Kimkim Trip Reviews for Morocco

Sharon did an absolutely phenomenal job planning the itinerary out for us. Within 11 days, we were able to cover almost all of Morocco in exactly the way we wanted- a bit of adventure, relaxation, and a window into moroccos history, culture and architecture.
Our tour guide, Amnay was with us throughout the trip and he was fantastic- made us feel comfortable and never rushed.
Sharon’s business partner & better half met us in their hometown and we did a couple of great hikes, which has been a highlight of the trip.
While I think the entire trip was beautiful, I’d have to say our time isn’t he desert, Fez and Marrakesh were truly memorable. Thank you Sharon & Morocco immersions for this amazing holiday!

Hakim did a great job of organizing everything. He worked with us to create the best holiday plan given our family’s needs and interests. Hakim was also wonderful at changing the itinerary at the last moment to accommodate a change in dates and addition of another traveller.

What I learned on this trip is that prices for the trip could vary depending on the local specialist you end up getting through Kim Kim. A friend of mine decided to visit Morocco the same time I was going. So she reached out to Kim Kim, got a different local specialist ended up with the same itinerary, same selected hotels, her stay was even slightly longer by two days as she also visited Casablanca and her cost was lower than mine. She also got superior accommodation than we did in terms of rooms she was provided at the different hotels/riads that we stayed at. The following is my attempt to provide the readers with things we have learned that may help them in planning their trip a little bit better by learning from what we experienced.

Marrakesh: stayed at Palais Sebban. Beautiful Riad and highly recommend it. Just be aware that most rooms require going up some steps but staff were attentive to bringing up the luggage for us as it would have been challenging on our own. However, when it came to our tour guide assigned to us in Marrakesh he appeared not to know or be interested in sharing anything about the history of the country. The tour basically consisted of having our driver bring us to the majorelle garden, the madraseh and then the rest of the time walking through the market and peeking at bakeries and sampling local food. The main site that people visit in Morocco the Bahia palace he did not take us to and told us we can go there on our own and told us we can go there around 5pm as it takes one hour to tour until it closes at 6. Well we went there at 5 and apparently it closes every day at 4! How can a tour guide not know that? So we missed seeing one of the main sites in Marrakesh as we were leaving in the morning the next day.

when we complained to Abdel and Said, they were very apologetic. They booked dinner for us that night In Marrakesh as an apology. Said also wanted to upgrade our accommodation at our next stop but I wish he did not. The hotel he moved us to la perle du dades in Boumalne was run down. It it a beautiful property but must has gone through disrepair during covid. Our room had small ants on the bathroom counter. The other room we had for our kids the air conditioner did not work. The chaise lounges around the pool must has seen better days. I have to admit when I told our driver Ilyas that we did not like the Riad and wanted to go to our originally booked accommodation in this area he immediately complied with our request.

Boumalne Dades via Ait Benhaddou and ouarzazate: this was listed as a 6.5 hour drive from Marrakesh but please be prepared that does not include stops. So the trip really took us closer to 8.5 hours. We stopped at the Ouarzazate to tour the movie studio which was pretty lame. Not worth the time or money spent. The studio tour provided by a local guide was lame. As mentioned earlier this is the stop that we had the unfortunate experience of changing our original hotel to la perle du dades. However, the hotel that we originally had booked and ended up staying at was hotel xaluca dades. Very nice hotel. We highly recommend it. Beautiful views from the pool area and beautiful pool.

Merzouga and orient desert camp: this is another 4.5-5 hour drive to get to our meeting point to the people who run the desert camp. This was the highlight of our trip. Our guide got us mounted on our camels and led us through beautiful dunes to the camp which is about 1-1.5 hours. Then you dismount and wait on the dunes to watch the sun set. Absolutely beautiful!

Merzouga to Fez drive and stay at Riad Salam Fez: this apparently is the longest drive. It said on the schedule as 7.5 hour drive but keep in mind that does not include stops along the way. So we asked our driver to limit the stops so we skipped viewing the smaller of the two gorges we were supposed to see. It took us about 8.5 hours to get to fez. Riad salam fez was beautiful. We just rested that night. Next morning we were met by a guide who took us to a pottery ceramic shop for a demonstration as fez has the best clay for pottery. Then took us to the tannery and carpet place.

Chefchaouen and Lina read and spa: this was another 4.5 hour drive with no stops. But we stopped at the Roman ruins of Volubilis so it took a bit longer than that. The ruins were interesting to see. You pick up a local guide at the entrance for about 150-200 dirham ($20) for a 45 minute walk through the ruins. Recommend doing that otherwise you would not know what you are looking at. Chefshaoun is absolutely beautiful with its blue bldg. colors. Hiked up to the Spanish mosque for the sunset which I highly recommend. We did not have a tour guide scheduled here although our friends who used a different Kimkim local specialist had a tour guide assigned to them who took them through the town in the morning and gave them a bit of history and background. So we did not get that. It just reflects the some variations in the local specialists way of doing things.

Last stop was Algiers which was a 2.5 hour drive. We stayed at hotel farah which is a nice modern hotel that we just needed to decompress from the trip and did nothing but lay by the pool and enjoy the view. Our driver took us to the Hercules cave and the point where the Mediterranean meats the Atlantic. Very nice.

As you can see from the long review this was way too much packed into a 9 day emtrip. My advise is don’t do this break neck trip at the pace we did. If I was to cut something out I would cut boumalne dades and maybe Tangier and extend stays at Marrakesh and fez so to unwind from the long drives.

Last but not least our driver Ilyas was the best part of our trip. He was very accommodating and professional and dealt with the hiccups as best as he could.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Beautiful hotel and rooms but our room had some odor to it and that is why only 4 stars. Our kids room was fine so if I could I would have given this Riad 4.5 stars. Everything else was excellent

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Farah Tanger

Tangier

Modern hotel with beautiful pool overlooking the water

Authenticity & Character

Location

Away from everything else so we ended up just staying at the hotel

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Orient Desert Camp

Merzouga

The tents are beautiful but be prepared they could be hot as there is no air conditioning or fans in the room

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Xaluca Dades

Boumalne

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

Beautiful and clean Riad with friendly staff and good breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Just be prepared for Lots of stairs. Saw few elderly people struggle with the stairs

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Guided Tour of Fes Medina

Fes

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dades to Merzouga via the Todra Gorge and Erfoud

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Marrakech to Boumalne Dades: Through Atlas Mountains, Aït Benhaddou & Rose Valley

Morocco

Very long drive

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

There was no guide provided so some of the climbs we did going to the sites we were accosted by locals who wanted to guide us in sketchy way

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Our guide did not take us to the main site Bahia palace and did not seem to be knowledgeable in history

Quality of Experience

Fes to Chefchaouen via Meknes & Volubilis

Morocco

Amazing scenaryt

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer From Merzouga to Fez

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Planning our trip with Sharon was effortless. She was extremely responsive and took care of our every question and concern. Our driver and guide, Hussein became like family. His excellent driving and language skills aside, he is one of the most compassionate, kind and caring human beings that I have ever met. He made our trip very special. I highly recommend Kimkim and especially Hussein. Moroccan’s are some of the nicest, accommodating people we have met while traveling. The country’s landscape is gorgeous with gorges, valleys and stellar panoramic views. Staying in Riad’s in the Medina’s is extra special. The food is excellent, albeit a bit repetitive. Other cuisines are available in larger cities and Hussein took us somewhere different when we had enough tangines. We did a 6 day immersion from Marrakech (city guide one day and hike/gardens the second - Dades Valley - camel ride and camp in the dessert and up to Fez for 2 days. Be prepared for a couple of LONG driving days. There is much to see and it’s hard to nap because you don’t want to miss anything. I would recommend getting an antibiotic from your doctor prior to your trip as we experienced traveler’s diarrhea although we didn’t drink tap water, we did consume all fruits and vegetables. They were too good to resist. Morocco is a country that bargains when purchasing items. Be prepared. We had separate guides for Marrakech, Dades Valley and Fez. We wished we could have had our Hussein for these excursions as well. Their English was very good and knowledge extensive but they clearly received a commission from specific shops. Some tours included an instructional demonstration of a specific craft which we very much enjoyed but typically lead to a gift shop and sales pitch afterwards. We have found this to be true in other countries and on other tours. This is how they make their money and it’s good to be prepared. It’s important to have a mind set of traveling to experience another culture and be prepared to not to have every creature comfort of home (lack of toiletries, subpar linens/towels, temperamental toilets or lack of toilet paper, no half & half for coffee). My favorite experience was having tea with a Berber family and seeing how they live, their daily routine and the “appliances” they use. The Medina in Fez was also a high point. Taking in the countryside and views during the drive and having conversation with Hussein about himself, the culture and norms from his perspective was also a highlight. Morocco is not to be missed, especially with Hussein and knowing that Sharon is an email away. Go and have a great time!

From the first communication with Megan on day 1 of planning our Moroccan adventure she was nothing but the best. She responded to every email inquiry, question, suggestion & concerns. She really was one of the best travel advisors we’ve ever worked with. We typically do not do tour groups or full planned itinerary traveling and Megan understood that and helped us build an incredibly independent structured itinerary that allowed us to see so much of Morocco in 10 days. She set us up with one of the best drivers ever in Hamid. He became a brother at the end of our trip. We couldn’t have felt more relaxed & safe driving throughout the entire country. It was one of THE best trips we have ever taken and it wouldn’t have been possible without the expertise of Megan & our driver Hamid. Highly recommend Megan & her KimKim team to anyone looking to create a life changing traveling stress free experience that you get to tailor and design with their insight and expertise.

Hotel Reviews

Caravan Agafay

Very unique Glamping experience in the Agafay region. Very cool design and architecture of the camp. Very friendly staff and overall very easy to get to with driver. 🐪 rides on or off site. Some tents don’t have outlets for charging phones or accessories. So bring a solar charger or charging pad.

Tips for future travelers

Don’t think you are staying in Sahara. It’s definitely not the Sahara but still a fun desert like experience

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Wow

Marrakech

Great location 1/2 block from the heart of the Medina, Hassan Tower & Place Jemma el-Fna, banks & Covid testing locations. All Very convenient. A little bit over decorated with gold chairs and toilets 😳. Air freshener smell of orange blossom is a little over powering at first but it airs out eventually. Breakfast is very good on the very nice spacious rooftop. Staff is very friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable beds and spacious rooms

Riad Perle d'Eau

Essaouira

Amazing location in Medina overlooking the ocean along the old city walls. Staff is amazing. Some of the nicest staff I’ve ever experienced in a Riad. Breakfast is very good on the rooftop with the ocean breeze in your face. Rooms are unique and quiet. If you can get an ocean facing view it’s amazing. Ernest the owner is a lot of fun chatting with during breakfast each morning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Hard to find at first, tucked away in a corner

Staff

Amazing check in, cooking and overall staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless

Riad Gharnata

Chefchaouen

Awesome location on one of the most photographed streets. A bit of a walk from roundabout drop off but that’s Chef for you. Very friendly and helpful staff. Cool rooms make you feel like your in an ancient castle. Good breakfast on the rooftop

Tips for future travelers

Get a porter to help you w your bags at the drop off roundabout. Worth it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Kalaa 2

Rabat

Amazing Riad in the heart of the Medina excellent and exceptional staff. Breakfast was amazing in the center courtyard area. Only Riad that I’ve seen w a rooftop pool. Would highly recommend when staying in Rabat. Peaceful and quiet at night.

Tips for future travelers

Enjoy the hospitality of the staff and being in the heart of the Medina

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Odyssee Center

Casablanca

Decent hotel for a layover in Casa. Nicely designed on inside, extremely comfortable beds and quiet. Short walk to the Medina and central downtown area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tour Marrakech with a private guide

Marrakesh

Very knowledgeable guide but very dry and quiet spoken. Focused too much on small small details of the palace construction and history that could have been abbreviated significantly. He was thorough but a little too thorough for my style of guides. Could have cut the tour down by 2 hours.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was always amazing.

Transport

Hamid is simply the best there is.

Agafay Desert to Essaouira

Morocco

Hamid was the best driver we’ve ever had traveling. He was the ultimate professional and was very concerned about safety and comfort first. He got us to to where we needed to go safely, timely and all while having great conversations and enjoying getting to know us. He became our good friend and brother but the middle of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had the best driver for the entire trip. Hamid is a rockstar.

Samir was absolutely amazing. You can feel his pride for his country. He wants to share his culture with his guests. He made us feel so comfortable, like we were guests in his personal home. He took the time to answer all of our questions and culture and even religion. There was a mutual respect and appreciation of our differences. He truly went the extra mile. When we go back to Morocco, we will definitely request Samir.

The experience with KimKim and Original Travels was great. This was my first experience with a guided tour. I highly recommend it, as there is so much to see and do. You need the guidance. My only recommendation for other travelers would be to add in downtime to your schedule. It was go, go , go all 8 days. Next time, I will also request two days per city. 1 is just not enough.

Amazing experience, and something we'd never be able to coordinate ourselves without the Kim Kim team's local knowledge and detailed planning.

Our driver, Tarik, was brilliant. He adjusted the itinerary on the fly, helped us find the best coffee (critical!) every morning, even played with our kids and kept them entertained when they needed a break from tours and experiences.

Morocco isn't an easy place to travel around yourself (especially with three kids under 10) so Kim Kim was perfect to take the research and detailed planning out of it, and let us just relax and know we were doing exactly what we should be doing.

Thanks Abdel, Tarik and team!

Hakim is a professional tour planner. He is very knowledgeable and took care of the smallest details. He was always checking on us during the trip making sure all is going well.
Our driver, Mohammad is the nicest, most respectable, knowledgeable person. He drove us through very difficult terrains giving us some history about the areas we were crossing and the peoples customs and cultures. He made our trip very enjoyable and we felt safe with him. He is a true gentleman. Our guides, Yousef, Hafid and Yassine were excellent and very knowledgeable. They made us understand a lot about Morocco, urs history and the way of life. Thank you KimKim for assigning such great professionals. It made our trip extremely enjoyable.

First time experience with kimkim and Sharon and I’ll come back for customized tours. Sharon was responsive at every point, during the build of the trip in Morocco and when we changed some items on the fly such as when when we were not happy with the quality of a ‘remote’ and rural hotel. The tour guides were all high quality and our driver throughout our 14 day tour Yassine was exceptional. He was a very safe driver traversing the Atlas Mountains, was very friendly and ensured we were happy at every turn. We felt very safe and relaxed with Yassine at the helm. Look forward to using kimkim again and highly recommend Sharon and her Moroccan team.

The Kimkim team made our trip to Morocco seamless and so FUN. All our questions were answered patiently and informatively by Abdel and Said, and we had lots of questions! They honored our reservation for 2 years while Covid closed Morocco's borders. Our driver Ilias picked us up at the airport and continued to take care of us with a smile. He is a very good driver and escorted us with ease, laughter, joy and grace throughout our journey. Hennan gave us a wonderful tour through the Medina, gardens, and Bahia Palace. She was so kind and knowledgable and also very patient as we took extra time everywhere taking pictures and really soaking in the sites. Mohamed is an infectiously joyful and spiritual man who had us laughing and enjoying our hike through the George. Lunch with his family was very sweet as we ate delicious tagging and shared photos of our american home towns. Once in the desert, Hmad gave us a ride to a nomad family so we could learn about this kind of life. Hmad grew up with his nomadic, very wise grandmother and learned to revere nature and the rhythm of the desert.I loved talking philosophy with him. He runs the Tiziri Luxury Eco Camp where we stayed for one night. A magical sunset and full moon camel ride brought us to warm, inviting tents with very cosy, comfortable beds. the camp makes minimal impact as it recycles the water and uses solar energy. Hmad and the crew are amazing musicians and after a gourmet and surprising dinner, we enjoyed the drums and tunes floating through the desert air. Thank you Kimkim for understanding my familys interests and creating the perfect trip for us!

We had a fantastic time in Morocco and felt well looked after by Megan and our driver Ibrahim ( who is a very good driver, by the way). We really appreciated the care taken to match us up with guides who spoke English well and were knowledgeable about the history and culture of Morocco. We definitely recommend Wanderlust. Kathryn

Hakim was very helpful identifying and booking the perfect itinerary for a once in a lifetime vacation for my son and I.
Our itinerary was everything we hoped it would be! Hakim took the time to create exactly what we were looking for - a mix of culture, history, and food. Hakim stayed in touch with us during our trip to make sure everything went smoothly.. Our itinerary was easy to follow, the hotels were in great locations with thoughtful and friendly staff. Thank you, Hakim...you made out dream trip a reality!

Now I must turn my attention to a review of our guide , Abdillah Aitbahman, (Abdul) our driver and guide, who ultimately made our trip seemingly the best it could have been. We traveled between seven main destinations for nine days, and throughout the whole time Abdul was the utmost patient, kind, helpful and personable, as well as of course being a proficient and professional driver, who speaks fluent English. All along the way pointing out and explaining countless sights and traditions that we saw as we drove, so many things we wouldn't have really seen or learned if Abdul wasn't so knowledgeable.
When in cities such as Fes and Chefchaouen where we needed a tour guide licensed for the medinas, he was ahead of connecting us with guides that were very informed, reliable and spoke English in addition to being highly personable and kind. Abdul wasn't just kind, highly knowledgeable on local history and traditions, he was particularly inviting and even shared music popular to locals, which is exactly what I would hope for in a more than ideal guide. We also got a whole reel of photos after the trip that he took of us along the way, which is just a bonus. We felt the need to make the point that we didn't just feel like we were being driven around by a driver, we felt like we were taking a road trip with a Moroccan friend.
He had the uncanny ability to anticipate our needs and plan accordingly.

Thank you for connecting us with such a friend, and specifically thanks to Abdul for making our journey through Morocco the most relaxed, informative, interesting and awesome it could have been!

All we might have done differently would be to stay for more than nine days in order to see a couple more cities such as Essaouira, possibly Tangier and tours into smaller villages. But the trip was made the best because of our driver, guide and friend Abdul. We wish to make sure that Kimkim, the local agency and potential Morocco visitors to know what a difference Abdul made being such a great driver, guide, friend and just a great guy.

Our driver, Said, was amazing. He was knowledgeable and took the time to stop at interesting places as well as inform us about local custom and culture. He was funny, articulate and able to give us an wonderful perspective on his country. Our travels through the mountains, deserts, olive and palm groves was memorable. Riding dromedaries in the Sahara and staying in the luxury tent camp was another highlight. The staff at the riads and hotels were accommodating and helpful. We enjoyed this trip immensely.

Hotel Review

Kasbah Mohayut

Merzouga

Amazing Kasbah. The best accommodation we had on our journey. Staff were friendly, helpful and generally created a welcoming atmosphere for guests. The food was delicious and plentiful. Highly recommend this hotel

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful decor. Amazing, large room.

Location

Right on the edge of the Sahara.

Staff

Friendly, helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Transfer from Chefchaouen to Fes via Meknes

Morocco

We did not get to see Meknes. At the last moment, we received a message from our tour coordinator Meagan that Meknes was closed for restoration. I'm sure this could have been known days ahead of time. The Moroccan authorities didn't decide to close Meknes one day and begin restoration the next.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The services provided by Hakim were very professional in all interactions we had with him. We always felt that he was attentive to our requests and he designed our trip just as we requested. We were pleased with the selection of hotels and the guides provided for our trip. We enjoyed the guides in each city we visited (each guide was a 10!) but we were most pleased to have a female guide in Mekenes. As the parent of 3 daughters we always enjoy seeing how women in other countries live.
Our driver, Mohammad was fabulous. He was attentive to our needs and was prompt and courteous. We especially appreciated that he spoke English--he was a great source of information and we enjoyed hearing about life in Morocco from a local.
I would highly recommend Kimkim, Hakim and his team to anyone wanting to visit Morocco. We were delighted by the country and hope to return sometime.

Hotel Review

Riad El Yacout

Fès

This was a lovely riad and the service there was very good. We enjoyed the location and the ease of coming and going from the riad. The meals we had at this riad were among the best we had on our entire trip. The staff was courteous and attentive to our needs.

Authenticity & Character

The decor and the historical feel of the place

Location

Easy access to our car when arriving and departing

Staff

Very good dining service

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Day Trip to Meknes & the Roman Ruins of Volubilis

Fes

Our guide at Volubilis was so informative and gave us such a good historical perspective of the site and the settlements of Morocco

Quality of Experience

The ruins were very interesting and unique

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very well informed and gave us good insight into the lives of those settled in the town.

Transport

Our tour guide and chauffeur, Hicham, was fantastic. He was patient, organized, charming and quick to laugh. His love and knowledge of Morocco was evident. Highly recommend him. The other local guides were also quite good.

An incredibly intimate and special tour of Morocco that took us into small towns and to the shared tables of several local families. We selected luxury level and requested stylish hotels and jammed packed days. Each guide, our driver for the week, and everyone in between were top notch. So grateful to have discovered KimKim who connected me to Abdullah in Morocco!

Morocco was beautiful with so many interesting places to see with a multitude of things to do. Our driver Ahmad helped to make this trip special. He was terrific and was able to help explain anything we asked and get us everywhere we needed to go. From always having cold water ready to stopping for breaks along the way or providing cord and charger for our phones or blue tooth for music. This trip was excellent.

The trip was well designed with Hakim's assistance and our driver Mohammad was superb. We enjoyed the modern and clean city of Rabat, the blue city of Chefchaouen, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the Imperial city of Meknes and the uniqueness of Marrakech.

Hotel Review

Riad El Yacout

Fès

We thoroughly enjoyed this Riad and the food was some of the best we had in Morocco.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great food.

Activity Review

Day Trip to Meknes & the Roman Ruins of Volubilis

Fes

We had 2 different guides for Volubilis and Meknes. We especially enjoyed our female guide in Meknes.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family of 5 took the A Taste of Morocco: Northern cities, desert experience, Atlas Mountains & Marrakech. What an unforgettable trip! Morocco was a perfect destination, reasonable flight time from the east coast, exotic yet approachable, and safe - we felt at ease with our kids (6, 9 and 12).

Our driver Ilyas was a big part of the success of the trip - so friendly and personable, great with our kids, and always made sure we were set at the hotel/restaurant/tour. There were a couple of long driving days to get to the Sahara and back, he was unflappable, even when the kids got raucous in the back.

Our kids were looking forward to our time in the Sahara, and it didn't disappoint. The camel ride at sunset, glamping in "tents", berber music after dark around the campfire, sandboarding on the dunes, and dune bashing in the landcruiser. When we had a hot afternoon, the camp host arranged for us to cool off at a hotel pool in Merzouga!

Two of my favorite highlights were food related. The "Food Tour in Marrakech" - Hanan our local tour guide took our taste buds on an adventure through the market, sampling olives, berber pizza, pastries, fresh fruit juice... and even snails.
We also had a wonderful time in Fes at the "Dinner with a Local Family in Fes". Said and his wife emerged with dish after dish of food. The chicken tagine was probably the best tagine we had in Morocco. I only wish I knew how much food we were in for, I would have tried to save some more space early on for the later courses. While it was set up as a dinner they truly invited us into their home. There were a few generations present, and the youngest had fun playing with our kids even though they didn't share a common language.

The pre-trip organization from Abdellah went so smoothly. We booked the trip only about a month in advance, he was always quick to reply to any followup questions and requests, and the hotels they put us in were top notch.

I can't recommend highly enough the entire team at Original Travels.

Hotel Review

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

This Riad had so much character. Rooms were luxurious and comfortable. Stained glass windows in our room lit up the ceiling with color in the morning. A rooftop patio to watch the sunset over the medina.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

An Evening Food Walk in Marrakech

Marrakesh

I've been eager to write this post - and I usually don't review anything at length (if at all!) BUT, this experience requires it - and I hope it helps you decide.
If you do this trip with Morocco Immersion thru KimKim, WITH SHARON - you will have NO disappointments!
PEOPLE: 1. from the first contact I had with Sharon, I was hooked.
I messaged Sharon with some quick, random questions and she was quick to reply. She replied to everything I asked - promptly, generously and courteously. She was patient and answered the smallest concerns I had. She focussed on designing the trip I wanted and was hoping for. (The trip with Morocco Immersion is not a "pre-planned, 8 other people we didn't know with varying agendas" joining us.
It was designed for us.) And it was reasonably priced which made me skeptical at first!
SHARON totally knows what she's doing!
2. Our driver: SALLAM - He was THE BEST. Really. He's young - yet knew his country, its history, the places we were going, and was proud of his own culture while being super respectful of ours. Sallam was welcoming and always attentive to our questions and needs. He was an excellent driver over some 2500km in 10 days - and was always stopping at all the best look-outs before I even asked! He met with us regularly to make sure we had everything we needed and knew what was coming up next. He was friendly, humourous, and engaged. Great guide! Highly recommended!
3. Our tour guides: in Marrakech, The Sahara and Taroudant knew their landscape, the history and the best places to get authentic food, pottery, jewelry, leather-wear, carptes, argon oil, saffron - you name it. They worked hard at being welcoming and informative. STELLAR guides.
FOOD: My husband and I are foodies. The experience of drinking daily mint tea (poured properly with bubbles ;-)), eating tagines and even street food from vendors, was awesome. We tried lots of different things, including fresh fish in Essaouiria - bought by us and then grilled in the fish market right before our eyes. We often had fresh squeezed, "any kind of fruit juice" right in the markets we visited.
Our ACCOMODATIONS were a mix of luxury to 'comfortable with other types of conveniences'. Our rooms were always clean, with private washrooms and tiled floors and walls. The riads were both historically interesting and visually appealing. We drank it all in! The luxury accomodations we had, sometimes with dinner included, were worth writing home about. The bedding was always crisp and clean. Lovely. (We did the luxury Sahara camp on our trip - it was one of the highlights of our trip for reasons that would be apparent if you go.)
OVER-ALL - I know this is a long review, but I totally recommend Sharon, Sallam and 'Morroco Immersion' even to people who have had no previous interest in going to Morocco!
It was a trip of a lifetime - and worth every penny we spent.