jomar30, Nov. 2022
We had a limited time in Morocco, and only saw Marrakesh, a bit of Casablanca and Rabat. I reviewed from Viator what was possible during our last day, and this trip to the Atlas Mountains was well-reviewed. A few good reviews could be planted by a tour organizer, but hundreds? And I was not mistaken. This was the best tour we had in Morocco.
Our guide Abdullah arrived promptly at 7AM. He was very courteous, presentable and spoke excellent English. He ushered us into his car and we started our trip. Breakfast was included, and he picked one that we rally liked. Place was clean, had nice interiors and views, and best of all, food was tasty. We ate a lot! With the food, we had Moroccan mint tea and coffee, which were also very good. Along the way, we made stops, and Abdullah gave us information and comments. He also generously offered to take our pictures each time! Having been part of tour groups before, even private ones, taking pictures is not the job of the tour guides. And I am very conscious of that, so I do not take it against the guide if he/she does not offer. But Abdullah was very generous about it.
Abdullah was a very skillful driver and we felt very safe with him as he maneuvered those zigzagging roads as we went up and down the mountains. We also loved his choice of music! He brought us to Ait Ben Haddou, gave us an excellent tour there, and even visited one of the few remaining families still staying in a house there. It was a thrill to go inside a traditional pre-Saharan habitat! Not all tours offer this part.
Lunch was again excellent, consisted of salad, main meal (we chose the skewers as we already had tagines several times during this vacation), and fruits for dessert. We had water and soda as well.
After lunch, we proceeded to go to the Kasbah Toluet also known as Kasbah Glaoui. it was a partly ruined and partly restored palace that had excellent architecture and rich history. The palace looked stunning!
After this part, we proceeded to go home. Though not part of "what's included", we stopped at the same restaurant we had breakfast in, for a short coffee break. I attempted to pay for it but was told it was already paid for.
So this tour was the highlight of our trip in Morocco. The 5-star ratings from hundreds of customers are truly well-deserved. We were impressed with Abdullah (although reading from the other reviews, it appears all of the tour guides of the company are excellent). He is excellent at what he does. We want to thank him for making our tour enjoyable and memorable, and for making us feel safe and comfortable with his excellent driving skills!