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Larbi Anzal

I was born into a small traditional village on the Marrakech Plain. Agriculture was the main means of livelihood– livestock and crops – and I had to play my part in my family’s farming activities each day, throughout the year.

I attended primary school and this involved a mile walk each way, twice a day. Of my class, only two of us were able to progress to high school In Marrakech. My cousin and myself, at age 12, looked after ourselves in a small house in the city, getting ourselves to school each day as well as cooking our meals and doing our laundry. But endeavour paid off and I was able to progress to college and take courses in first Practical Science and then Business Management .

After this, I first worked for an English tourism company based in Morocco, gaining much further practical business management training. I was eventually given full responsibility for all of the company’s financial matters. I also took part in many of the trips that the company organised, gaining many certificates including Mountain Rescue and from the Moroccan Guide Federation. I am also qualified to lead rock climbing and kayaking.

Today I am the owner and manager of my own company, Anzal Tours (Anzal Tourisme Services, ATS), founded in 2007. My life’s journey has taken me far but it has not made me forget my home village on the Marrakech Plain, a place to which I return frequently. To journey is good, to return fulfilled is even better.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"With extensive experience gained over many years in Moroccan tourism and with a deep and strong network of Moroccan service providers, my company, Anzal Tours, specializes in both Hiking and Trekking Tours in the High Atlas as well as Traveling Tours the length and breadth of Morocco. Such tours can be of any duration and at all levels of demand, from the very gentle to the demanding.

In particular I am also very pleased to offer our special Highlight Tours. These are several day options out from Marrakech that uniquely take our travelers to mostly unknown places, well off the beaten track, and that give opportunities to meet and engage with people and to see daily life as it truly is (with opportunities to participate as well).

One of our most enjoyed and appreciated Highlight tours is spending a day in my own village on the Marrakech Plain, engaging and participating with the villagers in their daily activities."

How did you get involved in travel?

"After finishing my studies in High School I gained very good experience in the tourism industry spending many years training and working with an English company that specialized in the provision of outdoor activities. These activities included hiking and trekking, mountaineering, rock climbing, kayaking and camping.

In addition, the company was heavily involved in providing Team Building activities and I was responsible for the planning and management of such events.

Further (and this led to my present strong interest in Traveling Tours) Sahara expeditions) were undertaken, exploring the hot desert landscapes of Southern Morocco.

After 7 years in this company, I founded my own company, ANZAL TOURS (ANZAL TOURISME SERVICES, ATS), in 2007. I now work with UK Educational Tour Operators (for student groups) and with Healthy Holidays (providing their hiking programmes) as well as providing comprehensive tailor made tours for adult groups and private client groups. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"During an annual winter mountaineering training with some experienced mountaineering climbers from various countries, we planned to climb Angour mountain.

We left Marrakech at 03:30 toward Oukaimden (about 76 km South Marrakech), arriving at 05:00. After thoroughly checking the equipment and getting ready to start, we began the climb at 05:30.

It was dark and very cold; we were at around 3,000m. I was anxious about what lay ahead. We started using ropes to ascend further at 11:00; everyone had to use their climbing skills. The cliff was very high and the snow very slippery with some Ice in some places. After a big effort we eventually attained the summit.

I was so pleased to be the 3rd of 9 climbers to make the top at 18:00. The last of the 9 finished the climb at 21:00, three hours later. This further reinforced my satisfaction in achieving success in such a demanding challenge. It was very cold at the summit and to wait there was very hard, but it was all part of the experience and working as a team.

The return journey was treacherous – only once everyone is safely back home can you claim success. With falling temperatures the snow was very icy and it was all in the dark.

After another 4 hours of walking we reached our starting point where we had left the vehicles; they were a very welcome sight. Departing for Marrakech at 01:00, we arrived back in to the city at 03:30, 24 hours after the start.

I was extremely exhausted but also so very exhilarated. It had been a great climbing challenge, involving both strength (physical and mental) and mountain climbing techniques. But, working as a team, in the High Atlas environment, left a long and lasting memory. If you try, if you are encouraged and if you are supported by a strong team of like-minded people, so much can be achieved."

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

Trip to Morocco
Morocco | Sep 12 - Sep 22, 2019

K
Kerrie H.
Australia | Reviewed on Sep 26, 2019

Our driver, Said, was very good, he was attentive, polite, and informative. He made us feel like friends, not just customers. Our guide in Fes, name? Was very informative, and took us to a lot of co operative shopping spots. Our guide in Marrakech, was very amusing, but didn't give us much time to browse the medina.

Local specialist: Larbi Anzal

Morocco Travel (with mom)
Morocco | Dec 15 - Dec 23, 2018

Myla
Myla W.
San Diego, CA | Reviewed on Jan 07, 2019
My mom and I did a custom 9-day tour of Morocco in December of 2018. Booking the tour, I communicated back and forth with Larbi - he was always very timely in his response and very professional.
Said, was our driver and guide for 6 days (no guide in Marrakesh) and he was wonderful! My mom and I had the best time. Said did above and beyond what he was supposed to do - even took us to some local places to eat and took me to Starbucks in Marrakech. "Thank you, Said. You are the...
Read more

My mom and I did a custom 9-day tour of Morocco in December of 2018. Booking the tour, I communicated back and forth with Larbi - he was always very timely in his response and very professional.
Said, was our driver and guide for 6 days (no guide in Marrakesh) and he was wonderful! My mom and I had the best time. Said did above and beyond what he was supposed to do - even took us to some local places to eat and took me to Starbucks in Marrakech. "Thank you, Said. You are the best!"
Tour started in Casablanca (Day 1) - we did not really spend a lot of time there since our flight arrived pretty late but we were able to see the mosque the next morning.
Day 2 - Chefchaouen - we loved this place - it was charming! Great place for those eye-catching Instagram photos.
Day 3 - On the way to Fes but stopped off in Meknes - a smaller version of Fes. The shopkeepers were a little more forceful about selling so I did not enjoy this place as much. Volubilis - saw Roman ruins - nice place for photos as well. Arrived in Fes at night.
Day 4 - Fes all day with a different guide. Our guide was El Hadi - he was great too! Explained the different things we were seeing. Guided us through the medina (which was confusing). Got some awesome deals on Argan oil, some scarves and pottery. Opted out of the tanneries - I knew my nose would not be able to hack it. Went to different sights as well - old city, new city, viewpoints from old watchtowers, where you can see great views of the city.
Day 5 - En route to the Desert - stopped by Erfoud (where our guide Said - a resident of the city) - took us where we could purchase trilobites for my brother. Middle Atlas mountain - we stopped by and saw Barbary monkeys on the road - fed them peanuts and gave some stray dogs some of our leftovers from breakfast. At the end of this day - we arrived in the Sahara desert - took a camel ride for an hour (our guide was Mustafa) to our camp. Great place to watch the stars. It was really cold!!! But I would rather be cold than hot, so just be prepared if you are planning on going in the winter.
Day 6 - Breakfast in the camp. Cold morning but got up early to watch the sunrise, then another hour camel ride back to meet our guide Said. Saved some of the apples from dinner and fed it to our camels. We stopped by a local market (Rissani) then went to see Todra Gorge - were able to take nice photos here. We slept in Ouarzazate (nice sleepy town).
Day 7 - Hiked up Ait Benhaddou - great scenery. Stopped off in a few places as well while en route to Marrakech. Arrived in Marrakech late afternoon.
Day 8 and 9 - My mom and I did want we do best - SHOP. We also enjoyed watching the exciting shows in the Jemaa el Fna Square.
We met Larbi in Marrakech - "Thank you for meeting with us, Larbi!"
All in all, it was an awesome "once in a lifetime experience!" - Will we do it again? YES!!! Totally worth it.

Local specialist: Larbi Anzal
Larbi
Larbi Anzal
Local specialist in Marrakech, Morocco | Replied on Jan 16, 2019
Hello Myla and Mom, I am very pleased that you had such a great tour in Morocco. There was both a great variety of places as well as experiences in your bespoke tour, a great result after working together to develop your ideal itinerary. Yes, Said is a very good driver and he goes out of his way to go the extra mile; I am pleased to read that he played an important part in your trip. It was very nice to meet you too in Marrakech and thanks again for your kind gifts, much appreciated. It would... Read more

Hello Myla and Mom, I am very pleased that you had such a great tour in Morocco. There was both a great variety of places as well as experiences in your bespoke tour, a great result after working together to develop your ideal itinerary. Yes, Said is a very good driver and he goes out of his way to go the extra mile; I am pleased to read that he played an important part in your trip. It was very nice to meet you too in Marrakech and thanks again for your kind gifts, much appreciated. It would be very nice if you were to make a return visit, there is so much more to see in Morocco. Kind regards, Larbi

Moroccan cities and culture
Morocco | Oct 15 - Oct 24, 2018

D
Doug G.
Canada | Reviewed on Nov 04, 2018

Overall, the cities tour of Casablanca, Chefchaoen, Fes and Marrakech was very good. Our driver Said was very professional, accommodating and spoke excellent English. We felt very well cared for by Said.
Our guide in Fes (El Hadi) was very knowledgeable and courteous. Luckily, we had the services of our driver in Casablanca which made for seamless touring around the city. Our only disappointment was the fact that we had stressed twin bed accommodation to the tour company but this was not provided at some of our hotels. I would recommend KimKim and Anzal Tours to friends and family members.

Local specialist: Larbi Anzal
Larbi
Larbi Anzal
Local specialist in Marrakech, Morocco | Replied on Nov 06, 2018

Many thanks for taking the time to write your review. I am very pleased to read your comments that suggest you enjoyed your tour. My apologies regarding the twin/double bed provision. I will endeavour to repeat the needs to all accommodation places so that our travelers receive what they wish. Many thanks for your recommendation to other future potential clients. Kind regards, Larbi.

Sight see if culture
Morocco | Oct 3 - Oct 15, 2018

Leyla
Leyla M.
Canada | Reviewed on Oct 22, 2018

Our 13 day journey through Morocco was very memorable. Our driver, (Youseff) was very punctual and shared with us his personal knowledge and experiences along the many roads we travelled.

In the city of Fez, we were greeted by our local guide, Fatima. She had vast knowledge of the local markets and attractions within the city. Certainly one of the highlights of our trip.

Overall our trip was well organized and tailored to what we were looking for. We plan on returning to Morocco again in the future, and look to build upon the experience we had.

Cody & Leyla

Local specialist: Larbi Anzal
Larbi
Larbi Anzal
Local specialist in Marrakech, Morocco | Replied on Oct 22, 2018

Hello Cody and Leyla. I am very pleased to read your Trip review. It was excellent to work with you, to tweak and adjust your Trip Plan and itinerary until it was just as you wished it to be. Many thanks for your most positive comments, they are very encouraging. Great to read too that you would like to return to Morocco; there is certainly so much more to see and experience and we cover the whole country. I am very pleased that you have so many pleasant Moroccan memories to reflect upon and enjoy. Kind regards, Larbi, Anzal Tours

Trip to Morocco
Morocco | Oct 2 - Oct 11, 2018

Olga
Olga G.
Canada | Reviewed on Oct 16, 2018
We booked a 10 day trip to Morocco visiting many of the cities including Casablanca, Fez, Ouarzazate and Marrakesh. I was very pleased with the accommodations : Larbi booked us an awesome trip with really nice hotels and riads. Our hotel in Casablanca was brand new (1 month in operation) and our raids in Fez and Marrakesh were right in the heart of the medinas with great trip advisor reviews. Our driver Mubarak was very sweet and patient as well as knowledgeable about the areas we were... Read more

We booked a 10 day trip to Morocco visiting many of the cities including Casablanca, Fez, Ouarzazate and Marrakesh. I was very pleased with the accommodations : Larbi booked us an awesome trip with really nice hotels and riads. Our hotel in Casablanca was brand new (1 month in operation) and our raids in Fez and Marrakesh were right in the heart of the medinas with great trip advisor reviews. Our driver Mubarak was very sweet and patient as well as knowledgeable about the areas we were driving through. We even got to visit his mom and sister at their home! And all of our local guides were great, funny and caring (when i got sick). We are extremely happy with the level of service we received on all ends and the best part is I didn't have to lift a finger to book any of it. Thank you Larbi and the Kim Kim team for an amazing experience.

Local specialist: Larbi Anzal
Larbi
Larbi Anzal
Local specialist in Marrakech, Morocco | Replied on Oct 17, 2018

Hello Olga. It is very rewarding to read your comprehensively positive review, many thanks. A bespoke and tailor made trip endeavours to provide an exceptional and unique set of experiences for our travelers and it sounds like this was most definitely the case for you. Thank you for taking the time to express your feelings about your trip with us, it is hugely encouraging. We put a lot of effort into preparing out travelers’ trips and all their component parts and it sounds like we have the “trip recipe” just right! Kind regards, Larbi

Glimpse of Morocco
Morocco | Aug 1 - Aug 4, 2018

H
Henry G.
Australia | Reviewed on Sep 06, 2018

3 nights 4 days tour Chefchaouen/Fes very well organised by Larbi the local Morocco travel specialist, he was very helpful organising transport and accommodation, the Hotel and Riad was excellent, clean rooms, good meals (dinner) the staff at both places was helpful and attentive to assist our needs, information and directions .
Our driver Mubarak was not only the driver but a tour guide as well, very knowledgeable of his country's history and places of interest for the foreigner.
His driving was always defensive, courteous and safe.
Well done KIMKIM,

Local specialist: Larbi Anzal
Larbi
Larbi Anzal
Local specialist in Marrakech, Morocco | Replied on Sep 28, 2018

Hello Henry. It is very good of you to take time to write a review of your tour. I am very pleased that you all enjoyed every aspect of your trip. It was good to work with you, adjusting things as you wished till you had your ideal tour. Creating your comprehensive, bespoke tour was a pleasure and we very much appreciate our appreciative travelers. After your little taste of Morocco perhaps you will think to visit again and to experience other areas; just let me know! Larbi Anzal.

Morocco trip
Morocco | Apr 1 - Apr 6, 2018

A
Angel D.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Jun 29, 2018

Our trip to Morocco was fabulous with the help of Larbi. We toured the country without any hassles, our ride was comfortable and the people who were there as part of Larbi's team were amazing. We don't have any complaints at all. The hotels all suited our needs. I am so glad we planned this trip through kimkim, I'm pretty sure there's no better way to do it. We recommend kimkim to everyone who wants to visit Morocco!

Local specialist: Larbi Anzal
Larbi
Larbi Anzal
Local specialist in Marrakech, Morocco | Replied on Sep 28, 2018

Hello Angel. Your words are very warming indeed to read, many thanks. It is great to know that your trip to Morocco was so good and that you completely enjoyed all the provisions that we had provided for you. It was great to work with you to design your ideal tour to be exactly as you wished it to be. Your praise is fullsome; thank you very much for taking the time to write some lovely words. Larbi.

A Moroccan Desert Adventure - 4 Days
Morocco | Jun 9 - Jun 14, 2018

Alvin
Alvin K.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Jun 21, 2018
We spent 5 days and 4 nights in Morocco and it was great. One of the highlights of our trip was spending the night in the Sahara desert where we were able to watch the stars by the campfire while also enjoying some local music. Our trip was spent mostly on the road however which at some points of the trip can feel quite boring. However it is understandable due to the size of the country and the distances we had to travel between each place. Nevertheless, the scenery during the drives were... Read more

We spent 5 days and 4 nights in Morocco and it was great. One of the highlights of our trip was spending the night in the Sahara desert where we were able to watch the stars by the campfire while also enjoying some local music.

Our trip was spent mostly on the road however which at some points of the trip can feel quite boring. However it is understandable due to the size of the country and the distances we had to travel between each place. Nevertheless, the scenery during the drives were beautiful ranging from rocky mountains, desserts, and valleys. The cities we visited were also very beautiful we visited Ourzazate, Marrakech, and Boulmane Dades.

Our driver was very helpful and very informartive and we enjoyed the trip very much. The accommodation provided by Larbi was of very good quality. We opted for the 3* option and the places we stayed in were very clean and provide very good service.

Some negatives/feedback from our trip:
- we did not get information on the time that our driver would pick us up on the first and last day. It would be more efficient for us and for the tour to provide us this info as we had to ask the hotel manager to phone Larbi a couple of times.
- when we were dropped of in Marrakech by our driver we had to walk to the riad we were staying and our driver agreed with a guy with a cart to take our baggage for 50 dirham. When we arrived I was forced to pay 150 dirham by him.

Despite some minor stuff we enjoyed our trip very much and would recommend using Larbi's services if you are going to visit Morocco.

Local specialist: Larbi Anzal
Larbi
Larbi Anzal
Local specialist in Marrakech, Morocco | Replied on Jun 21, 2018
I am delighted to read your very positive and encouraging Review; many thanks for taking the time to write it and so fully too. I am very pleased to know that you had a great trip and that you fully appreciated the magnificent sceneries and experiences of Morocco (as well as the Anzal Tours service provision!). It is a huge country - you must come back and see more! We have very good drivers and it's great to hear that you appreciated his services too; they do a demanding job and are a very... Read more

I am delighted to read your very positive and encouraging Review; many thanks for taking the time to write it and so fully too. I am very pleased to know that you had a great trip and that you fully appreciated the magnificent sceneries and experiences of Morocco (as well as the Anzal Tours service provision!). It is a huge country - you must come back and see more! We have very good drivers and it's great to hear that you appreciated his services too; they do a demanding job and are a very important element of our tours; their input is significant to a tour's overall success. Good to get your "light negatives'' too, thanks; noted and action will be taken for the future. It is a bit tricky to control the luggage carriers, however; they are good and needed for what they do but they have tough lives so any chance to squeeze a little more dirhams can be the case sometimes, sorry about that. Many thanks for your personal recommendation too; I appreciate that very much. We genuinely strive in Anzal Tours to meet and exceed our travelers' expectations. Larbi.

Cultural highlights
Morocco | Jun 7 - Jun 11, 2018

J
Jane R.
Australia | Reviewed on Jun 21, 2018

Larbi planned a wonderful trip for us. It was exactly what we wanted for the time available to us. His driver was excellent, obliging and knowledgable. When we had to make some changes nothing was too much trouble for Larbi.
Thank you for putting us in touch with him.

Local specialist: Larbi Anzal
Larbi
Larbi Anzal
Local specialist in Marrakech, Morocco | Replied on Jun 21, 2018

This is wonderful to read. We put in full effort to provide great tours for our travelers and it is excellent when a trip is thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated by our travelers. In Anzal Tours we do go the extra mile in order to work with our valued clients to creat and provide a special tour, just as they wish it to be; when we receive a review such as yours we know we are providing just what our discerning travelers want and appreciate. Many thanks ... and spread the word! Safe and happy future travels.Larbi

Exploring Morocco
Morocco | Apr 30 - May 12, 2018

Yvette
Yvette F.
| Reviewed on Jun 03, 2018
We had an incredible time during our 12 days in Morocco! We usually travel quite independently, and this was a new experience for us having a private driver for the first 7 days of our trip, and a mountain guide for another 2. Now that we are back, we wouldn't have had it any other way. We learned so much from our time with Said, about his culture, family, and other random facts and observations. I think this was the best way to really immerse yourself into Morocco, especially if it's your... Read more

We had an incredible time during our 12 days in Morocco!

We usually travel quite independently, and this was a new experience for us having a private driver for the first 7 days of our trip, and a mountain guide for another 2.

Now that we are back, we wouldn't have had it any other way. We learned so much from our time with Said, about his culture, family, and other random facts and observations. I think this was the best way to really immerse yourself into Morocco, especially if it's your first time to Africa or a Muslim country.

Said was also very knowledgeable of the general area. He took us to many places we didn't know about and often stopped in small towns or the side or the road to show us a collective (fossils, roses, argan oil, ceramics), taste some dates or watermelon, or to see a small gift a local was selling (Without feeling pressured to buy). He also took us to visit a nomadic family and share tea with them in their tent, a very special experience for us. It was sad to say goodbye.

I'm not sure that we would do anything differently. We packed quite a bit into our trip, but there is so much to see: Roman ruins at Volubilis, wandering around the blue city at Chefchaouen, the busy medinas in Fes and Marrakech, and of course the desert!

The desert was probably our favorite part of the whole trip. We spend about 3 full days driving between small market towns, stopped at a fossil factory in Erfoud, saw beautiful oases hidden in the rocks and sand, and enjoyed a memorable camel ride at sunset into the dunes where we spend the night enjoying music from local Berber people, who were all very friendly. We even got to hold a baby sand fox that a local boy had on the side of the road!

Another very special part of the trip was spending 2 days hiking in the High Atlas mountains between small villages. We enjoyed 2 lunches with Berber families and spend a very crazy lightning storm in the home of another. Our mountain guide was great and very knowledgeable of the area, even when we had to change our route to avoid the river that grew from the storm.

The riads we stayed at (Fes, Marrakech) were beautifully designed, and the service was top notch. It was great to enjoy a delicious meal on the roof or in the ornate dining areas of our riad after a long day of exploring.

This trip really opened our eyes and re-prioritized our list of places we wanted to jump into next.

Shukran to Larbi & Said for this very special trip!

Local specialist: Larbi Anzal
Larbi
Larbi Anzal
Local specialist in Marrakech, Morocco | Replied on Jun 06, 2018
These are every encouraging words to read Yvette, many thanks. I am delighted that you trip was so exhilarating. Anzal Tours is very pleased that you delighted in the many "extras" that we provide for our travelers, such as close and meaningful encounters with local people; these are very special events. Great too that Said was such a great driver and companion; we are very pleased with our Anzal Tours drivers and we fully know how important a part they play in a trip's overall success. I... Read more

These are every encouraging words to read Yvette, many thanks. I am delighted that you trip was so exhilarating. Anzal Tours is very pleased that you delighted in the many "extras" that we provide for our travelers, such as close and meaningful encounters with local people; these are very special events. Great too that Said was such a great driver and companion; we are very pleased with our Anzal Tours drivers and we fully know how important a part they play in a trip's overall success. I will feed back to Said and I know he will be very happy to have served you so well and to your high satisfaction. Thank you very much for young with us; Morocco is varied, Morocco is vast - great that you are keen to return; we will be happy to serve you again. Larbi.