Saïd Nayt Addi

My family and I enjoyed many parts of our trip to Morocco beginning with the original city center in Rabat, the Andalusian Gardens and Chellah Necropolis.
Charif, a licensed tour guide, a very welcome addition to our tour joined us in Fes. The Roman ruins of Volubilis , tour of Fes and dining experience with a local family in Fes were both interesting and valued experiences. We did not have the dining experience at L'Amandier Palais Faraj.

The Tiziri Luxury Camp was a unique and thoroughly enjoyable experience. Staff there were cheerful and helpful but it would have been an asset to have Charif with us (there were no accomondations available for him) .

Marrakesh was an interesting city and the Secret Gardens were delightful. The food tour coming at the end of our trip was less interesting as it consisted almost enrtirely (snails excepted) of items we had sampled many times before. The dinner at the end of the food tour was up two steep flights of stairs to a mediocre setting where we were served the poorest meats of the trip - dry and overcooked.

The accommodations were beautiful and comfortable, an experience in and of themselves.

I will take some responsibility for not being explicit enough regarding my limitations but I see no indication that Said read or took seriously any of my requests or comments as we planned this trip. His description of Rachid as a driver guide who could provide us with knowledge of sites, culture and history was frankly preposterous. He did add Charif on Day 3 and we all appreciated his expertise.

The pacing of the trip was not good with too many hours riding in the van and not enough time to explore the sites we were in. Said's travel time estimates were universally off. This was epitomized by the trip to Chefchouen where we arrived at 8:00 PM and the hotel was still a 1/2 mile steep climb from the street (I got a ride with the luggage but the rest hiked it). The itinerary showed a number of interesting sites but no time to see any of them. We delayed our departure the next morning to noon but there were only two people of the group willing and able to hike up and down that mountainside. I would eliminate that stop from the itinerary unless it was a two night stay and although the hotel was lovely and the staff wonderful it was not an appropriate choice for us.

The Casablanca Hotel and Merzouga were the only sites where we were transported to the entrance; several other hotels involved walking 5-10 minutes from the van to the accommodation. A statement by Said that the van would be available at all times, even during walking tours proved quite inaccurate. There were many place the van simply couldn't go. On the last day my daughter and I got a ride from the Secret Gardens to the van via a motorbike cab, a welcome accommodation I would gladly have paid for during the entire tour.

I expected to sit by at points during the tour as I recognize my limitations but it was disappointing to realize that Said didn't attend to that or our desire for a competent tour guide from the onset.

None of these criticisms is meant to indicate that the trip was a bust for I did enjoy seeing this beautiful country with my family that had been on my wish list for some time. I'm sure most or all of them would rate the experience highly and I invite you to ask them directly. Their perspective is certainly different from mine. I know we all appreciated Charif.

We had an incredible stay in Morocco. From the early planning stages with the Kimkim team and Saïd to our arrival in the airport when we were greeted by our personal driver for the week Soufiane. He was a very kind, friendly, knowledgeable and respectful person who we felt instantly comfortable with. He seemed to know everyone wherever we stopped and had great relationships. Our tour guide in Marrakesh on the first day was very knowledgeable and friendly I can’t remember his name.
During our trip to the desert Soufiane stopped in several locations along the way to May our drive more comfortable. The guys at the Luxury Camp were so nice, the food was very good and their service outstanding. We will never forget this vacation.

Hotel Reviews

Palais Sebban

Marrakech

We loved staying at this Riad. It was wonderful. On our first day we had a really large room with views of the inner courtyard. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner that night with a Belly dancer show and singers. An unexpected experience. Everyone at the Riad was super friendly and kind. Even one of the waiters remembered that my husbands stomach was not feeling so good and offered to make him a special tea. On our return from the desert we stayed here again for one night and stayed in a smaller room above the pool area. This one was not as glamorous but everything worked well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Well located at a close entry to the Medina

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Nice place to stay. Was really cold but heat finally kicked in. Breakfast was nice and dinner was also very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Run by two brothers. They were very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were very firm and heat takes a while to warm up but otherwise a nice stay

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

T

Authenticity & Character

Location

Luxury camp located in the middle of the desert. Nice view of sunrise from the sand dunes.

Staff

The guys were very friendly, food was good, music and entertainment at night was very nice.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice touch with the heated blankets to warm you up in the cold desert nights. Heater also was very helpful and the extra blankets.

Riad Ouarzazate

Ouarzazate

This was our least favorite Riad. The staff were very friendly and kind however the food was not good. This is in the middle of nowhere so there isn’t much to do here it was just an overnight stay on our way back from the desert.

Authenticity & Character

Quality of the food

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Our guide for the half day tour of Marrakesh was great. He was timely, professional, friendly and very flexible to our needs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip from Marrakech to Amizmiz Valley

Marrakesh

This day trip to the Amizmiz Valley was nice. We hiked for about 3 hours and then had lunch at a Berber home. People were all very humble and kind everywhere we went. Our guide was very nice and the meal at lunch was good!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Marrakech to Boumalne Dades

Morocco

Soufiane was an excellent driver during the entire trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Dades to Merzouga via Todra Gorges & Erfoud

Morocco

This is a long day overall. Our driver did his best to make it more manageable by making frequent stops for bathroom, looking points, lunch, coffee etc.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sand-Boarding in Erg Chebbi

Merzouga

We never got to do this. We arrived too late at the luxury camp and were never offered to do this activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Merzouga to Ouarzazate via Draa Valley

Morocco

Parts of this journey were long and boring. The stops in some of these towns were in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food in the last Riad we stayed at before leaving for Marrakesh was not very good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Journey from Ouarzazate to Marrakech

Morocco

Uneventful ride back to Marrakesh. Our driver stopped for us in several looking points and for lunch.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Moroccan Hammam at Les Bains De Marrakech

Marrakesh

I had a reservation for this Hammam however at the last minute our driver took us to a different one without telling us. I felt a little uneasy about this change. It decided to just give it a chance. The Hammam we went to was Les Bains de Alhambra and it turned out to be very good service. I’m still not sure why the change was done when I had clearly requested that one.

Quality of Experience

Great massage and Hammam

Guides, Drivers and Staff

It was nice that our drivers

Transport

A fabulous trip to Morocco made possible by Said and his team at Original travels.
The accommodation was of a high standard and we particularly enjoyed the stay at the Riads, Riad Al Rimal in Marrakech and Riad Dar Rihanna Dades. The highlight for us was the camel safari and glamping in the desert and being introduced to the Berber culture. Another bucket list tick was our visit to the charming blue city of Chefchouen. Shout out to our guides, Hanan in Marrakech and Azzdine in Fes for introducing us to their beautiful cities and for their patience in guiding us through the wonderful sights. A huge thank you to our wonderful driver Oussama for our safe and smooth journey across Morocco. He was an exceptional driver and very professional, courteous and attentive to our needs including being flexible with start times. His driving skills, knowledge of the land and local people was exemplary. Oussama is a real asset to the company and I am happy to recommend him for future travellers to Morocco.
Shukran!!!

Hotel Reviews

Riad al Rimal

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the heart of the Medina

Staff

Mohammed (Night and Day) were very attentive to all our needs :)

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Rihana Dades

Douar Aït Ouffi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The chef whipped up some amazing gourmet food that was delicious and visually appealing as well :)

Cleanliness & Comfort

Orient Desert Camp

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

Loved the Berber cultural experience

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Medina & Spa

Fès

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfy beds and great breakfast buffet

Puerta Azul

Chefchaouen

Charming and quaint hotel painted in shades of blue, walking distance to Medina and the blue streets.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Barceló Casablanca

Casablanca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Marrakesh Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved the Lamb Tangia

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hanan was a wonderful guide, introducing us to the variety of foods and drinks.

We had the absolute pleasure of having Faysel as our driver and travel guide during our trip to Morocco. Faysel is a true gentleman—thoughtful, respectful, and someone who proudly showcases his beautiful country. It was evident how much he loves his job and genuinely cares about his clients. He listened attentively and paid great attention to detail, remembering little things like when I mentioned my daughter was getting married. To my surprise, he bought her a gift at one of the shops we visited—a touching gesture that speaks to his kindness.

Throughout the trip, we learned so much about Morocco’s culture, its people, and religion, all thanks to Faysel’s deep knowledge and passion for sharing his heritage. The long drives felt anything but long as we frequently stopped to explore various villages, making the journey as enjoyable as the destinations.

Our stay in Fès was quite interesting. The Riyad we stayed at was beautiful, and the city was vibrant. However, this part of the tour felt more like being taken to vendors to view products and, while we never felt pressured to buy anything, it was clear that this was a subtle marketing strategy. As a result, we ended up spending a bit more than we had planned.

The Sahara Desert, however, was absolutely phenomenal! Riding camels to reach our luxury camp was an unforgettable experience, and there’s truly nothing like it. We also enjoyed our stay at Dades, where the hotel was lovely and the meals—both dinner and breakfast—were simply superb. A special shoutout to the chef there!

Lastly, Marrakech! We loved this city immensely, and it was the perfect way to round off our trip.

Would I visit Morocco again? Absolutely! I would likely skip or shorten the stay in Fès next time, but without a doubt, I would use Kim Kim again and request Faysel to be our guide. His professionalism, warmth, and dedication made our trip unforgettable.

Our trip to Morocco was a long time in the making due to Covid related delays. So when we finally landed in Casablanca on the 2 September we were incredibly excited to be starting our trip.
From beginning to end we have had the most amazing experience in this diverse, gorgeous country. From the ancient imperial cities of Fez, Meknes and Marrakech to the relaxed towns of Skoura, Ait Benhaddou and Chefchaouen we encountered incredible artisans, making a range of beautiful things, rugs, pottery, clothes, jewellery. The awe-inspiring landscapes and architecture and most importantly wonderful, warm Moroccan hosts who truly invited us into each Riad as family.
We did encounter some weather related challenges with floods stopping our plans to get to the Sahara but our Kimkim rep Said was amazing at rerouting our trip, to ensure we still got a desert experience and ensured all our accomodation dates were reworked - no small thing to do in the high season. Kimkim also ensured our accomodation was of a very high standard, each Riad and hotel had something special to offer, very comfortable and had lovely interiors.
We were also very fortunate with our driver Faysel, who brought so much fun and energy to our experience and as two women traveling together always ensured we were well looked after and safe. Full of helpful local information, and an excellent skillful driver, Faysel became a friend on our journey as we all travelled together.
Kimkim also supplied us with great local guides - Mohamed in Fes, who knew the Medina inside out and gave us so much insight into local culture. In beautiful Essaouira our guide built on our knowledge of this fascinating city, showcasing the importance of the Islamic, Jewish and Christian influences throughout Morocco's history and its probably the Moroccan city that most signalled a connection with Africa. Finally our last guide Said in Marrakech, who took us on both city and food tours - was so much fun to hang out with. Knowledgeable, thoughtful and with a wonderful dry sense of humour he made both tours so memorable - I even ate snails and sheep's head under his encouragement 😀
Thank you to all of the Kimkim and Original Tours teams - you have made our once in a life time trip, truly the best of journeys in beautiful, magical Morocco!

Hotel Reviews

Sofitel Casablanca Tour Blanche

Casablanca

Good hotel and location - with a great breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Beautiful hotel with amazing room and views. Staff were exceptional and had a wonderful hammam experience. One of the best Riad's we stayed in - loved it!

Authenticity & Character

Gorgeous interiors and a beautiful secret pool

Location

Great views

Staff

Probably some of the nicest people we meet, warm, welcoming and totally efficient

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Salam Fes

Fes

Beautiful Riad

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

We had a lovely waiter while staying at this Riad but the rest of the staff were not overly friendly and the male reception staff were somewhat dismissive in attitude

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ksar El Kabbaba

Skoura

This Riad was my favorite - absolutely beautiful gardens, interiors and ambience was so relaxed yet welcoming. I could have stayed for a month!

Authenticity & Character

So authentic and I loved the garden to diner food experiences we had here

Location

An oasis of calm, peaceful relaxation

Staff

Mohamed our host and waiter was the most kindest of people, setting a beautiful breakfast table for us in the garden. Excellent service, could not speak highly enough of the staff at this Riad - they were amazing

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Nyla And Spa Marrakech

Marrakech

Beautiful interiors - great roof garden and pool

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very central in the Medina but with relatively good access for pick ups with our driver

Staff

Staff were good though I had an issue with Laundry that shouldn't have happened

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Chbanate

Essaouira

A sophisticated Riad, with great interiors, large rooms and beautiful music playing and fireplace in the lounge area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location in the Medina - close to the Medina gate so no issues going to and from the rest of the Medina

Staff

Lovely staff who introduced us to some great Moroccan wine, lovely afternoon nibbles and great laundry service

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Casablanca to Chefchaouen via Rabat

Morocco

Beautiful scenery and city

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Drive from Chefchaouen to Fes via Volubilis, Moulay Idriss & Meknes

Morocco

Great ruins -

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fez Medina

Fes

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Skoura to Marrakech

Morocco

Loved Skoura

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Best guide - so much fun and great knowledge

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Marrakech to Enchanting Essaouira

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Essaouira

Essaouira

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dine with a local family

Morocco

Lovely family with wonderful food and beautiful guitar playing by our sons host 😀

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marrakesh Evening Food Tour

Marrakesh

Awesome guide - great food, highly recommend for anyone who’s a foodie and wants to experience a cross section of Moroccan food

Quality of Experience

Food

So good - tried everything was wonderful

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thank you Original Travels/Kimkim For The Best Trip I Have Ever Taken!!!

Morocco has been on my bucket list and thanks to Original Traveler, I made it happen! After so much research and reading endless reviews, I chose Kimkim to help me book this detailed and lengthy trip. From the beginning, Said was extremely patient, thorough, and answered my MANY questions. Said made himself available throughout the entire process, including several changes I had to make due to date changes and where to fly out of at end of trip. I was so impressed with Said’s kindness, professionalism, communication, and time he took to ensure I was satisfied and happy with my trip itinerary. Said speaks perfect English and will ensure to tailor the trip you want! Said was in Essaouira towards the end of our trip and even took time to have lunch with me for feedback from our trip. I feel like we have made a friend for life with Said. That’s the care/treatment you feel with Said. I highly recommend utilizing this personal tour to include Karim, the driver/guide extraordinaire! My trip consisted of myself, my daughter, and her boyfriend. We stayed in 10 different cities, including the Sahara desert, which required lots of driving and time spent with Karim. Having our own vehicle was extremely comfortable and made it personal. From day 1 when I met Karim, he exuded kindness, professionalism and charm (Did I mention he’s handsome as well?). Karim speaks perfect English and is so proud of his beautiful country. I have a tendency to ask too many questions but he was never bothered by it. Karim took such good care of us and without him, our trip would not have been as amazing as it was. When we were in Rabat, we took a taxi to the old Medina that evening and our taxi driver could not speak English (Google translate was not working). I called Karim and he translated for me to ensure we would arrive safely to our destination. Karim also picked us up that evening and took us back to our hotel. In Chefchaouen, my daughter experienced a medical incident on the hike to the waterfall. She was on the verge of passing out and thanks to Karim, we were able to get her help and out of there safely. Karim made our trip so beautiful and extra special that the time flew by. I learned so much about the people, culture, food, and music through Karim that I am forever grateful. Thank you Karim for showing me all the beauty of your country, including your culture and people. For being who you are and for opening up your heart to us. I will never forget you and hope we stay in touch. My favorites: A must see Blue City(Chefchaouen), eating with a local family in their home-Fes, visiting the nomadic family in the anti-Atlas mountains. The Sahara desert with food and music in the camp. Visiting the beautiful Berber woman and seeing how they make the Moroccan rugs in the Atlas Mountains. Our food tour in Marrakech with Said, seeing how argan oil is made one nut at a time outside of Essaouira, and the beauty of Essaouira with learning how to make Tagine with Said and his family! I have had the opportunity to travel to more than 30 countries and I honestly feel this was the best trip I have ever taken. I owe this to Said and Karim for structuring the trip the way I wanted and for providing us an immersive experience that you just don’t get on average trips. I left feeling that I could live there and that I needed more time in Morocco. Morocco will always hold a special place in my heart!

Original Travel provided us with an amazing trip to Morocco! We felt that every aspect of our trip was thoughtfully and professionally organized. The tour guides were knowledgeable. The cities were full of pleasant surprises. The Sahara and Atlas mountains were breathtaking. Our driver, Samir, was great! Thank you for planning such a wonderful vacation for us, Said!

This was the trip of a lifetime expertly organized by the Kim Kim team who contracted with locally the Original travels team. Said was responsive and listened well and expertly coordinated everything from the beginning. The trip included everything we wanted in the time frame desired and all the most affordable price for the luxury and service we received. We were picked up in a nice new vehicle and met our amazing guide and driver Karim- everything was coordinated seamlessly and it was clear their knowledge, experience and care in how well this company and Karim took care of its guests. Incredible itinerary, fantastic luxury hotels, comfortable car and skilled driving and wonderful personable driving and guides for interesting customized and adventurous personalized itineraries with interesting food, things to see, activities and spectacular views and sights and people. We particularly liked the visits and meals at homes of the local people which is unique and it was so clear that this company and Karim went above and beyond to provide such memorable, luxurious yet affordable, fun, interesting, cultural and action filled and historic trip with great food, restaurants, hotels and activities. We loved the desert camp and the food tours and markets. It was really nice getting to know our driver Karim and he was so authentic and personable throughout our whole 8 day trip that it really made our trip a wonderful experience. If in Morocco and needing a driver or guide or tour - everybody should choose Kimkim for all and every future trip. I know I will in the future!

We spent 13 days in Morocco. Working with Said to plan the trip was a pleasure. Said was always helpful and prompt in his responses to our communications. During the trip if adjustments/changes were requested, Said was great in making them happen. Faisal, our driver, was an amazing driver and shared lots of knowledge about Moroccan life and culture. He was always happy to answer our questions. He knows everyone which was certainly helpful in making things go smoothly. Favourite places… the tour of the Mosque and a walk on the beach in Casablanca, Chefchaouen (the blue city), Volubilis (UNESCO World Heritage site - amazing Roman Ruins), Fes (both the tour of the Medina and the scenic over look of the Medina), the magical Sahara, crazy and wonderful Marrakesh (both the cultural tour and the food tour (both with Hanan) were fabulous and of course Essaouira (be sure to buy fresh fish on the dock and have them barbecued on the pier (the one at the far end of the pier is the best)). We loved staying in Riads but be prepared for lots of stairs). There is a lot of driving involved (which they tell you about up front), but you need to be prepared for that. Faissal had stops planned but was also happy to stop if we needed additional breaks or for photo ops. Overall a memorable trip.

All of our guides and experiences were top notch. We were clearly communicated with throughout the trip the entire team was helpful in making sure we had a great time. We will definitely be using Kimkim again next time we travel.