Fun Moroccan Adventure
Morocco | Mar 21 - Mar 29, 2026

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Nancy R.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Apr 05, 2026

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. Said was extremely responsive to all of our questions before we left. (I did not work with Abdellah; our friends planned the trip before we signed up.) Our driver, Samad was very courteous and timely (except the last morning). At the beginning, he did not give us a lot of information about where we were or where/when we'd be stopping, but supplied more as the trip went on, which we appreciated.
Our guide in Fez, Shariff, was excellent. We enjoyed our full day with him. We also enjoyed our stay at Riad Braya. The staff could not have been more friendly, helpful and accommodating.
We enjoyed our visit to the Sahara at the Orient Desert Camp. The camel ride to the camp was fun. The accommodations were not as luxurious as we had expected, but they were perfectly fine, and the staff was wonderful - friendly and accommodating. We did not really interact with any of the nomad families; we visited a camp and our guide explained what we saw in different tents. We also had a lot of fun riding in the sand on the atvs.
Dades was our favorite part of the trip! Dar Rihana Dades was fantastic! Mohammed could not have been any friendlier and helpful. The food was absolutely amazing (Michelin Star quality)! Breakfast and dinner were both special and delicious. We also loved our hike with Said through Monkey Finger Canyon. We learned to recognize the trees and enjoyed scrambling over the rocks and then walking through the village at the end of the hike. Our lunch with the Berber family was delicious, but not very exciting because we did not interact with the family.
Marakesh, while interesting, and a must-see, was somewhat disappointing. The hotel staff at Palais Sebban, was not very welcoming, and it was not an easy place to sleep because of noise. Our guide seemed more interested in all of the people he knew, and took us to shops where it seemed as if he would get a commission from their high prices.
We covered a lot of miles (a lot of car time), saw many beautiful sights, and had some really fun adventures!

Hotel Reviews
Dar Rihana Dades
Douar Aït Ouffi

I would give this hotel more than 5 stars if I could! The staff was amazing. They were extremely friendly, welcoming and helpful. The tea and cookies on the roof deck when we arrived were excellent. Breakfast with 3 fresh juices and the best egg dish was a fantastic start to the day. The dinner we had at the hotel was incredible. The chef deserves Michelin Stars! I can't recommend this hotel enough!

Authenticity & Character
The brothers worked so hard to welcome us and make us comfortable.
Location
walkable to other places in the small town, and view of the river
Staff
Mohammed took care of us from explaining things, to contact with our driver and guide, serving in the restaurant, and fixing our hot water.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Riad Braya
FesfE

The staff was very welcoming and friendly, and the riad was beautiful.

Authenticity & Character
Location
easy to walk around the medina from the riad
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Orient Desert Camp
Merzouga

Very welcoming environment in the desert. Staff was very friendly and helpful.

Staff
Palais Sebban
Marrakech

We were not welcomed with tea and snack when we arrived, as we were at all of our previous destinations. Everything seemed very rushed. We had a hard time sleeping the first night because of the noise in the courtyard below our room.

Location
Staff
Activity Reviews
Arrive in Casablanca,  Visit Hassan II Mosque, Transfer to Fes via Rabat
Arrive in Casablanca, Visit Hassan II Mosque, Transfer to Fes via Rabat
Morocco

The Mosque was closed because of Eid, but we were able to visit at the end of our trip, which was good. We made a couple of stops in Rabat which were really beautiful and interesting, but it would have been helpful to have a guide to explain what we were seeing at the Kasbah and palace. We thoroughly enjoyed wandering around Chellah Castle and gardens, including a nice lunch. It was probably the best way to help us get through the long day after overnight travel.

Guides, Drivers and Staff
We did not get much information from our driver at first. He dropped us at the Kasbah and told us where to meet him, but not what we were looking at. It was a bit confusing.
Transport
It was great to be met at the airport without worrying about how to get to our destination.
Guided Tour of Fez Medina
Guided Tour of Fez Medina
Fes

It was very helpful to go to the overlook to see the whole medina from across the valley. Shariff, our guide asked what we were interested in seeing, and took us to the Jewish Cemetary and Jewish Quarter, which we appreciated. He was very helpful guiding us through the medina, pointing out the different sections and architecture. Our tour lasted more like 6-7 hours which was wonderful for us.

Guides, Drivers and Staff
Shariff was excellent and coordinated well with our driver, Samad.
Live Like a Real Nomad: A Caravan Trek in the Sahara
Live Like a Real Nomad: A Caravan Trek in the Sahara
Merzouga

Our day didn't necessarily match the description. We still had a great day, and our guide explained a lot about Berber life. We did not interact with any people other than our guide/driver. We did love the Berber pizza we had for lunch!

Food
Loved the Berber pizza lunch!
ATV Ride in the Dunes of Merzouga
ATV Ride in the Dunes of Merzouga
Merzouga

We had a lot of fun riding the ATVs, and enjoyed the sights along the way. Our guides were great, especially the patience they showed when we got stuck in the sand.

Guides, Drivers and Staff
Excellent guides, very helpful and patient when we got stuck.
Private Transfer from Merzouga to Boumalne Dades via Tinghir & Todra Gorge
Private Transfer from Merzouga to Boumalne Dades via Tinghir & Todra Gorge
Morocco

We did appreciate the changes in the landscape on our drive. We did not stop in Rissani, and our tour of Tinghir felt rushed, but interesting. It was interesting to walk through the Todra Gorge, but we would have appreciated a longer walk, perhaps in a less crowded area.

Hike through Berber Villages
Hike through Berber Villages
Morocco

This was our favorite activity of the trip. (We all enjoy hiking.) The views were spectacular and we had a lot of fun scrambling over, around and under rocks and learning to recognize the different trees.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Fes to Merzouga Sunset Camel Ride via Midelt & Erfoud
Fes to Merzouga Sunset Camel Ride via Midelt & Erfoud
Morocco

It was a bit "hokey" but we did enjoy our camel ride, view of the desert sunset and entry to the desert camp.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our camel guide answered lots of questions as he led the camels. He also took some great pictures of us.
Local specialist: Abdellah El Asely
Abdellah
Abdellah El Asely
Local specialist in Marrakech | Replied on Apr 05, 2026
Hi Nancy, Thank you very much for your kind review and for taking the time to share your experience with us. I am really happy to hear that you enjoyed your trip overall and that everything felt smooth during the planning stage. It is also great to know that Samad took good care of you throughout the journey. I appreciate your note about the communication at the beginning and the timing on the last morning, and I will make sure to follow up on this. I am glad you had such a positive... Read more

Hi Nancy,

Thank you very much for your kind review and for taking the time to share your experience with us.

I am really happy to hear that you enjoyed your trip overall and that everything felt smooth during the planning stage. It is also great to know that Samad took good care of you throughout the journey. I appreciate your note about the communication at the beginning and the timing on the last morning, and I will make sure to follow up on this.

I am glad you had such a positive experience in Fes with your guide, and that you enjoyed your stay at Riad Braya. It is also wonderful to hear that you enjoyed the Sahara experience at Orient Desert Camp and the activities there.

It is especially nice to know that Dades Valley was your favorite part of the trip, and I will be sure to share your kind words with the team at Dar Rihana Dades.

Thank you as well for your honest feedback regarding Marrakech. I am sorry that this part of the experience did not fully meet your expectations. Based on your feedback, we will no longer be suggesting Palais Sebban to our future travelers, and we will review the guiding experience carefully to ensure it aligns with the level of service we aim to provide.

We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you again in the future.

Best Wishes,
Abdel