So I messed up my vacation planning last year. Booked this 10 days morocco tour package from marrakech three days before flying out because my original Italy trip fell through. Figured Morocco would be fine – how different could it be, right? Wrong. So incredibly wrong. I’m writing this from my couch six months later, still thinking about those desert nights and already browsing flights back. My friends are sick of hearing Morocco stories, but whatever – they asked what happened on my trip. Marrakech Hit Me Like a Brick Wall (Good Kind) Airport pickup was chaos. Hassan shows up forty minutes late driving this ancient Mercedes that sounds like it’s dying but somehow purrs along perfectly. He’s apologizing in rapid Arabic-French-English mix while loading my bags and immediately starts planning my entire vacation. “You like adventure? Desert? Mountains? Shopping?” All yes, apparently, because suddenly I’m committed to this comprehensive Morocco tour starting Marrakech that sounds way more intense than my original “relax and see some sights” plan. First night in the medina nearly broke my brain. Every direction looks identical – red walls, narrow passages, identical wooden doors. GPS useless. Asked three different people for directions to my riad, got three different answers, all delivered with complete confidence. Found it eventually. Sort of. The riad owner, Mustapha, had to come find me wandering in circles two blocks away. He’s laughing, says it happens to everyone, brings me mint tea, and suddenly I’m not annoyed anymore. This hospitality thing in Morocco isn’t marketing – it’s real. Day Two: Djemaa el-Fna Nearly Killed Me (Worth It) Morocco medina exploration package sounds organized and safe. Reality? Pure sensory assault that somehow works. You’ve got snake charmers (real snakes, people), drummers whose beats vibrate through your chest, food smoke so thick you can barely see, and approximately ten thousand people all talking at volume level eleven. Made friends with Mohammed at the grilled meat stalls. Communication involved pointing, gesturing, broken Arabic phrases from my phone app, and lots of nodding. His lamb skewers were better than any restaurant meal I’ve had anywhere. Cost maybe two dollars. Still dream about that seasoning. Wandered into carpet shop “just looking.” Three hours later I’m drinking my fourth glass of tea, learning about knot patterns, and somehow negotiating for a rug I definitely don’t need. Ahmed (the seller) shows me photos of his family, asks about mine, explains how his grandmother taught him this business. By the time we agree on price, buying that carpet feels less like purchase, more like helping family. Still have the carpet. Still love it. Atlas Mountains: Reality Check Time Mountain drive from Marrakech took forever because I kept making our driver Youssef stop for photos. These views don’t exist where I’m from – snow-capped peaks rising from desert landscape like something from fantasy movie. Ait Benhaddou UNESCO site visit almost didn’t happen. Schedule said one hour stop. Ended up staying three hours because this place is insane. Ancient mud-brick city that’s.
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- Alicia T
We went on the 5 day Desert Tour From Marrakech To Chefchaouen. We customised our tour from the tour packages offered to include an additional day in Fes. This was... read more provided at a very reasonable price, given the luxury of the hotel and the amount of travelling we needed to do (Merzouga to Fes was 8-9 hours drive!). The organiser was very quick to respond and was well organised. We had Hassan as our driver and he was very accommodating to our needs/stopping whenever we wanted, and bringing to different locations that suited our wants. Overall a great experience, would recommend!
23/06/2023 - michellehH499TN
Incredible Memories Made! - My partner and I stayed in Morocco for 12 days in January 2023 and discovered Private Desert Tours only a week before we were due to arrive. The 5 day... read more tour slotted in perfectly with our gap in the middle of our holiday. It was the last thing we booked, and anytime we visit Morocco again, a tour with Private Desert Tours will be the first thing we book. It was honestly brilliant!
Our guide/driver Ismail met us at our Riad in Marrakech and could not have been more helpful. He was welcoming, chatting to us about places we were passing, teaching us phrases and we wouldn't have seen even a fraction of Morocco if it wasn't for Ismail. He really made this trip such a wonderful and relaxed experience.
The highlight for me was camel riding and visiting the desert as it was truly magicial and it's somewhere I will go back again and again.
If you're thinking of doing a tour I cannot recommend Private Desert Tours enough, communication was exceptional, if we had any questions we could ask via whats app and get a quick response. It felt like they really cared about giving us the best experience. (And we really did).
We cannot thank Private Desert Tours and Ismail enough for giving us the best experience and best start to 2023. Thank you for the incredible memories!
21/02/2023 - Sue3020
A Great Experience - We hired Private Desert Tours to take 4 of us around Morocco for 11 days, and we were more than pleased with our experience!
Starting with our communications with... read more Abiden, that were always promptly and professionally answered, to our days with Ismail, as our driver, we were more than happy!
Abiden set our tour up to take us where we asked, and had every detail covered. He had Ismail, our driver , meet us at the airport, and take us to our Riad. From that moment on, Ismail took care of us. He was an excellent, polite and courteous driver through all our long journeys around this amazing country! Every day Ismail got us where ever we were supposed to be. In the evening, he made sure we were settled at our Riad, before leaving us. Ismail would be at our Riad on time each morning to help us get our luggage to the car, and be on our way.
We journeyed from Marrakesh, to Essaouira, to Casablanca, Rabat, then Chefchouan, to Meknès, Merzouga ( the desert), and beyond with Ismail. We switched drivers before heading in through the High Atlas Mountains, as Ismail had to start with a new group. Our new driver, Adeel, was a very careful, confident driver through those rugged mountains, and on to Marrakesh.
In order to see as much of the country as possible, we put on a lot of kilometres. Some days had long stretches of driving, but we saw so many incredible wonders in this diverse and beautiful country!
Many thanks to Abiden, Ismail, and Adele for a trip of a lifetime!
16/11/2019 - Eli M
Memorable Experience! - With the coordination of Private Desert Tours we recently completed a tour of Morocco with another couple. We started our 11 day tour in Casablanca and completed it in... read more Marrakech. I cannot say enough positive things about our driver Ismail - he not only provided information during our drive, but he also coodinated tour guides, & ensured our accommodations were set. All around it was a memorable experience!
18/11/2022 - 485srivatsans
This was a unique experience which me and my family will cherish for the rest of our lives. Thank you Abidine for making it possible. Your prompt response to all... read more my queries helped me plan my trip better. A million thanks to Ismail (our guide) who made sure we had a wonderful time through the trip. We feel like we made a great friend in him. From introducing us to local music, to tirelessly driving the 4 days, to taking us to these amazing riads run by the most wonderful people, to showing us the main sites to see along the way - he was simply amazing. This tour helped us experience Morocco in a way that no other tour could. We met amazing families who hosted us. The desert camp was spectacular. I was worried that being a vegetarian and not being able to speak arabic or french would be major hurdles - definitely not so. This tour made it so easy to manage. This is something I would recommend to anyone planning on spending time in Morocco.
08/07/2019 - Pancaliputri80
My friend recommended this private desert tour once he got back from his trip to Marrakech. He talked highly about Abidine and his team. I was worry about the heat... read more and some other logistics stuff but my confidence got boosted up as Abidine was very responsive and gave us a lot of informations. We were blessed to have Ismael as our driver and travel companion. Abidine and Ismael really took my worries away. Ismael was very on time yet very flexible with our requests. I could not memorize all the places he took us to but all of these places made my Morocco experience completed. Some of the tours that really stays in my heart is the visit to Ait Ben Haddou, the Berber house where Beber womens make rugs, and of course the Sahara adventures. Ismael was not only our driver, he also become a friend for a life time. It’s amazing how trust built in only a day. That’s how sweet and good he is. His driving is very good as well. My husband said he feel save traveling with him. When Ismael performed the Berber music in the camp, it was a perfect icing on the cake. I definitely going to recommend this tour to every single people I know who will go to Morocco! All in all.....SUPER!!!
25/09/2019 - Scott_Fairfax_CA
From day one, Abidine was extremely responsive and helpful with our questions and helping us with our decision on picking the right tour for our time frame in Morocco. Always... read more very pleasant and professional, we had no problem booking our tour for two
abroad. Thank you Abidine for all of your help and organization!
When our 3-day tour actually started, we had no idea we were in for the trip of our lives. Our driver and guide, Ismaï, was prompt and on schedule, yet patient and accommodating for us whenever we wanted to stop for pictures. Also, he was great company with lots of insight without being an overbearing tour guide. He knows his way around..he never had to look at the map!
All stops were culturally immersive and fun, especially the Berber guest house in Gorges Dades. Very kind people who took care of us and cooked us the best dinner we had in Morocco! Not to mention the camel trekking and staying in the Berber tent. An unforgettable nights.
This is the real deal for a tour. Private is not an understatement, it was just us two with our private drive and our time. We were so happy we weren't on the bus tours loaded with other tourists. Private Desert Tours has given us memories for all our lives and we will without a doubt recommend this tour to any friends or family who plan to travel to Morocco. Our dream is to return one day and we will be booking with Private Desert Tours again.
02/06/2019 - Fedestroncio
Me and another 3 friends went to morocco to spend a week there. We had the incredible luck of having Abdul as a guide for the whole trip. Not only... read more did he prepare all the points of interest to visit according to our demands and timetable, but he also ensured that we had the best of the experiences there: he drove us through the desert for the whole week with a smile, we listened to both his and our music while traversing amazing landscapes, stopping whenever we required to rest and eat at the places he recommended, which never disappointed. He also took us to the most remarkable cities and places: I will never forget our days at marraketch or the dunes in the desert and sleeping surrounded by them and the stars. 11 out of 10. I couldn't imagine a better guide for such a travel.
22/10/2019 - worldchild_mira
I already went on a desert tour with Abidine last february and I was absolutely amazed and stunned by the atmosphere in the desert and the insight I got in... read more both the nature and the culture and traditions of nomad life. It was an experience so different to everything I knew that I told my friends they should go on a tour as well. The five of us returned some month later to spend a whole week in the Sahara and we all loved it. Abidine is the greatest organizer I know, he thought about everything and cared about our wellbeing. He and the guides served us traditional food and at night we were telling stories at the bonfire. We could relax and enjoy the landscape and walking. I wish for everybody to once experience this. Thank you so much Abidine!
13/05/2019




