We are very proud of the holidays we arrange in Morocco but no one says it better than you, our wonderful customers who have tried and tested our holidays….
Mary & David March 2023:
Just thought you might like some feedback from our recent Morocco trip that you facilitated for us. This was a wonderful experience, and so good to embark on a real adventure again post-covid. We played it very safe last year with trips to familiar places like Minorca, France and Sardinia. This Moroccan trip was real food for the soul!
Even Easyjet didn’t spoil the party. Slight delays both ways, but nothing major. It was quite an experience getting through passport control upon arrival in Marrakech as ours was the last of about four flights all arriving around the same time in the evening. About 1½ hours of zigzaggy queues! One word of advice (that I had probably been told but hadn’t heeded): keep hold of your boarding pass, as the border police will not let you through without seeing this as well as your passport, and you need to know name of the first hotel/riad where you will be staying.
We knew that we would need some dirham straight away and had duly taken some sterling to change at the airport. Having gone past the initial bureau de change, believing that their rates may not be so good, we found ourselves out in the main concourse where there are only ATM machines. So we took out about £100 worth (our UK bank gave us very good rates), and then changed the sterling the following day in Marrakech with no problem.
Tabarak Transport met and transferred us to Riad Hikaya in the southern Kasbah part of the Medina as arranged. It is worth noting that any travellers arriving are met immediately outside the airport arrivals building. It was only a fifteen or so minute drive, and wonderful to be dropped right outside the Riad’s front door, something that is just not possible with many of the riads that are tucked away down little alleyways.
First impressions of Marrakech: We find it always takes us a day to get our bearings and the feel of a new place and to work out how cautious or adventurous we should be. The Kasbah area is quite ‘rough and ready’ in places and can feel a bit overwhelming at first, but we soon felt comfortable walking around and exploring. The main hazards come from all the motorbikes whizzing along alleyways far too narrow to comfortably accommodate pedestrians and bikes, and there is an unpleasant level of exhaust fumes!
Riad Hikaya, and also Riad El Zohar where we stayed at the end of our trip, were both amazing places. Each time, it felt a bit like stepping into Dr Who’s tardis as you went through a fairly ordinary wooden front door into the tranquility of the beautifully and comfortably refurbished courtyard, rooms and roof terrace. In both riads, the welcome was really warm from the manager/owner and all the staff. We really felt as though we were being welcomed into someone’s home rather than a guesthouse/boutique hotel.
On our return to Marrakech after our adventures over the Atlas mountains and into the desert, the medina now felt quite within our comfort zone, although inevitably we got a bit lost trying to find Riad El Zohar, despite very clear directions and a map! I would now know to ask to be dropped off one road away from the Ksour Gate outside the Diaffa restaurant where there are loads of porters with hand carts who will take you and your luggage straight to the riad for only a 30 dirham tip (about £2.50).
There are so many places to see in Marrakech, but it is as much fun and as interesting to wander around the souks as to visit the museums and gardens. As we only had 2½ days in total in Marrakech we chose to visit the Bahia Palace on our first day and then took the advice of the delightful English owner of Riad El Zohar to visit Le Jardin Secret and Pacha’s Palace (Dar el Bacha) with its famous Bacha coffee house in the Mouassine area, and also go to the Maison de la Photographie. All these places gave us a real flavour of Marrakech and were not quite as manic and crowded as Jardin Majorelle, the Saadian Tombs or Koutoubia Gardens (which are obviously also worth a visit if you have more time). We did of course do tours of the Djemaa El Fna both in the daytime and in the evening, but I personally found this a very crowded and quite stressful place!
As much as I enjoyed getting to know and experience a bit of Marrakech, I was particularly excited to be going out into the mountains and desert.
Our driver, despite only being two years older than our youngest son at 27 years old, was very experienced and knowledgeable about the route and sights along the way and a lovely guide for us. He seemed to have an uncanny knack of arriving at the various viewpoints and eating places just before other tourist parties and so we always had unimpeded photo opportunities and minimal waits for comfort breaks and food.
Mohammed took us on the scenic detour off the N9, via Telouet. The scenery was indeed spectacular. I had read that although the Ksar of Ait Benhaddou is a very impressive UNESCO site it is also, because of this very fact, quite overrun with visitors. Mohammed suggested that we stop, therefore, a bit earlier at the wonderful and somewhat crumbling Kasbah de Telouet. We duly wandered around at our leisure for just 20 dirham each admiring the mosaics and the spectacular scenery. The public toilets were both free and clean and the food at the little restaurant “Le Lion D’or Atlas” was both cheap and excellent. Mohammed offered us the opportunity to stop and visit Ait Benhaddou but there were, as predicted, minibuses and coaches chaotically stopped everywhere, so much to his relief we followed his suggestion to go a couple of kilometres beyond to a convenient viewpoint for some great photos back of the Ksar instead.
All the accommodation booked by fleewinter was just perfect for us. Very accurately described on your website, and it all felt very authentically Moroccan. Dar Qamar in Agdz was hidden off a bumpy side road and behind a myriad of old clay walls. It was another haven of tranquility and lovingly refurbished by the French owner who had visited Morocco in his youth and fallen in love with the country.
The absolute highlight of the trip for me was the section beyond “the end of the road” in M’Hamid. Yes, it was bumpy and hot in the car even with the air-conditioning, but the ever-changing landscape of the desert as we got nearer to the high Erg Chigaga dunes was AMAZING.
We had a very warm welcome at the camp and were very impressed with the luxury tent. Definitely glamping rather than camping, but that was what we had in mind! The climb up to the ridge of the high sand dune beyond the camp in the early evening to watch the sun set in the west and the nearly full moon rise in the east over the sea of dunes was an unforgettable experience, captured by many photos. I am sure it was partly the situation, but by far the best meal we enjoyed throughout the whole stay was the dinner in the camp: a hearty vegetable soup, both vegetable and meat tagines, spaghetti and fresh fruit – all freshly prepared in the camp.
The donkeys wandering through the camp in the middle of the night periodically braying was slightly unnerving until we realised they were just ‘nomad donkeys’ and not some howling banshees of the desert! Watching the sunrise the next morning over the desert was also very special.
Going for a camel ride wasn’t particularly on our agenda, and was certainly out of my husband’s comfort zone. However, once offered, it just seemed the natural thing to do. Once the camel had stood up and you got used to the lolling motion, it was just an amazing, slightly surreal and very special hour or so of my life. I had to keep pinching myself that I really was on the back of a camel, crossing the dunes in the midst of the Sahara desert.
The scenery on the return journey to Marrakech, via an overnight stay at Bab Rimal in Foun Zguid, was equally stunning. We even had the (I daresay unplanned) excitement of getting the car stuck in a sand dune until Mohammed’s friends from the camp came to help push and pull our way out!
All I can really say, fleewinter, is thank you for listening to us, making suggestions, taking our requests on board, and ultimately arranging and booking such a wonderful trip for us. Everything went smoothly, even the transfer of our cases from one riad to the other whilst we were off on our travels. You even arranged for the weather to be wonderful whilst we were out in Morocco and the UK was languishing in cold, sleety rain! I would have no hesitation in recommending you to my friends.
Call us for advise from one of our Morocco specialist.
