HI all -
We're leaving in a week for Morocco for two weeks and have made this itinerary:
sunday - may 20 - fly to rabat
monday - arrive rabat
tuesday - thursday - rabat with day trips to sale, meknes, maybe fez
friday - leave for marrakech by train
sat-sun-mon-tues-wed- marrakech; possible day trip to essouira
thursday - leave for ourzazate by grand taxi or bus or private guide
friday & sat - ourzazate, visit ait benhaddou, other kasbahs, todra, dades gorge and draa valley
sunday - take 6 am flight to casablanca
monday (june 5) - take 7 am flight home
Some points I should make --
After our last trip, to peru, where we changed hotels seven times in two weeks, i decided this time i'd like to change hotels as little as possible for a more relaxing stay, even if it means missing a few things. (we are coming from the states so the journey will be tiring enough)
Going on the relaxation theme, I decided on rabat, since we fly into rabat, rather than fez or meknes.
Initially I was thinking four days marrakech (not including arrival day) and three in ourzazate, but since we are not planning an overnight excursion to the desert, it made more sense to spend five days in marrakech and two and half in ourzazate.
So here are my questions --
- was that last decision a good one?
- most of the excursion companies have overnight and multi-day trips. can anyone recommend a private guide who could ideally drive us from marrakech and spend a couple of days taking us on driving excursions?
- can anyone recommend a guide and/or tour company in rabat for a day trip to meknes/volubulis or fes?
And yes, I know there are prettier places than ourzazate but it seems the most central, close to the aiport and has a few dining options.
Thanks!
I can see already see the many answers you'll get that Rabat is not worth the stay. But I really like Rabat. It has a wonderful medina with the kasbah overlooking the Atlantic, and it is a hassle free city for foreigners, since there are so many living there. On my last trip (I am very often in Morocco) I came to Rabat after a few days in Marrakech and I enjoyed it much more. Marrakech now is so full of tourists, in my eyes it is no longer relaxing to stay there. So your decision with Rabat is a good one.
On the other side I would probably not stay 2 1/2 days in Ouarzazate, I would rather stay in Zagora. I love this town, you can see the twice weekly market, the desert is close, camels go through the town. Although the real desert starts 100 km from Zagora in Mhamid you could still make a small trip to little sand dunes and get a feeling for the desert.
I don't know any guide in Rabat, but in Marrakech there is a good agency to provide you with car and guide and drive you where you want. You could even put the Dades gorge in your way to the south, definitly worth it. The agency has an office in Marrakech and one in Mhamid. They do tours not only like offered in the website, but drive you whereever you want.
Sahara Services
Private guides are not allowed to drive tourists around. A guide needs a licence to do this. Otherwise you'll get problems at the many police controls.
no actually #1 i get the impression there is a small group of rabatniks on this branch!personally i like the place too.
op i think you should put fez before meknes in terms of priority.
i know you mentioned the less hotels is better, but 5 days in just in marrakesh is quite alot...and essaoira is a nice place so possiibly stay one night.a day trip there from marrakesh would make for a long day...a lot of it on the road.
You fly INTO Rabat??? Interesting...I didn't know flights landed there. Your schedule looks pretty good except for planning on visiting Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou and both the Dades and Todra Gorges in two days...that is really too much for two days.
I too like Rabat...and I even like Ouarzazate--if you have time visit the (fixed prices) Ensemble Artisanal where they have a great variety of things to buy, from stone carvings to jewelry.
Five days in Marrakech is not enough in my view...but do take a day or overnight trip to Essaouria.
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