Morocco Imperial Cities Tour by Train from Casablanca

This is an excellent tour to see Morocco in a short time. We booked this trip on Viator at a short notice (less than 1 month) and Rick's voyage was flexible enough to accommodate us. Mr. Tahar El Ghali was our guide and he was very professional, attentive and funny. He took good care of us. We booked this trip primarily because it offered the option to customize as we wished, We added additional visits to Chefchaouen and Essaouira that were really worth it. Chefchaouen was our favorite followed by Fes. We covered a lot of miles on this trip an it was a great way to see Morocco at our pace and our leisure without the hassle of a big tour group. We only stopped where we wanted and were not under any pressure to shop or eat at any specific place or wait for other people. In Meknes and Fas, we had two local guides that were young and enthusiastic and were really very professional and knowledgeable. Mr. El Ghali gave us very good tips about local restaurants, shops and took us everywhere we wanted to go and even waited for us until we had our dinners and drove us back. He was always generous and courteous. The quality of the hotels was variable. You have to keep in mind that a 3/4 stars in Morocco is not the North American or European standard. Rick's voyage will change your accommodation if you don't like it but you would not want to waste time from such a busy trip to change hotels. So, do your due diligence before and check the hotels you are assigned and ask to change before hand. You also have the option to upgrade to 4/5 stars hotels after booking which maybe an interesting option for some. Overall, great trip and I would definitely recommend it.

I was a little cautious before starting my stay with my friends from the friendly 5 of Paris, we were 12 people! What happiness, Mr El GAli Tahar the boss was really up to my wish at all levels as well as my friends! kindness, availability, generosity, and his patience throughout the stay, Mr Yacine his driver was the best I have known, from great calm and self-control, always to our availability and his enormous respect to the whole team! What good and unforgettable memories to renew with RICKS travels, of course on our friend Tahar El Gali next summer for Southern Morocco. BEN BOUAYADI

+4

We toured Morocco from Casablanca to Marrakech, through Rabat, Meknes, Fes, Ifrane, Erfout, Gorges del Todra, Ourzazate., staying one night in each place. We didn't come across Spanish-speaking guides in several places, which was what was hired, Some spoke little Spanish, and had no knowledge of the history of their country, therefore they could not transmit it either Except for the drivers who put in the best of themselves, the rest of the guides had an unpleasant treatment. They just took us to take some pictures and then we were hostages, taken from one business to another, where we had to sit and hold their sales pitches. Beyond archaic ideas, and submission, which I do not share, but respect, as in every country I visit, they clearly do not know how to work with tourism. They have bad manners, and they're just interested in making a quick business, and getting back to rest. They took us to lunch, expensive places, poor hygiene and bad food, because obviously, there were interests of the guides. I make it clear that we travel a lot, and we know the rules of the game of excursions. A pity, the mental tightness, the poverty of this country, which has the possibility of offering good tourist products, the day they learn manners. As I say personally, I doubt I will ever come back. It is the first country that generated this opinion.

Excellent Service provided and our companion, guide and driver Jassim. We take the best memories of this excursion. Highly recommended for those who like to know Morocco with people from that country and speak Spanish very well.

Most enjoyable family break we had. Very well organized with the very pleasant, helpful and adaptable guide/Driver Mr Elghali. Would like to do other parts of Morocco with the Elghali. Highly recommended.

<p>We spent 7 nights in Morocco, but we customized our route extensively. In addition to the places listed on the tour, we visited Chefchaouen, Essaouira, and Ait Ben Haddou/Ouarzazate. Chefchaouen was quaint and picturesque, and the other stops are worth the time if youre a fan of Game of Thrones or any of the other films and TV shows shot at these locations. These customizations will cost you, but you should be able to get a good deal with this company.</p> <p>Other highlights include the Roman ruins at Volubilis, Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca and the dinner and live show at Le Blokk in Marrakech. The performers were talented and the price was very reasonable.</p> <p>Our driver Mr. Ghali is a gentleman. He was very accommodating of our customizations, rescheduling hotel stays and guided tours, and getting up early as necessary. He was always punctual, courteous and funny. He is knowledgeable about things that will probably take you a lot of time to research yourself, like where to eat and find a clean bathroom, etc. The restaurants he suggested were excellent, less touristy and not very expensive. Mr. Ghali made us feel like we were in good hands. </p> <p>A few things we were not so happy about:<br/> - We spent 2 out of 7 nights at hotels/riads we thought were not up to standard.<br/> - You may find your guides English hard to understand if you arent used to Arabic/French accents.<br/> - If youre in Meknes, Fes or Marrakech, your guides will likely take you to shops as part of your tour where you may be subjected to high-pressure sales tactics. Beware! Remember to bargain! And if you dont want to visit such shops on the way, let your guide know that you arent looking to buy anything.</p> <p>Overall, we had a great time in Morocco.</p>

<p>Incredible!<br/> The trip was excellent, the history rich, the country is friendly, beautiful and the icing on the cake was our driver Tahar. Tahar brought an amazing sense of humor along with his genuine connectivity to the region and people. My wife and I highly recommend this tour-especially w Tahar!</p>

<p>We had a great week in Morocco with an authentic Moroccan experience thanks to our superb local tour guide and driver Mr. Ghali. He ensured we were comfortable during the trip and was very flexible, always on time and resolved any accommodation issues. The imperial city of Fes was our favourite.</p>

<p>Our tour guide was great. He did everything to make us happy. Set a pace just right for us. Made suggestions which were very helpful. Hotels could be improved. <br/> Overall was a super vacation. Mr. Ghali thank you for your hospitality and humor. You became our friend. Thank you.</p>

<p>My cousin and I booked this tour for our Moroccan vacation. The tour operator provided an excellent private tour with one major hitch. I definitely recommend touring with Rick if you're heading to Morocco. Some details:<br/> Cons<br/> - This was our driver's first time chauffeuring a tour. He was a great guy and a bad driver. We were frequently lost, usually behind schedule and we had a couple of late hotel arrivals and missed meals. However, our driver got us to all of our tours on time.<br/> - Our tour guide in Meknes spoke seven languages, none of which were English. Instead of waiting for an English speaking guide, we decided to take our tour in Spanish and had a lovely tour.<br/> - We didn't like the first Casablanca hotel we stayed in, Oum Palace, very much. Rick kindly moved us to the Hotel Val d'Anfa which was lovely.<br/> Pros<br/> - This is a legitimate private tour for a price comparable to most of the group tours we considered. We had guided tours in every city, a dedicated driver and we stayed in four star hotels every night.<br/> - The tour itinerary is outstanding. We were overwhelmed by the beauty and history of the cities and locations we visited.<br/> - Our guides were excellent. All of them were local to the tour location, knowledgeable and friendly. Jalal in Rabat stood out as our favorite<br/> - We would recommend a private tour in Morocco over a group tour, as many of the medinas we visited were crowded. With just the two of us and the guide, we could easily navigate the narrow streets and visit smaller venues.<br/> - Rick set us up with an extra night in Casablanca and arranged for a small adjustment to our trip we skipped Beni Mellal and traveled straight on to Fez.<br/> - Travelling with a dedicated driver and local tour guides at all locations felt very safe. We are both conspicuously foreign, so we were relieved to not have to worry about our security.</p> <p>Overall, I definitely recommend this tour.