Exceptional week in Morocco—Original Travel, Karim, Tiziri, Hanan and Palais Sebban
Morocco
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Nov 5 - Nov 12, 2022
Ali and Said from Original Travel were very responsive in answering questions and adjusting our itinerary to match our preferences.
Our weeklong guide Karim was outstanding and really improved our experience. His spoken English is excellent. More than just a driver, he added a lot of local knowledge about the places we went, and also frequently pulled over at scenic vistas or interesting spots and took pictures of us, as well. Cheerful and outgoing, he seemed to know others at all the stops, and also helped us with calling local places for reservations. He also introduced us to a great guide at Volubilis, and advised at which stops a guide was a good idea versus those where we could go without.
Speaking of local guides, Hanan Edaali was our guide for a walking tour of Marrakech. She was delightful, and showed us some details in the medina that we would have never experienced on our own. We didn’t see hardly any other female guides during our visit—she is worth seeking out.
One of the highlights of the trip was Tiziri camp in Merzouga for our Sahara desert experience. Ahmed the proprietor went beyond the expected experience to offer campfire q&a about Berber culture and Moroccan history. We were so glad we chose to stay two nights there, which allowed us to have a day tour around the region to learn more about local history, culture and geography.
One final highlight was the Palais Sebban riad in Marrakech—what a wonderful lodging experience. Beautiful decorations and furnishings, great location, friendly staff—highly highly recommended.
Hotel Reviews
Ahmed and his team were incredible. Beyond the hospitality (food, wine, music, accommodations), he offered so much local knowledge and passion. Also we made the wonderful decision to stay two nights, which allowed us to have an outstanding day tour on the region. It also allowed us to pass by a lot of the dozens of other camps in the area. Tiziri is superior with just six tents and some space and dunes between it and the next one. Nearby were larger camps lined up one next to the other—Tiziri’s set-up is so much better.
The location was fine but not great. The food offerings appeared limited (we went out to eat, though breakfast was good). Their bar literally ran out of wine and a local brand of beer while we were there. The staff was very helpful, however.
Beware where your room is located. The Salam Fes is one of evidently at least 3 co-owned neighboring properties. For reasons never explained to us, we were instead initially put in one across the street with subpar lodging, a faulty toilet and a lower posted online price than Salam Fes. After complaining (including great support from Original Travel) we were moved to another Riad on the block called Scherezade, which was fantastic.
Great location and gorgeous, opulent decorations and outdoor spaces including terraces.
Activity Reviews
Absolutely worth staying a second night not only to enjoy Tiziri, but to experience this tour with Ahmed.
It is 100% worth having a guide, at least if it is Hanan Alaadi. You will learn so much more.
Go with a guide if you can—guides get to skip the long ticket line and go straight in.
Hi David,
Thank you for devoting some time to writing such an awesome review and sharing your recent journey with us.
We really delighted to hear that you had a positive experience with our company and you were satisfied with our work. Our entire team is committed to providing high-quality services for our guests and making their trips unforgettable. I'll make sure to share your awesome review with my colleagues and Karim, in particular, to ensure we continue to improve on delivering exceptional services.
Thank you again and we look forward to welcoming you back soon.
Best,
Ali