Ali Moujane

Our driver/guide Soufiane was AMAZING- so kind, caring, thoughtful, and safe. He anticipated our needs and was exceptionally knowledgeable. Marrakesh was great, our guide Hannan was superb, 11/10! The desert was a good experience, should’ve skipped Fed and stayed extra day in Sahara. Fes - interesting city with very cool sights. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. Unfortunately, we received the standard “tourist treatment” with most of the tour spent in the hustles of getting us to buy things after a short tour (tannery, tile) or explanation (carpet, cloth) shops. While interesting, it was all a preface to the hustle. I would have preferred hearing about architecture, history, culture, etc. IMO, paid guides should warn you it’s a hustle, not offer you up to them. That had been my beef with previous tours and I’d hoped that this one would be different. Alas, it was not.
Casablanca was not worth the time. Saw the mosque and that was it. Basically we had 1 day in tourist hustle and 1 with nothing to do. Overall a good trip but would make different choices and be more vocal about my desire for non-hustle options.

The hotel choices were wonderful. Our operation guide (Said) was incredibly responsive and helpful. Specifically he secured transport from Casablanca to Fes after a flight delay resulting in us missing our flight. Our driver Hamza was a very good driver, fun, friendly and kind. We shared with him that he could be even better if he studied more about the geography and history to share with customers. Kimkim and team created and delivered a wonderful vacation for us in beautiful Morocco!

Our trip to Morocco was terrific...we loved the diversity of venues, cities, and activities. Our driver/guide, Reda, was highly professional, informed, courteous, and caring. He went out of his way to ensure the highest quality trip possible.

Specific highlights include:

The quality of hotels was excellent and provided a genuine sense of the Moroccan culture.

Reda was incredibly sensitive to our comfort and drove with care and attention to our needs.

Local tour guides were competent and informative.

Overall, we found the people of Morocco to be culturally sensitive, historically informed, and curious about our own experiences.

Our vegan diet was accommodated quite well, and we were pleasantly surprised by the vegan options available throughout the country.

Hotel Reviews

Barceló Casablanca

Casablanca

This hotel was adequate. It was perfectly located for our needs given nearby access to two vegan restaurants and on hte walking route we had designed. The furniture is dated and in need of repair but it was fine. We did have a problem with no reservation on record for our first night but it all worked out.

Authenticity & Character

Unlike other hotels we stayed in, this seemed more corporate.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

It seems that comfortable furniture is at a premium in Morocco.

Dar Jasmine

Chefchaouen

I would recommend that Original Travel be clearer up front about the 150-step hike to the hotel. Reda did ask, but only when we were en route to the property. I understand that alternate arrangements would have been made if needed (fortunately, it wasn't) but that's something clients might want to consider well in advance of the drive. Once there, though, the property was lovely and the meals there exceptional. We did request a room change since the one assigned to us was essentially windowless.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Braya

FesfE

We loved all the riads since they offered authentic Moroccan tourist experiences.

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

A perfect two nights in the desert! The size (just 8 tents) was great...the food was wonderful...and the service was exceptional.

Ksar El Kabbaba

Skoura

The perfect resort experience at the perfect time in the trip.

Location

Skoura was a quiet hamlet but quite peaceful

Staff

Very attentive to our vegan needs. Exceptional dinners and breakfasts!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Again....lack of comfortable seating in our room seems to be a norm in Moroccan hotels. The two chairs on the patio were unusable. But there was great seating around the pool.

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

We stayed at Elegancia... it was lovely as were the staff. The vegan breakfast prepared by their chef exceeded all others and they actually found almond and soy milks for us!

Riad Mimouna

Essaouira

Same comment about the uncomfortable seating in the room....otherwise great view of the ocean. At breakfast, they prepared dishes that we requested.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Chefchaoeun to Fez via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

We never stopped at Moulay Idriss. Not sure we missed anything. The quick visit to Meknes was interesting,

Transfer from Fes to Merzouga via Erfoud & Camel Ride

Morocco

No camels for us... isn't the 'vegan' thing to do. The dates we bought in Erfoud are delicious!

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

It was fantastic to have a female guide to get her perspective as a women in Morocco.

Architectural Elegance: A Journey through the Hassan II Mosque

Morocco

As expected...

Quick Tour of Casablanca with your Driver-guide

Morocco

Saw all the key sights....walked for a full afternoon as well. Half a day is adequate for Casablanca

Casablanca to Chefchaouen via Rabat

Morocco

Would loved to have spent more time in Rabat. Chefchaouen looks better from afar than within.

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Good guide who seemed to know everyone and was very informed historically.

Desert Adventures around Merzouga

Merzouga

Our local guide never showed up and the last minute replacement wasn't very well prepared. But, it turned out ok... We enjoyed our dune buggy ride

Guided Tour of Essaouira

Essaouira

The least useful of the guides...mostly silent on our walk. He answered all questions but otherwise had little to say.

Guided Tour of Skoura Oasis and Lunch with a Local Family

Morocco

It wasn't really a lunch with a local family as billed. Our lunch was at a kasbah owned by a family but catering to tourists. The meal turned out fine after a mistaken beginning. We really loved the guided walk through the oasis.

Guided Tour of Majorelle Garden

Marrakesh

Not guided...self-guided

KimKim is a very good group to book with. We started working with Ali and had good written and verbal communications with him.
Our trip was then turned over to Said, and he was easy to work with, and responded promptly when we reached out to him before and during the trip. In one city our tour guide didn’t show at our hotel. We contacted Said and he was going to quickly have a replacement, but we didn’t want to wait. He compensated by arranging for a guide on a different day, at a different site.

We were happy with the accommodations they booked for us through Original Travel. We were treated extremely well by everyone at all 6 locations.

The best decision we made was to travel by private car and driver. Our driver/guide was Mustapha and he was GREAT!
Mustapha was professional, friendly, and very accommodating. He did all the driving, handled all the luggage, and knew all the best places to stop for food, photos, shopping, and clean bathrooms. We felt very comfortable and safe with him. He provided a lot of information about the cities, the country, and its history. The trip would not have been the same with out him.
Steve and Lorraine. N.Y.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Dar Mounir

Chefchaouen

The hotel is well located. The breakfast is OK. We did run into a small problem of our own making, and the young man and woman at the front desk went well out of their way to help us. They could not have been any nicer as they spent an hour of their time helping us. We were so grateful! Cars can not pull up to the hotel, and so the hotel sent an employee out to help us with our luggage. All of the hotel staff treated us very well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room and bed was adaquate.

Orient Desert Camp

Merzouga

Said the owner made us feel very welcome. The men serving our meals were great. They made us a special dinner the 2 nd night. One of the men in particular had a great sense of humor, and had us laughing several times. The tents and beds were comfortable and had showers and private bathrooms. The driver who took us out for the day, Ramadan, spoke a little English, and he took great care of us, and brought us to a great restaurant for lunch.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In the Sahara but not to far from the local sites. If you have the time go for the ATV ride in the desert.

Staff

We were treated incredibly well. Thank you Said and the men who work there!

Cleanliness & Comfort

It exceeded our expectations.

Riad Braya

FesfE

Beautiful Riad. Staff is amazing. We were very pleased. Breakfast was exceptional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It’s in the Medina. We did not go out at night. Our guide met us at the hotel.

Staff

We were treated like Royalty. Everyone is so nice and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Ksar Ighnda

Ait Benhaddou

Really nice property. We arrived late and left early. Wish we had more time to enjoy it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to the Kasbah and everything else.

Staff

The staff in the dining room were very accommodating. They serve a large dinner buffet, but it was late and we only wanted a small meal. They went out of their way to allow us to only eat what we wanted, for less than the full price, which was reasonable priced anyhow.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Bayti

Marrakech

We had a very nice room, and the staff was great. We were treated incredibly well.

Authenticity & Character

We were very happy with our room.

Location

Easy to get to the local square and market place. Many restaurants and shopping close by.

Staff

The staff was great. The manager, the wait staff, everyone is so nice and treated us very well.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

ATV Ride in the Dunes of Merzouga

Merzouga

The guide who took me out was very friendly and helpful. He took pictures and video of me on his phone and sent them to me.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I just concluded a 10-day trip in Morocco, the itinerary and actvities were organized by Ali and then supported by Said. Overall I had an awesome experience as we traveled from Marrakech to the Merzouga desert areas followed by visits to Fes, Tangier, Rabat and eventually, Casablanca. Each place had their own distinct character and culture. Our local guides were fanstastic and I learnt a lot about the Moroccan history and they ways of life. I do have to mention the delicious Tangia and Tagine preparations; the likes of which I have never experienced before. A special mention about our driver, Rachid. I travel a lot and have worked with many travel tour operators, guides and drivers. Rachid is exceptional at what he does. Not only he is a great and more importantly, a safe driver, he went above and beyond his job and took care of every requirement of ours. I have to mention an incident where our vehicle suffered damage on account of flooded road conditions on our way to Merzouga desert. It was past sunset and all of us were worried about getting stranded in the middle of nowhere. Rachid organized the locals to get a hold of a mechanic and with the help of ordinary citizens managed to get our vehicle to a driveable condition. What was the most important aspect of this episode was the calmness and control that Rachid demonstrated. I did not see him getting flustered or in panic; he calmly went about the process of getting the vehicle restored. I and all others in my group were really impressed by this.