Hamza EL Asely

We had a wonderful 8-day trip through Morocco, led by Noureddine and Yassine from Original Travels. We started off in Tangier and spent the next week on a tour through Chefchaouen, Fes, Merzouga, Ait Benhaddou, Marrakech, and Casablanca. Along the way, we explored the Instagram-worthy sites of the blue city, the Roman ruins of Volubilis, the thousands of alleys—and dead ends—in the Medina of Fes, the towering sand dunes of the Sahara, picturesque hillside kasbahs overlooking green oases below, the snow-covered heights of the Atlas Mountains, the contrast of the lively markets and peaceful gardens of Marrakech, and the enormous scale and beauty of the Hassan II Mosque.

The KimKim team worked with me on crafting a customized itinerary that incorporated all of the sites and activities we wanted and none of what we didn’t. They very graciously worked with me on changes to our travel plans and also were able to work around the Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament being hosted at the same time in Morocco as that necessitated adjustments to hotel bookings. I’ve never used a travel agency before and I have to say that it was so nice not to have to worry about researching locations, figuring out transportation, working out agendas, etc. It was all taken care of for me.

We met our guide, Nourredine, and our driver, Yassine, at the train station in Tangier and they really were a part of what made the trip work so well. Our mini tour bus provided ample space for all our bags in addition to 4 rows of seats to accommodate 5 people! Needless to say, it was a comfortable ride. I’ve never liked the idea of going on tours as I preferred to avoid the big crowds, so this was a perfect way to get the convenience of the tour with the private feeling of traveling on your own. Nourredine did an amazing job of ensuring our activities went smoothly and were set up to be ready to go as soon as we arrived at each location. We would pull up to a location and a guide would be waiting to escort us on our tour or we’d pull up at the next hotel or riad only to be ushered to a seating area to enjoy mint tea and cookies while our bags and check in process were taken care of for us. Nourredine handled curve balls without ever indicating that there was any problem, including a reschedule of our guided walk through Chefchaouen from the afternoon of our first day to the morning of our second when we told him we were simply too tired. Same thing for the next day as our tour of Volubilis was pushed back when we stayed longer than planned in Chefchaouen. Nourredine would make calls on our drive to the next location and ensure that the timing was worked out. We didn’t even have to worry about getting a table at the restaurants we stopped at on the road; Nourredine would walk in and arrange for our table, then we’d be escorted in to be seated. Definitely royal treatment that I could get used to having!

As for Yassine, it was a pleasure to not have to worry about getting to our various stops safely. I’m usually pretty adventurous when it comes to driving in other countries, but road conditions in some of the more remote areas were not great, and it was comforting to have the confidence that we were being driven by an expert. When going through one small town at the edge of the desert, we encountered a flooded main road and had to navigate through the back alleys of the town to make it past and let me just say that Yassine really knew the dimensions of the vehicle quite well as there was not much room to spare to get through a couple of spots. Nature also threw us a wrinkle of heavy snow in the Atlas Mountains and Yassine had already taken this into account and planned an alternate route. Finally, when my daughter woke up not feeling well the morning before the last pass through the Atlas Mountains, Yassine was absolutely wonderful to her, taking a seat out of the bus so she could sit and admire the view at one of the roadside stops and then driving at a slower-than-usual speed in the mountain switchbacks to keep her comfortable. The driver is often forgotten on these sorts of trips, but our experience showed that having a good one can be quite critical.

Overall, I will sum up by saying that from booking to execution, this experience was a wonderful one and I wholeheartedly recommend KimKim, Original Travels, Nourredine, and Yassine to anyone who is considering a trip to Morocco.

Our trip to Morocco booked with kimkim was amazing. The details, communication, and customization met our expectations. We understood and were willing to pay the extra cost associated with booking through a travel company, however, the cost breakdown was hidden, so you didn't really know what you were paying for.

Communication with the local specialists, Hamza and Said (with Original Travels) was great. They understood what was important to us and made sure we were kept in the loop with any changes. While everything was taken care of as far as hotels and guides, we had to proactively ask for confirmation #s, so we could feel comfortable and secure prior to arriving in Morocco. They provided all the details we asked for and we received everything we needed prior to arriving in Morocco.

What made our trip the absolute greatest was our local driver, Soufiane. He was the one that really made the magic and experience come to life for us. He struck the perfect balance of professional and personal - always making sure we were taken care of and comfortable. Our precocious 6 year old son was thrilled to be in his presence and befriended him almost immediately. By the 2nd day, Soufiane went from just being our driver to a friend to travel with. He was punctual, kind, and genuinely gracious. Without him our trip would have felt mediocre. If you travel to Morocco and book with kimkim, be sure to ask for Soufiane - you won't regret it. Thank you, Soufiane, for making this trip unforgettable and helping us create some core memories. You'll always be part of our experience there.

Overall, had a good experience with Kimkim. I had good experience with our guide Mustapha. He had good understanding about what we wanted and that made a difference. Accommodations were overall good, except in one place where we had to walk a lot as vehicles were not allowed. Hopefully, they can get a place closer to where vehicles are allowed. Food was also good except in one place, Boumalne Dades at Rihana Dades which appeared to be expensive for the dinner and choice was not good; breakfast was also average here. We were able to see everything we wanted and happy to recommend to our friends. The only glitch we had was during the final plan, when we were told that Marrakech was not inour tour itinerary. this is the most important place. During planning, on Sep 26th there was a half day tour of Marrakesh. When they updated the trip plan to include Rabat instead of Chefchaouen, I thought other sections were not changed. Anyway, after landing , we decided to leave later in the afternoon the next day allowing for us to see Marrakech and in the end it worked out. Glad that we went to several cities within a week and Mustapha helped to achieve that.

Hotel Reviews

Barceló Casablanca

Casablanca

Usual city hotel.

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

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Riad Kalaa 2

Rabat

Nice Riad.

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Staff

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Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Could be better. there was water dripping from the sink. dinner choice was not there and cost was higher than expected. Breakfast was average. It was away from the main route and we have to drive further to reach this place.

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Riad Braya

FesfE

Nice place to Stay. Beautiful living area.

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathroom needs a curtain as others can see when a person is having bath, and the rest have to be outside the room.

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

Great experience in the camp

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Staff

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Riad Diamond of Marrakech

Marrakech

Amazing Riad.

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Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Guided tour was good. the guide explained well.

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Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Private Transfer From Merzouga to Fez

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Transfer from Dades to Merzouga via Todra Gorges & Erfoud

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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