Kimkim Trip Reviews for Morocco

...so, what started on a down note, cue sandstorm that diverted our flight to Marrakech and the long bus drive to Casablanca + transport that was not quite the right fit, rapidly became a vacation of a lifetime!

Our Riads: Hicham; Semlalia; Serai: Paradis du Sahara; Ksar Ighnda; Art Place & La Medina Essaouira…. Fabulous, with extremely kind and welcoming staff!

Our guides: Noureddine (Rabat) ; Abdul Salaam (Chefchaouen);Ibrahim (Volubilis); Kemal (Fes); Kemal (Kissadne) and Ismael (Marrakech) were second to none. Their historical knowledge was mind blowing, definitely experts in their fields!

Activities: What a plan! The palaces, medinas; the kasbahs; the camel rides; hot air ballooning; hands on cooking class; hammam – all first class!

Lastly, our drivers – Mohammed and Khalid Casablanca and Rabat, really great young men and I wish them all the best…….and then there is Abdul, who collected us in Rabat and was our driver for the remainder of this awesome adventure. Not only a great and extremely careful driver, but quite knowledgeable in his own right. It was Abdul that introduced us to the Pigeons Du Sable and their beautiful music in the Sahara; the ancient underground canals or khettara in the anti-Atlas mountains and Ait Benhaddou, the UNESCO World Heritage site. Add to this the numerous photo ops:- the Valley of Palms; the winding road our of the high Atlas mountains…and I could go on and on! Abdul’s the man!!

As an avid traveller, this trip ranks up there amongst the best that I have experienced and would not hesitate for a minute to recommend kimkim/Wanderlust to anyone contemplating a trip to Morocco…. Just do it!

Donna November 2023

Hotel Reviews

Riad Hicham

Chefchaouen

Quirky with all the steps; great staff and in the best location!!

Authenticity & Character

Quirky layout with lots of steps - not for those who have isses climbing stairs.

Location

Just off the main square and easy to find!

Staff

Great accomodating staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfy!!

Riad Semlalia

Fès

from the bougainvillea draped front gates, the beautiful interior, fabulous roof top and the amazing staff...a must stay when visiting the fascinating city of Fes!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Paradis Du Sahara

Merzouga

A wonderful experience at the edge of the desert. Great staff; great dinner and the drumming around the fire was enjoyed by all!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Riad Ksar Ighnda

Asfalou

This property is freakin' amazing.....one could not ask for more...from the staff; the bountiful buffets, the little night club....a great place to spend some time winding down and getting back in tune with oneself!!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Serai

Merzouga

Another beautiful Riad, well appointed, beautiful grounds...destination wedding for those so inclined!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The wait staff need a bit more training but were pleasant.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel & Ryad Art Place Marrakech

Marrakech

The calm....literally steps away from the noisy, busy, Jemma El Fnaa. Beautiful property on the edge of the medina. Convenient for drop offs as well as exploring! The staff were wonderful and the breakfast was simply delightful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Le Medina Essaouira Thalassa Sea & Spa MGallery

Essaouira

Lovely hotel just across from the beach and within walking distance to the medina and all the wonderful shops. Wonderful and attentive staff. After almost two weeks on the road, Hotel Le Medina Essaouira was just what was needed to wind down!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cooking Class

Morocco

What I thought would be us watching someone else cook was actually a hands-on real cooking experience. Everyone had their own cook station and it was fun and fabulous!!! I want to go back and do a Moroccan cookie baking class!!

Quality of Experience

Food

My tajine was the best...!!! ijs!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

No matter one's religious belief and/or practices, as visit to Casablanca is not complete without a visit to the Hassan II Mosque. An imposing structure with the most exquisite craftsmanship (further appreciated on our visit to Fes). Our guide was able to convey the workings of the Mosque and it's worshippers in a very clear and concise manner. Truly an amazing visit!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to the Majorelle Gardens

Marrakesh

Simply a beautiful and quiet place in the midst of chaotic Marrakech!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Rabat

Rabat

Even though we stared our tour in a downpour, we enjoyed our time with our extremely knowledgeable guide Noureddine. My favorite was our visit to the Kasbah Oudeyas (the blue doors!!) and it's beautiful gardens.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Tour

Marrakesh

Yum....from the fruit juices, dried fruits and nut; olives; hot sandwich and delicious pastries......what a great evening and introduction to Marrakech and it's street food!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My husband and I were on a 10 day round trip through Morocco. It was an incredible experience.

From the very start, when we were planning our trip, communicating with Original Travels and deciding on the hotels and activities, everything was handled very professionally.

Once we were in the country, everything was very smooth and professional. All our activities, city guides, and visits were ready when we arrived. Each hotel was a local highlight and very well chosen by them. The service and comfort the hotels provided were exceptional.

On top of that, our driver, Soufiane, was a gem. His gentle and calm demeanor, and his many connections in various places (hotels, restaurants, parking lots, local sellers, etc), as well as local knowledge while driving through the country, was invaluable. We would have never had that insight into the country and people, and the whole trip was very easy because of his support and knowledge of the culture.

He was also very flexible and stopped anytime we wanted to or saw something that was not in our official itinerary.
It was like individual travel while having a local expert.

We highly recommend KimKim and Original Travels for your personalized, individual trip to Morocco!

Hotel Reviews

Riad Le Pèlerin

Marrakech

Very nicely decorated, beautiful, calm and quiet Riad in the Medina. Fairly newly renovated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Attentive and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

My husband and I were on a 10 day round trip through Morocco. It was an incredible experience. From the very start, when we were planning our trip, communicating with Original Travels and deciding on the hotels and activities, everything was handled very professionally. Once we were in the country, everything was very smooth and professional. All our activities, city guides, and visits were ready when we arrived. Each hotel was a local highlight and very well chosen by them. The service and comfort the hotels provided were exceptional. On top of that, our driver, Soufiane, was a gem. His gentle and calm demeanor, and his many connections in various places (hotels, restaurants, parking lots, local sellers, etc), as well as local knowledge while driving through the country, was invaluable. We would have never had that insight into the country and people, and the whole trip was very easy because of his support and knowledge of the culture. He was also very flexible and stopped anytime we wanted to or saw something that was not in our official itinerary. It was like individual travel while having a local expert. We highly recommend KimKim and Original Travels for your personalized, individual trip to Morocco!

Authenticity & Character

Small, only 6 tents, beautifully decorated

Location

Secluded, quiet and away from the other camps in the desert

Staff

Everyone was very nice and attentive to our needs.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was amazing, super cozy and comfy.

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

My husband and I were on a 10 day round trip through Morocco. It was an incredible experience. From the very start, when we were planning our trip, communicating with Original Travels and deciding on the hotels and activities, everything was handled very professionally. Once we were in the country, everything was very smooth and professional. All our activities, city guides, and visits were ready when we arrived. Each hotel was a local highlight and very well chosen by them. The service and comfort the hotels provided were exceptional. On top of that, our driver, Soufiane, was a gem. His gentle and calm demeanor, and his many connections in various places (hotels, restaurants, parking lots, local sellers, etc), as well as local knowledge while driving through the country, was invaluable. We would have never had that insight into the country and people, and the whole trip was very easy because of his support and knowledge of the culture. He was also very flexible and stopped anytime we wanted to or saw something that was not in our official itinerary. It was like individual travel while having a local expert. We highly recommend KimKim and Original Travels for your personalized, individual trip to Morocco!

Authenticity & Character

Stylish and beautifully decorated.

Location

The hotel is in the Medina, great overlook from the terrace over the hills and the city

Staff

Everyone was very nice and attentive to our needs.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

My husband and I were on a 10 day round trip through Morocco. It was an incredible experience. From the very start, when we were planning our trip, communicating with Original Travels and deciding on the hotels and activities, everything was handled very professionally. Once we were in the country, everything was very smooth and professional. All our activities, city guides, and visits were ready when we arrived. Each hotel was a local highlight and very well chosen by them. The service and comfort the hotels provided were exceptional. On top of that, our driver, Soufiane, was a gem. His gentle and calm demeanor, and his many connections in various places (hotels, restaurants, parking lots, local sellers, etc), as well as local knowledge while driving through the country, was invaluable. We would have never had that insight into the country and people, and the whole trip was very easy because of his support and knowledge of the culture. He was also very flexible and stopped anytime we wanted to or saw something that was not in our official itinerary. It was like individual travel while having a local expert. We highly recommend KimKim and Original Travels for your personalized, individual trip to Morocco!

Authenticity & Character

The decorations, plants and mosaics in the hotel were incredible. Every room is different. It feels like being in a palace.

Location

It's a 10 min walk away from the entrance to the Medina, so easily accessible if you want to explore the Medina on your own.

Staff

Everyone was very nice and attentive to our needs.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kasbah Titrit

Ait Ben Haddou

My husband and I were on a 10 day round trip through Morocco. It was an incredible experience. From the very start, when we were planning our trip, communicating with Original Travels and deciding on the hotels and activities, everything was handled very professionally. Once we were in the country, everything was very smooth and professional. All our activities, city guides, and visits were ready when we arrived. Each hotel was a local highlight and very well chosen by them. The service and comfort the hotels provided were exceptional. On top of that, our driver, Soufiane, was a gem. His gentle and calm demeanor, and his many connections in various places (hotels, restaurants, parking lots, local sellers, etc), as well as local knowledge while driving through the country, was invaluable. We would have never had that insight into the country and people, and the whole trip was very easy because of his support and knowledge of the culture. He was also very flexible and stopped anytime we wanted to or saw something that was not in our official itinerary. It was like individual travel while having a local expert. We highly recommend KimKim and Original Travels for your personalized, individual trip to Morocco!

Authenticity & Character

It feels like you are set back in time being in an old Fort/Kasbah, but with all the modern amenities

Location

The Kashbah is located in a small village in front of a massive mountain front. The views are beautiful, especially during sunset and sunrise!

Staff

Everyone was very nice and attentive to our needs.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

My husband and I were on a 10 day round trip through Morocco. It was an incredible experience. From the very start, when we were planning our trip, communicating with Original Travels and deciding on the hotels and activities, everything was handled very professionally. Once we were in the country, everything was very smooth and professional. All our activities, city guides, and visits were ready when we arrived. Each hotel was a local highlight and very well chosen by them. The service and comfort the hotels provided were exceptional. On top of that, our driver, Soufiane, was a gem. His gentle and calm demeanor, and his many connections in various places (hotels, restaurants, parking lots, local sellers, etc), as well as local knowledge while driving through the country, was invaluable. We would have never had that insight into the country and people, and the whole trip was very easy because of his support and knowledge of the culture. He was also very flexible and stopped anytime we wanted to or saw something that was not in our official itinerary. It was like individual travel while having a local expert. We highly recommend KimKim and Original Travels for your personalized, individual trip to Morocco!

Quality of Experience

Food

The quality of the food is amazing!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hannah was an amazing guide with a wealth of information about Marrakesh and its history

Transport

Private Transfer from Ait Benhaddou to Merzouga desert via Dades and Todra gorges

Morocco

My husband and I were on a 10 day round trip through Morocco. It was an incredible experience. From the very start, when we were planning our trip, communicating with Original Travels and deciding on the hotels and activities, everything was handled very professionally. Once we were in the country, everything was very smooth and professional. All our activities, city guides, and visits were ready when we arrived. Each hotel was a local highlight and very well chosen by them. The service and comfort the hotels provided were exceptional. On top of that, our driver, Soufiane, was a gem. His gentle and calm demeanor, and his many connections in various places (hotels, restaurants, parking lots, local sellers, etc), as well as local knowledge while driving through the country, was invaluable. We would have never had that insight into the country and people, and the whole trip was very easy because of his support and knowledge of the culture. He was also very flexible and stopped anytime we wanted to or saw something that was not in our official itinerary. It was like individual travel while having a local expert. We highly recommend KimKim and Original Travels for your personalized, individual trip to Morocco!

Quality of Experience

I loved our sunset camel ride through the desert, probably the highlight of our trip! It was beautiful, serene, and very relaxing

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide made sure that we were comfortable on the camels.

Transport

Hammam & Spa Experience Marrakech

Morocco

My husband and I were on a 10 day round trip through Morocco. It was an incredible experience. From the very start, when we were planning our trip, communicating with Original Travels and deciding on the hotels and activities, everything was handled very professionally. Once we were in the country, everything was very smooth and professional. All our activities, city guides, and visits were ready when we arrived. Each hotel was a local highlight and very well chosen by them. The service and comfort the hotels provided were exceptional. On top of that, our driver, Soufiane, was a gem. His gentle and calm demeanor, and his many connections in various places (hotels, restaurants, parking lots, local sellers, etc), as well as local knowledge while driving through the country, was invaluable. We would have never had that insight into the country and people, and the whole trip was very easy because of his support and knowledge of the culture. He was also very flexible and stopped anytime we wanted to or saw something that was not in our official itinerary. It was like individual travel while having a local expert. We highly recommend KimKim and Original Travels for your personalized, individual trip to Morocco!

Quality of Experience

A great new experience, very relaxing and refreshing for the body.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Transfer From Merzouga to Fez

Morocco

My husband and I were on a 10 day round trip through Morocco. It was an incredible experience. From the very start, when we were planning our trip, communicating with Original Travels and deciding on the hotels and activities, everything was handled very professionally. Once we were in the country, everything was very smooth and professional. All our activities, city guides, and visits were ready when we arrived. Each hotel was a local highlight and very well chosen by them. The service and comfort the hotels provided were exceptional. On top of that, our driver, Soufiane, was a gem. His gentle and calm demeanor, and his many connections in various places (hotels, restaurants, parking lots, local sellers, etc), as well as local knowledge while driving through the country, was invaluable. We would have never had that insight into the country and people, and the whole trip was very easy because of his support and knowledge of the culture. He was also very flexible and stopped anytime we wanted to or saw something that was not in our official itinerary. It was like individual travel while having a local expert. We highly recommend KimKim and Original Travels for your personalized, individual trip to Morocco!

Quality of Experience

Food

Delicious Tagine dishes are to be found everywhere.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our driver built in lots of stops for us to take photos, have lunch, use the restroom, or a coffee stop.

Guided Exploration of the "Blue City" Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen

My husband and I were on a 10 day round trip through Morocco. It was an incredible experience. From the very start, when we were planning our trip, communicating with Original Travels and deciding on the hotels and activities, everything was handled very professionally. Once we were in the country, everything was very smooth and professional. All our activities, city guides, and visits were ready when we arrived. Each hotel was a local highlight and very well chosen by them. The service and comfort the hotels provided were exceptional. On top of that, our driver, Soufiane, was a gem. His gentle and calm demeanor, and his many connections in various places (hotels, restaurants, parking lots, local sellers, etc), as well as local knowledge while driving through the country, was invaluable. We would have never had that insight into the country and people, and the whole trip was very easy because of his support and knowledge of the culture. He was also very flexible and stopped anytime we wanted to or saw something that was not in our official itinerary. It was like individual travel while having a local expert. We highly recommend KimKim and Original Travels for your personalized, individual trip to Morocco!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dine with a local family

Morocco

My husband and I were on a 10 day round trip through Morocco. It was an incredible experience. From the very start, when we were planning our trip, communicating with Original Travels and deciding on the hotels and activities, everything was handled very professionally. Once we were in the country, everything was very smooth and professional. All our activities, city guides, and visits were ready when we arrived. Each hotel was a local highlight and very well chosen by them. The service and comfort the hotels provided were exceptional. On top of that, our driver, Soufiane, was a gem. His gentle and calm demeanor, and his many connections in various places (hotels, restaurants, parking lots, local sellers, etc), as well as local knowledge while driving through the country, was invaluable. We would have never had that insight into the country and people, and the whole trip was very easy because of his support and knowledge of the culture. He was also very flexible and stopped anytime we wanted to or saw something that was not in our official itinerary. It was like individual travel while having a local expert. We highly recommend KimKim and Original Travels for your personalized, individual trip to Morocco!

Quality of Experience

We had a lovely time with a Moroccan family and shared many personal stories.

Food

The home cooked meal was delicious.

Family pottery and mosaic workshop

Morocco

My husband and I were on a 10 day round trip through Morocco. It was an incredible experience. From the very start, when we were planning our trip, communicating with Original Travels and deciding on the hotels and activities, everything was handled very professionally. Once we were in the country, everything was very smooth and professional. All our activities, city guides, and visits were ready when we arrived. Each hotel was a local highlight and very well chosen by them. The service and comfort the hotels provided were exceptional. On top of that, our driver, Soufiane, was a gem. His gentle and calm demeanor, and his many connections in various places (hotels, restaurants, parking lots, local sellers, etc), as well as local knowledge while driving through the country, was invaluable. We would have never had that insight into the country and people, and the whole trip was very easy because of his support and knowledge of the culture. He was also very flexible and stopped anytime we wanted to or saw something that was not in our official itinerary. It was like individual travel while having a local expert. We highly recommend KimKim and Original Travels for your personalized, individual trip to Morocco!

Quality of Experience

It was fun to be able to learn some of the techniques that the artists are so skillfully doing in their beautiful mosaic and pottery work.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide showed us around the whole place and explained the different steps to creating one of their mosaic or clay pieces.

Unforgettable, amazing, educational and a whole lot of fun. We were a group of 3 couples celebrating 2 of ours 60th birthdays. Tariq was a last minute change to be our driver and we definitely lucked out. Tariq was so accommodating to any changes we requested and always funny and caring. A few language issues but with google translate all usually worked out. He will have to learn to use his microphone more especially dealing with a bus load of half deaf clients :).
We wanted to see it all and Said from Original Travel did an amazing job planning the perfect trip for us . First they changed our 7 passenger van to a 14 seater minibus and with us having a 6'4" (190cm) man in our group was a god send.
Casablanca is a typical large, busy metropolis and this is when we found out that traffic can be crazy and we had the best and safest driver in Tariq. The Hassan II Mosque is worth the tour but wish we had a smaller group tour. Soffitel Casablanca Tour Blanche was a good hotel with amazing food. This was the first of many Tagines and Harira soup and were incredible. Service was great that first night. not so much our last night before flying home but they did have a large group in the restaurant. Best breakfast buffet of the whole trip.
Rabat was so beautiful, clean and both its and Asilah's medina were easy to navigate with beautiful art work in Asilah. Sadly our hotel we originally booked got cancelled last minute and the substitute hotel was very disappointing.
Tangier was an unexpected wonderful mix of old and new. Our Riad Mokhtar Tanger was perfect and our guide Khalid did a great job on our tour. Loved the local market with everything so clean and organized yet still traditional. Lunch just down the street at Hermodi was one of our top favourites and Abdul our waiter made everything perfect and fun.
Chefchaouen is amazing and a great workout doing all the hills. What our guide (Abdul Couscous) lacked in english he made up for in entertaining. The Lina Ryad and Spa was really cute but it would have been nice to know no alcohol was available. (with all respect to the Muslim beliefs)
The Ruins of Volubilis were very informative of the roman occupation and our guide Karim Maximus knew his stuff but maybe talked a little fast to explain it. Never got to Mendes because of a lot of construction but happened on a wonderful restaurant just outside of the ruins called Roman City Restaurant and Cafe with a wonderful waitress with amazing english that explained more than just the menu to us. Did a very interesting back alley trek in Idriss that took us to an amazing panoramic view of the area.
Fes was another great Riad Palais Amani but very expensive at the restaurant and bar. Sharif was our guide and we wish we could have had him for the entire trip. He was so knowledgeable about everything and his english was remarkable. Also very patient when we were doing all our shopping in the very crazy medina. Glad he was with us through out the old medina. The meal in the medina with a local family was perfect. How kind of them to open their doors to strangers and make us feel so welcome. They had extra family staying with them because of the earthquake but still all made us feel welcome.
The trip to Merzouga is definitely a long trek but worth it in the end. The camel ride at sunset was surreal. The treatment by the staff at Tiziri Luxury camp especially Moustaf and Youseff made the holiday. The knowledge and pride in their Amazigh (Imazighen/Berber) heritage was soul touching. Never got the name of the chef but again some of the best food we ate. Only wine was served at the camp.
We weren't really prepared for the long trek to Ait Benhaddou but the Riad Ksar Ighnda was spectacular for the short time we were there. Our guide for the actual site was not very informative. Tariq actually did the tour with us and answered most questions.
The drive to Marrakesh via Tizi n 'Tichka Pass and High Atlas mountains was amazing . The topography through this area is ever changing and breath taking.
Our riad in Marrakesh was by all accounts the best accommadation of the entire trip. La Maison Arabe Hotel is by far the best service, breakfast and dinners. Every room, hallway and courtyard was spectacular. Hanan did both our gastronomic tour and medina tour and was wonderful. It was great to get a women's point of view of life in Marrakesh and her knowledge of the area, food, english and every day life was impressive. You have to try the deep fried donuts, Tanjia and snails. We couldn't do our hike to Amizmiz Valley because of the earthquake but we did go to the valley next to it. We really got to see the damage that was done to so many homes and felt for those poor souls. Our hiking guide Mohamad was great and being from the valley we really got to know the reality of the earthquake for all the local people.
The trip to Essaouira was again full of ever changing landscapes. It was great to be on the coast and see the different style of life. We were kind of medina and souk over loaded but Mohamed did a good job in showing off his city. Hotel was a little commercial but in a great area.
Overall this was an amazing adventure. The people we encountered made this trip along with the donkeys, camels and food. Thank you Said and Tariq and all the staff of Original Travel for doing such a great job and to KimKim for setting this all in motion.
Footnote: Food is amazing but be aware that it is different than what we are use to and the bathrooms are not what we have in North America. Bring tissue, small change and Immodium. Also note that most restaurants work in cash only and we found it difficult to get cash out of most ATM's. Bank of Africa worked in Casablanca but the European ones worked better elsewhere.

Hotel Reviews

Sofitel Casablanca Tour Blanche

Casablanca

Great location, nice rooms, great restaurant. Service was perfect the first night we were there but lack lustre on our way home

Authenticity & Character

Location

centrally located

Staff

Our waitress the night of October 23 was perfect. She was very attentive and helped us translate the menu. On our last night November 5 the young men did not have very much English so everything became more difficult. There was also a big group coming in with their own private buffet so the menu was limited. We had one of the best Tagines on our first night and were looking forward to having them again but they were not on the menu our last night:(

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Al Khaima

Asilah

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Mokhtar Tanger

Tangier

beautiful rooms and excellent location

Authenticity & Character

beautiful and serene

Location

so close to everything but still able to get a vehicle close

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Amani

Fès

beautiful riad but a little noisy and very strong deodorizer used. very expensive restaurant and bar

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Accommodations were average but the staff were amazing as was the food. Breakfast was never at a specific time which is fine but coffee first thing in the morning is a must:)

Authenticity & Character

Location

You are in Erg Chebbi in the Sahara . What else do you have to say?

Staff

Moustafa and Yousef were the best. Never got the chefs name but food was incredible. If beer would have been available it would be even better

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tent needed a very good cleaning especially around the bathroom. Many unidentifiable things on the wall

Riad Ksar Ighnda

Ait Benhaddou

Beautiful hotel but sadly only there for about 12 hours.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Very poor service in the restaurant

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Maison Arabe Hotel

Marrakech

So Beautiful. Excellent service. Weird scent in our room but everything else was so perfect that we didn't even mention it to the management

Authenticity & Character

Over the top beautiful

Location

Could walk to lots of areas and felt safe

Staff

Breakfast staff were excellent. Our waiter Thursday Nov 2 was busy so service wasn't the best but the next night we had a different gentleman and he was very good and very funny

Cleanliness & Comfort

Odd smell in room but otherwise perfect

Hotel Le Medina Essaouira Thalassa Sea & Spa MGallery

Essaouira

Nice but having just stayed in the perfect Riad was a little commercial

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Quick Tour of Casablanca with your Driver-guide

Morocco

It was raining so didn't really have a chance to go out and explore much

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Just getting to know Tariq but had full confidence in his driving

Transport

The bigger van was perfect. Thank you so much

Architectural Elegance: A Journey through the Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Beautiful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

never heard the guides name but was very informative and proud

Transport

Tariq was a great driver in the crazy traffic

Self-Guided Exploration of Assilah

Asilah

Beautiful Medina with amazing art work and a great sunset view. Was nice but really didn't know what we were suppose to look for

Quality of Experience

We got into town late so didn't have much time to wander. Hotel got cancelled on short notice and the replacement hotel was not of the same quality as others. Im sure jet lagged helped lower the whole experience

Food

Very limited breakfast and dark gloomy dining area

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff at hotel were very little help but may have been a language barrier

Transport

Tariq was great driving us to the Medina and helping us be there in time for sunset

Guided tour of Tangier

Morocco

Khalid was a great guide. Easy to understand and very informative

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Exploration of the "Blue City" Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen

Beautiful city. Well worth the trip

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Abdul Couscous was a very funny guy but his English was limited so hard to understand what he was all saying

Transport

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

Interesting to see the influence the romans had in the area. Didn't get to Meknes and wish we would have but had a very interesting back street adventure up to a panoramic view of Idriss

Quality of Experience

Food

Found an excellent restaurant just outside of the ruins Roman City Cafe-Restaurant. Excellent food and service by a wonderful young girl whose English was perfect and was great explaining lots to us

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Karim knew his stuff but spoke so fast we couldn't understand all he said

Transport

Half-Day Guided Sightseeing in Fes

Fes

So many new and not always good smells and experiences but a must do

Quality of Experience

Saw many talented craftsmen

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Shariff was so knowledgeable and easy to understand as well as very patient when we were buying crafts

Transport

Dine with a local family

Morocco

Was so fun to go behind the doors of the medinas and see how the locals live. Very welcoming family and was able to talk to family that was temporarily staying in Fez because of the earthquake and their experiences. They had a family friend come and do Henna tattoos for us ladies

Quality of Experience

Food

That they shared with us when they had so many extra people to feed was very much appreciated

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Family was so open and inviting

Transport

Our expectations were far surpassed - and then some!! I had some trepidation about visiting Morocco, but this was completely unwarranted. Instead we found the people to be some of the warmest, most genuine folks we've ever had the pleasure of meeting. The natural and cultural resources of the country were spectacular, and the resilience and perseverance of both the Arabic and Berber peoples is astounding. Coming from such a divisive climate as the blue/red schism that is the current USA, the unity and harmony of the Moroccan people was a really refreshing contrast. As far as accommodations, the KimKim team did an excellent job planning logistics, facilitating access to all of our points of interest, and making us feel safe and well cared for from the time we landed in Casablanca until the time we left. We particularly enjoyed our driver, Soufiane, and his punctuality, authenticity, generosity, sense of humor, and charming personality. Other highlights included the staff at the Tziri Camp in the Sahara Desert (Hamed, Yusef, Mustafa, et al.) and our guide, Hannan, in Marrakech. We will certainly be back and plan to spend a bit more time in Chefchouen, Tziri Camp, and Marrakech - and will add an excursion to the coast to our next adventure. Thank you, KimKim team, for an outstanding vacation!! Highly recommended....

I wouldn't plan a trip through KimKim again. About a week before we were set to go to Morocco, the terrible earthwake happened. The news was dire - so - to go or not. I waited for five days to hear from Megan at Wanderlust, to tell me what she thought. She didn't get in touch with me, so I emailed her. She said we could talk with zoom at the end of the week - never heard from her. We decided to go.
There were several scheduling changes we found when given the the schedule - Megan didn't talk those over with us. Scheduled a hotel change, a driver change. The changes were fine, but, again, I would expect more communication.
The KasbahOurika is a fabulous hotel. Food is ok, but atmosphere is unrivaled. The White Camel was fun, the tent great, the sunset lovely.
I wouldn't bother going up to the atlas Mts. to see the Morocco'a Hollywood -- way too much driving to see very touristy
sight. A few days in that trip, I got sick, it was covid, I spent the last two, three days, exhausted, stayed in my hotel room in Marrekech. Stayed at Jnane Tamsna - this was really a disappoinment! The buildings, decor etc were great, but the ganden and landscapingf was a real shock - the videos show a different picture! It was dusty, the "gardens" were parched and dry. We were not given a map of the hotel grounds, we had no reference of where we were compared to other areas. The food was so so. It isn't your fault, of course, I picked that hotel.
In general I think Morocco's cities are interesting, but tourists are guided to every little thing, a lot isn't interesting, or not to some people. I'm sorry to give such a mixed review, but I think you want to know the truth. I need more communicatrion from a travel expert in general. including phone calls etc, so I would seek out a different expert next time. Molly Power

Said (holiday specialist/coordinator) and Tayeb (driver/guide) throughout the trip were exceptional. They made our holiday in Morocco a memorable experience. They were extremely courteous and ever obliging. Nothing was a problem for them. A big thank you to both of you.
Our local guides Mouna in Rabat, Charif in Fes and Moushine in Marrakesh were very knowledgable and explained the history extremely well.

The plan was set and we were told that there would be a king sized bed and a twin bed in every room. Three of the five places we stayed did not have this and we had to make arrangements. We also confirmed that there would be a child seat in the car - confirming 3 days before our arrival - and when we arrived, the local guide had not been told at all. Also, there was a lot of confusion as to what breakfasts were included.

Otherwise our trip was great.

I do wish there was a place to review our local guide, Karim. He was incredible. He was very accommodating and a lot of fun with our daughter. If we are back in Morocco, I would try to have him be our guide again. He was the perfect driver/ guide.

Our guides Ahmed and Yassine were knowledgeable, very personable, and amazing. Our driver Jalil was fantastic. He took care of even things we didn't think about! So glad we booked travel with KimKim. Couldn't have planned such an awesome trip with so many adventures.

Hotel Reviews

Elegancia Riad Boutique & SPA

Marrakech

Staff was so friendly and service was amazing. The room was small, but extremely comfortable and classic! The rooftop pool, restaurant and bar were a plus.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Caravan by Habitas Agafay

Agafay Desert

Wish we could have stayed longer! Loved the setting of the camp. Eco-conscious. Very friendly. So peaceful and quiet!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heure Bleue Palais - Relais & Châteaux

Essaouira

Top notch hotel! Rooftop pool and lounge were amazing. We got upgraded to a suite and loved it! The location close to the Scala and beach was ideal. The restaurant within the hotel was very good and service was fanstastic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Surfing in Essaouira

Essaouira

Our guides were so friendly and encouraging! Took some great pictures for us while surfing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Royal Hammam and Spa treatment at La Maison Arabe SPA

Marrakesh

An absolute must have for this trip! So relaxing. An amazing experience.

Quality of Experience

Vintage Sidecar Tour of the city

Marrakesh

Felt like Indiana Jones racing through the souks and desert. Our drivers/guides were fantastic and we learned so much.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

ATVs by the beach

Essaouira

Really exceed my expectations. The views were breathtaking.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tagine Cooking class with Lunch/ Dinner

Marrakesh

Enjoyed the cooking lesson and made some new friends from Canada during the class and enjoying the meal afterwards.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our trip to Morocco was absolutely amazing. From start to finish we kept exclaiming how special this was. Megan was so good in helping us decide on the itinerary and answering our questions. Hamid, our driver, couldn't have been nicer. He felt like family by the end of the trip. Morocco is a beautiful country and its people are delightful. We learned so much and felt privileged to experience the culture there. The local guides that KimKim arranged for us were excellent both in the information they shared and how they shared themselves with us. We have since recommended KimKim to other travelers we know and plan on using them again for other trips.

Right from the start Sharon was really responsive to our requests and gave us some fantastic ideas about our trip. The information before our trip was excellent. Everything was really well planned and managed. Our Driver and Tour manager Omar, couldnt have been better! He was thoughtful about our needs and organised everything perfectly, as well as being fantastic company, we learnt a lot about the culture and life of Morocco thanks to Omar. We laughed and smiled a lot together. When I go next time I will ask that Omar is my driver and tour manager again. Our local guides were all really knowledgeable and shared thier passion and insight into the places that we visited, particularly Saiid in Fes. I really cant fault the planning to the trip itself. I was blown away and I have left a piece of my heart in Morocco!

Our guides were excellent throughout the trip.
We had a few issues though which could have been sorted out before the we set out on the trip.
Firstly when in Casablanca we had suggested the possibility of a visit to Meknes but what we did not know, nor were ever told, is that it is a 3 hour drive each way and also a lot of it is closed at present for repair. We therefore agreed with our guide to go to Rabat which was much more practical. We had made it clear several times that we did not want outings with 3 hour drives!
Also in Marrakech Beatriz had told us that there was no damage and all was operating normally. That was incorrect there was evidence of damage in many places and a number of sites were closed. Also the trip to Imil was not practicable as the road was very broken so the guide changed our outing. We had a great day out but the information that all was as normal was not correct.
We did have a great time but a bit more attention to those matters would have made it even better.

I had the pleasure of traveling with Ayoub as our driver and guide during our journey through Morocco, and I must say it was an unforgettable experience. Ayoub not only took us to all the major Moroccan cities, but he also became a great friend in the process.

Ayoub's knowledge of the country was truly impressive. He shared fascinating insights about the history, culture, and local traditions of each place we visited. His recommendations for the best local cuisine and hidden gems were spot on, making our trip even more special.

What truly set Ayoub apart was his warm and friendly personality. He went above and beyond to ensure our comfort and satisfaction. We shared stories, laughter, and moments of genuine connection that made this trip more than just a vacation. Ayoub became a cherished friend, and his kindness and hospitality left a lasting impression on us.

I can wholeheartedly recommend Ayoub as a driver and guide for anyone exploring Morocco. He not only knows the country inside out but also has the rare ability to turn a journey into an adventure with a new friend by your side. Thank you, Ayoub, for making our Moroccan adventure so incredible!

We did a two-week couples trip to Morocco in late October 2023. Our driver was Auyub who very quickly became more than just a driver to us! He took his time to explain the culture of the different regions, their language, their religion, and we shared lots of laughs the entire two weeks! He didn't even mind our constant need to stop for snacks and sometimes rather bizarre questions! Or pulling over on the side of the road to take quick pictures. Informative, informational, but most of all just a wonderful person. I cannot express how much we enjoyed a two week road trip with our new and lifelong friend!

As for the individual half day tour guides that were provided by the company, they were all literally amazing. It could just be that the Moroccan people themselves are super warm and generous people, but having said that we were not disappointed in literally any guide we had. Very knowledgeable, local, and more than happy to share everything they knew about their city. Including stopping for coffee or tea, breaks and chitchatting with us with no subjects off-limits!

A couple tips. First, the Riads. They are wonderful and amazing when you have a nice one. Our one in Fes was not up to our expectations. In fact, it was disappointing. The other Riads were beautiful, but remember these are former houses, so do not expect all the modern amenities that you would get in a typical American hotel. Still, so glad we stayed in these rather than hotels.

Second, the Sahara desert. We stayed in the luxury camps with luxury tents. However long you plan to stay there, add an extra day! We stayed there two nights and a third night would have been just fine with us! The people in the camps live together during the tourist season and are clearly very close and it's almost like being invited to a brotherhood. The Nomad people were incredibly warm and inviting and we were surprised how kind they were in sharing their home with us. Even providing food which we know for them is a great expense. But they have a great deal of honor in showing you where they live.

Just as a reminder, you are traveling to a beautiful foreign country, where the people have lots of pride even if, and maybe even especially if, they lack financial means. Be kind to them. Be generous in your tips. Be humble. Remember that they do their very best to speak English, so be complementary to their abilities. At the hotel, we saw a very nasty fellow American citizen, very upset that the clerk could not understand his English. There's just no need to act like that when in someone else's home in my opinion.

Overall, zero regrets and going to Morocco and zero regrets for going for two weeks! If you take the plunge, be sure to ask for Auyub, and prepare for one of the warmest and fun two weeks of your life!

Sharon, I'm sorry it has taken so long to get back to you since we returned from our trip on October 5. We had a wonderful trip to Morocco (and Spain); I tell my friends that it was "challenging but fun." Morocco was very unique; the highlights were the camel ride and dune camp; learning from Hicham about the Boumaine Dades area and its interesting people, history, topography and clay-colored structures that blended with the local landscape; and beautiful Chefchouen. As a wildlife biologist, I also loved the stop Hicham made on the way to Fes to see the Atlas monkeys in their native habitat. All the riads were nice and my favorite food was at Chez Ichou where we had a delicious dinner, and the stop for lunch (while driving to Rif Mountains) where I loved the fresh trout from a nearby lake. We ended up walking about 5 miles/day on this trip and in retrospect it was a bit tiresome for someone in my age group when combined with the long drives and many tours (although highly educational). Hicham was a great driver and very hospitable and patient with our many questions but I believe the many hours of driving were at times stressful and we should have at least added an extra day between Merzouga and Fes. My main recommendations are that the instructions for tipping tour guides should be clearer because we were confused with our first guide Mohammed (where we first tipped too little and then too much) so that was disconcerting, and a better understanding of distances between desired sites so that the pace of the trip could be better scheduled. Ruth Pratt

We feel that the trip gave us a good overview of what makes Morocco tick - and unique!
We were satisfied with our guides but did feel that more historic sites should have been covered in Marrakech. We only visited Bahia Palace and the Medersa. Disappointing.
We would have liked a little more "protection" from our guide when persistence from artisan shop sales people in the souk walk in Fes became too much. As a knowledgeable guide however, Mohammed was great!

Our driver Yassine was fabulous and really made us feel safe in his van and he kindly drove us past the Meknes sites that were closed because of construction but were on our itinerary for us to see. Expectations were not met as regards that part of our itinerary.

Barbar, our host at Riad Farouzi should get a special mention as he really epitomised the friendly Moroccan people and tried his absolute best to see to our needs. For the rest, our accommodation, though very different from what we are used to ( natural light! ) was interesting and more than satisfactory.

As much driving as there was, we felt it gave us a much more thorough Morocco experience than traversing the distances differently. Seeing the physical land and topography from a car definitely made the country more real to us.

Doing this trip with driver and guides was the only way to do it ! We're seasoned travellers but each country has its own challenges, starting with the language barrier of non English-speaking countries, and we could not have managed Morocco without your team.

Thank you! We will spread the word!

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

We really feel we should have covered more in this city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They were really courteous, friendly and helpful people!

Transport

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

Just too many persisitent sales people trying to get into our pockets. We are NOT Brits with pounds or Americans with dollars. Very sadly.

{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Volubilis and Meknes

Morocco

Got here late in the afternoon so only a little browsing in the medina to get a superficial feel for the blue pearl.

From the start in planning our trip, Sharon from Morocco Immersion Tours & Adventures, helped plan our itinerary to include important places we wanted to experience and to make the most of our time while in Morocco. The guides we had were amazing! We did a bread making class in Fez, where we made five different breads. Then while in Marrakech we did a tagine cooking class. Both well worth it! Our riad accommodations throughout were comfortable and impressive. There was one glitch that was immediately dealt with by Sharon and Sallam, our guide.
At the outset, we were met at the Casablanca airport by Sallam, with whom we made an immediate connection. Jamal, our driver, quickly became part of our Moroccan van family as well. Over the two weeks and some long days driving, Sallam and Jamal shared their love and passion for Morocco. Sallam shared his Berber heritage which gave us an even deeper understanding of Moroccan life and culture. The hours sped by as we all laughed together sharing stories and joking. Because of Sallam and Jamal, our trip in Morocco has become one of the top three favourite places we’ve ever experienced.

I’m so happy and glad for the whole trip here and I would like to thanks and a great appreciate to my planner Miss Megan and my tour guide and driver my buddy Mohamed, especially Mohamed and local tour guides are so friendly and helpful and experienced. We really enjoy and having a great time together at Morocco, and we definitely gonna miss all the beautiful places and peoples around as like Rabat , current capital city of Morocco, the blue city Chefchaouen, the beautiful seaside of Tangier , the great and amazing Medina of Fes and Meknes and the busy city of Casablanca and all those wonderful places and peoples will always in my heart

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Garden Inn Tanger City Centre

Tangier

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Mosaic Chefchaouen

Chefchouen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Sheherazade & Spa

Fes Medina

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Kalaa 2

Rabat

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Chefchaouen to Fes via Meknes

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Fes with a Private Guide

Fes

Quality of Experience

K

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mohamed was a great guide and provided us a lot info during our visit to Fes, explaining with detail each location visited. We really enjoyed our visit to the Medina because we had a very professional guide, taking care of every detail (including a delicious bread from the artisan oven). Thanks for your fantastic service.

Hotel Reviews

Mövenpick Hotel Casablanca

Casablanca

It was a good option to spend just one night in Casablanca before the visit to the mosque. Clean and comfortable spaces.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Wonderful location, friendly staff and unique atmosphere. We loved our stay there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

This is the best place to get a sense about Morocco, its culture, color and arts. The staff is very friendly and professional. We loved our stay there and we would like to come back.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Great experience and very friendly staff. We really enjoyed our time there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kasbah Titrit

Ait Ben Haddou

Nice place to spend a night during our transit.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Beautiful hotel, professional and friendly staff. Great food and common areas.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Architectural Elegance: A Journey through the Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Casablanca to Chefchaouen via Rabat

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

We had a lunch in a gas station

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Sightseeing in Fes

Fes

Our guide was very good and we had a great visit to the Medina

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Cooking Class in Fes

Fes

What a lovely family and experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride

Morocco

Wonderful experience and great visit

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Merzouga Desert to Aït Benhaddou

Morocco

Wonderful visit and great time with the friendly staff of the carpet shop

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ait Benhaddou to Marrakech via Tizi N'Tichka pass

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Very detailed info guide and super friendly.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All of our guides did a very good job. Hamid, who drove us for the week, was superb. His scheduling, of where to be, and when, spot on.

Morocco is definitely a place to travel. Our small tour of two couples in a big air conditioned van was smooth and relaxing. Sallam was a passionate guide about the country he loves and the history in each area. Sallam really helped us understand how Moroccans lived and the influence of Jewish people in early culture. We also had a fantastic driver along who was a guide in training named Jamal. Jamal was pleasant smart young man who also shared his love of Morocco while safely driving us through maze of roads I wouldn’t dare drive myself. Thank you Sharon from KimKim for helping us plan an outstanding trip in Morocco.