Hakim ALIBOUCHE

My wife and I travelled for 16 days around Morocco. We had an excellent time throughout. Kimkim did a great job in every way.

1) The overall design was a very fruitful collaboration between the Kimkim lead Hakim Alibouche and ourselves. We had a fairly clear idea of the destinations we wanted to visit. We used one of the pre-existing Kimkim itineraries as a guide to what seemed a reasonable sequence and pace. We then worked with Hakim to turn that outline into a detailed trip plan. This exceeded our expectations. Hakim answered all of our questions promptly and thoughtfully and addressed all issues, both throughout the planning, and during the trip itself.

2) The strategy used was to have a single driver, who took us all over the country. We then had a local guide at each destination. Our driver, Abdellatif Iggui, was absolutely outstanding in every way. He was first of all an excellent, safe driver, who knew every inch of the country and of every city. He was always on time, and always knew just how long any of our journeys would take. He made sure we were comfortable throughout, he was happy to stop for pictures or a rest as needed, he was able to share a lot of information about his country, and overall made the journeys very pleasant.

3) Our itinerary follows:
- Arrived Casablanca, went via Rabat (where we had lunch, actually quite a nice brief stop), then to Chefchaouen, where we stayed 2 nights
- Chefchaouen is amazing - one of the prettiest towns we have ever seen, and a great introduction to Morocco; we toured the city in the morning, and in the afternoon hiked to waterfalls and the "Pont de dieu" natural rock bridge
- We then went to Fes for 3 nights (most people seem to stay for 2 nights), via Volubilis (fabulous ancient Roman town), with brief stops in Moulay Idriss (pleasant small city with a climb to a nice view) and Meknes (ancient capital, beautiful walls)
- Fes is very nice - the medina, the medresas, the Mellah, the palace, the gates - all quite amazing; we had the same guide for 2 days, which was useful
- We then had a long drive (~ 8 hours) to Merzouga (beautiful drive, with terrain reminiscent of the Grand Canyon), which is the staging point for the Erg Chebbi desert, which was the highlight of the whole trip; we stayed 2 nights (most seemed to stay for just one). We rode camels (~ 1 hour to the tent camp), the stargazing at night was extraordinary, then did a 4x4 tour of the desert the next day including visiting a nomad camp, climbing sand dunes, African music show, and visit to a lake in the desert
- We then drove via Todra Gorge (amazing place) to Boumalne-Dades, where we stayed 2 nights; we had a long hike in the mountains, and a walk through another gorge; beautifl scenery
- We then drove to Marrakesh, where we stayed 4 nights; 2 days for seeing the city, which is amazing - the medina with the souks, the mellah, various tombs, the central square - one day would not have been enough; for the third day, we took a day trip to hike in the Atlas mountains in a town called Imlil
- We then drove to the coast for one night stay in Eassouira, which is really lovely and a nice change of pace; we had an excellent tour of their medina
- We then drove to Casablance for our last night's stay; Casablanca is also very nice, much more modern than Fes or Marrakesh; the highlight was the Hassan II Mosque, the only one we were able to enter, which is a stunning structure in every way

4) We had very good guides in every location. In every case, they were extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic. They ensured we were well looked after, making sure we got to our destinations safely, with good recommendations for restaurants, that we found toilets when needed, and they helped us manage issues such as finding an ATM that would take Canadian VISA cards.

5) The accommodations were all excellent. They all served excellent included breakfasts. The property in Boumalne-Dades provided supper, which was excellent and a nice treat. The accommodations were actually for the most part somewhat more luxurious than we would have needed and if we were doing the trip over again, we would likely have reviewed the details of the recommended properties a little more closely and opted for less opulent rooms.

Overall, this was a 5-star holiday with a 5-star company.

Hotel Reviews

La Petite Chefchaouen

Chefchaouene

This was a very pleasant stay right in the middle of the Chefchaouen medina. The breakfast was excellent. The room was small but very comfortable. The hosts were very kind.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sahara Stars Dades

Boumalen Dades

This was a great place to stay. The room was very comfortable. The restaurant, which served breakfast and supper (both included in the stay) was excellent - the best meals we had in our whole trip to Morocco. The servers were exceptional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heure Bleue Palais - Relais & Châteaux

Essaouira

This was a nice hotel, well-situatied, comfortable room, very friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel & Spa Le Doge

Casablanca

This is an absolutely beautiful hotel with so much character. The room was a little small, but still very comfortable. The staff were very helpful. The breakfast was very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Fes - Relais & Châteaux

Fes

This was a luxurious and very comfortable accommodation right in the middle of the Fes Medina. The breakfast was excellent. The staff were very pleasant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Madu Desert Camps

Merzouga

This was the highlight of our trip. The staff were extraordinarily nice and helpful. The food in their restaurant was amazing, both breakfasts and dinners. The tents were very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Les Jardins De La Koutoubia

Marrakech

The location is amazing - right in the medina, steps from Jemaa el Fna, and just down the road from the main mosque. The room was very nice, the breakfasts excellent, and the staff were most helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Morning Guided Tour in Chefchaouen

Morocco

The city is beautiful, and the guide did a good job of taking us around.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour in Fes

Fes

The tour was excellent. The guide was highly knowledgeable, made sure we efficiently got around this complex town, and explained things well. The restaurant recommended was excellent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided 4x4 Desert Adventures in Erg Chebbi

Morocco

This was a really great tour. The guide was very nice, and made sure we had an excellent experience at each stop - the sand dunes, the nomad camp, the lake, the African music performance.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Walk in Dades Gorges

Boumalne Dades

This hike was fantastic. The guide was excellent - he made sure we walked safely, and explained things very well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Aït Benhaddou

Morocco

Excellent guide, very nice place.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Hike in Imlil Village, Return to Marrakech

Morocco

The hike in Imlil was beautiful. The guide was very good at ensuring we hiked safely and saw the surroundings and explained very well what we were seeing.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Guided Tour in Casablanca

Morocco

The visit was very good. We enjoyed seeing both some of the highlights of Casablanca and the Hassan II mosque. We would have appreciated maximizing the time at the mosque as this was a unique opportunity during our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Fes, Volubilis & Meknes

Morocco

The driver (Abdellatif Iggui) was excellent. He made sure we got everywhere we needed to get safely and efficiently.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes to Merzouga Sunset Camel Ride and Overnight in the Desert via Ifrane, Azrou, Midelt & Erfoud

Morocco

Again, Abdellatif was an excellent driver, and made sure we stopped at appropriate places periodically for a rest and for picture taking,

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Camel trek to your camp

Merzouga

So much fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Volubilis

Morocco

The guide was excellent - so knowledgeable, intersesting, through, but not rushed at all.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided tour of Meknes

Meknes

This was a fine tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Merzouga to Boumalne Dades via Tinghir & Todra Gorge

Morocco

The drive was again really great - we were able to enjoy views and stops as we did throughout the journey.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boumalne Dades to Marrakech via Ouarzazate & Aït Benhaddou

Morocco

The two stops were fantastic. The trip to the movie studios in Ouarzazate was so much fun. The visit to Ait Benhaddou was amazing with an excellent guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour in Marrakech

Marrakesh

This was a very good day. The guide was extremely knowledgeable and kind, and made sure we saw the major highlights. He identified a great restaurant for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Guided Tour in Essaouira

Essaouira

This was an unexpectedly good hike. The medina was really interesting, as was the Casbah, and the guide did a great job showing us everything.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hakim our travel agent in Morocco did an amazing job setting up our trip.

We can not say enough about our driver for 11 days named Said. He was our guardian angel. We felt well taken care of from the moment we stepped off the plane in Tangier, until we left Casablanca 11 days later. He anticipated our needs every step of the way. Always making sure where we needed to be. He was very professional and knowledgeable. He was a great tour guide.

Our lodging was fabulous. We chose COMFORT level which was great. We stayed in riads for the most part which were beautiful and colorful and always served a substantial breakfast and more.

Our city guides in Chefhouan/ Abdul and Fes were topnotch historians. Every city guide would take us around to visit the local artisans to learn about ceramics, leather, bakeries, rug making, woodworking and etc and learn about Moroccan customs.

We enjoyed learning about wine making in Morocco when we were in the Meknes area and experienced a tasting at Domaine de la Zounia. Very enjoyable.

We loved seeing the beautiful Sahara for the first time and riding a camel. Great adventure. On our way to Marrakech we saw so much beautiful land and met lovely people. Saw where date production occurs, desert oasis, gorges, the middle and the high Atlas and more. We learned so much.

Osam in Ait Ben Haddou was a very knowledgeable guide.

Hayden in Marrakech was our FoodTour guide and city guide. He was flexible and knowledgeable. Had good connections with locals.

Our guide in Casablanca was very knowledgeable of the Hassan II Mosque describing the intricacies of the mosque and the open hearted and kind king.

We were impressed with the interesting backgrounds and all of the guides multiple language skills.

Could have used a couple of respite days but that is my fault for not planning it in.

There are so many more good things that happened on our trip which would exhaust me to share. Fabulous trip! Morocco is a beautiful country.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Mokhtar Tanger

Tangier

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Jasmine

Chefchaouen

lovely setting. be ready to climb the 100 steps to the entrance. Worth the climb.

Authenticity & Character

Location

fabulous views

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad El Yacout

Fès

Everyone was very helpful. The first night of our stay there was entertainment and dinner was served. Fabulous. The attention and care from the staff was tops. Marcos is the perfect hotel manager aka hospitality manager.

Authenticity & Character

great restoration work done on the building

Location

near the market place

Staff

Marcos and his assistant

Cleanliness & Comfort

room was dark. our second floor window opened up to large dining area on first floor.

Riad Madu Desert Camps

Merzouga

comfortable space. comfortable bed.

Authenticity & Character

attractive tent cabins positioned in the desert

Location

view of the sands of the Sahara

Staff

staff was attentive. food was delicious

Cleanliness & Comfort

comfortable beds.

Riad Ksar Ighnda

Ait Benhaddou

gorgeous grounds, landscape.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Chergui

Marrakech

beautifully appointed. view from our window was the colorful landscape and pool. open dining area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

walking distance to restaurants and market

Staff

friendly owner. very gracious and lovely.

Cleanliness & Comfort

loved that our upstairs room windows opened out into the garden

Kenzi Basma Hotel

Casablanca

comfortable room. ate a great sandwich at the small local restaurant next door.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

room was clean. windows were filthy.

Activity Reviews

Private Transfer from Tangier Airport to your Accommodation in Tangier

Morocco

Said, our driver, picked us up at the airport in Tangier and drove us around to see the sights before reaching our hotel. He was amazingly thorough and accommodating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Said was the best!!

Transport

Afternoon Guided Tour in Chefchaouen

Morocco

Abdul was an 83yo Moroccan gentleman who was authentic, charismatic and knowledgeable. We enjoyed our walk with him in the Blue City.

Quality of Experience

He was authentic!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer to Fes, Volubilis & Meknes

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour in Fes

Fes

Our guide was authentic, sincere and delivered a lot history and culture

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guerrouane Region Winery Tour

Fes

We enjoyed learning and tasting the different wine varietals produced in Morocco. Our driver Said brought us to the winery. Our guide was very well educated in wine production.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes to Merzouga Sunset Camel Ride and Overnight in the Desert via Ifrane, Azrou, Midelt & Erfoud

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aït Benhaddou to Marrakech via Tizi n'Tichka Pass & the High Atlas Mountains

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Food Tour & Local Gastronomy

Morocco

Hayden was great. very flexible and knowledgable. We arrived late and his was very accommodating.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour in Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Guided Tour in Casablanca

Morocco

Our guide was very well informed of the history and symbolism of the beautiful Hassan II Mosque. We enjoyed getting an overview of exciting Casablanca city, viewing Pigeon Square and touring the marina.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Said our driver was amazing at every turn

Transport

Thank you so much for facilitating our memorable trip to Morocco. We had a great time and appreciate the beautiful "riads' that you booked for us. Hakim, the local specialist did a fantastic job and Hakim, our driver/guide did a great job ensuring that no one is left behind and making sure everything was on track. They made our trip truly one for the road!

Everything is on schedule and the weather also cooperated. If there's any room for improvement, it was the Hamam. Perhaps, one can book where all the locals usually go. The Hamam we experienced looks like one meant for tourists. The food tour can also be suggested on the first day and not on the last day.

Overall, I am very happy with how our trip to Morocco was and I can only express my gratitude and that I look forward to having future trips curated by your organization. I will also recommend this to friends who like to visit Morocco. Thank you!

We are a group of 6 friends who have just concluded an 8-day trip to celebrate our 50th birthdays! Hakim Alibouche prepared a wonderful trip for us and we are so happy with how smooth the whole trip went. All the accommodations set up for us were superb and felt luxurious, especially Dar Jasmine, Riad, Norma, and Riad La Cle D’or.

The highlight of our trip was our overnight stay at Madu Luxury Desert Camp where we were able to see the sunset and sunrise. The camp was well-equipped and the staff took care of us very well.

We were also very lucky to have Hakim Hamzawi as our driver and guide for the whole week! Hakim took care of us, made sure we are comfortable and safe, and is very knowledgeable about the area. He communicated with our local guides and accommodations so that porters are present when we arrive to help us navigate the alleyways and to make sure we find our way to the riad. His friendliness and fun personality added to the fun of our whole trip and we appreciate him so much. We will very much request his service again if we come back with our families.

Overall the service was great and we made so many precious memories from this adventure. I would highly recommend Kimkim to friends and family who would prefer a hassle-free planning and customized trip. It made a difference to have this platform do all the research, planning, booking, coordinating and organizing with local specialists especially with a group like ours.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Madu Desert Camps

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad la Clé d'Or

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

GuestHouse Bagdad Café

Ait Ben Haddou

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Traditional Hammam & Massage

Morocco

We were disappointed with our experience in Les Bains de L’alhambra. It seemed like there was too much booking for the size of the place to have an intimate and relaxing experience. From the moment we arrived through the whole process, the staff was disorganized and rushing back and forth between rooms. It was like a factory assembly line with clients seated and waiting for their turn for the next step of the process. We received wet towels and complained about it. They gave us new ones after much buzzing around by the staff trying to figure out what the deal was. Our massage room had 3 tables but the room is small so moving around between them with 3 clients and 3 massage therapists is very tight. As a result, I had a cut on my thigh from a sharp metal edge sticking out one of the massage tables as I was trying to move to my assigned table. Overall it was not relaxing and quite disappointing to be a first hammam experience. We thought it would feel luxurious but it’s the complete opposite.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver Hakim Hamzawi is the best!

Transport

Nice comfortable van provided for us.

Food Tour & Local Gastronomy

Morocco

This walking food tour was our last activity of the whole trip and felt anti-climatic because at that point, we have already tasted many of the food through our week of traveling around Morocco. Our local guide is very knowledgeable and the tour is informative, however, this tour would be great at the start of the trip as an introduction to Morocco and not at the end. We didn’t finish the whole tour because it dragged on and we were too full from trying different street food and physically tired (it’s past 8:30 pm) that we declined the dinner part which would have been a good ending of the day.

Quality of Experience

Exploring the madness and chaos of Jemaa el fna with a guide is exciting and made it more manageable!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide and driver made us feel safe and taken cared of all the time.

Transport

Our driver Hakim was amazing. He took care of us. He made our trip special. He willingly accomodated our request. It's like we have a brother with us in our trip. We really appreciate what he did for us. 10 star for Hakim Hamzawi.
It was a good decision that we avail of kimkim for our Morocco trip. Everything was great. From hotel to the guides. One thing that i was a little bit disappointed was the Hamam. It was my 1st time trying it but the service wasnt good. Staffs were not organized, room a little bit crowded, hygiene was questionable. Overall, it was still a good experience. Thanks Kimkim!

We had an amazing trip and Hakim did an excellent job. As this was our first experience with KimKim, we were nervous whether the arrangements would work out as promised. But everything was great, and I'm glad we relied on Hakim's excellent reviews and expertise.

My husband and I rarely get the opportunity to travel together. The trip to Morocco was rather impromptu. The Kim Kim team was fantastic every step of the way, helping us choose excursions and day trips. One element different from our previous travels was the use of a single driver for travel throughout the country. We are so lucky to have met Hamsa, our driver and travel expert. What a fantastic young gentleman. Hamsa arrived to greet us every morning with a rundown of where we would be travelling each day. The car was always immaculate and Hamsa was always perfectly dressed , ready to answer questions and pack the car with water and coins for incidentals, like bathroom stops and fresh pomegranate juice. The good relationships between the KimKim tam, Hamsa and our guides in the various cities made for a seamless and memorable trip of a lifetime. When unforeseen torrential rain washed out roads, the KimKim team worked to make accommodations for travel changes, and even plan new experiences in the event we were stuck due to road emergencies. The guides in each of the cities were wonderful, each a wealth of knowledge. Every single guide was so happy to share with us the history and progress and remarkable features of their city. Every single guide was happy to help us learn enough of the language (even Berber)to say "hello"and "thank you", so we could be respectful guests in their lands. My favorite guide was Hanyn, who we were able to see twice while in Marrakech. Hanyn guided our evening food tour, which I highly recommend, and the tour of the city the following day. Hanyn's historical knowledge of Marrakech and Morocco in general, brought the ancient sites to life. Hanyn's relationships with the shopkeepers gave us access to their knowledge of their products, how they came to work in their craft, and their love for their community. One takeaway that was distinctly notable about every aspect of the KimKim Morocco experience: these knowledgeable individuals have great pride and love for their country. Their hope is to share the wonderful, exotic delights that make up the beautiful place that is Morocco. Their pride of place in their individual cities is apparent in their teaching. So many wonderful experiences that we will remember . I invite you to let the KimKim team plan a fantastic journey for you and embark upon the same quest we took, with mountain hikes, coastal walks, desert stars, rally cars and a country full of friendly, remarkable people. We cannot wait to go there again.