About Us
Testimonials
"I have worked with Liz over many years and direct groups and individuals to her if I feel that her services are more suitable than ours. Her attention to detail and her customer handling skills are excellent; I have never heard a bad word about her from any past customers, only words of thanks and praise. We will continue working with Liz where and when the need requires; she is easy to work with, thoughtful and enthusiastic in her work and her passion for Morocco. If I can be of further help or assistance please do not hesitate to contact me."
Vince Cobley, MD Land Rover Experience (East of England) and owner of Pro-Trax Off Road Adventures, which coordinates Land Rover Owner International's Adventure Club, www.protrax.co.uk
"I run photographic trips to Morocco for Light and Land and Liz is invaluable to me. At the planning stage her knowledge of the country enables us to work out an itinerary that is both rewarding and achievable and, during the trips, her contacts and enthusiasm for the country mean that I can concentrate on the group knowing that our needs will be well looked after, any problems quickly resolved and, what is more, there is someone to provide the group members with insight and access to the rich and diverse culture of the Berbers."
Giles Stokoe, www.lightandland.co.uk
"Authentic Morocco were the natural guides, for our expedition in Morocco, who suggested key locations and expert advice. The Erg Chigaga dune area offered rich photographic opportunities to film amazing desert scenery and genuine nomadic tribes. I'm very pleased to have chosen Authentic Morocco to assist us in our visit."
Tony Lee, Producer, Discovery Channel
"Dear Liz, just to say that the group had a very enjoyable trip and were most complimentary about Abdoullah who, they say, was an excellent guide and extremely knowledgeable. Unbelievably the highlight was travelling from Marrakech into the Atlas Mountains to a remote village only to discover that they had a TV to watch the rugby on …. most impressive!! And finally, a big thank you to you for arranging what was a truly unforgettable experience for them."
UK Fuels
"Saturdays' trip into the atlas and to the khazbar was fantastic and Ali was a first class guide, knowing exactly where to plant us tourists for the best pictures and ever watchful of the gathering hawkers. Ali suggested lunch in a cafe just opposite the khazbar for lunch and, whilst the name escapes me, the food, service and ambience were actually the best all weekend … surpassing the hotel by a long, long, way. Simple things are often the best. For Sunday, Hassan, what can we say about Hassan. The guide who seemed to know everyone in Marrakech and they all had complete respect for this man. It made us feel quite safe and, whilst we knew he would lead us down the garden path to "certain" stalls within the soukh, they always seemed to be the very best, most hospitable and most helpful; the visit to the natural remedy pharmacy was unusual but a stroke of genius. Many, many thanks!"
David and Terry
"Colin and I both had a fantastic time with. Our highlights were visiting the berber nomads in the desert and staying the night with them and also meeting up with Mohammid and our camel trekking. Our driver Bara was amazing. Quiet in his own way we learnt a great deal from him as he grew up in the desert as a child. One suggestion to impove our trip - I realised one or two nights the guides did not stay in the same hotel/riad with us but went elsewhere. This was a night where we stayed somewhere quite expensive, more than usual. It would be fantastic if both guides were able to stay with us as this assists with the bonding process making a more enjoyable trip. If this was personal choice that would be fine but I would hate to think it was an issue of the money for accommodation. I felt terrible about this as though the guides were not good enough to be staying with us. But that is the only way to improve I believe. Please pass our warm regards on to both guides and thank them for a great time learning about the culture of Morocco and we would love to be back sometime soon to go again. We actually didn’t leave Morocco with meeting tour guides we met some new 'mates'!"
Kristy and Colin
"We enjoyed the whole trip and the way Abdulla did the desert bit was exceptionally good; there we were joined by an Australian couple (second 4x4) and having two vehicles helped unstick each other when the sand bogged one of us down. I will be recommending Authentic Morocco to photographers I know."
Derek P
"We had an absolutely fantastic time with Abdoulah who was wonderful! The trip was great and he showed us so many interesting things that we would never have seen or been able to approach on our own. To know where to eat, how much to tip who, where to buy stuff and how much to pay, made the holiday painless - especially the effect he had on the children who are normally quite hard to winkle out of the car when tired! Please thank him for us and apologise for making him so late on the last day. We missed him after he had gone! As for highlights, I think for the girls it was the camel ride and camping in the desert; for myself it was the friendly and such trustworthy people, wandering round the Kasbahs, sitting in the roadside cafes and just being driven around without having to plan anything! The only regret we had was not making the tour one day longer as it was a bit of a rush at times - and when we got to Telouet Abdullah told us of the guesthouse there and Ali said there was a market the next day. Next time! Many thanks again and we will (already have) be recommending you to anyone who shows any interest in going to Morocco!"
Sarah, Dan. Wenna and Melza
"The whole trip was fabulous. We really, really enjoyed it. The driver Joseph was excellent and helpful, the berber guide during the camels/camping section was also most professional and helpful (Ali). I really couldn’t fault it other than perhaps the driving ... but I wanted to see as much as possible in just 2 days so that was my fault!"
Lucy B
"I thoroughly enjoyed Ali’s services and would recommend him to anybody (as well as Authentic-Morocco).
He was very polite, knowledgeable about the route we took as far as sight-seeing was concerned, and otherwise a pleasure to travel with. I particularly appreciated his language skills (i.e., English and French) as my Arabic is hopeless!
I hope he is being considered for a promotion in your organization as I am sure he is capable of other responsibilities beyond driving."
Dona B
"The trip you were so kind to organize for us was awesome and my friend and I truly enjoyed the tour. We took more than a thousand photos (!) in less than a week in Morocco … many good memories to keep. Well, hope you are well and once again thank you for all your help."
Alex H
"Many thanks for organising such a great holiday. I really enjoyed the tour, and loved Morocco."
Sue M
"I wanted to thank your for organizing such a wonderful holiday for us all. It was ideal for me as I don’t enjoy being in cities and prefer to be out and about, meeting local people as much as possible, and sleeping in the sand dunes near Merzouga was the peak of all my experiences!"
Aileen R
"Thank you for the hard work which you put into making such an enjoyable smooth-running introduction to your 'home from home' Liz. I felt we had a truly authentic experience and a real taste of Moroccan life; sandwiched as it was between the four star accommodation that started and ended our trip! I cannot claim one highlight as each day brought its own incredible experiences, although sleeping under the desert moon and stars is a difficult one to beat! There were the colours of the Souks in Marrakech, the B'hai Palace, the Apothecary, the singing and playing of Berber songs during our dinner at the Riad. The Riad itself; arriving as we did at a non-descript building and walking through a door which opened into a place that was described as 'paradise' by some of the others. And then there was the food; the unloading of the camels at the camel-park outside; the care of Abraham at the cafe in Rissani and that of Ali at Nomad Palace when he prepared his special plant tea to help me get over my 'tummy upset'. Nothing could've prepared me for the totality of my experience. Simply, again, I thank you."
Morag M
"The first belly dance holiday I ran in Morocco, in the desert, turned out to be more magical than I would have imagined. Every possible want or need that we had was taken care of. The food was consistently delicious and we had the benefit of interacting with local Berbers and their families, rather than simply staring out of a bus window for hours on end. There was also a real emphasis placed on each participant fulfilling her desert fantasy, whether by serving us dinner under the stars, inviting local musicians to perform or camel trekking to watch the sun set over the dunes. At the end of the holiday we all felt we had to return to this enchanting place."
Mia S
"Thank you again Liz for all the wonderful things you introduced us to in Morocco. I feel quite indebted to you as I know that we had opportunities that would never have happened on a typical "all-in" holiday. The highlights for me were: the Riad, the desert and the local hammam. I would just love to do some trekking in the hills and feel that it won't be my last visit!"
Mary H
"Sarah and I had a great time. I really liked the driver who took us to Essaouira. He was probably the only person, whilst we were in Morocco, who we felt totally safe with and felt that he would look after us and make sure we weren't going to get ripped off. We had great weather whilst we were there and instead of going on a belly dance evening in Marrakech, the guide organised a night when we were in Fes. It was a terrific night and very different from anything else we had ever seen and we really enjoyed it. I hope you had a relaxing break. Thanks for organising everything for us. You did a great job."
Caroline E
We had a friendly Nomad guide in the desert, lovely food and an all round truly memorable time. I will definitely recommend your company to friends and family but it is perfect and intimate and would be spoilt if it became more mainstream. What a good job you have done, and I would love to go back and do it all again!"
Heather M
"I want to say thank you for your organisation towards the trip, both beforehand and while we were in Morocco. I felt reassured that we have similar standards about what's OK for my clients. The holiday was a great success and thanks for your part in that."
Caroline Cook, Wild Rose Holidays
"Thank you for an absolutely incredible holiday experience. We are really glad we booked through you and our experience certainly was authentic. We were very glad you recommended just one day in Marrakech - that was enough, though our riad was absolutely gorgeous."
Gillian L
"The experienced traveler travels light and does his homework and choosing Authentic-Morocco to create the middle half of our trip was solid gold. We were in the hands of friends who wanted to show us the country they loved and treated us as if we were family. We will look for opportunities to recommend that friends go to Morocco and have Authentic-Morocco arrange their trip. Thank you for the trip and lifetime memories for our family, I cannot tell you how grateful we are. Any potential customers with questions are free to contact me if I can be of any help."
Chris H-N
"Thank you - we had a really wonderful trip and I consider our two days in Telouet to be a real highlight. We were picked up very promptly from Marrakech and our driver was very friendly and patiently waited as we captured the stunning scenery on camera. The couple we stayed with were extremely kind - they fed us well, prepared the hammam on our return from our long walk and were very courteous. Our guide took us on two good walks - the second (on our second day) was particularly beautiful. We were transferred back to Marrakech swiftly and were soon found a grand taxi for Essaouira. Thank you, too, for all your help in advance of our trip - responding swiftly to emails, answering questions over the phone and making all the necessary arrangements for it to go so smoothly. So all in all a really positive experience and I will certainly recommend you/your organisation to others."
Rachel W
"We had a super trip, thanks very much! We had a wonderful driver and guide - friendly, helpful, and flexible. The tour had so many highlights! Thanks once again for all your help."
Mark G
"I just wanted to write and say thank you for all your help planning my trip and a big thanks to your staff; my driver/guide, was excellent. Originally I was thinking about doing the trip independently, by bus or train. I am so glad that I didn't and decided to book the excursion with you. I saw more of Morocco that I ever could have without your help! The countryside was absolutely beautiful and the night in the Sahara was a great experience. As an amateur photographer I couldn't have asked for more and my driver/guide was more than willing to stop anywhere along the way so I could take photos; the other students in my class are very jealous of the pics I have. Thank you again for the experience."
Brian R
"The Authentic Morocco excursion was awesome! We couldn't be happier that we incorporated it into our trip to Morocco."
Steve S
"Thanks very much for organising our trip, especially on such short notice. We had a wonderful time: we had a great driver who was fun to be with, the sights were interesting (especially seeing the Kasbah in Telouet), and the camel trek highlight was better than we expected. Thanks again and we will look you up when returning to Morocco!"
Josh H
"Thank you so much for organising such a fabulous trip. We both loved every minute. Visiting the nomads was very special - we both think Morocco is a fabulous country and one of the friendliest we have visited. The food throughout was great but it may be a while before we order tagine or couscous. We ended up staying at the Hotel Diwane on our first night which we would recommend to anyone who wants an easy introduction to Marrakech (in the new town but within walking distance of the medina) and our Riad (Riad Dar Nimbus) was spectacular and an absolute bargain at 60 euros per night. Thanks again for organising everything so perfectly for us.”
Julie and Paul
"We had a great time, truly enjoyed Abdullah. Stopped at a local Berber village where there was a market day, a highlight. Barry loved the salt mine as he is a cook and salt is an “in” thing these days. We couldn’t have asked for a better day; would have like to do more walking/see more snow capped mountains etc. Another time?”
Gail and Barry K
"Thank you for our 3 day camel trek to Erg Chagaga. The guides were kind and helpful, and funny, I haven't laughed like that in a long time. You took us to some very special places - thank you. I adored the serenity of the travelling, the desert is just so beautiful. I loved camel trekking through the dunes but I also found something quite magical in my solitary walking across the open desert. I appreciated your advance information about what to expect - it helped me be prepared for cold nights and early mornings - and so little washing!"
Chris S and friends
"Hi Liz, we all had the most fantastic time! Morocco had a very profound effect on us all – I don’t think life will ever be quite the same again. Our guide was brilliant – it felt like he was one of us and made the holiday even more special. Thank you once again for helping to organize this trip and making it possible.”
Katherine S
"The trip was fantastic and our guide was awesome - he managed to get us through all the flooding to our hotel that 1st night - with some extra driving and organising - really it was no problem for us - we had to wait about 45mins at one crossing - we had some tea and walked a bit so it was fine. We are accustomed to 4 wheel driving off road and through rivers in our country - New Zealand, so nothing too out of the ordinary. Everything ran like clockwork and all the people were incredibly helpful and kind and great with the kids. Thanks for your efficiency, after living in Spain for 2 years where customer service really does not exist it is a pleasant change.”
Jan S
"Yes, it WAS an adventure, but a fantastic one! A long story short, we had a great time, Bara was fantastic, and we were very happy with our experience! I'll write more in detail later... right now we're in the midst of trying to sort thru the 800+ photos we took!”
Anthony V
"Alex and I really enjoyed our tour. The itinerary was quite packed but we managed to fit in the things we most wanted to do. We were very pleased with the quality of the accommodation in Ait Benhaddou, and also the facilities and staff of the hotel from which we camel trekked into the desert. In particular though, we wanted you to know how helpful we found our driver Hassan. He was personable and really enthusiastic, and more than happy to go out of his way to accommodate what we wanted to do. We found him really easy to get on with, and think he's a real asset to your company. We don't know how to contact Hassan. Would you please pass this message onto him, as we'd like to thank him again for all that he did. Thank you very much.”
Tom and Alex
"We had an absolutely wonderful trip to Morocco. The itinerary that you planned for us was wonderful. We loved everywhere that we stayed and all the sites that we saw. We LOVED our Berber guide Moha - Being with Moha and sleeping in the desert was the highlight of our entire Morocco trip. I appreciate all you did to make the tour happen and run smoothly...we had a fantastic time! Thanks again.”
Keri K
"Liz, we have just got back and, as you know, we found you on the web at the last minute. After speaking to you on the telephone I was convinced you knew what we wanted. Our first trip out of Europe has been an experience we won’t forget. Our ‘perfect’ guide hardly left our side and when he did we felt lost. He did everything and even took us to the airport check-in desk. The camel trek was a very worthwhile trip but I can see what you mean about going out to the big dunes, maybe next time. We saw so much more of Morocco in a 4x4 and the holiday was wonderful; your service was very professional and everything went like clock work without the slightest problem. So glad we found you, many thanks.”
Roger & Sue
"I would like to say big thank you to your agency. The service you provide is first class. I am used to coming home from holiday disappointed because the tourist agencies rarely provide what they promise. The trip to Teloute was unforgettable. Our tour guide was great. He was like a bridge between us and the locals. And he knows so much about the locals and culture. In that one day I have learnt about local and Arabic culture completely new things (even if I study MA Intercultural Communication in England and I should know most of it). But culture is not about books, it is about experiencing it; meeting it...”
Zuzana and Martin
"Rob and I are back and finally getting settled into "normal" life. We enjoyed our trip very much. Morocco is such a diverse country and we certainly got to experience that aspect on our tour. Our guide was very accommodating when we wanted to stop and was a very good driver (no concerns on the twisting mountain roads). Highlight was certainly the night in the Sahara - what an amazing experience. Thanks again."
Tina and Rob
“A huge thank you to Authentic Morocco for making our trip so sensational! We went away expecting a holiday; to see a few sights and laugh a little, but got one of the best experiences of our lives. It was so much better than anything we could have arranged ourselves. Our guide was brilliant, he showed us what life was really like for the Berber people and it was fascinating. We were really spellbound by the desert and had so much fun on our camels. Morocco really gets under your skin – we all agree that we left a piece of ourselves there and can’t wait to go back with Authentic Morocco to sleep under the stars for longer!”
SOUP
“Thanks also for organising an amazing trip. I don’t think any of us wanted to leave and I’m already trying to organise a return journey with a longer stay in the desert.”
Stoo G
"We had an absolutely fantastic time, thank you so much! Our driver was great – so friendly and helpful and really looked after us. He took us to some great, rustic restaurants in the little villages along the way that we never would have experienced otherwise and it gave the whole experience a really ‘authentic’ feel and not too touristy at all which was what we wanted. The camel trek from Zagora was amazing and the night in the nomad tent in the desert with our Berber guide was simply incredible – hard to put into words. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming and it really was a very special trip. Thank you again for all your help in arranging this and making it so special. I would definitely recommend your service to anyone I know who is thinking of traveling to Morocco.”
Kate and James
"We had a fantastic time and would like to pass on our thanks for a very well organised tour. Our driver was very friendly and couldn't do enough for us and we were able to explore and absorb the experience at a pace that suited us. Camel trekking and sleeping under the stars in the desert was definitely the highlight for us, however the ride across the Atlas mountains and Berber villages were also very interesting and unique. Once again, thanks for everything and rest assured we will be recommending you to any friends and family that visit Morocco in the future.”
Miguel F-A
"The trip was amazing. I think the highlights for me were the lake and just the simple experience of the Gite, sitting out on the terrace and looking at the stars. The guides were great, and it was excellent to just have time enjoying the breathtaking landscape with Liza. Thanks so much and I really hope to do another trip with Authentic Morrocco in the future."
Sean McK
"We would like to thank you very much for a great experience we had with your Authentic Morocco Trip. We will highly recommend your company and tour to all of our friends and business associates interested in travelling to Morocco. Abdoullah was a wonder tour guide and took great care of us and also extra special care for our 3 month old baby boy. We were very comfortable and the 5 days was something else. Many Thanks Again For A Great Experience.”
Scott, Olga & Mitchell
"The whole trip was fantastic. I think I can speak for Claire and I in saying the afternoon/night/morning in the Sahara was a highlight, so vast and so many stars. After that I was really taken by the palmeries and kasbahs, and the scenery was beautiful, also a lot more varied than I was expecting. Claire really enjoyed getting a bit closer to the Berber culture than possible in the cities. Ali was a real star as well, good humoured, patient and informative. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend your trip, or to do a different one with you in the future. A happy customer.”
Ian K
"I loved my experience in Morocco and would do it all over again. All the folks I met were wonderful, especially my driver Hassan who was a real gentleman. Thanks again Liz and hopefully we can do this again.”
Makda A
"We are finally back in Canada in our home in Smithers. The snow is still on the mountains and Morocco seems a long, long way away, but we shall never forget our wonderful holiday there. We have so many people to thank for giving us such an amazing experience, firstly you for initiating our travel and then Abdullah, whom we somehow could relate to straight away, and Ali our guide, who was always such fun and so patient and truly did show us authentic Morroco. We loved staying at Tarzahout; the people there were so kind and friendly.and Lamia said to me 'Do you like Morocco Esme’ and I said 'We love Morocco' and she replied 'and Morrocco loves you'. We felt truly privileged. We had an exciting time at Telouet and our camel experience was unforgetable, probably because I was so terrified about it; sleeping under the stars in the Sahara is something everyone should experience and we decided that the stars are softer than the stars in the Canadian wilderness. Fez was worth the drive and our accommodation was amazing. We do hope we shall be able to visit Morocco again sometime. After our tales, we already have many people here wanting to make the trip so we shall pass them on to you. Thank you for all your help; you have such a wonderful team in Morocco."
Paul and Esme
"The Medina in Fes overwhelmed the senses, the Sahara Desert awakened the soul and calmed the spirit. The trip was fabulous! Our driver was helpful, informative, friendly, accommodating and a safe driver. Once he understood that we preferred to eat and visit where the locals frequented we were in-sync; he took us to his sister´s home and we were very grateful for a look at Moroccan home life and honored to meet his family. What a treat! Your instructions on what to bring were very useful and I would also suggest a ‘Camel Back’ because it maintains a cooler water temperature and is much easier to carry, especially when riding a camel. I also wish I had remembered to bring ‘slightly used’ tshirts as gifts for the numerous people that were helpful; anything from the US was very appreciated. Hmmm... if I think of anything else, I will let you know. Thanks for asking."
Adrienne B and Family
"First off, I want to say that our whole experience with Authentic Morocco was great. Our trip would not have been the same without the experience you afforded us. I feel that the itinerary you created for us, based on what we said we were looking to experience, really allowed us to explore the country in a way that I suspect most visitors to Morocco never get the chance to do. Your suggestion about the Gnawa musicians was fantastic and I was blown away. Sitting there in the mud walled room with the light streaming in from the windows, feeling the drum beat literally in my chest and seeing their faces ... I was nearly overwhelmed, it was that moving and intense. I felt like I was transported to another place and time."
Anthony and Annie (New York City)
"The Mhamid and Erg Chigaga leg of our trip was phenomenal. The desert was beautiful and peaceful, and a real treat lay in spending the day with an Ait Atta semi-nomadic family and learning just a little of how to survive and thrive in such a seemingly hostile environment; the tour was the highlight of our time in Morocco. Would we recommend the desert in mid-July? Absolutely! We were in very safe hands with Authentic Morocco.”
Janet T and Tony C
"We loved the whole trip but the highlight I think for both of us was the time we spent in Telouet. The guys Hassan and Khalid were fantastic and we loved the hiking, cooking and the peace and quiet of being in the mountains. All your staff are exceedingly helpful and knowledgeable and we learnt a lot as well as having a good time. Thanks very much for organising such a good tour; we would love to try and come back in a few years and do a desert tour and I would have no problem recommending you to any of our friends. Just for your info, the Ryad we stayed in at Fez, Ryad Mabrouka, was exceptional so if you ever need to recommend one we would wholeheartedly recommend that one."
Stuart G
"Hi Liz, just want to say a big thanks for helping us map out an itinery and organising the holiday. It has been the most enjoyable and relaxing holiday for us and we had a great time at guesthouse. Amazing view! Really enjoyed the stops made at the 2 kasbahs on our way to Ouzarzate. Also the drive down to the Dades gorges. Special mention to our guide; he has been very accomodating being flexible around our schedules and giving suggestions to the itinery. Also he has been most attentive at taking good care of us. We look forward to another trip back to Morroco in the future. Thanks again!"
Dawn
"Firstly, I would like to say that the day that we had was fantastic and both my partner and myself thoroughly enjoyed it. It was exactly what we were looking for in seeing some of the real Morocco and getting up into the Atlas Mountains for some fantastic views. Abdullah was the perfect guide. He was very friendly and, probably most importantly, extremely knowledgeable and informative. He was able to show and tell us about a wide range of things relating to Moroccan life and history of the region. Possibly the highlight of the day was as we were driving to Telouet, he noticed a Berber market in a passing village and he informed us that we should go and see this as it was more traditional than that in Telouet, we turned round and went back to this and managed to get a real view of how the Berber people lived and traded. Abdullah walked us around the market and talked us through a range of different things in terms of the foods and goods available. The tour of the Kasbah was also very good; I obviously do not have a knowledge of what is a good or bad Kasbah, but the one in Telouet was very good to walk around. It gave an idea of how the Pasha must have lived and how this would have dominated the area. Again, our guide around the Kasbah was very knowledgeable and informative. Should I return to Morocco in the future, I would not hesitate to contact you again in order to arrange another trip."
Darren L
"Thanks Liz, we had a great time and really enjoyed the places we visited. We loved Cassa Hussan in Chefchouen and also the Riad Tafliafet in Fes; how funny that they were both featured on the Rick Stein show just 2 days before we left. The camel ride into the desert and night in the dunes was excellent too. In Fes we had a fantastic meal at the restaurant Maison Blue; it was pricey for Morocco standards being 550MAD each but that was with aperitif, all wine included and musicians - the food (4 courses) was really superb!! Especially the quail cinnamon Pastilla - I would recommend it !!! We had a great time and managed to see a lot of the country in that time - I had no idea that such a Swiss looking town (Ifrane) exists in Morocco or how the fertile Ziz valley stretches through the barren rocks. Although the desert dunes and Chefchouen were so far apart, and it meant many hours in the car, it was well worth the drive to see both and thank you for arranging the itinerary - I wouldn't hesitate to recommend you for any friends visiting the country."
Matt W
"Thank you for helping to organize our trip! It was unforgettable! First, Liz - you were prompt in returning emails, knowledgeable, and very helpful in suggesting the 4-day rather than the 3-day tour. We are so thrilled we chose the 4-day instead of the 3-day trip and grateful for your suggestion. Ali, our driver, was wonderful - prompt, patient, hard-working (I noticed him washing the land cruiser every day), generous (bought us coffee and coca colas at one of our stops), courteous, fun-loving, FLEXIBLE (we tended to run a little late each morning), extensive knowledge of route and food, bathroom, attractions, and photo stops along the way which made it easy to alter plans to fit our schedule for the day, always noticed when we wanted to take a picture and would stop the vehicle to allow us to do so. Our experience with Ali far exceeded our expectations! The trip itself - the sights were spectacular, the logistics well-coordinated, the lodging exceptional, and the meals delicious. Overall, the 4-day/3-night tour is a good value - we truly feel we got more than we paid for! We just wish we could have stayed longer!"
Mitzi P
"The tour and my dealings with you were brilliant, I must say Authentic Morocco was very efficient and the sights superb; the highlight of the holiday was the camel trip into the desert and it was just fantastic."
Melissa T
"We had a fab time! Abdullah was an absolute credit to Authentic Morocco, please send him our regards and tell him "Jemima misses him like rain in the desert". The itinerary that you had worked out for us was absolutely what we had in mind, though we would happily have spent more time/nights under canvas in the berber tent. The ride into the desert, supper under the stars, sleeping in the tent and getting up to watch sunrise was the absolute highlight. Thank you very much for arranging such a great part of our holiday in Morocco and I must reiterate that Abdullah was the major contributing factor to our enjoyment."
Alex N
"The trip in the desert was a great experience! Great views & colours and also good camel rides. Got picked up in Hotel as arranged & made our way to Merzouga to begin our 2 hours camel trek in Erg Chebbi; arriving at the desert camp just before dusk. The two camel drivers/cooks were great and set up while we took in the sunset. Dinner under the stars also great considering limited kitchen facilities. Next morning after sunrise we left camp to camel trek back to Merzouga where we had breakfast; after breakfast our guide took us to Kamlia, south of Merzouga, where a group of Sudanese singers & musicians called Les Pigions du Sable were performing."
Ciaran
"I really enjoyed the day tour from Marrakech and the driver was very friendly and helpful and knew a lot about the sites that he was showing us."
Kathryn S
" I am so glad you asked for feedback because I was going to give it anyway! Let me start off by saying that we had such a wonderful trip. We really experienced a lot in the week we were there. Thank you for setting up the day guides for us. Our full-day guide in Marrakech, Latif, was extraordinary. We cannot say enough good things about him. Talif spoke perfect English, was a true gentleman, and was highly informative. Moving on, our driver Ali was great. Again he was very polite (opened car doors for both of us at various time) and went out of his way to go the extra mile. What I mean by that was I mentioned to Ali that I liked one of the CD’s he played in the car, and he drove us to a CD shop and had a friend of his make me a copy. Very sweet. Also, Matthew, my husband commented to me one day that “Ali is a really good driver for the company”, exact quote. I asked Matt what he meant by that and he, knowing a ton about trucks, off-roading etc, said basically that Ali drives it to get the best gas mileage, doesn’t speed, race the engine and generally is “easy” on the car. So I thought you might like to hear that. Thanks as well for all of your informative information regarding Morocco. You have been most helpful."
Laurie C
"Everything was great, Hassan our driver was lovely and very helpful. The dessert was amazing, slept outside under the stars. It was great to learn more on the Moroccan culture and the people were all very welcoming. I would recommend this trip to anyone going to Morocco. Thanks for everything."
Zoe W
"I just returned from Morocco today and had a fantastic time! I really enjoyed the mountain/desert trip and was very impressed with how well it was organised. Our trip was made even better by our driver Khalid who was extremely nice to us and even invited us over to his family's house for dinner. He definitely made the trip more personal and gave us an insight into Morocco that we may not have had if it wasn't for him. Thank you so much for an enjoyable trip!"
Namrita
"We had such a great time on the camel trek in Zagora! The baby LOVED the camels and conveniently fell asleep for most of the trek into the desert and out. I was glad we did not have a longer trek - all of us had sore muscles after just a couple of hours! The dinner was delicious, the music was great, breakfast was a treat. We loved our guide Said - he really did everything he could to accommodate us on our trip. Thank you for helping us have a unique Moroccan experience!"
Lisa
"I have safely returned home to Cyprus ... Amanda and I both had a great time, probably packed way too much into such a small amount of time but it was really good. The highlight was without a doubt the camel trek in Erg Chebbi; it was just a shame we didn't have enough time to see and experience more. Thanks again for organizing."
Fleur
"Thanks very much for the itinerary that you planned. We truly had a very enjoyable time and Hassan was great as a companion and guide throughout the trip; I do have to say the desert trip and the camel trekking in Erg Chebbi was definitely the highlight for us."
Alexandra
"We had an absolutely amazing time in Morocco. Abdoullah, Hami, Lafit, Khalid, Ali, all took such good care of us. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience. I can't thank you enough! A bientot."
Tizzy B
"Thanks Liz - just to say we had a really enjoyable day and it was fascinating to see the abandoned Kasbah. The mountains were incredible and definitely another trip is justified, except this time for longer. Please keep us on your mailing list."
Carrie and Peter McD
"Marrakesh and Morocco was an experience we will never forget; our trip to the Atlas Mountains which you arranged for us was one of the best highlights of our holiday. Hassan was at our Riad to meet us, as you said at 8am, and the drive up through the mountains and the visit to Telouet and the Pasha's Kasbah was wonderful; all the family enjoyed it. Marrakesh grows on you and we were pleased we stayed for a week because each day it seemed to get better once we had adjusted to the busy souks and traffic (not so happy with the amount of carbon coming from the cars etc; we found that a bit difficult to cope with) but we loved staying in a Riad visiting and going to the place Djemma el Fna at night. If we go to Morocco again we will certainly contact you for some more trips."
Liz B and family
"Our trip to Morocco was awesome – what an amazing, beautiful country it is. We loved the Riad where we stayed and our walking tour of Marrakech the next day. It was great to arrive and immediately have someone waiting for us at the airport, and there first thing in the morning to show us around because we were completely intimidated by everything at first. We loved the Merzouga/desert portion of the trip – it was definitely the absolute highlight from the minute we arrived at the little abode, to getting on the camel and trekking in Erg Chebbi during sunset, and then the candle lit, delicious meal under the stars next to that huge sand dune. Very awesome and very much worth the drive. We were sooo glad we did a 4 day trip, per your suggestion, instead of a 3 day trip. It was a pretty tiring drive as it was, but having frequent stops and overnights in Dades and Ouarzarzate really helped a lot. We loved seeing the gorges, and the hotel at Dades gorge was really charming and comfortable."
Vanessa N
"The Marrakech to Zagora tour was the best two days we had and the guide was very good. He took us through some amazing scenery and to a brilliant restaurant where we had a very nice chicken tagine; probably the best food we had during the trip. We also seemed to hit all the places with clean toilets (which was great as they weren't easy to find in Marrakech sometimes). Our highlight on the way was when he stopped to say hello to his brother on our way out to the Zagora. He invited us in where we had mint tea and prayed Asr (we were three Muslim travellers). It was unexpected, and really nice of them. The camel trip we had looked forward to did not disappoint, and gladly, it was easier to ride the camels than expected. The nomads were friendly and also invited us to pray with them after our evening meal. The camels made for a very different and exciting weekend, our only criticism could be that the nomads aren't very good photographers and it was hard for us to take shots while riding. But hey, that's being really picky! We had a great time there. On our return it was good fun going off road for a while and visiting the ruins, they made for some of our best photos of the trip. And when we went down into the village of Telouet the old castle there was also very interesting to explore and photograph. It was a really nice area and we didn't want to leave! People everywhere were very friendly, although things did sometimes get too excitable when it came to conversations around money! Overall, was great, and we could really feel that the trip had been planned to make sure we hit the best spots. Thanks Liz!"
Mark H
"I'd like to begin by saying that we had a fabulous trip. Traveling with 6 was never going to be an easy task, but in 10 days, to see the big cities, the desert, the mountains and the beach I think was pretty impressive. We probably crammed a little too much into that space of time, but I think deep down, we knew that would always be the case. One of the highlights of the whole trip was when we were guests of Hassan's family in their home. What a fabulous experience that was. I am sure we are not unique in experiencing this as Hassan said he had taken some people before, but we felt very privileged and humbled to be invited into his family's home for a meal and to spend some time talking and taking photos and we had a real laugh with them. From there out to Erg Chebbi for our camel trip in the dunes. We didn’t know what to expect from this. We anticipated for the worst and were pleasantly surprised by one of the best experiences of our trip. I've ridden camels before and they are not the cleanest/nicest smelling beasts, but we were surprised to find the ones we rode were very clean and well behaved. We headed out into the dunes and not long after turned right and headed for a long way parallel with the edge of the dunes which we found amusing as despite being on the camels for quite a while we weren’t very far from civilization; this didn't detract from the experience, we just found it amusing at the time. We passed a few sizable camps, each time thinking that this one must be it, but we were delighted to come over a dune and find a cute little private camp just for us which was a real treat. After dismounting and of course going through the process of our Berber guides showing us their things for sale, which we bought a few of in form of a tip, we headed inside the tented camp which was just luxury considering where we were. It really did live up to the VIP status. We had toilets, hot water, electric lights, a fridge for cold drinks, carpets down everywhere, beds off the ground complete with beheads and bed-ends (?!?!) and even a coat stand in our tent. It was pretty cold that evening and a few more blankets would have been nice, but this is a very small comment. The guys who looked after us were very friendly again and put on a real feast for dinner that night to complement their singing and dancing. I would have to say it was up there with some of the best lamb I have ever tasted. Sitting out on a dune looking at the stars that night after the day of spending time with Hassan's family, the camel ride and all sorts of great things that day was almost an emotional experience. Would have to have been our favourite day collectively."
Nathan (and Jodi, Ian, Gail, Asha & Jennifer)
"We thoroughly enjoyed our holidays. The tour was great – our guide Khalid was excellent. He was very attentive to our needs. As I am pregnant, he was also constantly checking I was ok in the car, since we drove quite a long way as you know. He also made some additional stops in some interesting places like the Museum of Cinema in Ouarzazade. The camel trek was probably the highlight of our trip, as it was such a new thing for both of my husband. The dunes at sunset left deep photographic memories in our minds. I must admit I had to adjust to the camel’s movements as I was worried about falling off!! But thankfully I did not! The souks of Marrakech were also quite an experience. An amazing combination of people, colours and smells. Thanks for your assistance in organizing our trip to the Atlas and the desert."
Raffaella & Robert
"Had a fantastic trip and firstly I would like to say a big (MASSIVE in fact) thank you! Highlights of the trip was def the camel ride and over night stay in the sand dunes, nothing like seeing all those stars and the amazing sunrise, words can't explain. Our driver, Hassan (spelling not sure) he was great, stopping when we needed to, asking what we wanted to see, taking us to eat berber pizza ... he was lots of fun! Marrakesh was also fantastic, the owners of the riad were so helpful and felt quaint and family run which was the best. The night in ait benadou was lovely the hotel was def. amazing, great views, loved the pool and had a really great vibe. I think some additional tips to provide people going over is: if restaurant menu has no prices ask right at the beginning what prices are so you don't get fleeced; always take a scarf with you to wear over arms, as at first it can feel a little daunting even if you are wearing jeans and a sleeved t-shirt. Overall a big thank you for all your tips and organising a great trip!! I have recommended you to all of my friends!"
Michelle
"We had a really great time, Ali was very helpful and really looked after us. Highlights were the desert (bet everyone says that!!!) and the couple of days in Telouet ... we really enjoyed being there and Khalid and Ali were perfect hosts. The only downside was the amount of time traveling, but I understand that you can’t do the itinerary without putting the miles in!! If I were to do again, I think that I would want to take longer over the whole thing ... although neither of us felt "rushed" and it was good to just watch the country side changing. Thank you for organising for us and we will definitely be in touch as and when we return to morocco."
David B
"The trip was amazing, really really good, and Khalid (the guide) was very nice with us, he treated us very well and he showed us many different things, he made us feel like at home. Definitely, the trip was one of the best things we did in morocco. We will recommend to any of our friends Authentic Morocco if they go there, they can’t miss the desert and the high atlas and doing that with a guide is much more interesting."
Jesus & Chiara
"Just wanted to drop you a note to say thanks again for organising such a great introduction to Morocco. I don’t think we would have seen as much as we did without Abdullah – from his sister’s cooking to the overnight stay at the base camp in the Atlas Mountains which we really enjoyed.
Abdullah was flexible enough to change our itinerary along the way and we enjoyed his banter and good nature. The kids really liked him which I think says so much doesn’t it?"
Tom K and family
"We just wanted to thank you for a great desert tour. Morocco is such a beautiful country. We had an amazing time touring through the mountains and the desert - the itinerary was great. I believe the desert part of the trip was definitely one of the highlights for both my wife and me. We will definitely recommend your company to our friends."
Takeshi T
"Hi Liz, Home safely though frantically busy. Morocco was amazing, we loved it. Surreal, stunning fabulous enchanting intense and very, very different to any other place we have ever been. I'll try and write properly tomorrow and post some pics too. In the meantime thank you for arranging such a wonderful experience for us. We'll definitely go again. Bara (our guide) was a star. The desert was such a highlight and Riad Dar les Cygognes was sublime. Thank you."
Karen S
"Hi Liz, I am very glad to give you some feedback and had indeed intended to do this, regardless of your request.Our trip was very good, well organised and went according to plan. Our driver/guide was excellent. He was very likeable, considerate and catered for all our needs. It must be said that, compared to my previous trip in 2001 where I was part of a group of about ten people, this was far better. You do get what you pay for however, and whilst this was more expensive than my previous excursion, I believe it was good value for money. Our Sahara trip was fantastic and they made us very comforatable in our tent for what turned out to be a warm night. Combined with our having taken accomodation in a Riad rather than a hotel, and our opting for a balloon trip on our last day, the week was just splendid. I would gladly recommend the same to others and indeed intend to. Thankyou very much from myself and my partner Angela for a fabulous 3 days and please forward our compliments to our guide next time you have contact with him."
Peter S
"We had a really nice trip. Our driver Salem was excellent! The itinerary went very smoothly and we felt that we had the correct time to see and do the things that were of interest. The camel safari was the highlight for us I'd say, we enjoyed being out in the dessert and the experience of the 'nomad' life. Thank you again for helping to arrange everything. And thank you to Salem once again for being an excellent driver!"
Kelly
"The trip was fantastic. In particular: Bara Ouassou, the guide and driver of our car was fabulous - such an enthusiastic, kind hearted and friendly person. I would very much recommend using him wherever possible. We very much gelled with the rest of the group and had a lot of fun. The extra day in Merzouga proved to be very interesting - we went to a lake, lead mine and quad biking - well worth suggesting to others. Thanks again for co-ordinating this. The holiday was a fantastic one."
Chin Y
"We had such a great time on tour it was definitely the highlight of our Morocco trip! Firstly I cannot recommend Bara, our driver, highly enough - he was so knowledgable, respectful, friendly, funny and importantly a very safe driver (we heard nightmare stories from a riad owner about really unsafe tour drivers). At times it seemed as tho he knew everyone in Morocco because nearly ever place we visited people were calling out to him to say hello!
My favourite part of our trip was camel riding through dusk to stay in the star soaked desert for the night, such an amazing experiences and our guides were excellent cooks and entertainers, with the return camel journey taking place through the morning sun. It was special to get the chance to experience both dusk and dawn in the desert as the sand changes so much with the different light. I also enjoyed the Gnawa musicians, the kasbah that the pasha lived in up until 1956 and the carpet warehouse that was near the kasbah.
Thank you for all the organisation you did for us Liz, we had such a fab time with about a millions pictures to prove it! If I ever come back to Morocco (and I sincerely hope I do) I will be sure to be in touch again to organise another tour. By the way, the Australian couple that came in our 4 x 4 ended up being our firm friends by the end and they are coming over for our slide evening that we are having to show off our holiday snaps so that was another great thing about the trip too."
Rose
New Year 5 day Desert Tour
"Thanks again to you and Abdullah for organising a fantastic holiday.
We all had an amazing and memorable new years."
Stoo
"I had a great trip in Morocco and I found the whole experience very rewarding. This was made possible because of how well organised it was and I'd like to thank you for creating such a great itinerary for me. Morocco certainly is a country made for photos and I'm very happy with the shots I took. Thanks again and I wish you all the best for the future."
Carlo B
"Thank you for your effort in arranging and booking of accommodation, transportation and guides for our initial trek to the desert and then the end leg to the Atlas Mountains. We had a great journey to see the Sahara sand dunes and to experience riding on a camel. Although the camel ride was only an hour long; we thought that it was sufficient. Although one must sacrifice the long vehicular journey in order to get 'there', it was worth it in the long run. Overall the trip was well organized and we had a good time. We would recommend your services to friends and acquaintances that may be interested in Morocco."
Frank E
New Year 5 day Desert Tour
"I again wanted to thank you for putting together such an amazing trip. I can't seem to get the desert out of my head and find myself daydreaming about walking barefoot in the Sahara on New Year's day. It would be hard to choose a highpoint for me since everyday held its own surprises - driving through the hairpin turns of the Atlas Mountains with Omar showing us pictures of his many children on his cell phone, tea in the Sahara (made famous by song and story), the nomad children in the desert, ringing in the New Year under the most amazing star filled sky and dancing to a nomad band, again walking barefoot in the cake flour sand of the Sahara, the nomads plaintive singing while they guided us along side our camels, the camels (and people) watching the sunset, racing the SUVs across the salt flats, the beautiful mosaic tile work inside the Kasbah at Ait ben Haddou, the visit to the Berber chemist for the rash on my hand, the guides, especially Abdoullah and Khalid, who were so generous of their time and patient with their explanations both during the trip and after in Marrakech. I've come home with a better appreciation for what I have and a renewed desire to finding ways to giving back, even in small ways. I believe it was the best trip of my life and cannot wait to go back."
Lisa D
New Year 5 day Desert Tour
“I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and would definitely recommend it to my friends who are interested in seeing Morrocco.”
Kristin
New Year 5 day Desert Tour
“We all really enjoyed the trip and exceeded our expectations.Highlights of the trip were the desert and the camel ride for Jules. We also enjoyed Talouet and Ait Ben Haddou. In fact, all in all a very good trip and a reasonable price.”
Philip
New Year 5 day Desert Tour
"All safely home (and I trust you are too) from a truly wonderful experience. Morocco is a stunningly beautiful country, but it was the people and their attitude that touched me most. Some of them as you said have absolutely nothing, yet they are seem happy, friendly and apparently content with what they have. I felt quite humbled by them and also by your relationship and love for them. If there is anything I could do to help I would be happy to do so, please let me know. The trip exceeded my expectations in every way, I can't thank you enough."
Dave M and family
New Year Desert Tour 2008
"A big thank you. I really enjoyed the places we visited especially because some of them were really out of the usual touristic route. I loved that the desert we went to Erg Chigaga; it is absolutely unspoiled and it came as a pleasant surprise to me to have such a lovely camp - the tents and beds were very comfortable and clean. The highlight within the experience of Erg Chigaga was the time I spent alone in the dunes (I really wish I could have been there more - maybe next time). Apart from enjoying the peace, the vastness, the silence and the wind I was privileged to encounter an old Berber who appeared out of nowhere. I suddenly heard a noise behind my back, which of couse frightened me, and turned to see him only 3 meters from me saying "samoha, samoha" to announce his presence. He stayed for a while looking around with binoculars (maybe he had lost a dromedary) and then, signaling goodbye, set off. He looked like somebody who lives there and I found it very special that he ended up on the top of my chosen dune to look for what he had lost! I also loved the music, dancing and singing performed by the Gnawa Group. It’s not very clear to me what they were representing, but it looked like the dance had a lot to do with people held in chains e.g. slaves. And then there was the camel trek which has to be done - 30 camels together was quite a sight and I enjoyed my ride more thanks to your tip about the camel walk, which we both do in oriental dance, and how to just relax into it. I would surely reccomend a trip with Authentic Morocco."
Monica
New Year 5 day Desert Tour
"Thank you for a wonderful trip in the High Atlas and the Sahara. Daniel and I enjoyed ourselves very much and are truely impressed my the Moroccan hospitality and friendliness. Abdul and Muhammed and their drivers, cooks, musicians and everyone else were absolutely wonderful. They worked so hard for us and made sure we were all happy. Daniel and I just got back from Morocco last Saturday as we continued out travels from Marrakech to Fes, Chefchaoen (great place!) and Casablanca. We have a ton of photos and I will select our best photos from the desert trip and send them to you hopefully next week. Thank you very much for a wonderful trip."
Victoria and Daniel
"We had a great time on the tour. Adeel was alot of fun and professional, as well as Bari the other driver. Deffinately the highlight for us was the Sahara and everything was always well organised - the berber camp, the hotels and to the tours we took. The drivers went out of their way to ensure we got the best out of Morocco. I have already recommended to people and have forwarded your website link across. Thanks again."
Jaime & Jono
"We did have a lovely time in Marrakech. Youssef was a very good companion. He was careful while driving and we were able to communicate with him, as he spoke quite good English. The trip itself was good. Landscapes were very scenic: going through the mountain to get to the other side, then the flat land. The camel ride was hard, so we didn't take the return journey back. The food at the hotel in Ouarzazate was very good, one of the best tagines that we had. Overall it was good, and we were glad that we did the excursion with you. Thanks! Should we want to be more adventurous, we would certainly look for you again."
Mei Mei
"Just wanted to say thanks for helping us book the tour. We had a great time. Thanks again."
Robert Neill
"Just got back yesterday. It was a great trip! Everything worked out great. Thank you so much for all your advice! Both Abdoullah and Mohhamed were fantastic. Great, great people. The food was perfect-I ate better than I do at home. The whole experience was amazing. I'm super busy right now with projects but in the next week I will compile some images and words. Good stuff! Thanks again!"
Jai
"Thanks for organsing the day trip from Marrakech to Telouet.
It was a day to remember!"
Glen F
"The riad was great with great personnel. Ali was a fantastic guide to the mountains.
Thanks for everything"
Marc H
"The whole experience was amazing from start to finish. Our driver Mbara was lots of fun, very knowledgeable (a geologist who was able to tell us all about the mountains and rocks on our way). We felt very safe with him driving and we chatted a lot about Berber life and our lives in the UK and he taught us some Berber language… he made us laugh all the way and seemed to know everyone in Morocco (which was reassuring). His choice of restaurants and places to stop for photographs were outstanding.
Our time in the desert was magical. Our camel guide Ibrahim (not so sure about the spelling of his name I’m afraid) chatted to us about the agriculture of the area and his life in the desert. The tents and camp were everything we expected and wanted on our little adventure, we were treated so very well and sat round the camp fire baking bread in the fire, singing and clapping. The welsh family, also on the trip, sang a Welsh song for us and I whispered to Ian “Oh dear! Were going to have to sing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ – quick think of a Beatles song and luckily we didn’t get to echo the mountains with Ob La Di O Bla Da.
Overnight we experienced what can only be described as a storm of biblical proportions. Think Lord of The Rings; the last fight scenes – this just added to our adventure even more The next morning everyone in Zagora was celebrating the rain from the night before. Mbaraj said it was a big celebration like when the sun comes out for us Brits they feel the same about the rain – so we celebrated along with them … waving and smiling to everyone we passed. Everyone looked so happy.
The sites along the way were also breathtaking – but for us it was the people and culture we experienced along the way that made this trip. My only regret is not getting a proper picture of Ian and I with Mbaraj because he was as much as a part of our adventure than anything else.
I have attached some photos; you can see how much we loved it. Next year we are going for the 4/5 day trek (probably Feb/March time again).
Many thanks for all of your help and assistance with this trip – I will certainly be recommending Authentic Morocco to everyone who is planning a trip over there.
If you wish to use any photographs (I have hundreds of them) or the above text for any website/brochures please feel free to do so (let me know if you do so I can have a look too).
All the very best."
Karen and Ian
"We had a superb trip and I’m delighted that we organised it through Authentic Morrocco and would definitely recommend to others.
A few specific comments:
Youseff, our guide and driver, was great. He was punctual, reliable, and very accommodating to any requests that we had. He also seems to be a lovely lad, and we had great fun with him too. He was able to give us an insight into the culture of Morocco and really added to our experience. Where we ended up being shown around by a local guide, Youseff made sure that they were appropriate, and did not unduly hassle us to make purchases from shops etc (unless we wanted too). All in all, he made our trip.
Organisation generally was excellent. Everything went extremely smoothly, with no issues about accommodation, where we were stopping for food etc. The hotels we stayed at (in Zagora and Ouazazate) were very comfortable.
In terms of itinerary, you were certainly right to propose the 5 day trip. We covered a lot of ground, and trying to do something similar in 4 days was too much. In retrospect, I would have loved longer. From a photographic point of view, some of the smaller towns/villages that we passed through en-route, were really interesting, but we just didn’t have the time to explore more fully. This is one of those things – you always need more time ! Hopefully, we will get a chance to go back again and explore further.
Highlights. There were many. I enjoyed visiting Tamegroute, with the kasbah, ceramics and Islamic library. We spent a great night camping on the hamada on the way to Chigaga, and the dunes were, of course, spectacular. Driving anywhere and watching the landscape change every few minutes was amazing. Telouet was another high-point. We loved visiting the Kasbah, and had a great guide – Rashid. We also then spent some time with Khalid (who you know, I believe) in the local carpet shop. As ever – meeting the local people and experiencing the warmth of their welcome was inspiring.
So – all in all – we had a superb trip. We’d love to return and will definitely do so through Authentic Morocco.
I am waiting to have photos developed, but I think I managed to get some good ones. If some turn out well, I’ll send you a few via e-mail and would be more than happy if you can find a use for them."
Tom N
"Excellent trip. Our driver was (Youssef) was extremely helpful and gave good insights. Toubkal was good. Food OK but not stunning – but that’s not the main sales point.
See if you can’t get Youssef some more cassettes. We have the words of Cat Stevens Greatest Hits embedded in our brains – probably forever!"
Chris B
"The whole experience was really good, specially for the children and I am very pleased with the outcome. It was all really well managed and executed and I was particularly impressed by the people involved. Our driver was really good very friendly and helpful. The people at Zogora end was absolutely marvelous. They were all very friendly and did what they could to enrich the experience. We experienced a freak torrential downpour the night we stayed in the desert, the local people we were with said they have not experienced something like that before. It was my luck that the one night in our lives we were in the Sahara, we get soaked! The local people in the camp did all they could to assist us and minimise the discomfort. The one aspect that will stick in my mind was the musical performance by the guys in the camp at the fire that evening. They obviously enjoyed it as much as we did. I have attached a picture of that as well as the water rushing through Zagora the next day."
Tom S & Family
"We had a wonderful time in Morocco. The tour was well-organised and the drive was not as long as we had thought. Our guide, Ali, was a good driver and did not rush us at all. Although he was a little quiet, he did point out the features and history behind each site we visited.
The highlight of the trip was the camel trek and overnight stay in Erg Chebbi. Our desert guide, Hassan, was funny and very accommodating. He told us all about life in the desert. My daughters were fascinated by his stories and the experience of sleeping in a Berber tent under the stars is one that they will not forget (especially the family bathroom trek into the desert in the middle of the night).
We hope to visit Morocco again. Maybe do a tour with you visiting the other imperial cities like Fes and Meknes."
Joe C and family
"We had a great time. Ali was lovely - very nice and easy to get on with, knowledgeable about his country obviously! The auberge - by the sahara was spot on - stunning, lovely people, excellent accommodation too. We also really enjoyed the desert excursion and camel ride - it was well organised and didn't feel too touristy."
Jhanne
"The whole trip went like clockwork. We had no problems at all and we thoroughly enjoyed the itinerary. The driver was easy to get on with and good company.
I liked the cafe breaks and the overnight stops. The countryside, towns and people were just amazing and the trip has whetted our appetite for Morocco. One day I hope to return to do some more exploring.
Thanks for making it all so easy."
Bob H
"We had a great holiday, we would say the highlights were the Riad (fab all round, great service, peace, facilities), the horse drawn taxi, the majorelle gardens, the cyber garden near main mosque, the narrow streets and different peoples, the berber villages in the mountains, the salt mine and the Kasbah in the hills. We really valued your help, choices for us, it was much appreciated. Next time we will try the coast."
Geoff A
"I thoroughly enjoyed my time out in Morocco, Marrakech was great, I loved wandering around the souks and bartering with the locals. I only had a few days there so it was important that I made the most of it and our trip on the Thursday to Telouet was great. Khalid was a perfect guide and we had lots of fun travelling to and from Telouet. When we arrived we went with Ali around the Kasbar and again he was informative and entertaining. We kind of hooked up with another English foursome travelling so when we had lunch at the Berber cafe the dressing up and dancing was very enjoyable. The trip was a big highlight for us, also meeting Abdul and Rasheed, who were also very friendly and funny. So thankyou and I will be interested in going back for the New Year Party in 2009."
Sally F
"All went well; we had a great time. As a family, we have travelled a lot; this rates as one of our best ever trips. Arrangements that you made throughout were impressively reliable; no hitches. Riad Yasimine was excellent; the children especially thought it was so cool! Staff there were very helpfull and efficient; food excellent. Younis, our 4x4 guide looked after us really well without being intrusive; we enjoyed his company. Camel trek and overnight Berber camp was special; very memorable. It was a fantastic experience, despite a mini sandstorm followed by an impressive electric storm in the early hours. The tent leaked like a sieve; we were initially covered in sand before being more than slightly damp as the rain seeped in. The camp/tent was certainly very basic; in no way did this spoil the experience for us, in fact , we thought the "authentic" element was genuine and therefore enhanced the experience. I would suggest however that you stress to clients just what they can expect in terms of comfort and emphasize that they definitely need their own sleeping bags. There was a couple with three young children at the camp with us; they had no sleeping bags etc. with them. They seemed laid back and very easy going about things but I can imagine others in a similar situation would not be as content and happy. Also, a bit more detail regarding the camel trek/camp would help. My wife has a dodgy back and was concerned whether we would be on the camels for an hour? a few hours? all day?? Without a doubt, a great trip; will be in touch again. definitely. Please pass on our details to anyone who would like any details or recomendation."
Eurig E and family
"Morocco is far and seems already long ago. However, we had a great time on the trip to Telouet. Glad we took it. It gave us a different perspective. Not only the cities but thanks to the trip also the countryside. The driver was friendly and we had a good time with him. I can recommend everyone who comes to Marrakesh a trip like the one we had. Let's say in Arabic "shokran"."
Bert E
"We would just like to say what a lovely experience we had on the Atlas mountain tour to Telouet. The driver/guide was punctual and courteous and we enjoyed the tour around the berber village. We would not hesitate to recomend you."
Sauline S
"We had an excellent time. The day out was most enjoyable. Ali was superb in looking after us and making us feel welcome. He seemed to take it personally to ensure we had a good time. He could not be faulted and we would be pleased to spend time in his care again. Please pass on our very best regards to him. The trip to the carpet store was fun - the two young men are a delight and although it was business it certainly was a pleasure to spend time with them. Very very bright and charming and fun. - by the way both couples bought a carpet! We would definitely re-visit the 'store'. And if you know them - please pass on our regards and wishes for their future. Lunch was different - the dressing-up and singing - although unexpected - was fun and we haven't laughed out loud so much, without the influence of alcahol, for a long time. The salt mine and castle very interesting, the mountains where fantastic and the stop over for coffee perfect timing and picturesque. All in all a day we are so pleased to have met Abdul and yourself and arranged same. Thank you for your effieciency and care. We are very interested in the trip to the desert and stay over - perhaps we could talk about this some time."
Sue T
"We finally made it back last night. We wanted to let you know that the tour was very well arranged. Our driver and guide were fantantic. Rashid was above and beyond the call of the duty in helping with the kids and was absolutely fantastic! Overall the trip was absolutely fantastic. Thank you."
Nandini
"We had a fabulous time. Morocco is absolutely beautiful and we've never seen so many diverse landscapes in so small a country before. I said at one point that it was like the Colorado Rockies right next to the Grand Canyon with orange and olive groves in the middle! In the US, you'd have to travel 1500 miles to see all of that. As far as our tour with Authentic Morocco goes, it was really wonderful. Yusef was a great host and driver and I was especially impressed given his tender young age! And our daughter Anny remarked that he was by far the safest driver in Morocco!
We were very happy with your communication, arranging the tour, attention to our request, and would definitely book another tour with Authentic Morocco, and would be happy to recommend it to anyone else travelling to Morocco."
Alicia G
"We arrived back home yesterday after having a fabulous time in Morocco. Our trip went very well and we were all very pleased with Authentic Morocco. In particular, our guide, Adil, was fantastic and really added to our overall enjoyment of the trip. We really appreciated his knowledge of the local area, and his explanations about what we were looking at. Also, I enjoy taking photographs and Adil was very accommodating to make sure we always stopped at the best vantage points and was very patient and helpful helping in getting the best group shots."
Emily B
"We had an amazing experience in Morocco. Our Berber driver and guide Abdoullah kept us safe and became almost like one of the family.
With his help we learned so much, not only about the stunning country that is Morocco but, more importantly, about its people - warm, friendly, hospitable and dignified; we were blown away.
Our visit to the desert nomads still brings tears to our eyes.
If you want to see and experience real life at first hand, organise a trip with Authentic Morocco.
Many thanks Liz for the most fantastic experience."
Martin L and family
"We truly enjoyed the Atlas Desert Tour - the Sahara trek was certainly the highlight of our tour! We also loved Kasbah of el Glaoui in Telouet, it is spectacular. Thanks again for helping make our trip to Morocco very memorable indeed."
Irma G
"A quick note to say I was enchanted by the country of Morocco and its people.
Thank you for all you did."
Andrew M
"We are back safe and sound after an absolutely FABULOUS time!! I must say, though, that the best part about the tour (other than the desert), was our guide, Hamid. I can't say enough about how fantastic he was ... friendly, accommodating, funny, did whatever we wanted in terms of going places ... very knowledgeable about all the places we went, came shopping with us ... only stopped at "nice" bathrooms ... LOL! Also, his driving was very safe ... much appreciated on those crazy mountain roads!! At one point we even decided we wanted to go back several kilometres to look at a place, and his reply was ..."no problem ... whenever you want to stop or go back, just let me know!" I have had a couple of other guides on my other visits there, and they don't compare at all to Hamid!! His English (and Berber, Arabic, French, and Spanish) was excellent, and it was nice to have someone with us who spoke the language and ours! He took us to a few shops along the way (which they all do) ... but asked us first if we wanted to stop there, and indicated to us beforehand that even though they would ask a fair price, there was absolutely no pressure to buy anything, and there wasn't!! In fact, we had such a wonderful time with him that after the tour was done, we asked him if he could take us to Essaouira the following day (kind of a spur of the moment thing). It is my understanding from Hamid that this was his first time working for your company ... I can't recommend him highly enough ... you stumbled upon a real gem!! Anyway, it is difficult to return back to snow and cold weather...and I miss the palm trees!!"
Sylvia
"Our trip was wonderful and Khalid is a treasure. There can't be anyone who is more responsible, harder working, kinder, or more fun to be with than Khalid. I will send pictures proving this when I get a chance to look at them. The Erg Chigaga desert camp is impressive and beautiful - no food issues there! Khalid says you may be having a New year celebration over late December and early January. Can you tell me about it? I am hoping to return. I had no idea I would become as mesmerized as I am by Morocco and all the experiences we had. The piste was a revelation of topography and people not to be forgotten."
Susan P
"It says a lot about our trip that it wasn't diminished in the least by the fact that British Airways lost my luggage and I didn't get it back until the end of the trip, meaning I had to spend the entire week with nothing but the clothes I was wearing. The country, the people, and especially our driver Khalid did everything possible to make me forget to think about it.
The desert was the centerpiece for me - the major reason I wanted to go to Morocco in the first place, and the thing I have dreamed about every night since I got back. There is a serenity there that is almost nonexistent elsewhere. And we were royally entertained there, by Khalid, Hamid (who is one of the funniest people I have ever met, despite my not being able to understand a word!), and Barak who made a huge bonfire for just Sue and me, as well as three musicians from another camp who wandered over when they heard Barak drumming, and played and danced the most wonderful dance. The camp itself was very cozy. Even our camels were cooperative. Next time more time in the desert!
My other favorite part was driving on the piste through the mountains. The geology there is amazing, and the views are much more complex and surprising than you get from the main roadways. What a great place for photography. We had many opportunities to interact with the Berber, in ways that make you rethink your notions of community and sharing, from Hamid's lovely family and the great meal we had in their home, to the two women we gave a ride to, to the people on the farms along the way who wanted aspirin and nasal spray, to the children who were so happy to get the pens and colored paper. You do come home with a far great interest in these cultures that you may have known little about before.
Our lodgings were mostly very nice except for the very fancy place in Zagora that turned out to be less than clean and Sue got sick there which we think can be blamed on something from the buffet. (Authentic Morocco: this 4* hotel has been discontinued). We liked the hotel in Ncob and our host in Tamtatouchte provided us with excellent conversation and another round of drumming by some men who gather every evening for this purpose - what an improvement over collapsing in front of the television.
Khalid was not only an excellent driver but extremely helpful in countless ways, from executing an unplanned shopping trip to try to find me a change of clothes (not an easy matter to find Western clothing in Morocco) to even checking our rooms each morning to make sure we hadn't forgotten anything - not to mention the lovely meal we had in his home when we got back to Marrakech, and all the explanations and conversations about Moroccan ways. This enriched our trip immeasurably.
My only thought about what I would do differently - and I'm not sure how feasible it would be - has to do with spending somewhat less time seeing the standard tourist attractions (although I enjoyed them all) and more time just looking around the towns and villages and seeing how people live, what sorts of shops there are, what the buildings look like, the physical layout of the villages, where the donkeys are kept, etc. The dailiness of life in the Moroccan community.
In any case, I went with the expectation that this would be my one and only trip to Morocco, and now that seems unlikely. As you see, I'm already planning the next one (not only more time in the desert, but definitely an overnight in Telouet). Your suggestions as to our itinerary were invaluable, especially your encouraging us to make the mountain-and-desert portion of our trip longer. Thank you so much for your contributions to a really exceptional vacation."
Pat H
"We arrived last Thursday after a few relaxing days in Essauira and now it seems Morocco happened a long time ago!
In terms of feedback, I would rate the trip as excellent. We felt there was a nice balance between the number of hours in the car, the places visited and the breaks. Our guide Khalid perfectly understood the type of tourism we wanted and took us to the right places. He was polite, friendly and concerned about our well being. Khalid was also a great driver and we felt safe with him at all places. We would recommend Khalid without hesitation.
The days we enjoyed the most were in the camp in Erg Chigaga. The staff there went out of their way to keep us happy and were very generous with their time, always willing to answer our questions (sometimes with Khalid's help) and giving us some cooking lessons! They maintained the place as clean as possible and paid full attention to details (the buffet breakfast table or the spotless bathrooms). We would suggest that you highlight the possibility of renting basic sand boarding equipment in M'Hamid to use it in Erg Chigaga, we had never tried it and really enjoyed it.
I have attached a photo of the group at the Erg Chigaga camp.
Thanks Liz for this beautiful experience."
Andrei
"I set down some impressions for my friends and family, and thought to send them on to you.
Pat, a friend for decades, and I shared high adventure in Morocco. Since she is very interested in geology and I wanted to meet people, it took many patient emails with Liz at Authentic Morocco to work out a 4 night/5 day trip to please us both.
Started from the Riad Quenza in Marrakech, a beautiful place in the warrens of the medina with a Hamman (steam room), lovely rooftop terrace, and helpful staff. Pat's remarkably good-natured acceptance of having no luggage (lost by British Air) for the entire trip.
We visited Berber nomads, courteously invited to share almonds and a wonderful meal, cross-legged on homemade carpets spread on the earth floors of a mud-wall home, the lady of the house consenting to be photographed at her loom.
We heard and participated in Berber and Gnaoua (or Gnawa) music at the Erg Chigaga desert camp in the Sahara: first with the Berbers - Barak and Mhammid, former nomads, and Khalid, our Austria-educated multilingual driver - and later the "Blue Men", more "African" Arabs named for their beautiful sky-colored turbans and robes, who appeared over the dunes in the full moonlight when they heard the five of us singing and drumming. The Blue Men danced and sang call and response Gnawa, adding some other percussion instruments. Perfect unison, the men so at ease, not competing. Multilingual hilarity, sweet smoky mint tea, bread cooked on the fire, chicken tagine. Camel riding before dinner and the music, at sunset. In the morning, a big sandstorm.
Crossed the Atlas mountains on narrow, precipitous unpaved tracks in our 4x4. Gave out pens, markers, paper, Advil, aspirin, Afrin. Fresh lima beans brought over for us to taste. The enormous eyes of the young girls to whom we gave lip balm - they were alarmed at the idea of lipstick but relaxed when shown it was colorless. Aversion to cameras. Fragrances of cedar being scraped for brass-rimmed cups, almond trees in flower. Mountain villages without electricity.
Khalid's sturdy, sunny presence, translating, bargaining for us, driving so carefully on the hairpin turns.
Tried to help an ill Nomad mother (of 7) and her friend (mother of 5) who had walked 20 miles from their village for medical care and not received any. We took them nearer their village and would have taken them to a town with a hospital but their men were out in the mountains with the goats and sheep, no way to get word to them, children waiting in their village. Heartrending to leave them at their stony turnoff. They wanted us to come for a visit, even shared their bread and dates with us in the car, but we had many kilometers of rough piste to get through in daylight. We three gave them, Khalid said, enough for transportation, if any could be arranged, and an Xray. No dentistry, laundry in the river. Hard, rough lives...
Telouet and the pashas. Shocking to learn that slavery existed here in large numbers until 1956. Beautiful silk panels high on the elegant walls. Rashid's tour was informative and very funny.
An honor to be welcomed into Khalid's Marrakech home on Mohammed's birthday feast, with extended family. A hug from his mother was a meal of love and comfort in itself. Relaxed camaraderie, unfueled by alcohol, caffeine or nicotine. Women swathed in silk with elaborate swirling henna designs on hands and feet, truly Arabesque. Reverence for Allah combined with the ability to find delight and laughter - even giddiness, several times a day, making the "frozen chosen" demeanors of some distant European ancestors less appealing than ever ...
An honor to meet these people.
And to my dear friend Pat, and new friend Khalid, and to you, Liz, heart-felt thanks. I've been unable to stop thinking about it all."
Sue
"We had a unforgettable couple of days visiting the desert. The Erg Chebbi camel trek, seeing the incredible dunes, the stars and sleeping in a nomad tent were all fantastic. The sites we visited were all brilliant, especially Todra gorge and the kasbahs - all things which we would never have thought to do.
Everything worked exactly to plan and I would definitely recommend Authentic Morocco. Thank you so much."
Jojo Bradley
"We had a fabulous holiday – thank you for all your hard work and for being so attentive to our needs. We found the long days travelling in the car quite tiring but were pleased to have had such a diverse holiday and seen so much. We can certainly see why Morocco is becoming increasingly popular and would love to re-visit one day. Thank you again – I really appreciated the personal service you gave us and I enjoyed our regular chats planning the trip!"
Lesley H
The trip was amazing! Everyone loved the trip. Raschid was great! We enjoyed every part of the trip. It was a little scary when we saw snow in the Atlas mountains but when we got to Zagora it was beautiful! I think everyone’s favorite part was the camel trek and the night in the nomad tents (dinner was delicious!) Another memorable part of the trip was the presentation of the significance of the tradition of rug making by Berber women. It was very interesting and informative and 3 of us bought rugs! Overall the trip was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone! We met so many nice people (out of everywhere I have traveled I honestly think the people in morocco have been the kindest). It really allowed us all to experience a new culture and see the beautiful parts of morocco along with viewing the poverty as well, which coming from the United States is something very important to see. Thank you again for all your help. This trip was truly unforgettable!
Jen W and friends
We had a truly memorable experience in Morocco which will stay with us for a long time. Thank you for making it happen. Adil was a great guide. He really went out of his way to look after us and I hope you will use him as much as possible. The places you selected for us were fantastic. The driving was a bit more onerous than expected but it was worth it for the great experiences we had. By the way we went to visit the film studios which was not on the agenda but we thoroughly enjoyed!
Jane B and family
The night in the erg was definitely the highlight of the trip and we were very happy with our night there. We were amazed by the beauty and colour of the dunes as they surpassed our high expectations! We were also pleasantly surprised by how few people were there (from all the 4x4 racing around Morocco and warnings that Erg Chebbi was "touristy" we had expected a lot more). Obviously there were other people around but it did not feel crowded. The auberge at the edge of the dunes was great as well. Nice and rustic. It just felt perfect. Our camel guide was quiet at first but warmed up (although we ended up speaking mostly French to him as he was definitely not too comfortable in English). The tajine he cooked for supper was excellent. The whole erg experience was definitely worth the trip!
Stephen C
Home safely. Super trip. Great organization. Thank You. Really want to congratulate you on the arrangements you made for us giving us a great experience and holiday. Many thanks and regards.
Jan and Colin C
Thank you for the very efficient way in which you handled our requests and itinerary. We have very good memories of Morocco.
Michael and Jan H
We had an amazing time and loved every second of it - not a bad word to say! We had an epic 24 hours in Telouet and are pining to return - 2 days is nothing! Thank you very much. Rosie x
The little time we had was really wonderful and I would love to go again, for a bit longer next time. Devon
Rosie and Devon
I would thoroughly recommend your tour although personally I would be reluctant to submit to camel transport ever again! (I think my bum is still sore)
Stuart
"We just arrived back in the UK yesterday and we had a fantastic time. We had a great trip to the Atlas Mtns. Adil was our driver and he negotiated the very high, narrow roads well (I did feel a little for him as I was a very nervous front seat passenger there for a while!). It was amazing seeing how the Berber people live and explaining that way of life to my 5 year old. While I loved that day, the highlight of my trip to Morocco was our day trip to Essaouria. I loved the Argan Cooperative. It was quite fascinating. We even got to see the goats in the trees. Hassan took us to a fantastic seafood restaurant for lunch and the girls got to play on the beach. My 5 year old fell in love with Hassan and hasn't stopped talking about him since! I also loved just wandering around the old town. I really appreciated having the right car seats for the girls. Seeing how the Moroccans drive, it was very comforting to have the correct seats for them! The drivers were on time, very flexible (we missed a few stops enroute to the Mts as the girls were asleep in the back and we didn't want to wake them but Adil was fine with that) and took us to some great places. I would definitely recommend you to anyone else I know going to Morocco. Many thanks once again."
Catherine S and family
"We had a brilliant time. Our driver, Omar, was absolutely fantastic. He was the best guide and driver we could have hoped for and really made our holiday. The hotel was great and the camel trek/night in the desert was definitely an experience to remember! The countryside was beautiful and we saw such a lot in such a short space of time. We would recommend this trip to anyone. Thanks for everything."
Leticia and Alison
"This was my first experience of a Light & Land trip and one of the most important elements was just how well organised, and planned, it was, yet led in a wonderfully low-key manner. The research and effort that had quite obviously gone into the planning was first class, and the result was a truly excellent variety of sites and scenery, which in most cases it would have been impossible to find on your own. In terms of photographic opportunities, these were terrific: from the gorges, barren landscapes and fertile valley floors of the Atlas Mountains, to the assorted Berber nomads appearing in all kinds of places, to the sand dunes of the Sahara, and finishing up getting lost in the souks of Marrakech, there was something for everyone. Very ably led by Giles Stokoe, with great support from Liz Williams, I for one thoroughly enjoyed the trip, and suspect it may not be my last Light & Land adventure. Until the next one……."
Keith H
"We had a great time. The four day trip over the Atlas, into the desert, and back to Marrakech went smoothly. Morocco certainly is a beautiful country, full of contrasts. Rashid, our driver/guide was punctual, courteous, and informative. He also looked after us when the odd thing went wrong (not his fault) - camera problem, duff purchases, us running out of cash; all of which he sorted out. The highlight of your part of our holiday has to be the camel ride at dawn in the desert. We were due to have an evening camel ride but only 3 camels turned up and there were four of us in the camp so we said we were happy to go the following morning - it turned out that the weather was bet