Marvelous Morocco: A Magnificent, Memorable Journey with kimkim!
Morocco
|
Feb 17 - Feb 26, 2024
We are an American couple in our late twenties and avid travelers. We do several international trips a year and were enthusiastic about exploring Morocco! We wanted a trip that was adventurous and would give us authentic opportunities to learn about local history, customs, and (most importantly) food, but we didn’t want it to feel like an overly touristy experience. Our preference is for outdoor adventures, guided excursions, and food-centric experiences. This trip checked all of those boxes!
Key highlights of our trip were our two nights at the Tiziri Luxury Camp, the food tour in Marrakech with Hanan, and our time in Dades (especially Dar Rihana and our unexpected trek through the mountains with Ismail)! We’ve left more detailed reviews specific to each hotel and experience.
Kimkim connected us with Abdellah to plan our trip. We were very impressed by how responsive he was to our requests, and by how transparent he was about pricing and availability. We really liked Kimkim’s messenger feature. Whenever we had a question about or during our trip, Kimkim responded within a matter of minutes (even in the middle of the night). It was reassuring to know they were always available had there been an emergency.
Everyone we met was extremely welcoming and friendly. We’d been warned in advance about potentially aggressive sales tactics, particularly in the souks, but we had no issues! We found the experience to be much more relaxed than in other similar markets we’ve been to (e.g., Istanbul, etc.). We used our heads and had no problems during our trip. We appreciated how respectful everyone was!
We opted for the “luxury” hotel options offered by Kimkim at most destinations. We stayed a total of nine nights in five different hotels, ranging from small riads, to Marriott-style properties, to a luxury desert camp. We liked the variety and were happy with our choices. The staff at all our hotels were very welcoming. We appreciate Kimkim’s help in steering us toward great hotels!
Overall, we felt like nine days gave us enough time to explore several cities, but since the country is large and there were several days of driving, we didn’t want to feel rushed in any of the spots we visited. We were most excited about our stay in the desert and were very glad we opted for two nights there instead of just one.
We absolutely loved our trip and had an amazing vacation. We did a lot of research ahead of time and learned a lot along the way. Our trip to Morocco was a remarkable experience, and we will definitely consider Kimkim for our future travels!
Here are some of the things we wish we’d known in advance. None of this is meant to be negative, just some hopefully helpful tips for fellow travelers:
Money – Withdraw all the cash you’ll need before you leave Marrakech. There aren’t ATMs in Dades or Merzouga. There are some you can use in Ouarzazate if you pass through on your way to/from the desert, but our driver said sometimes they don’t drive through it because of road closures. Most of the hotels let us pay by card for our dinners, but everything else was done in cash (and some hotels have a $75 minimum for cards). We withdrew the equivalent of $400 from an ATM on our first night and that got us through our first two days in Marrakech and our trip through Dades and Merzouga, although we made no major purchases beyond food, drinks, and tips. We tried to pay by card whenever possible. We stopped again at an ATM when we returned to Marrakech. The ATMs dispense large bills, which some merchants won’t make change for. Large hotels and restaurants were able to help with that. Morocco has a closed currency, so you can’t exchange money before arriving. We recommend using an ATM in a city instead of exchanging at the airport.
Included Meals – Kimkim was great about clearly communicating this. All of our breakfasts were included at the hotels Kimkim booked for us. In general, we were responsible for paying for our lunches and dinners, with some exceptions if they were part of an organized activity (Berber lunch, food tour, etc.). All meals at Tiziri Camp were included. There was some confusion when we arrived at our first hotel in Marrakech (Elegencia Riad) because the front desk told us breakfast was not included, but our Kimkim itinerary said it was. We messaged Kimkim, and they quickly contacted the hotel and resolved it. We really appreciated Kimkim’s immediate response and their ability to handle the issue independently!
Food – One of us doesn’t eat red meat, and the other is a pescatarian. We communicated our dietary needs to Kimkim and our driver in advance. Generally, the food at the hotels and in Marrakech was spectacular! Dinners typically comprised three to five courses (prix fixe menu). The only disappointment of our trip was the consistent lack of lunch options along the driving route. Despite our repeated communication to our driver about specific places we wished to eat along the way, we felt consistently directed to tourist spots with very limited set menu options. It would have been nice to have the option to choose, even if we couldn’t go exactly where we wanted. In fairness, we only stopped for three or four meals on the road, so this was a pretty minor issue. We packed lots of snacks for the long car drives, which came in handy. Our driver was always happy to stop if we wanted to purchase a snack, but there weren’t always options in the rural areas.
Bathrooms – We recommend packing your own tissues and hand sanitizing gel. There were few public toilets, so most bathroom stops along driving routes were at cafes, which generally had squat toilets. Sometimes there was an attendant, so plan to have coins for a tip.
Clothing – We took steps to ensure we dressed and behaved appropriately. For women, this included wearing long pants and covering shoulders. We definitely saw tourists wearing more revealing clothing, but we wanted to be appropriate and were glad we made that decision. As far as other items to pack, we’d recommend sunglasses and hats, especially for time in the desert. We wore a lot of layers, as the temperatures did vary a lot, especially when the sun went down. Restaurants were casual!
Shopping – We are not big shoppers and were upfront with our driver about that. Along the driving route, there were stops at an argan oil collective, a rose oil collective, and a carpet merchant. Most of the goods appeared to be mass-produced items, with some locals giving demonstrations. Our driver was aware that we were not planning to buy, so most of these stops lasted about 10 minutes, which we really appreciated! The cultural component of these stops still made them worth it.
Driver – We were very glad to have a driver in Morocco! We would not have felt comfortable driving ourselves on the narrow and often unmarked roads. It was extremely nice to have a private vehicle that we didn’t share with anyone. Our driver was always very punctual and never picked us up late. To be clear, the driver is a driver, not a tour guide, but he always tried to answer questions we had about specific sites or local customs. He definitely seemed more comfortable communicating with males, which may just have been cultural. While this was not significantly bothersome, it did create a slight sense of imbalance in our interactions. He reached out on WhatsApp in advance, which we appreciated, and had an encyclopedic knowledge of rest stops along the way. We arrived on two separate flights, and he volunteered to make two trips to the airport so one of us didn’t have to wait several hours, even though we offered to do so.
Water – Expect to purchase plastic water bottles at all meals and during the driving route. The bottles sold at hotels were generally more expensive, so we'd recommend stopping at local grocery shops along the way.
We loved Morocco and are really glad we went and booked through kimkim! We can’t recommend it highly enough!
Hotel Reviews
This riad was right in the heart of the spice market, which made for a unique experience. The staff helped us navigate our luggage through the bustling souk, which was much appreciated given the narrow alleyways. Although we preferred our initial hotel in Marrakech (Elegancia Riad), we opted for this more budget-friendly option for our brief stay at the end of our journey. It was a short walk to the nearby square (Jardin Sidi Hmed El Kamel), which had several good food options (including vegan options) that were well priced. This hotel was better located, but our first riad was more luxurious. The staff were very friendly, but the hotel itself felt somewhat dated and could have been cleaner. Our room overlooked a central riad, offering limited natural light and a slightly dim atmosphere. While it served its purpose for our short stay, we both agreed that there are likely better riad options within the city (though perhaps more expensive). Although we didn't have dinner at the hotel, we found the breakfast to be satisfactory. We definitely had better breakfast meals at our other hotels, but it was fine for being included in the hotel price. An unexpected highlight was meeting the two turtles who reside in the lobby, which added a fun element to our experience!
We thoroughly enjoyed our two nights here! It's tucked away down an alley off a moderately busy street. The area felt very safe, even at night, and was about a 15-minute walk from the main square. We had no problem navigating around the neighborhood on our own. Our room was nice, clean, and comfortable. Complimentary water, cookies, and a bottle of wine were provided. We ended up taking the wine with us and were glad we did because it was much more difficult to get alcohol in the rural areas. The woodwork on the door to the room was beautiful. Our only complaint was that there were no outdoor windows, which meant no natural sunlight in the morning. We understand that's a common occurrence at riads in Marrakech and wasn't a major issue. The interior of the riad was beautiful and very clean. It was classically decorated and felt comfortable and well-maintained. The staff was helpful and friendly — we really enjoyed the welcome juices and made friends with the orange cats on the rooftop. On several occasions, the staff helpfully offered to escort us to nearby locations that were hard to find. We didn't eat dinner at this riad, but breakfast was nice. There are several well-reviewed restaurants right down the street. We really enjoyed dinner at M Bacha Restaurant (2 min walk). It's a standalone restaurant with a beautiful interior riad/garden with citrus trees and excellent, affordable food. Breakfast (yogurt, fruit, eggs, smoked salmon, pastries, etc.) was served on the hotel's beautiful rooftop, which has a bar, restaurant, pool, and sitting area. The rooftop was the selling point of the riad for us — it's well-appointed and has a lovely view. There was a nice pool, but it was too chilly for us to swim. We also enjoyed evening mojitos there (120dhm/$12 USD per drink). The riad's larger sister property is worth visiting. It's about a 2-minute walk away and is more of a classic hotel. It has a fun indoor jazz piano bar.
We absolutely loved our stay at this guest house and are so glad we included it in our itinerary! It was the smallest riad we stayed at and felt very intimate. The room was beautiful and had a sofa and balcony with sun lounges. Our room had a spectacular view of the mountainside, and we loved stargazing from the balcony at night. The rooms had heating and air conditioning, which helped given the temperature variation. The riad looks very small from the outside, but it is absolutely gorgeous on the inside. We were the only guests on our first night and felt extremely pampered! The brothers who run the guest house were particularly hospitable and really went out of their way to make us feel welcome. The meals here were the best of our trip! The kitchen serves a mix of African and French-inspired cuisine. The portions were huge at both breakfast and dinner (five courses). We particularly enjoyed the olive sampler that was served at the beginning of dinner and the fresh zucchini and pumpkin soups, which added some delicious variety to the typical rotation of tagines. One of us is pescatarian, and we really appreciated how the kitchen staff went out of their way to prepare salmon for me after we asked for a meal with more protein. FYI, alcohol was not available for purchase at this hotel or any of the stores in Dades, but they’re happy to serve wine you bring with you. Dinner costs about $25/head each night and is well worth it. We appreciated being able to pay for both dinners by credit card at the end of our stay (there are no ATMs in or near Dades). The town of Dades itself is very small, but we enjoyed walking around the fields behind the hotel. There was a lovely outdoor pool, but it was too cold for us to use during our stay in February.
Tiziri was definitely the highlight of our trip! Our driver dropped us off at a lodge and reception site to wait for transport into the desert camp. We enjoyed some fresh tea, which was much appreciated after a long drive. About 30 minutes before sunset, we got on our camels. At Tiziri, they seem to offer two camel rides: one longer ride where you are on your camel for about two hours (with a break to see the sunset), and a second option where you ride for 45 minutes, stop for sunset, and then a driver drives you to the camp. Based on the reviews we read ahead of time, we asked for the second (shorter) option and were glad we did. The camel ride was not particularly comfortable, but it was fun and felt like part of the experience. We’d encourage other guests to communicate their preference to their driver a few days in advance so they can let the camp know. They were more than happy to facilitate a shorter trek. We spoke to other guests who did the full two-hour ride and felt like it was too long. The camels are owned by local families and the animals seemed happy and well treated. We’re always hesitant about the ethics of riding animals, but we were very comfortable with this experience (and pleased with all the information made available). Climbing off a camel to watch the sun set over the Sahara was an absolutely incredible experience! It was beautiful to watch and felt like something out of a movie! Tiziri Camp itself is beautiful, luxurious, and situated in a secluded spot in the dunes. We drove past several other camps along the way and definitely felt like ours looked the most upscale and well-maintained. Besides about 6 private guest tents, there is one larger dining room tent. There is also plenty of outdoor seating, including a covered gazebo and a treehouse hidden among the dunes. We didn’t find the treehouse until the last morning, so definitely ask about that earlier! The private tents had large beds and plenty of room for luggage. We didn’t spend much time in the tent, but they felt very luxurious. The private showers in each tent have warm water, but we’d recommend you bring sandals or flip flops as the bottom is raised on wood planks. It's the desert, so there was definitely sand everywhere, something we just got used to during our stay. Most of the camp is lit by candlelight after dark, which made for a magical experience. The staff were friendly and extremely attentive. After arriving at the camp after sunset, we had dinner alongside the other guests. The food was good, particularly for the middle of the desert. If you are vegetarian, I would suggest asking ahead of time for lentils or another source of protein. Breakfast and dinner were included. Wine was available for about $30/bottle. They were also happy to serve a bottle we brought with us. After dinner, all the guests gathered around the fire for traditional Berber music and dancing. This started quite late (around 10:30 pm), which was fine for us but also unexpected as we were tired after a long drive. Several other guests went to sleep instead of going to the fire, but the music was loud, so they likely heard it regardless. We’re glad we rallied and made it to the campfire! The staff all seemed to really enjoy playing music and hanging out with each other, and they told us they do this every night, even when there are no guests at the camp. A key feature of the camp is their focus on environmental sustainability. They made an effort to have very little single-use plastic and were very focused on saving water and producing little waste. The camp will sell water bottles and wine to guests, but it’s definitely cheaper if you can buy before heading to the desert. We highly recommend Tiziri, and our biggest suggestion to other travelers is to stay 2 nights in the desert. The drive to Merzouga is very long, and the desert felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We highly recommend fitting in two nights if you can and opting for less time in one of the city spots. It’s worth it!!!
This hotel was very modern and upscale, like a Marriott or Hyatt in a typical American or European city. Our room had a large closet, sofa, and kettle. The hotel is massive, so it felt much different from the more personal riads we enjoyed during the rest of our trip. We did not spend much time at the hotel but enjoyed walking around the local park, Arab League Park, which was about a 10-minute walk from the hotel. It was very well-maintained and beautiful to explore during sunset. There were plenty of families out having picnics, and it felt cool to be among locals. There were several well-rated restaurants in the neighborhood too. The hotel breakfast buffet was huge and opened early, which we appreciated before an early morning flight. The food was much more typical of a European hotel, with a latte machine and omlet bar.
Caravane was a lovely little hotel, tucked away on a modest street behind some construction. This riad was very stylish and extremely modern, and felt like it was the inspiration for an Anthropologie home store! The rooms are very large, impeccably clean, and have lots of natural light. The staff were very welcoming, and the lobby is stocked with ample reading material and games. While the rooftop offers inviting sofas and lounges, our February visit was a bit too windy to fully enjoy it. Both breakfast and dinner were good, with desserts being a particular highlight. Wine was available for $27/bottle with dinner. They served by far the best chicken tagine of the trip, and we tried many! Dinner cost about $25/head. We paid by card at the end of our stay, but be aware they have a $75 minimum for credit card charges. We are very glad we stayed here after our nights in the desert — it's a great place to enjoy a refreshing shower and wash off some of the stubborn sand!
Activity Reviews
The walking tour was a good way to explore the city. We stopped briefly outside the mosque and learned about the religious history of the city. Next, we had a guided walking tour of Bahia Palace. Our guide was very knowledgeable and helped us skip the long queue for tickets ($7 cash each, not included in the tour price). He also knew several great spots for photos. Then, we explored the souks and felt very fortunate to be there with a guide, as the alleyways are very narrow and it felt easy to get lost. We are not big shoppers and did not feel pressured to make any purchases (which actually surprised us given what we’d read online before traveling), but enjoyed hearing about the various crafts. It was clear that our guide had good relationships with several of the merchants, so if you are interested in buying specific goods, he would probably be helpful in finding shops that would offer good prices. Overall, we felt like it was a great way to get familiar with the city, and we felt more confident navigating Marrakech on our own afterwards. It took about 3 hours.
INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE! The food tour with Hanan was absolutely our favorite guided activity! She’s a stellar guide and took us to an array of amazing local vendors. It never felt touristy, and she was spectacular at adapting the itinerary based on what we stumbled across or expressed interest in as we walked. Food is always a focus of our travels, and thanks to Hanan, this was one of the best food-based experiences we’ve had (and vegetarian/pescatarian friendly). The first stop was a small cafe where we enjoyed onion-stuffed crepes, soup, and tea. We were the only tourists there, and she had the cafe pull a table outside so we could eat in the alley amid all the hustle and bustle around us. The next stop was an olive stand, where we sampled a variety of olives and tapenades. Hanan and the olive vendor (stall #10) did a great job explaining the different types of olives and products at the stand and let us taste absolutely anything and everything we wanted. There happened to be a prickly pear wagon passing by the olive stand, so Hanan purchased some fresh prickly pears for us to try. Next, we stopped at a street sandwich vendor, where Hanan had them make an all-chicken version of a traditional chicken + beef sandwich filled with vegetables, cheese, and spices, all cooked in front of us on a griddle. Again, this was clearly a stall frequented by locals, not tourists. We walked with the sandwich to our surprise favorite stop — sardine meatballs. We weren’t sure what to expect, but they were absolutely delicious and a must-try item in our opinion. They were so good we sought them out again on our return trip to Marrakech. After the meatballs, we went to a street vendor selling freshly fried donuts. We watched him make ours and then got to dip them in honey and sugar before eating them. The last stop was a bakery, where we tried several fresh fruit smoothies. Hanan also surprised us with a box of local sweets and cookies she’d picked up for us earlier in the tour. All of the food we sampled along the way was included in the price of the tour. Hanan ended the tour by walking us through the public square at night, which was alive with music, dancing, and locals playing games. It’s worth noting that Hanan was the first female tour guide from her hometown and the only female tour guide we saw during our trip. Her English is phenomenal and she was tremendously fun to spend time with. We absolutely loved this experience and would definitely recommend it (and any tour led by Hanan)!
This was one of the most memorable and enjoyable experiences of the trip. Our guide, Ismail, was fantastic and spent seven hours with us! He met us at our hotel at 9 am and asked us about our preferences and comfort levels so he could tailor the hike accordingly. We are in our 20s and avid hikers, so we told him we were happy to go wherever he wanted to take us. The day started with a three-hour climb up and down opposite sides of the mountain adjacent to the “Monkey Fingers” rock formation. It was a rigorous (+1,200 ft elevation gain) but gorgeous hike, with sandstone arches and remarkable views of the Monkey Fingers and surrounding canyons. Ismail also brought traditional Berber clothes for us to try on during the hike. The only other people we encountered along the way were a pair of local nomads who stopped to chat with us. For those who prefer a less strenuous hike, there’s a mining road behind the mountain that provides easier access to the overlooks. Ismail flagged down a local minibus taxi to take us back into town (which was a really fun experience) and then showed us some local kasbahs and rock formations. His English is superb, and he shared a lot of really interesting information about local history and customs with us. After exploring the kasbahs, we enjoyed a lovely lunch at his family’s home in the center of Boulmane Dades. We met his father, Mohammed, who used to lead these tours, as well as his mother and brother. The lunch was good (veggie and chicken tagines, bread, fruit, and tea), and they happily accommodated our dietary request (we relayed that information in advance through our driver). It was fun to see the inside of a local home — we were worried this part of the experience might feel too “touristy,” but it didn’t. Lunch was directly across from our hotel (Dar Rihana), so we assumed that would be the end of the day, but we were wrong! We finished lunch at around 2 pm, and then he led us to the top of a nearby mountain for a view of the Tizi n'Tichka Pass. On our way back into town, we ran into several members of his family and stopped to see several local businesses. To be clear, these were not sales stops — Ismail seemed proud of the town and wanted to show us around, which we really appreciated. We cannot say enough good things about Ismail or this experience — he was a stellar tour guide and made our experience incredibly memorable. It’s a small town, and he was clearly known and liked by everyone we encountered. All told, we walked a little over 10 miles in 7 hours, with stops for lunch and sightseeing along the way.
Tiziri has two sandboards available for guests to use on nearby dunes. They’re essentially snowboards but without footholds. This was fun to try for a few minutes, but not an organized activity led by staff.
We were initially a little hesitant to do the 4x4 activity because we were worried it would feel too touristy (and we’d be sick of riding in a car), but we ended up really enjoying it and are glad we did it! Our driver and guide, Yusuf, made the experience a lot of fun. It took about 4 hours and included stops at the Gnawa music house, an abandoned mining village, a nomad family’s campsite, a lunch restaurant, and a local oasis. It’s also worth noting that there’s not much to do at the camp during the day, so it makes sense to fill the time with an excursion. Even with the 4x4 tour, we had plenty of downtime in the morning and afternoon/evening. We enjoyed all the stops and appreciated that there was no pressure to stay for any specific amount of time — Yusuf made the entire experience very relaxed. The Gnawa music house was definitely touristy but worth a visit. There was just live music — no oral history or anything to accompany it — but it was fun to see and listen to. The nomad family was very welcoming and gave us each a slice of delicious homemade “Berber pizza,” which is essentially a flatbread with egg and vegetables baked inside. Yusuf spent part of his childhood as a nomad and was able to provide some really interesting insight into the way of life and features of their camp. Lunch was included at a restaurant called Café Restaurant Chez Ibrahim. It was good — definitely one of the better lunches we had on the road! We stopped for a walk in the oasis and learned about the local economy and camel ownership practices from Yusuf before heading back to camp. After some downtime at camp, he whisked us off to the tallest dune in the area so we could catch the sunset. He took us for some fun off-roading along the way. Highly recommend this experience! Thanks, Yusuf!
Long drive to the desert, not many stops but appreciated the changing landscapes.
Last drive, left plenty of time to explore Marrakech in the evening
Long drive, but beautiful scenery.
Another long drive, not our favorite food stop
