Morocco is amazing!!!!
The tour/trip was so-so. I believe the review is impacted by the tour guide, so you may have a better experience with a different guide.
The below is based on my trip, and I ended my trip just before the earthquake in September 2023.
Items to be aware of when booking the trip.
- it’s a lot of driving! I would say almost half the trip is driving! This is a country I would want to return to, but I think I would do it by either flying between, or knowing I have a full day of travel between and staying longer in the places
- you don’t see anything in Casablanca, so if that’s a key spot, I’d recommend going earlier (I went a day earlier and that was plenty)
- our tour guide requested tip money - even though this is against Topdeck policy, and I brought this to their attention, but still was required to pay 500dih for tip - approx $50euro (it apparently went to the hotel staff, random activities not included within the guide, dinner staff (even after we paid a tip with our meal) - however I didn’t see any money exchange, so cannot confirm if it was spent on that)
- tipping - it’s expected, but at restaurants, but like a coin here or there (10dir, 1 euro), but only if it’s great service. Some bathrooms do want coins, but it’s not heavily enforced (it’s more for the toilet paper)
- accommodation - it’s a real mix - every basic (some with cockroaches) to really nice - just set your expectations to be a bit low
- Fes - if there is specific things you want, ensure you tell the guide, as you do the Medina as a group (other Medinas you can do on your own)
- Fes dinner - I don’t recommend going to the group dinner - food is very average and very overpriced. There is a “show” but I sat in a spot where you couldn’t see much, and I would have preferred more a authentic dinner (everyone was a tourist at this dinner) (meal was 250dir - approx 25 euros - plus money for water/drinks, when my meal the night before was less than 10 euros and included soft drinks, and tip)
- souvenirs - I’d you see something you like, just buy it! Others on the group wanted coasters, and were told to wait to Fes, I bought mine in chefchaouen, but once we got to Fes, the coaster place was the mosaic place where prices are $$$ and the others wanted to pay less an 10euro for a set, and we’re quite annoyed. I recommend any time you see something, just get it - the chances of finding the stall again are slim, and you never know if you’ll find it again.
- stamps - if you want to send a postcard, you can only buy stamps at the post office, and it shuts early (around 4pm), but Marrakech airport has a post office
Overall, I loved the country, but the tour was below my expectations, which I think was mainly because of the tour guide (unorganized, rude, giving incorrect information (example coasters))
This is certainly a country where you could do it by yourself - just would take a little more time for planning, but you could stay in some amazing riads, and everything is on your time, and you see and do what you want!
