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Katherine Butler-Dines

Born and raised in Colorado, I developed a love of travel at a young age. I studied Arabic and international politics at Georgetown University during which time I studied abroad in Morocco. I feel in love with the warmth of the people and the weather. So, I moved to Casablanca to work for Experience Morocco shortly after graduating. When I am not introducing guests to the wonders of Morocco, you'll find me in the ocean surfing.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"We at Experience Morocco pride ourselves on having a deep knowledge of the whole of Morocco. I specialize in creating bespoke itineraries that give guests unique and authentic experiences of Moroccan culture, history, and daily life. Whether you are looking to visit a specific city or learn about a specific part of Moroccan culture, I can tailor an itinerary to match your interests and passions. "

How did you get involved in travel?

"My family always focused on traveling instead of giving gifts, so from a young age I discovered the wonders of exploring foreign cultures, histories, and geographies. I joined Experience Morocco because wanted to contribute to an organization that is building tolerance and understanding through travel. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"One of my favorite experiences was spending Eid al-Adha, the Muslim holiday when families sacrifice a sheep/goat/cow, with a local family in Rabat. I did not grow up religious and rarely eat meat, so I wasn't sure how to feel about the holiday. But joining the family in their living room for the sacrifice and discussing with them the significance and traditions of the holiday was a once in a life time experience. "

Katherine is part of the following groups: Morocco Travel Agents
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Recent trip reviews for Katherine

A Taste of Morocco: Casablanca to Marrakech - 7 Days
Morocco | Oct 13 - Oct 20, 2018

Ilze
Ilze T.
New York, NY | Reviewed on Oct 22, 2018
The guides were amazing, charming, warm and knowledgeable. Jamaal was a lot of fun to spend two days with in Fes. His English is impeccable, and he is sweet, funny, and so likable that everywhere we went in the city he ran into people who enthusiastically greeted him with hearty handshakes and hugs. The time he spent living in the US has informed him well about our culture, making him an even more effective cultural ambassador for his home country and city. The tasting tour was... Read more

The guides were amazing, charming, warm and knowledgeable. Jamaal was a lot of fun to spend two days with in Fes. His English is impeccable, and he is sweet, funny, and so likable that everywhere we went in the city he ran into people who enthusiastically greeted him with hearty handshakes and hugs. The time he spent living in the US has informed him well about our culture, making him an even more effective cultural ambassador for his home country and city. The tasting tour was fascinating, and we pushed out of our comfort zones with the gentle guidance and good humor of Jamaal. I would recommend him to anyone!

In Marrakech, we had the pleasure of spending a full day with Hassan, who was lovely. He was very amenable when we wanted to add the Jardin Marjorelle to our tour, and at all times made it clear that whatever we wanted was exactly what he wanted. He was extremely knowledgeable and imparted his information in a very clear and interesting way. He took great care of us!

Local specialist: Katherine Butler-Dines
Katherine
Katherine Butler-Dines
Local specialist in Casablanca | Replied on Oct 22, 2018

Thanks! It was great hosting you an your family.

Morocco 2018
Morocco | Sep 2 - Sep 8, 2018

M
Mona H.
Houston, TX | Reviewed on Sep 17, 2018
My husband and I are experienced, avid travelers who normally plan our trips on our own with great success. However, upon doing my own research for an upcoming trip to Morocco, I came across the kimkim site and made the decision to utilize their services. I had read positive reviews, and having no real knowledge of Morocco, I decided to give kimkim a shot. We had planned on staying 1 week in Morocco and wanted to cover as much as possible in our brief time there in order to wet our palates... Read more

My husband and I are experienced, avid travelers who normally plan our trips on our own with great success. However, upon doing my own research for an upcoming trip to Morocco, I came across the kimkim site and made the decision to utilize their services. I had read positive reviews, and having no real knowledge of Morocco, I decided to give kimkim a shot. We had planned on staying 1 week in Morocco and wanted to cover as much as possible in our brief time there in order to wet our palates before our next return. Morocco is a country with lots to see and do, and I discovered that one can spend lots of time driving from destination to destination. For example, there is Marrakech, then there is the desert with the sand dunes, and then you also have the Atlas Mountains, as well as the coast. From a logistics point of view, I just thought it would be much easier to let someone with experience plan everything. That’s where kimkim stepped in and really delivered. From the beginning, speaking with Katherine was a breeze. She was helpful, very professional, easy to communicate with, and had a clear idea about the experience we were looking for. She also made good recommendations with regards to hotel and restaurant suggestions. When I explained that we wanted to go to Marrakech, the desert, and the Atlas Mountains, she suggested we book a short flight internally to reduce travel time. Highly worth flying between destinations as roads lack good infrastructure and trips can be very long! Katherine and kimkim planned everything for us, from booking beautiful hotels, to fabulous restaurants, to arranging private drivers, to wonderful tours and experiences. From the beginning, we discussed a budget, and Katherine and kimkim made it happen. Shout out to our private driver Abderrahim (Abdo) and our guide Hassan! Both could not have been more professional, hospitable, and courteous. Our driver Abdo was always on time, and when he arrived at the airport in Marrakech to collect us, his vehicle was very clean and spacious, and he had cold water in the car and all kinds of delicious snacks. He also gave us a local mobile phone and charger to use for the duration of our trip. In it, all important numbers were already saved, and the phone, while it was not a smart phone, was quite perfect as the battery lasted the whole week without charging, and it proved to be very useful. Whenever we needed our driver or needed more time at a destination, our driver was always a phone call away. They also let you use the phone to make free international calls! We were even given welcome satchels with our names painted in Arabic with adaptors and a bound program for our whole trip inside! The program was especially helpful as it included a detailed itinerary, information about the destinations we would be visiting, key contact names and numbers, as well as additional information about the country in general. For some reason, the adaptors would not work, but it was still a nice and thoughtful touch! When we encountered a problem at the airport in Marrakech causing us to miss our flight to the desert, I reached out to our driver and within a short period of time, Katherine reached out to us and found the best solution to our problem. They quickly arranged for a driver to take us to our next destination and while the trip was exhausting, kimkim nevertheless delivered and got us to our next destination the best way they could. In a world where travel agencies have become a bit obsolete, kimkim is changing all that and making it cool again. Their travel platform is quite seamless and efficient, really taking the headache out of planning a trip to a foreign locale. The best part of it all is that their services, while being as useful as they are, are quite inexpensive. Their fees are more than reasonable. Morocco is a beautiful country with warm, hospitable people with a great sense of humor. There is so much to explore and experience and never at one time did we feel unsafe. Their culture is so diverse, and there is something in it for everyone to enjoy, whether it be luxury riads, excellent dining options, spa services (hammams, yes please!), cultural activities, outdoor activities such as trekking, and lots of incredible shopping. I personally highly recommend a trip out to the desert with camel rides and sleeping under a sky filled with a trillion stars at a Berber camp! Kimkim helped us fall in love with Morocco, and we will be returning in the near future for certain. Thank you kimkim for this great experience!

Local specialist: Katherine Butler-Dines
Katherine
Katherine Butler-Dines
Local specialist in Casablanca | Replied on Sep 28, 2018

Thanks! It was a pleasure hosting you.