We just returned from a 16 day customized tour of Morocco arranged and carried out by Experience It! Tours. The experience was absolutely wonderful, not only because of the marvelous country of Morocco, but also because of the superb services of the company in providing the tour for us.
We first learned about this company through Trip Advisor, where the reviews of other travelers who had used Experience It! Tours were extremely positive. Our dates of travel to Morocco were already set, and the company worked within this time frame to arrange all the things we wanted to do. The agent we worked with, Aaron Johnson, made some suggestions for our itinerary that would not have occurred to us and we found that all of his recommendations were excellent. The fact that he, as well as other company agents, live and work in Morocco gives their recommendations credibility. They know whereof they speak!
The only negative aspect of our trip was the loss of our luggage en route from the US to Morocco. Delta Airlines was responsible for losing the luggage and it took eight days to track it down and have it delivered to us in Morocco. Incredibly, the bag went to England, to Spain, and to Germany (that we know about) before arriving in Casablanca. Because of the efforts of the staff of Experience It! Tours we were eventually able to be reunited with the luggage. Their agent, Saliha, deserves special credit for the magnificent job she did in finding the bag and getting it to us. The Manager, Jeff Wilson, and his sister, Jill, also deserve kudos for their help. Jeff even made arrangements for a driver to pick up the baggage at the airport in Casablanca and deliver it to us in Fes. Another colleague, John Findley, even offered to let me borrow a pair of jeans if needed! Our driver, Khalid Abou El Allam, also spent many hours taking us back and forth to the airport in our failed efforts to retrieve the bag on our own. He also helped took us to markets to buy replacement clothing until our luggage arrived. All this is service was above and beyond what of most travel companies would do.
Speaking of our driver, Khalid, we cannot say enough about him. He was more than a driver, he was also a guide--and a friend. We found him to be a fount of information about the country, its history, the culture, the foods, the government, etc. One of the things we enjoy most when visiting other countries is learning about the people and their culture. The guidebooks, however, can tell one only so much. We have found that the greatest source of information comes from interacting with those who live in the country. Khalid was very forthcoming in telling us about life in Morocco, his personal background, and his family. He also introduced us to others along the way who shared their life experiences with us. We pummeled him with questions and he always responded freely, graciously, and pleasantly. Although he has been a driver (shall we say, guide) for a number of years, he is not jaded. Instead, he seems to take great joy in sharing his culture with his clients. We felt that the experience was reciprocal; Khalid appeared to enjoy learning from us about our culture--which we were happy to share. Khalid was probably the safest driver we have ever had in our travels, and he was sensitive to our wishes and eager to meet our every need.
The accommodations during the trip were wonderful. We especially enjoyed staying in the riads in Morocco--a truly unique experience which we would recommend to everyone. The hotels we used were also superb. The hotel Royal Mansour Meridian in Casablanca featured all the amenities of hotels in this chain. But the Kasbah Xaluca in Erfoud and the Xaluca Dades, near Dades Gorge, were outstanding; actually they were resorts that cater to every desire of the visitor. Perhaps the most memorable overnight experience was sleeping in the Sahara Desert in Berber tents, following a two hour trek to the oasis by camel. We will never forget the beauty of the desert, the silence of the night, the clarity of the sky and the stars, the kind hospitality of our guide, Moha, and the good food prepared by him and his friends. Anyone going to Morocco should not miss this experience!
Experience It! Tours is a first-class, family-run company that gives personalized attention to each client from the first inquiry through the conclusion of the trip. The company lives up to its name--the clients who visit Morocco are, indeed, able to fully "experience it" because of the services of this organization. Experience It! Tours is unsurpassed in quality among organizations that arrange tours, and we heartedly recommend the company to anyone who is considering visiting Morocco.
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