Morocco Desert Tours & Experiences

We just completed an incredible trip through Morocco organized by Hassan and his company, and I cannot recommend them highly enough.

From the very beginning, Hassan was responsive, thoughtful, flexible, and genuinely interested in tailoring the trip to what Kate and I wanted. He listened carefully to our interests, answered countless questions, made adjustments when requested, and created an itinerary that struck a perfect balance between comfort, authenticity, adventure, and relaxation. He was very patient as we went through the process of creating our itinerary which involved tweaking here and there.

The accommodations throughout the trip were outstanding and each had its own unique character. The riads in Fes and Marrakech were beautiful, intimate, and full of personality, while our stay in Merzouga and the luxury desert camp in the Sahara were unforgettable. Riding camels into the dunes at sunset and spending the night in the desert beneath the stars was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The tents themselves were remarkably comfortable and far beyond anything we expected.

A huge part of what made the trip so special was our local guide, driver and on-the-ground host, Hamid, who was with us throughout the journey. Hamid was wonderful — friendly, funny, outgoing, and knowledgeable. His English was excellent, he always made us feel comfortable, and he seamlessly coordinated everything with the local guides and experiences Hassan arranged along the way. Whether navigating the medinas in Fes and Marrakech, the long drive through the Atlas Mountains, and the remote desert villages we went through, he handled everything for us..

What made this trip stand apart was that we truly felt we were experiencing the real Morocco through the lens of both Hassan and Hamid. The trip felt deeply authentic and personal in a way that would have been almost impossible to replicate on our own. We visited places, met people, and had experiences we never would have discovered independently.

While budget was never our primary concern, we were honestly astonished by the value provided relative to the quality of the accommodations, logistics, guides, transportation, and overall experience. Having every detail thoughtfully coordinated removed all stress from the trip and allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in Morocco and its culture.

This was one of the most memorable trips we have ever taken, and much of that is thanks to Hassan and Hamid.

We had an excellent trip.
We were very lucky with the weather during the first two weeks of May — it was perfect for sightseeing.
Tayeb was a wonderful driver: thoughtful, punctual, accommodating, and fluent in English.
The itinerary was excellent and allowed us to experience the country’s diversity — from vibrant cities, to the High Mountains, to the desert, and finally the sea.
Although we very much enjoyed staying in the riads, it was lovely to end our trip in Essaouira at an international hotel with all the amenities and right beside the ocean.

Highlights
• The blue city of Chefchaouen, including our walk to the Spanish Mosque
• Volubilis — a fascinating historical site
• Merzouga — sleeping in a tent under the stars and the camel ride
• Boumalne Dades and the wonderful Todra Gorge
• Being lucky enough to experience the Rose Festival and see the rose fields in bloom
• Marrakesh, We thoroughly enjoyed the Majorelle Gardens (though we would also have enjoyed visiting other exhibits), the balloon ride and the excellent cooking class

Upon arriving in Casablanca, I would recommend touring Hassan II mosque and driving immediately to Rabat.
General Comments
Casablanca – Barcelo Casablanca. The city is very noisy. Recommend room on upper floor near the back of the building.
Rabat – Riad Kalaaz We had a wonderful breakfast. The room was a split level with the stairs going down very close to the entrance door. They should have railings for safety.
Enjoyed seaside lunch at Asilah
Tangier – Palais Zohia . Excellent location. Beautiful inner courtyards. Room is a little small. Enjoyed medina . Good local guide. He recommended excellent restaurant for supper.
Chefchaoeun – Taj Chefchaoeun Very nice hotel. Lots of stairs to reach hotel. Very good guide who recommended many excellent spots for photos. We enjoyed the walk our guide recommended to the Spanish mosque at sunset.
Volubilis thoroughly enjoyed walking through the Roman ruins,
Fes - Riad El Amine Fes – Lovely room. Great roof top restaurant. Beautiful courtyard.
Guide was good and necessary as the Medina is large and very confusing to navigate.
Merzouga - Tiziri Luxery camp. Loved sleeping in the tent and riding the camel.
Boumaine Dadas -Dar Rihana Dades Lovely hotel. (Towels were a little hard). Excellent food!
Marrakesh - Riad Atrium and Spa. The courtyard was very nice. The room was good but the rug inside the room was very worn. We thoroughly enjoyed the Majorelle Garden. The food tour was excellent. (I think his name was Souheil) We very much enjoyed the Mechoui and Tangia. The Balloon ride and cooking classes in Marrakesh were amazing.
In general the internet reception was not very good.

Incredible Experience – Ask for Omar!

We cannot say enough amazing things about our experience with Morocco Immersion Tour and Adventures! If you are planning a trip to Morocco, do yourself a favor and book with them right now.
The seamless experience started with Sharon, who was fantastic to work with during the planning phase. She was incredibly responsive, available, and attentive from our very first conversation. We had a rough idea of what we wanted to see but lacked a clear vision. Sharon patiently mapped out a customized itinerary, listened to our feedback, tweaked the details, and answered our endless list of questions. She even provided a comprehensive packing list that had us feeling totally prepared and confident long before we boarded our flight.

While the planning was top-notch, our guide and driver, Omar, truly made this trip an unforgettable adventure! Omar drove us across the entire country and completely stole the show. He went above and beyond every single day to ensure we had absolutely everything we needed, constantly checking in to make sure we were comfortable and having fun. Thanks to his expertise, we went way beyond the standard city tourist spots and ventured deep into gorgeous rural landscapes and hidden gems we never would have discovered on our own. Omar didn't just drive us around; he immersed us in the local culture, and taught us so much about the country. His fantastic energy and care truly made us feel at home. Omar’s exceptional service turned this vacation into the trip of a lifetime. We are so grateful for the memories and highly recommend this company to anyone looking for an authentic, stress-free Moroccan adventure!

Hotel Reviews

ONOMO Hotel Casablanca Airport

Nouaceur

Great location for early flight out. Shuttle to the airport on the hour.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The service in the restaurant was extremely slow.

Riad Chbanate

Essaouira

This was our favorite place that we stayed and we wish we had spent more time there. The entire Riad, from the lobby, dining room, rooftop and rooms was gorgeous. Dinner in front of the fire and breakfast the next morning were two of the best meals of the entire trip. The location within the Medina was quiet, but close to shopping and the seafront.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad La Croix Berbère Luxe

Marrakech

The location of this Riad can't be beat. It is in the Medina, but near the exit so that you can get in and out easily. The inside has been beautifully renovated. There is lots of comfortable seating on the rooftop and you could choose to have breakfast up there or downstairs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were a bit small.

Kasbah Roseville

Kalaat M'Gouna

This property was lovely with stunning views of the surrounding town and distant mountains. Our second floor rooms were spacious and comfortable. The Riad was amazingly managed by Osama who served as porter for our luggage, as well as cook and server. He takes such pride in what he does and is a real asset.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Riad is not near anything else.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sahara Stars Luxury Camp

Merzouga

We arrived at the Camp on camels at sunset, which was both beautiful and hilarious! The tents were very nice and clean, and once the A/C came on after dinner, we were very comfortable. The food was average, but service was fine. They had entertainment around the campfire at night. We were too tired to participate but it sounded like all of the other guests were having a great time. We loved our adventurous truck ride out of the desert in the morning!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Farouzi Fes

Fes

We had a lovely stay at Riad Farouzi Fes. Ibraham and Sabir went above and beyond to make our stay incredible. The amount of food at breakfast was over the top! There were eggs, pastries, fruit, fresh juice and coffee. When we got back from our tour in the afternoon they served us tea and cookies on the rooftop terrace. They always made sure we knew where we were going, and escorted us themselves when available.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Casablanca to Fes Via Volubilis

Morocco

We opted to visit the Hassan II Mosque instead of Volubilis. We spent our time on the ride to Fes getting to know Omar and asking tons of questions about the country. We got a laugh seeing livestock being transported on top of a truck!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

We had an informative tour of Marrakech including sites just outside and within the Medina. Although not part of the guided tour, we visited the Majorelle Gardens on our own and it was a trip favorite.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Seafood Lunch from the Wharf

Essaouira

Rarely do you have the opportunity to purchase fresh seafood right off of the boat and have it cooked for you right there. What a bargain compared to what we pay in the US!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dades Valley to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou

Morocco

We stopped briefly in Ouarzazate and took a look at the Taourirt Kasbah. Our next stop was Aït Benhaddou, and Omar took us on a nice walk through the ancient, but still inhabited, hillside village. We walked all the way to the top, to the ancient "bank" building (which, unfortunately was badly damaged in the September 2023 earthquake). The view down across the village and the valley beyond was breathtaking. On the way to Marrakech we traversed the Atlas Mountains along the Tizi n'Tichka Path. We stopped at the top to take in the beautiful views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day with the Locals in the Valley of Roses

Morocco

This was our favorite day of the trip! We started the day with Sharon's husband, Abdou, at a local rose farm and had an opportunity to pick roses with the locals and learn a little bit about how much this crop means to the area. We then went to the local market to choose vegetables that we took to the home of a local family. We spent the afternoon getting to know the family and how they live, and spent time with them in the kitchen watching them cook a traditional Couscous using the vegetables that we brought with us. A neighbor came over and gave all of us henna tattoos. We left this visit on such a high! On the way back to the Riad we had a chance to shop for some local rose products.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Merzouga to Dades Valley Via Todgha Gorge

Morocco

After a stunning sunrise and breakfast we had a fun ride slaloming the dunes on a 4 x 4 ride from the tent camp, we were reunited with Omar. Our stop to see the ancient irrigation tunnels was very informative and impressive. We had a private guide give us a tour of the Tinghir Palmeraie. It was amazing to see all of the fruits, vegetables and grains that grow in the Oasis behind the homes. Our guide, Zak, treated us to a visit with his father’s “first” wife’s residence in the new part of the village. We also visited a Berber rug cooperative to see the rugs are made and we had a chance to purchase rugs too. Finally, we took a ride through the Todgha Gorge, a natural wonder. It was a holiday so it was very crowded, but we liked seeing the locals spending time with their families swimming in the river.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes to Merzouga via Ifraine and Azrou - Camel Trek to Desert Camp

Morocco

This was our longest day of travel in the van, and we needed to arrive in the desert by a certain time in order to be on the camel ride to the camp during sunset. The day was rushed because of this. We would have liked spending a little more time in Ifrane and with the Barbary Macaques along the way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

Omar and Abdul met us first thing in the morning at our Riad and escorted us to the van for a driving tour around the perimeter of Fez which gave us an overview of the city. We walked and learned how the Mellah-Jewish Quarter with exterior balconies differed from those of the Muslim Arabs. The ceramic co op provided an interesting insight into how the mosaics were made from the reverse side. The tannery was smelly as expected but it was interesting to learn how leather is processed. Abdul left us at a delicious and peaceful restaurant in the heart of the Medina while he went to pray.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Driving Tour of Casablanca

Casablanca

This was a last minute addition to our trip. We heard from others that had visited Morocco that we should not miss the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca. Sharon was able to adjust our trip and get us set up with a tour fairly last minute. We are so pleased that we were able to tour this stunning mosque.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We visited this site right after landing in Morocco. We found Omar easily, and after a long trip from the States he stopped and got us some delicious coffees on the way to the mosque. He also took us to a great restaurant for our first meal.