at every stop he was greeted as if he was a close relative. He had knowledge of everything we were to see, the best places for tea or lunch, where to stop for the best photographs. He recommended places we could see on our own, chose excellent guides for individual tours, and was simply the best, warmest, and friendliest guide.
The Riads chosen were excellent, Casa Hassan in Chefchaouen, was an excellent first stop, with a great location and a warm welcome. The riad in Fes, Dar D’Or was exceptional. Namir and his wife could not have been better hosts. They were warm and welcoming, we talked with them for hours, this was a real highlight. I should also mention her wonderful meals.
During our stay in Fes, our city guide Ahmed was perfect. Because he had grown up in the medina, his knowledge created a fascinating tour.
We can’t forget the cooking class in the medina at the Clock restaurant. Souad, our chef, led us along food stalls choosing the food we would prepare, she was warm, humorous and our class was just great, a real treat.
The tour at Volubilis with Mastapha was very interesting, great for the history of the Romans in Morocco, and for photographs.
Scenery is beautiful on the way to Merzouga and of course we bought fossils. Riad Madu was very nice and a great place for star gazing, they even turned the outside lights out for us to improve night sky visibility.
The following day’s ride gave us a pleasant respite with an introduction to Gnawa music. The ride into the desert was exciting and the desert camps with good food, entertainment, and plush tents were excellent. Our highlight, however, was Omar and our camel ride with him. We spent quite a bit of time with him off the camels and learned a great deal; we highly recommend him.
A drive through, and walk in, the Todra Gorges was delightful and produced some beautiful photographs. L’Ma Lodge was another exceptional stay, not only for the rooms and lovely surroundings, but more importantly for the ability to have long conversations with the staff about their life, family, religion and the state of the world. They were warm, open and engaging. The walk with Ali through the date palmary and the tour of the ancient Islamic school gave us insight into the long history of the region and the ancient building techniques.
The journey past Skoura and Ouarzazate was lovely. The Riad Jnane Imlil was terrific. We were very grateful for Majid to have arranged for a young man from the Riad there to help bring our luggage to our room. The view from the rooftop of Mt. Toubkal is awe-inspiring. We decided to opt for a walk in the Berber village as we found the air a bit thin for mountain hiking, but once again it provided an opportunity to speak with the local people who are always ready to talk, be they shopkeepers or Moroccans on vacation in the mountains.
We arrived late in the day in Marrakech and received a very warm welcome from Jamila at Dar Rocmarra. Cooking and conversation were perfect. The next day we toured the medina with Ahmed. Ahmed went out of his way for us as I bought a caftan and found it was the wrong size when back at the Riad. We knew we would never find the store deep in the medina, but Ahmed when alerted by Majid came to the Riad picked up the caftan, made the exchange and brought the new one back to us at the Riad. Ahmed’s courtesy was truly above and beyond.
We wandered around Jemaa el-Fna by ourselves in the evening, having been assured of safety by Majid and Jamila. It made us reflect on how wonderfully safe Morocco feels in comparison to some of our cities here in the U.S.A.
On our way to Essaouira we had the day in the Life of a Berber experience. The cooking class at Mohamed’s house was great fun. Mohamed’s wife and aunt showed us how to cook a tagine on a charcoal brazier and make bread from scratch; so, with her directions, we made the entire meals ourselves. To us this is an experience not to be missed. We very highly recommend this cooking class with the chance to meet, cook, sit down and eat with, and interact with all members of the family provides a wonderful insight into the people of Morocco.
Last stop Essaouira. The Riad Mimouna is lovely and the room you arranged was terrific. You were right about hearing the sound of the ocean right outside your window. The sea was rough the first night and listening to the pounding of the waves against the wall below with our windows open was fascinating, we loved it. This was a great place to unwind and catch your breath before heading home. I tried a Hammam that Majid arranged for me at the spa “Cocooning” it came highly recommended and I agree, it was everything I could have hoped for in a spa.
We thank you very much for providing us with a memorable vacation experience. Your company is absolutely first rate and we will be sure to mention this on TripAdvisor, or any other site you suggest.
Elizabeth and Ramon.
(October of 2022)
