By Susan Lazarus
My friend and I planned a Morocco trip and after much research, decided on a 10-night, 11-day trip with Morocco Expert Tours. We had a lot of communication in advance with the owner, Youssef and he was always responsive and informative about the different options and was easy to deal with. We planned our trip and wired a deposit to the company. That process went smoothly and I had no problems with paying in that manner.
As we were two females travelling alone in Morocco, we did not know what to expect but rest assured if you are in that situation, you will feel safe and protected with MET. We were picked up on time by the owner’s nephew, also Youssef, and he was a delightful and informative guide for our entire trip. Unless we had to use a city guide, such as in Fes, we were quite content with Youssef and missed him a lot when he wasn’t there! We even miss him now!
Things that stood out about Youssef, our guide, was his intelligence, his humor and his kindness as a human being. His ability to converse in English is quite good, even to the point where we could make jokes with subtle humor and he was able to pick up on it and joke back.
Even on long rides we didn’t get bored and Youssef seemed to know when to break up the trip with a sightseeing adventure or a coffee break. He was flexible and if there was a change we requested, they were able to accommodate. One other point, he is a very careful and safe driver and that is quite important on the mountainous and even the city roads where driving skills are essential.
Highlights from the trip included two nights in Chefchaouen (better known as “chowin’”), a lovely smaller town in the Rif Mountains, known for its blue colored buildings. An additional tip- good prices for shopping. We loved the Restaurant that Youssef took us to, Beldi Bab Ssour and would recommend that highly. We also liked the Riad, Dar Echchaouen which had a fabulous view and very kind hosts.
A camel ride in the Sahara Desert is a peak experience and while we were a little hesitant, it all went well. The desert is a magical place and the camp we stayed at was beautiful. It was also quite interesting to hear in several of the cities about the influence and population of the Jewish people that at one time lived and flourished in Morocco.
I didn’t expect the majestic beauty of the mountainous areas of the Todra Gorges, the Dades Valley and the Atlas Mountains. Staying a night in a small Riad in the mountains would have been nice but no time for everything! We also loved Essaouira and wished we had an extra night there as well. Don’t miss the goats in the trees or the Argan Oil Cooperative, just outside of this town.
There are many more details I could cite, but overall, this is was a wonderful trip and I can recommend Morocco Expert Tours highly!
Visited September 2016
Ed. Note: Susan Lazarus writes on travel, entertainment, dining and theater. Contact her through Promenade News Contact Page.
