The riad in Marrakesh was gorgeous and they were so welcoming ‘treat it like your own home’.  And your colleague in Morocco was absolutely fabuloud and it was so lovely to meet her in person. She checked in every day and made sure we had everything we needed etc.

Thanks so much again, looking forward to our next trip!

The drivers were all fine with different levels of English but all drove well and the journeys were all no problem. The riads were great. We particularly liked the Fez one and the Essouira one as we were all in one room. The cookery course here was really great and the riad owner was very keen to make us happy. 

Thanks for all the team’s help and to your Morocco colleagues for a wonderful holiday.

The quad biking at Essaouira was great. A very professional operation; my son was keen but a bit nervous and they put him at ease. Nice attention to detail like liners for helmets and gloves; and the guide took photos and video which have been shared with us at no extra charge.

Thank you and your colleagues for your help in putting together a great trip. We’d be happy to use Stubborn Mule again.

The only thing I would do differently in our itinerary is to extend our Toubkal trek to 3 days.  For our family, quite active but not super fit nor experienced in hiking at higher altitudes, we needed another day to acclimatise. Two of us experienced altitude sickness and the 3 am wakeup was a real killer!  Despite only one of our group summitting it still was a fabulous hike. It’s gorgeous, challenging, and extremely rewarding just making it to the refuge! 

The hotels/riads we stayed at were perfect for our family. We particularly liked the ones in Marrakech and Fes! The lodge in the Atlas Mountains was delightful, really charming and the staff were super helpful.  But the real surprise was the riad near Ait Benhaddou, a real gem!  Having all three kids in the same room sometimes has its challenges, but here our daughter had a separate area from the boys thus giving her much-needed privacy.  Plus the roof terrace was so inviting with gorgeous views, a great place for a pre-dinner drink (and dinner here was one of the best!).

Thank you again for organising a wonderful holiday. We will be back again after the older kids finish GCSEs.

Onwards to Imlil. What a contrast and how amazingly peaceful. Again a warm reception awaited us and Dar Imlil was a beautiful place to stay. Fabulous mountain views. Again, an amazing guide and a precious insight into Berber family life with our hosted lunch high in the mountains.

The desert was a fairy tale. Perhaps a western version, with air conditioning and flushing toilet, but we loved it and felt like we were on a film set most of the time!!! Again very peaceful. From camels to quad bikes – we kept ourselves entertained and only regretted not being able to stay longer than a day.

Final stop. Essaouira. Culturally fascinating. Loved the hotel and enjoyed the challenges of surfing and a chef’s masterclass at the hotel for my birthday (organised by my lovely daughters!!)

The transfers were excellent and I appreciated the good and safe driving of the two main drivers during the trip. Their English (and French) was very good and they showed us many things on our journeys.

On to the next trip now – we are thinking safari or perhaps, Iceland!

Best Regards and thank you for all your help.

It turned out the original plan for the trekking expedition was too ambitious for us. The guide immediately recognised that, and as we hiked, he talked with us about alternatives without making us feel forced into anything. Once we chose an alternative, Karima worked out all the changed details seamlessly for us. All 4 of us really loved having the guide, the mules, the cook. Eating meals outside on the mountain beside brooks and beautiful vistas was fantastic. The scenery was super. As a family we spent a lot of time “unplugged” playing card games, word games, 20 questions, etc. (even though technically there was a signal about 99% of the time!). For the bonding value alone, I would highly recommend that trekking concept to lots of families, scaling the intensity of the hiking up or down by age and ability.

For the Berber Camp! WOW! That was an awesome experience. Totally Glamp. So aesthetically pleasing with all the genuine rustic chic, yet a really luxurious experience w lux sheets and duvets, cozy fireplace, lovely candlelight. We would have loved to spend another night there. Everyone who works there was absolutely fantastic and utterly committed to providing guests with a wonderful experience and great memories. They take care of so many lovely details: while some staff are serving drinks and nibbles around the campfire, others are draping blankets and robes over your shoulders as cool of the evening descends on the desert, still others are lighting the fireplaces in each tent so when you return from dinner your tent is toasty warm and smells divine! At night there are 1000 candles and lanterns creating a beautiful ambience and lighting all the paths. The food was wonderful. The tent was fantastic.

I would only suggest you emphasise to families that there are limited structured activities, so there will be a lot of unstructured, down time with no wifi. Our clan really enjoyed reading, playing card games we took with us, we went on a family hike. If families plan ahead and pack wisely, it can be a superb “unplugged” time together.

Comparatively, the camel ride in Essaouira was far superior to the camel ride at Inara Camp. (This was a half day camel ride along the beach, followed by a picnic lunch). If families only have access to Inara, then it’s worthwhile to do it, but if they have another option, we would not recommend camels at Inara. We did ride 4x4s at Inara and that was lots of fun, too!

The first Riad in Marrakech was fantastic. The second, for our return trip, was of a slightly lower standard than we would have liked – darker, more closed off, pared down. Just rougher, overall. Especially because comparatively at the first riad we had the penthouse suite with a semi-private rooftop garden shared with only 1 other room. Our room was open, airy, flooded with natural light, finer finishes and soft goods, etc. The staff is same for both riads and all the employees were great, welcoming, helpful, eager to please. The breakfast was lovely. I know we were late to contact you and you did as much shuffling and canvassing as you could to get us lodging in Marrakech. Just so you can be aware of that second riad’s standard.

Chez Momo was just OK. Our room was spacious and well-appointed and we had a lovely semi-secluded garden. The pool was great to have but unfortunately the weather was not cooperative so we couldn’t really use it. The food was the least good there and the service was considerably more blase than anywhere else we went.

The riad in Essaouira was also fantastic. There was an initial confusion about our booking but they were exceedingly gracious in correcting it. The staff there was friendly, helpful, eager to please. They went above and beyond by preparing a breakfast for us to take along at 6:00am – 2.5 hours before the morning service normally begins – including fresh squeezed juice and pastries even though I don’t think “take out” is actually a thing in Morocco! As well, we ate dinner there one evening and when my younger son didn’t care for the pudding offered, the concierge went out and bought him an ice lollie!

Chefchauon is very charming and the guest house we used was perfect if not a little hard to get luggage up to! However, the owner Said is the perfect host.

The Riad in the Fes Is an absolute marvel, how such a palace can be found in the middle of the labyrinth of streets is incredible. We enjoyed Fes and our trips to Meknès and Volubilis

The train journey to Marrakesh was very comfortable and we loved trekking up in the Atlas Mountains although I would say the guest house in Imlil was the least welcoming of all the places we stayed. It was simple and comfortable but the owner was just not as hospitable in comparison to everyone else. The guide for the trek was excellent and lunch in his home was a great cultural experience.

We did not depart until about 3 o’clock on the second day in Imlil for the desert and we regret this. We were warned the dessert would be too hot however, the camp had a plunge pool and we would have been fine and would have enjoyed spending a little more time then we eventually did in the dessert. The camel ride is very worthwhile.

The hotel in Marrakesh was great. Maybe one a little closer but still with a decent pool and outside area would have been ideal but that is being picky. They had a decent shuttle service.

Thanks for all you did. We are interested in Burma, Borneo or Vietnam next summer at a similar time. Any advice on next year appreciated.

Guide Ali in Marrakech – I’m a planner and had looked up some sights that we wanted to see with Ali.  I showed him the list when we first started and he said yes to some, one was closed, so we couldn’t visit, and he decided not to include the tanneries.  He mentioned we were on a half day tour, but didn’t indicate how long it would last.  He was very friendly, well-spoken, knowledgeable and experienced… At the end of the tour Ali dropped us at a nice restaurant on the square.  Suggestions for the future: The guide could provide a proposed itinerary with timings, ask visitors what they actually want to spend time shopping for, provide a snack opportunity half-way through – the kids were pretty hungry by 3 pm.

Driver to Imlil Lodge – Since we missed the Tanneries the first day, I asked Karima if our driver could take us there before driving us to the mountains.  She said yes, and the driver took us there, parked, got out and led us to a nice leather shop that would give us a tour of the tanneries (with a fresh sprig of mint for everyone to help with the stench).  We wanted to purchase leather goods, so were happy to stick around and make some deals there.

Hotel in Imlil  – We got the family room with the bunkbeds – cozy, very comfortable beds, and a nice hot shower!  The included meals were very good.  Breakfast was simple and substantial. Our daughter C fell in love with the Harira soup that they served every night for dinner, and everyone enjoyed the tajines.  We loved having time here as a family to just be together and play games in the dining room either before or after dinner.  This was my favourite place of the trip.

Hike in the Atlas Mountains – Guide was very pleasant and we enjoyed learning from him about the areas we hiked and the higher mountains.  We wish we could have had a longer hike.  We spent a long time sipping tea at his friend’s house waiting for lunch to be ready.  It was a gorgeous place to enjoy the view, but I wish we’d worked a little harder for the break!  The traditional Berber lunch was delicious and the young man of the house who sat with us was also kind and friendly (like all of the Moroccans we met!).

Visit to Salt Pits – This was our favourite guide, Sharif.  He was humble, yet a wealth of knowledge about the plants and animals, and salt pits.  We really enjoyed the walk with him.  Not sure we needed the mule that day, since our kids aren’t so young and can easily walk 6 miles without complaint.  Lunch in the home was again delicious, though I’m not sure we needed to do another traditional lunch.  We would rather have spent the time walking.  This day was a lot of driving, and while the route to Tinmal mosque was scenic, the mosque itself was just ok (and we didn’t have the right change for the entrance there, not knowing about it until we got there).  I’d suggest not doing this as a trip from and back to Imlil – since it’s quite a drive out and back and we did have to break out the motion sickness pills for the kids.  We could have continued on to La Pause this day.  Or alternatively, instead of driving out to the mosque, we could have gone up to the plateau north of Marigha to walk.

Drive to Agafay Desert – Our driver Mohammed took us up over the plateau with lush green pastures, sheep in the road, and great views of the Atlas.  I wish we could have gotten out to walk and enjoy the view (it would be especially great walking Eastbound looking at the mountains).

Camp in Agafay – Fabulous! Truly relaxing. So glad that we had perfect weather for it (would have been miserable in the rain from the week before).  Food was exceptional.  Since it wasn’t warm enough to swim, I think it was good that we didn’t spend longer there because there wasn’t much to do.  Only tiny hiccup was when we went up to meet the camel drivers (who only spoke French), and weren’t sure if we had reserved 2 or 4 camels.  My husband and I were going to walk alongside, then the other camel driver brought up 2 more camels, so all was good in the end.  This was my husband’s favourite place from the trip.

Drive to Essaouira – No comments, uneventful which was a good thing!  We liked the stop at the Argan oil cooperative.

Hotel in Essaouira – What a gorgeous location!  We were awed by the crashing waves, wide open beach, beautiful landscaping, and truly remarkable building.  Of course, we enjoyed seeing the animals too, especially the newborn donkey.  The two staff members on hand to greet us only spoke French, but we were able to communicate without problems.  They were very kind and welcoming and helped us with everything, even turning on special music when we asked to use the outdoor dance / yoga area.  There appeared to only be one other couple there, though maybe just for the day, so it was very quiet.  We had an astounding room with windows and doors all around and so beautifully furnished!  Given the lack of other guests, we felt comfortable leaving the doors unlocked when we went out.  On our second day there, the staff member who spoke English (Mohammed, I think) offered to drive us in to Essaouira.  On the drive in, he even took us to a local town and we had a short walk through the market.  Definitely above and beyond!  This was the kids’ favourite place of the trip.

However, there were a few issues.  We never figured out how to get hot water.  I’m sure that had we asked (in French) they would have solved it, but we were at the end of the trip, and able to manage without it, so didn’t bother to ask.  The first night the only pillows on the double bed were very hard.  We thought that was just all that was provided and had an uncomfortable night.  The next night we found actual soft sleeping pillows, so I guess they just hadn’t been put on the bed the first night, and slept much better.  The food was only ok, which made it hard to justify the additional cost for the dinners since we didn’t want to trek in to Essaouira to eat…

Suggestions for packing list: Slippers (unless you plan to buy some in Marrakech) because the tile floors are cold, games or cards for the family to play.

Suggestions for cash: Even places that said they took cards, ended up wanting us to pay in cash.  It’s hard to break larger bills at some places, so better to get change in Marrakech.

Language: Presumably most of your customers are British and had French in school.  My husband and I both speak French from school, so were fine in places where they didn’t speak English. People who don’t know any French may have struggled in places, though, so it would be good to let people know what to expect.

We loved everywhere we went, and we feel we had some experience of the ‘real Morocco’, as well as the touristy bits. It’s was also much more relaxing than I thought it was going to be – plenty of chill time between the activities.

My kids favourite bit was riding on a camel and seeing them poo… (both boys, of course!). Our favourite places/hotels was Imlil and the desert camp – fantastic food and service at both.

Our favourite driver was Jamil (not sure of the spelling) – we had him twice and he was great. Very chatty about the country as well as talking about football with the kids. My youngest literally jumped up and down with excitement when he saw Jamil was the driver the second time!!!

We also want to mention Sharif, our guide in the foothills. He was very knowledgeable about the land, showing us plants and herbs, which was really interesting.

All in all a big success, and we are already looking at the website for ideas for another trip!

Many thanks for a great holiday!

Imlil is so pretty, hotel magic, must say that I’ll be visiting again I’m sure. Terre des Etoiles is amazing. Definitely worth a couple of days.

Karima was great, checked up on us every day to see if we needed anything and we met her to drive from Imlil to Agafay. 

My highlight was the High Atlas and I would’ve loved to have spent longer and done more climbing. The kids also loved it although the limited menu options (and lack of chips in my 9 year old’s case) didn’t please them, but they are a bit fussy. The trek was awesome and we might try something more adventurous next time with the support of mules.

The desert was fantastic, we all loved this experience and if the excursion prices weren’t so extortionate (£300 for two quad bikes for an hour-hour and a half!) we would have happily stayed longer.

Everyone felt that Marrakesh was worth doing but no one was sorry to see the back of it…. The Riad was an oasis in the hectic city and we did head over to the new town which was a little less frantic. I think both children got a lot from the experience – seeing real poverty, pressure selling, exploitation and different cultures – but a day and a half was enough.

Then to finish off in Essaouira was perfect. In contrast to Marrakesh it was positively laid back, clean, safe and the Riad secure and comfortable. If we’d not experienced Marrakesh then the Medina might have felt busy but not relative to where we had come from.

I think it’s worth pointing out the currency issues and having some small change would have been handy for tipping. We had to be very generous as we’d only just managed to get some cash out of the machine at the airport. We also saved some to use in the airport but found that Euros/cards would have been more use and ended up bringing more cash back than we’d have wanted – once you’re in the departure lounge there’s no where to change money.

The climate was hard to pack for. It ranged form a lovely mid-twenties during the day, to around freezing at night in the hills and desert. We were very lucky on the coast as the wind was almost non-existent.

We were overjoyed with your organisation of the trip and the regular phone contact with Karima. The transfers were brilliant and the accommodation choices ideal.

I also want to mention the glamping night in the Agarfe Desert: it was absolutely magical. The tents with the private bathroom, the view from the tents, the dinner in the garden, the swimming pool and also the very warm welcome. A true oasis.

Finally, we were very impressed by the camel trip in Essaouira and especially the camel owner: he was so gentle with his animals. Not one stick was used and it showed in the animals’ behaviour. It changed our view on camels…

We would not change anything to our itinerary but the trip to Ait Benaddou took 6 hours drive rather than 4. Saying that it included the visit in a wonderful Kasbash that I am really glad to have seen. Also, it says in the itinerary that in Ouarzazate we would join a group tour. That did not happen so we did our own visit. Those 2 days of the trip felt as if they had not been as organised as the rest of the holiday.

Again, I would like to thank Karima, Ibrahim (our trekking guide), Ahmed and Mohammed (our cooks) and Hassan (our driver) for having made this trip special. And I would also like to thank you for, as always, your good advise.

I have given feedback about Imlil Lodge (which, on reflection, may have been exacerbated by Ramadan and the staff all being young males who seemed a bit lethargic!) and La Terre des Etoiles which we loved.

EcoLodge was great – as I said also: the food was really special.

Finally, Riad Zhara was perfect – the owners particularly – and all the staff – couldn’t have been more helpful and friendly.  Very comfortable, good location (as long as the 15 minute walk into town didn’t bother you – it didn’t us) and good food.

As an added bit of info, we spent a fantastic 2 hours with Palma Quad bikes – so would recommend that as an activity in Essaouira.

Plus Karima was great – she called us most days to check all was OK so we felt in good hands.

Hope that’s helpful – thanks again for everything – hugely successful holiday.

We really felt we got to see and do so much in a relatively short period, without being rushed from one place to the next. Morocco had it all, cities, deserts, mountains, valleys, beaches – it was all beautiful! We never had a “I want to go home” from the boys and they genuinely loved every part of it (except the rather spectacular car sickness on the mountain roads!)  

Thanks again, we are already talking about the next trip….!

I also met the lady in Imlil who runs the tourist side and she was nice and helpful as last time. And my injuries held firm so I was in good shape which helped. So that’s all three children that has passed the initiation and I’ll be in touch with the next adventure in a few years no doubt. Thanks for doing a good job as always.

The Riad Chergui was very peaceful and beautiful. It would have been just perfect for an adults only trip. We have taken the kids on a lot of holidays and the Riad was hands down the hardest place we have ever stayed. It was lovely and open and airy – which made it hard for the other residents not to hear us. The proprietor apparently had many complaints about the “kid noise” and she certainly passed the feedback on. We felt rather unwelcome. But the setting itself I would recommend highly. Beautiful, lovely, great food, wonderful Moroccan staff.

Random thoughts of my trip are below. Positives and negatives – to help you address questions with other future travellers.

1)  Casablanca – There is absolutely nothing to do there! The mosque is beautiful by the ocean; however that is it! The hotel we stayed at was comfortable.

2) The drivers that were provided to us were lovely. All of them were on time. They were kind and interesting to talk to. We got some interesting information regarding Morocco from them. I found them to be respectful and helpful. I felt that I was in good hands when we were in their care.

3) The only negative about the drivers was the one who drove us to Casablanca. I hate to even tell you about it because he was also a lovely, friendly and kind man. My only complaint is that when we asked him how long it will take us to get to Casablanca he said 4 hours but it took us 6 hours!

4)  El Fenn was lovely! We really enjoyed staying at that hotel. The hotel and the staff were amazing! This was our favourite hotel.

5) It was fun getting lost in the Medina in Marrakesh I would highly recommend to everyone to do that on the first day. On our third day we got a tour guide, which was a great idea because he showed us places in the Medina we did not go to on our own. Specifically I asked him to take us to where they hand make the items they sell in the Medina. It was really amazing to see the craftsmanship of so many different items and materials. I really enjoyed seeing how things were made as did my kids! It was really interesting and educational! This was the best part of the Medina – Where the small one-man factories are!

6) The camp facilities that we stayed at was lovely in the Agafay Desert. It was beautiful. The Agafay Desert was beautiful also. It is amazing how secluded it is being so close to Marrakesh. You felt like you were a million miles away from civilization. Also the dinner at the camp was lovely!

7) However the people that worked at Scarabeo Camp were not very friendly or helpful at all.

8) Imlil was lovely. We really enjoyed hiking and riding mules for two days. The Berber people were lovely. Lunch on both days at a Berber house was really lovely! Both guides from both days were lovely! The men who owned the mules were lovely! They really were friendly and kind. They took really good care of us. They took really good care of our kids (They even hand helmets for my kids). I really appreciated them. On the second day the guide and the three men who owned the mules had a snowball fight with our kids! Our kids loved it!!!! We also learned a lot about Morocco and the Berber community on these two days, which was great. It was a great experience in Imlil. Berber people are lovely!

9) The people who worked at Dar Imlil were lovely and helpful as well.

10) I am glad we went to Fez as it was more rustic and authentic. (However I preferred the Medina in Marrakesh). Fez was interesting because it was as if you were going back in time. It was an experience I am glad my family got to see; however I think one day in Fez is enough.

My only regret is that I did not go to Chefchaouen. A part of me wishes we made that extra journey. However we already had traveled on road a lot so maybe it would have been too much. Maybe if we visit Spain one day I can hop over to Morocco and visit Chefchaouen.

The people who worked at Riad Layalina were lovely and helpful! They were really kind and made us a delicious dinner on New Year’s Eve, which was nice and easy as we got in late that night and were tired from the journey.

Over all it was a lovely trip. We enjoyed our family time together. We enjoyed Morocco. Thank you again for your help! Also I want to point out that for the whole trip we felt safe. Our drivers, the hotel/riad staff, the Moroccan people made it so easy to feel safe. I never once worried about being in Morocco! Even at the camp we stayed at – I felt totally safe. I hope these comments will help you in your work in the future.  It was a very positive experience for us all! Thank you again.

The only comment to make is that for future reference it might be worth advising people to have some lunch before the long camel ride and to make sure that they take water. It is also necessary to pack overnight stuff in bags that can go on camels – ie backpacks. The tent was great fun. The toilet tent had blown down the night before so ablutions were al fresco – we didn’t mind but I wonder if other people might. The guide with the camels (Mustafa) was great and controlled them using hand signals rather than whips etc – something that W particularly appreciated.

We think we should have maybe spent a bit more on the whole, as the last hotel we loved. Although I loved villa midelt too, it was great to see a traditional hotel. The food was superb at Chez Pierre. The Riad Dar Vedra was lovely and friendly, in fact everywhere we went the people were super. We just felt we should have pushed the boat out a little more.

Anyway that was down to us setting the right budget and having never done a holiday like this before, it’s a bit of a learning curve for us.

Thank you so so much, it really was so fascinating and we saw so many wonderful sites. We absolutely loved Fez. The Riad, similar to Dar Vedra was very hospitable and beautiful and in a great location.

We look forward to the next one!

We adored the Ksar Shama, which was fabulous. We arranged a day hike through one of the waiters and this was one of the highlights of the trip as we walked/ rode mules up into the hills and had lunch with a local family.

The train was brilliant but we were not given a ticket for our youngest child. Apparently he didn’t need a ticket, but this also meant that he didn’t get a seat, and he is too big to sit on our lap. This was not a problem as we moved to other seats, but perhaps in the future you might want to purchase a ticket for each child that is over 2 (or thereabouts)?
Riad Africa was our favourite – this was amazing and we adored it.
Many thanks for all of your help.

Weather – by all accounts we were very lucky. Every single day was a totally blue sky and not a cloud in sight. 19-20 C.

Guide at Imlil and Ouirgane was a very nice man – very helpful, knowledgeable, kind and perhaps most importantly very patient and good with our children who at times were difficult, acting ‘spoilt’ and unappreciative. He was the same one that had taken your family too!

Drivers were fine…maybe not so great was the one who took us from Ouigane to Marrakesh, but nothing to complain about.

Accommodation – Imlil Lodge was ok, if a little basic, but they were very friendly there and it was a good place to start. You had warned us about the lighting! Probably more of a trekkers place to stay but again, no complaints.

Hotel in Ouirgane was obviously the smartest. The kids managed to get into the freezing pool and stay there for about 30 seconds (to me they might as well have done the ice bucket challenge!) It must be a lovely place in spring/autumn.

The kids liked the Riad Africa in Marrakesh as they were allowed to go into the heated pool there (I did try and explain to them it was supposed to be more of a plunge pool). Being on the ground floor it was slightly noisy in the morning, but again no complaints.

Essaouira turned out to be a great way to end the holiday. There was no wind, the beach was beautiful, so sandy and the kids even had a brief dip in the sea. Riad Zhara was a nice place the owner? manager Xavier was a real sweetie and very helpful. The old town area has grown so much since I recall from many years back and was much more pleasant to walk around for us than the souks of Marrakesh.

So, many thanks Liddy for putting together a great package that gave us a taste of many different things… Children are so unpredictable …they really enjoyed the mule ride, which was perfect as it enabled L and myself to enjoy walking. My son was bored with the camel ride after 5 minutes. Previously they haven’t been that keen on the beach and yet at Essaouira they wanted to stay there for hours.

Do let me know if you want any more feedback. Best wishes