I was working with Kit on the itinerary and she was very responsive and helpful throughout the process. We had more time than many people and she was able to find a varied and thorough schedule for us. We loved the destinations and the relaxed pace. The hotels were wonderful as well. The hotels in Chefchaouen (Dar Mezziana), Imlil (Kasbah Toubkal), and Essaouira (Riad Mimouna) were outstanding. They were magical places. The remaining hotels were wonderful just not as unique and special. But the three I mentioned above were absolutely magical.
The tents in the Sahara are interesting and I enjoyed it, but it was far colder in December than we expected and the blankets were not really enough. I don’t want to complain about it though because it was exactly the type of experience I wanted!
The top destinations on the tour were: Chefchouen, Imlil, Essowera, Fes, Volubilis. We also enjoyed many activities with special note to: the water wells, the cistern, tea with the nomads, meeting the shepherds, a picnic, cookouts.
The process of booking and receipt of vouchers and such was easy and smooth. I have no complaints about it at all. Everyone we spoke with was professional and service oriented.
Jamal was an excellent driver who had the responsibility to make our trip a real success. He did exactly that. Jamal was able to understand what we wanted in the trip and make it happen for us. He was particularly helpful in navigation of the lesbian/gay issues we faced and making sure we had the romantic environment that we sought. I will never forget him playing our song on the radio while we danced on a cliff by the ocean. He also made sure we were safe and followed necessary etiquette in the various locations. Jamal is an excellent driver for lesbian/gay couples as he understands and works with our special concerns and needs.
We started out eating too much along the way and Jamal realized that we preferred two meals and just fruit and snacks in between. So about a third of the way through the trip he adjusted to our eating patterns and we were much happier not being so over-stuffed all the time. In addition, at a certain point in time we became tired of Moroccan food and wanted a change of pace. He was able to find different food for us – more western food if you will. It was not the tourist beat – but exactly what we wanted. He was a problem solver for any situation that caused us stress.
Jamal also recognized that we wanted unique experiences interacting with the local people and getting closer to nature. Some special activities we shared included a picnic in Fes. We were incredibly happy to get food at the grocery store and just enjoy a day in a local park. Others are cookouts in Imlil, tea with a nomad family, and meeting shepherds and having personal experiences with their livestock. In Imlil we bought food at the store and found places to build a fire and cook a Berber omelet. I think he had as much fun as we did.
Jamal never abandoned us. He went to the Sahara with us and even got stuck there overnight. He did this because he knew that on New Year’s Eve the place would be hectic and chaotic. It was! His being there mean that everything went like clockwork. Jamal is now a friend more than a driver and I look forward to ongoing communications with him. He genuinely cares about his clients and he is service oriented.
Thanks again for finding us such special places to stay!
Nora & Anastasia (USA & Russia), December 2013