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Akim, We had a wonderful trip - thanks! Our driver was lovely, made us feel very safe and taken care of, especially on those winding roads of the High Atlas. There was some confusion at the airport when we arrived, but it was resolved right the way since we had the phone number for your Marrekesh office. Our guides were extremely knowledgable, enthusiastic and spoke wonderful English, especially in Fes and Marrekesh. Our guide in the mountains was also amazing. The ryads were beautiful, especially in Marrekesh and Essouria. (The ocean view was a once in a lifetime experience). Perhaps the highlight of our trip was going to the dessert. The nighttime camel ride was magical, and the entire experience (though somewhat challenging) was magnificant. Next time, I'd bring a flashlight! Morocco is a beautiful country. Though we chose an itinerary that had a lot of driving, it enabled us to see most of the country, and we were happy that we had made this choice. I would certainly recommend this trip to others, Thanks so much for your help.....Linda Linda Grossman & Husband - California Traveled - October 2009 Hi Akim,I've been meaning to write to you for a while but it took us a long time to get our pictures ready and I wanted you to see them. The link is shown below. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Morocco. The arrangements and hotels were great. We really liked our driver Hussein -- he was a good driver, knowledgeable and interesting. We really liked Kasbah Omar and the owner Karim -- in fact we still speak occasionally via Skype. We enjoyed his hotel and really liked going to the Berber village house. Driving around the country was fascinating. It was so interesting to see the different climates and ecosystems and the desert stay was one of our favorite things to do. I particularly enjoyed the Roman ruins in Volubilis. I would, and have, recommended Morocco visits and Morocco-travel-agency.com to our friends. We were very happy being able to do things at our own pace and without the crowds you get on a bus tour. Please enjoy our pictures -- we certainly enjoyed taking them. Thank you, Marcie Francis and Fred Arnold http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=marciefran&target=ALBUM&id=5409285463 194053009&authkey=Gv1sRgCL3tzc-1-JzZEw&invite=CKOKmOcD&feat=email Marcie Francis and Fred Arnold - MD/USA Traveled - October 2009 Hello Akim, Traveled - September 2009 Akim, Dear Akim,
After having done some reading before I came, I still felt
ignorant to all Morocco has to offer and we learned so much. All of our
guides were very well-informed and fascinating. The diversity in
geography, culture and customs, architecture and really just about
everything was so amazing. The mixed adventures of exploring the
Imperial Cities, desert trip and hiking the falls, the mountains and
small villages and farms, staying in the Berber Village, to the show in
Marrakech and accommodating our last minute changes to spend the last
night at a resort on the coast !!! Anis seemed to know as we went along
what we wanted to see and included us about everything we would be
doing. He is so relaxed and easy to travel with.
Dear Akim,
Susan Learmonth & Sisters fromm the USA Traveled - June 2009
Dear Akim, We have been remiss in not writing to you sooner to tell you how much we enjoyed our recent Moroccan voyage. I must admit I was somewhat apprehensive as to whether someone would actually be there to meet us in Casablanca and whether our tour would meet our expectations. This is because our preplanning with you seemed far too easy and vague and because I had booked this trip entirely without recommendations, based solely on your web page. Once we got started on our tour, however, we realized that the planning was so easy because you knew your country so well and knew how to make it magical for us. As soon as we were met at the airport by our driver, Mohamed, we knew we were in capable and friendly hands. It was hard to believe he was the age of our children--he took such good care of us.Our local guides were fantastic, especially Hisham in Fez. As good as our other guides were, and they were all excellent, we wished we had hired Hisham for the whole trip as he was probably the best guide we had ever had. All of the hotels were good and some were excellent. At the Yacout in Fez, the manager told us to ask for whatever we wanted because " this was our home". That's exactly the way we felt for the next four days. The Yacout was a lovely riad made warm and inviting by the excellent staff. The Maison Arabe in Marrakesh was luxurious without losing any of its charm. We also had lovely rooms at the Kasbah Omar in the Ouirika Valley. There the good-natured manager, Kareem, gave us a tour of the village, helped with our cooking lesson and kept us thoroughly amused. We had so many wonderful and varied experiences on our trip that its hard to single out any of them for special mention. I would say that the time in the desert stood out because none of us had ever seen a real sand dune before, especially from the saddle of a camel. Fez was very special because of its colorful medina and its beautifully -tiled riads, medersas, and other buildings. Essaouira was a complete surprise. I expected a seaside resort. I didn't realize that it had an ancient kasbah in the middle with some of the best shopping in Morrocco. The drives through the Atlas mountains were fascinating. Besides the Barbary apes, we got to see Berber villages, culture and handicrafts as well as nomads and farms. We saw shepherds drive a large flock of goats and sheep up a nearly vertical cliff. The food was an experience in itself especially the fresh seafood, the pastillas and tajines, the dinner at Maison Bleu, and the places Mohamed took us for lunch. What we enjoyed most of all was getting to know the people of Morocco. They were all so friendly and helpful. Mohamed is part of our family now. We hope we will see him again very soon. As Mohamed said to us many times "Inshallah". Thank you again, Ken and
Cathy Jones and Mike and Lynn Parish Austin, Texas
Akim I wanted to write to tell you what a fantastic journey we had. We loved Morocco, such a beautiful and inspiring country. The itinerary was great with a mixture of hard traveling days and relaxing times at the riads and especially Kasbah Omar. Yusef was great, we always felt taken care of, he was flexible, always positive and upbeat, always on time and always ready to share with us his knowledge and impressions of Morocco. The city guides were fantastic, particularly the Fes guide (Hisham) all incredibly knowledgable and insightful. The only problem we had, which Yusef was able to help us solve, was the food. I have to be honest with you, we quickly got very tired of the tagine based meals, all of which seemed to be identical with the same array of Moroccan salads and what seemed to us overcooked and underspiced tagines. Yusef was able to find us pizza, grilled fish, Thai and French meals. I'm sure Yusef informed you about the dinner we skipped at Stylia Palace in Marrekesh and the overpayment of our refund for the cooking class at Kasbah Omar. We just took the overpayment as a credit for the skipped dinner. We've told all of our friends about how great Morocco is and how great your company is and hopefully you'll hear from some of them to book tours. Mark
Levy & Alisa Brot - New York
Akim, Janet and I
want to thank you for all work you did making our trip to Morocco so
wonderful. It was a spectacular time of year to be there.
The countryside was quite green with huge fields of wildflowers
everywhere. All of the arrangements you planned for us worked
well. The accommodations were more than adequate and in
most cases quite nice. Mohammad, our driver, was absolutely
great. He is prompt, safe and quite helpful. We feel badly
that he had a couple of very long days that we wish we could have
spared him. All of our guides were informative and helpful
although a couple seemed to steer us to shopping activities a little
needlessly. One guide in particular, Itimod (I think) in
Meknes, was wonderful. She and my wife communicated very well
with one another. Seeing a great old city from the eyes of a
woman who grew up there is a great experience. We didn't see many
women guides which is a shame because we think that perspective would
be a big hit particularly with American travelers. Thank you again for all you did for us. Marrakech Voyage is a first rate travel service. We will certainly recommend your services should any of our friends express interest in a visit to your wonderful country. Gary Zaker
& Wife - USA
Akim, We are now
back in the states and we are over our jet lag and have gotten all of
our things caught up. Thanks for all of your services, Harry and
wife Linda Fegley - USA
Dear Akim, I am writing to tell you how wonderful our trip to Morocco was, and to express our appreciation for all your efforts to make it work out so well. The guides and the driver were excellent in every way. The Riads were quite comfortable and accommodating to our needs. The weather was good too. (Ok, you can't take credit for that.) A real highlight was having dinner with your family at the end of the trip. Thanks so much for helping our family have a great time and learn a little about Morocco. Happy new year to you and your family. Michael
Goldstein & family of 5 - CA, USA
Dear Akim, Thanks to
you and your staff, we now have a thousand and one glorious memories.
Dear Akim, I am sure that you heard about our most lovely evening with your family. We so enjoyed the evening and hold it to be one of the memorable things we did during our time in Morocco. It was so wonderful to speak English and get to know your sister Miriam, Yosef and the boys who were so well behaved and likeable. We briefly met you Mother and your aunt too. Your family's home is so warm and just beautiful. We so appreciated the kosher accommodations made for us too. The trip you arranged for us was amazing, and we loved our driver Ahmed and valued his driving skills and his person...we all felt a close bond that was great.... We were also very happy with our guides in Fez and Marrakech as they were very professionals. We were so lucky to have also had good weather. So many of the accomodations were lovely...... Morocco is a wonderful country as well as the hospitality of the people... We hope to send future customers to you too. All the
best, Marcia & Husband - USA
Hello Akim, Sorry about
the delay in responding to your email. Here my thoughts on our visit to
your lovely Country. Our driver - Ahmed was absolutely fantastic. Always on time and always willing to help out when we ran into problems. Our mountain guide in Ourika Valley was terrific as well. The riad there was beautiful (Kasbah Omar). We were told not to go into the old city in Fez without a guide the first day we arrived...... and our guide Hicham was great, and Riad Yacout was nice. Thanks
again, P.S. We very much enjoyed the hospitality of your family.
Dear Akim, I just wanted to let you know that our trip Oct. 2-14 was perfectly delightful. Nagib was an especially wonderful guide. He was always on time, very dependable, friendly, and helpful and we enjoyed his delightful sense of humor. Linda and I were both very impressed with the incredible friendliness of everyone we encountered throughout the country and came away with wonderful experiences to share with friends and happy memories of a wonderful country. Thank you
very much.
Dear Akim, We are safely back in the US and I want to thank you for planning such a wonderful trip for us. The itinerary was terrific, and gave us a little bit of everything. We now know what we prefer and what we will do again next time. Anis was
wonderful- he is a very nice guy and was very professional,
knowledgeable and protective but also a lot of fun. He was the perfect
choice for us, because my 16 year old and 17 year old kids had a lot in
common with him and felt very comfortable talking to a guy who was
closer to their age than mine. He is also very mature so I felt
comfortable with him as well. He was very attentive and flexible. I initially did not think we would like Rick's Cafe, thinking it would be too touristy, but it was a beautiful place and lot of fun. Our trip was the perfect Moroccan experience and I think we got an excellent overall view of the country and its culture. My only regret is that it was so short! I will highly recommend your agency to my friends and colleagues. Thanks again. Nancy
Raynor & children - USA
Dear Akim, We would like to thank you for arranging an enjoyable and truly memorable Moroccan adventure for us. Morocco is a fascinating country! Our driver, Anis, was just the right choice for us. He is a thoughtful person and a skilled driver. Anis went out of his way to meet our needs and interests and we developed a friendship that we hope to continue via email. As an employee, he is a treasure for you to have!! We greatly appreciated the invitation you extended to meet your family. Miriam, Yusef and the children are such a loving family. They welcomed us warmly and prepared a tasty Moroccan dinner with great respect for our dietary restrictions. It was a pleasure to see the beautifully furnished home that you grew up in and to meet your mother. Our only regret is that we did not listen to your warnings about the distances between places. Consequently, we spent too much time in the car in order to see so much of the country. Next time (when???) we will revise our itinerary. We will surely recommend you to friends who would like to visit Morocco. We wish you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving holiday. All the
best,
Dear Akim, We had a marvelous time and want to thank you and Hakim, our driver. The country was charming. The people were warm and friendly and the riyadhs in which we stayed were lovely. We particularly enjoyed our time in the High Atlas. The visit to the market, tour of the village and the Kasbah there was simply great....."Kasbah Omar". Our driver and all guides that we had in Fez and Marrakech were very professional. The food was excellent. All your planning made the trip very comfortable. Thank you for your services. You were efficient and the trip was exactly as planned for our wonderful Moroccan journey. We are already recommending your company to our friends and family. All the
best-
Dear Akim, Thank you for reminding me to email you. The
Moroccan trip was fantastic. It was amazingly hassle-free and extremely
enjoyable. Thank you so much for organizing it all so well. I have recommended your company to many people. I work in a Travel Medicine and I have talked to many of my patients about your company. I hope that they find you easily and enjoy Morocco as much as we did. With very
best wishes,
Dear Akim, We have just come back home from our holidays. Following our trip to Morocco we spent few days in the South of Spain. Visiting Morocco was an exciting and unforgettable experience: the people, the landscapes, the cities, the food, everything was just wonderful. We absolutely enjoyed it. As mentioned by Marrakesh Voyage advertisements, we are back home “with plenty of tales of Arabian days and nights”; I can still smell the spices, the flowers, the fresh of the Ourika valley. By the way, Mr Karim kindness and hospitality at the Kasbah Omar has to be highlighted. He also helped us in exploring the beautiful Ourika valley leading us in two wonderful walks. The trip
went on as planned. Riads and hotels were great, as well as restaurants
and foods in our dinners. Guides and visits were very well coordinated.
Everything on time and the trip fulfilled every word committed by Mr
Akim Elanbassi of Marrakesh Voyage in the package we bought. Summing up and for the requested feedback, I would qualified my holidays and Marrakesh Voyage with a 100. Hope to visit Morocco again!!!! Regards,
Hi Akim, Well, we are home again. It was a wonderful trip. We learned so much about Morocco, about which we knew so little before. Our driver, Anis, was superb. You have a great employee in Anis - 5 star service! He was not only a great driver, but was eager to help us see all the places we wanted to visit, even if they were not in the itinerary. And he made some wonderful suggestions for lunch. He was always waiting for us in the morning, eager to begin the day's activities. He helped act as a "guide" when we were not in medinas in the cities. We shared many stories about our respective families, and found a common interest in BMW cars. The Riads were excellent, with one exception. The Riad in Rabat. The facility seemed a bit tired, although the dinner was outstanding. Perhaps Rabat is a good city for a hotel, like Casablanca where our hotel was very good. Most of our guides were good. Hisham in Fez was like a university professor (which he may well be). He taught us about history and culture way back to the original Berber immigrations beginning more than 2,500 years ago. We learned so much from him I felt we should be paying tuition. We also liked Fatah in Marrakesh, Karim in Ourika, and the guide in Essaouira.Overall we were extremely satisfied with the trip, and are glad we took it. We have already started to recommend Morocco to our friends, and will give them your name. (Shukran) Thank you for a wonderful time. We plan to return again for a music festival in either Marrakech or Fes, and hike the high Atlas in Jebel Toubkal Park near Ourika. David
Kapell & Wife - USA
Akim: I just wanted to follow up on our trip you planned for us throughout Morocco. First of all we had a wonderful time and everything was handled very well. Our driver was the best. We could not have asked for anybody better. He spoke good English, was very knowledgeable about Morocco and world affairs. He kept us very safe and informed and was very very accommodating and respectful. We would highly recommend him anytime. All of our hotels were very nice. I know we wanted a smaller Riad in Marrakech but once we settled into the Jardin de la Koutoubia we were fine. Its just we had read that there are hundreds of fabulous Riads in Marrakech and we loved the Riad (Kasbah Omar) we were at in the Ourika Valley. But everything was arranged well except for the wait at the Jardin de la Koutoubia and the fact that the air conditioner in our original room was not working. The second room or suite they put us in was fine and the air conditioner was working fine. Fez was wonderful, the camel ride in the Sahara was fabulous and we really enjoyed all of our experiences. Thank you and if you need me for any references I would be glad to be contacted. All the
best.
Dear Akim,
Akim, I would like to tell you how much we enjoyed our trip to Morocco. It was one of the best trips we have taken. Everybody we dealt with was great. Our driver Anis was perfect, a good driver, very considerate and good company. I felt I was leaving a family member when we said goodbye........... All the guides were very professional - We particularly liked Hicham, Omar and Karim. The ride in the dunes on the camels, dinner under the stars, watching the sunset and sunrise and sleeping in the tent was certainly a highlight of the trip. Everything was very well planned - this made for a smooth and comfortable trip. We learned a lot about Morocco, its culture and the people- it was the most enjoyable time. Thank You,
Dear Akim, A million thanks for the extraordinary trip you organized for Kiehl's in Morocco. You and your wonderful team exceeded all of our expectations which made the trip personal, unique and memorable. We hope you and your family enjoy the products that we sent you and of course when our products containing Argan Oil lunch in April, you will be one of the first to receive it. We are looking forward to seeing you very soon for a reunion dinner. With our
deepest gratitude,
Dear Akim, We are now in Taghazout relaxing after our wonderful trip around Morocco. We had a wonderful time with our driver Mohamed who took very good care of us throughout. It was great that he was always there to pick us up from outings which made for a very stress free trip. His driving, in sometimes very difficult conditions such as heavy snow in the High Atlas was to be commended. We feel we saw much more than was in the itinerary and people we have since spoken to have been amazed at what we actually fitted into the twelve days. Regarding the dinners, all included, we could not fault them from the Style club in Marrakech to the home cooked meals in the Riads. By chance we were invited to a Berber wedding which was being held next to our Kasbah Omar at the Ourika Valley which was a real bonus. Stayed with it till midnight. A lot of fun. Even though we were guided everywhere, we felt we got to experience the local flavor and so believe our trip was wonderful value. Because of the spread of accommodation you supplied from very good small riads to the opulent riad in Fez we feel we have certainly seen a wide cross section of Moroccan life. Finally, thank you for organizing all this at what was very short notice. It all went very smoothly and again thanks to for making all the arrangements. Hope you
have a great year.
Hi Akim, We are home
from our Moroccan holiday and we enjoyed every minute of it. Thank you.
Hi Akim, This is just a quick note to tell you how wonderful our trip was in every way! Youssef was a fabulous incredible guide and organizer and we had one of our best holidays ever! The care and personal attention and warmth was unbelievable and I am grateful to you and your people for making Morroco such a memorable and exhilerating experience. I am writing up a full blog to post on travel advisor and other places as well. I wish you
a marvelous New Year and once again, our great thanks for everything
you did for us.
Dear Akim: My husband and I want to let you know how much we enjoyed our Moroccan vacation. The itinerary covered a geographically diverse area and a great blend of large cities with small villages. We crossed paths with a few other American couples and discovered we were the only ones to visit and stay in the Ourika Valley (one of the highlights of our trip). A chance to see the rustic Berber villages up close and personal, the “real Morocco” as some have called it, should not be missed. In fact, I encourage all your clients to plan their travel so that they are in the Ourika Valley on Monday, Thursday or Friday for the weekly souk. Not at all like the larger souks in Fes or Marrakech! Having our own driver provided a level of flexibility in our travels as well as a more relaxing experience. We never had to worry about arranging transit to or from a restaurant or local site. Our driver, Anis, was great. His driving skills were well above average and he was always there to make us feel safe and special. While we did not feel at all threatened during our visit, I especially liked travelling around the cities and countryside in a minivan without “Tourist Transportation” surrounding the exterior in multiple languages. We both enjoyed the Moroccan food ¯ although I would add that the most delicious tagine we had was in a small roadside restaurant almost at the top of the Tizi-n-Tichka pass in the High Atlas prepared by a 15-year old chef. And on our first day in Marrakech, we asked Anis to take us to a local, not touristy, restaurant for lunch. We were the only Americans and the food and ambiance was just what we were looking for. Early in the trip we decided that we could not eat the normal 3-course lunches served. But the 10+ dishes in a Moroccan salad with bread was just perfect. The restaurants were usually very agreeable to this request. The accommodations were great. The Riad in Fes and Kasbah Omar in Ourika Valley were a nice balance to the luxurious hotels in Rabat and Marrakech. And nothing compares to riding a camel under a full moon to our camp in the desert. This trip had it all. We were pleasantly surprised to find that French was spoken throughout Morocco. This made it much easier to communicate with the locals, especially the children. We brought along some small candies and had fun distributing them to the small children in the villages we visited. Our only negative experience came when I had an allergic reaction a few days after a mud facial at the hammam in Ouarzazate. On our way into Marrakech, Anis stopped at a local pharmacy and I was able to get some antihistamine pills and cream to calm my irritated face. The medications worked and I was able to finish the trip with little or no discomfort. Another benefit of having a knowledgeable, local driver. Many of our friends are interested in our Moroccan vacation and we have no hesitation in recommending Marrakesh Voyage to them. Overall we felt the itinerary was well planned, well organized, and well executed. Regards,
AKIM Just a quick note because I have so much paper work to catch up on but I wanted to tell you what a wonderful golf trip we had. All the golfers had a great time. Our driver ABDOL made the whole experience wonderful. He took care of every detail. he really made the experience very enjoyable because we never had to worry about anything. He made sure it was right. The hotels, restaurants, golfing, and sightseeing were all superb. Abdol said
that I should return and do the Sahara desert in a tent trip . some
thing for me to look forward to..... again thank you for a most
memorable trip. I'll stay in touch as I hope you will and let me know
of any future deals to wonderful MOROCCO.
Hi Akim, http://web.mac.com/hawksworth/iWeb/ShortTrips/Morocco.html Best
Regards,
Dear Akim: Please excuse the delay in my email feedback - there has been a lot calling for my attention after being gone for all of September…So, I would say that the most pronounced, most positive, aspect of our trip was definitely the graciousness and kindness and patience and open-heartedness of our guides, especially Fateh and, most especially, Youssef. From the standpoint of our Open Center staff, these gentlemen were an honor to work with, absolutely professional, especially with a string of frustrating itinerary changes that we tried to implement, but more importantly than that, and from the perspective of both us as staff, and our participants, was their warmth and depth of character and generosity. They made themselves so fully available, very much beyond expectation ordinarily, especially more significant given their fasting. Our guests were deeply moved to have been invited to Youssef’s home and visit with his family. And we were all incredibly enriched by the depth of knowledge Fateh shared with us during our visit to Bahia Palace . As an organization part of whose mission is to explore the deeper meaning of the world’s traditions and events, we were concerned that we would find ourselves meeting only the more superficial aspects of the culture and history and people of Morocco , but that was not our experience at all. Akim, we very much want to thank you for putting us in such good hands.We also wanted to thank you for bringing us to the incredibly beautiful kasbah Omar: both the people and the place itself were more than we had hoped for. Please know that our experience in Marrakech was absolutely remarkable, and that we deeply appreciate all you did to contribute to that. Many
thanks, and many warm regards,
Akim, I apologize for the delay in sending this letter but I'd like to inform you that we had the most amazing and out-of-this-world experience while vacationing in Morocco. Our driver Abdel was not only very careful and cordial but also extremely hospitable and eager to share with us the Moroccan lifestyle. We are most appreciative of him opening up his home for a home-made chicken cous-cous meal with his lovely family. It truly made our trip more than personal now that we have a 'new family' in Morocco! We will highly recommend this trip with your company to our friends who have seen, from our pictures, the many splendors of Morocco! We hope to
travel back very soon as we know there are many other treasures yet to
be seen! Thank you
so very much!
Akim, Thanks for
your note. I am happy to share my Moroccan experience with you. I
really enjoyed the trip. I saw so much, met some wonderful people, ate
great food, and have many outstanding memories. I will recommend
visiting Morocco to all my friends and your tour company specifically.
I haven't gone through all my pictures but if I find something worth
'publishing', I'll be sure to send it along. Our guide Mohammed was great. The guest house proprietor Lachen could not have been more welcoming and warm. Breakfast was outstanding. While we didn't sleep in the room, it seemed fine. The shower was adequate and clean. Fattah - our guide in Marrakech - was wonderful. He is very knowledgeable, has a warm and engaging manor and was not pushy when it came to taking us to places to shop. Anis - our driver - he was great. He got us where we needed to be, on time and safely. He answered our questions and engaged in conversation. He helped us understand the culture the better. Karim - our guide in the Ourika Valley. He was flexible and adjusted our itinerary based on my abilities (not a fit for the hikes and treks specified in the itinerary). All he kept saying was 'it's no problem'. He and Hafida and Naima at Kasbah Omar made us feel like we were staying in a real home. I learned so much about the area, the Berbers and history from them all. And I must mention Salima (I think that's her name). She was our masseusse. Our massage (after the hammam of course) was the perfect ending to a wonderful day of walking the valley. Itinerary -
I really enjoyed the mixture of experiences - cities, desert, rural
mountains/vallies, ocean. I came away with a real appreciation for the
country as a whole and the diversity of terrain and peoples. With my overall feedback very strong, I do want to share a couple of thoughts that I think would improve the trip experience for others. I think future travelers could benefit from more information/guidance from you prior to the trip. I'm not sure how seasoned a traveler your typical customer is but some things Kelly and I did/prepared for out of experience that others might not know to do. For
instance - You may be sorry you asked after having read this long note! I do want to say again how wonderful the trip was and I will always remember it with a warm smile and many happy memories. Thanks to you. All the
best-
Dear Akim, Thanks alot Akim , all the best and success. Ridwan
& Alice Wiharda - Jakarta Indonesia
Dear Akim, Second, I would especially like to tell you how much we appreciated the "network" of people who guided us through our tour. Our driver, Ahmed, was excellent. He was always very professional and timely and made our many travels very smooth and effortless. He was also a very pleasant travel companion and so easy to be with. By the end of the trip, I certainly felt that we had made a wonderful, new friend. Others who stood out were our guide Ahmed in Rabat - so interesting & knowledgeable, Raphael - who led us through the desert and Karim, Youssef & Miriam of the Kasbah Omar - who welcomed us so warmly in their beautiful, new riad. I know these people are all your friends, and I wanted you to know that they all played a big role in making our trip so memorable. We did eat wonderfully, and really enjoyed the interesting flavors of Morocco's cuisine. All in all, our trip was quite a success and an adventure that we will not soon forget. With our
thanks & warm regards,
All the best, Kira Wind
& Friend - San Francisco, CA
Hello, Akim
- We
enjoyed Merzouga and enjoyed our early morning camel ride out of
the auberge to see the sunrise. And we all loved the skiing
on Erg Chebbi!! Jon and I loved watching our kids climb up
and ski down - and the kids thought it was the best!
Memorable experience for our family.
Akim, I do not even know where to begin! To say thank you for planning such an magnificent trip, feels like a huge understatement. We knew we were in for the time of our life, when Hussein with his warm, gentle face met us with open arms at the airport. It took us about 15 minutes to become fast friends. I believe he knew what he was in for when we passed a souk two hours into our trip and we were already taking marvelous detours! With cameras, video and our savior Hussein, we were off. As my father likes to say, "we are like herding cats", you can't quite keep us in control and Hussein seemed totally prepared for us. Your country is fascinating, the diversity of people, culture and topography in such a small area is astounding. Around every corner we became more and more enthralled with Morocco. One Riad was more beautiful and welcoming the next. Then of course there was Kasbah Omar. What a magnificent place to be. The warmth and hospitality that was shared with us could not have been more perfect...and what a view! Dinner with your family was truly a special treat. Aside from being one of the best meals, Miriam and Yousef stole our hearts and were a pleasure to be with. How lucky were we that we were able to meet you whole family and share this time with them. The cities, Marrakesh, Fez, Rabat, Meknes, Casablanca and others were eye opening and so diverse from one another that it was hard to believe we were in the same country. The desert, the camels, the Berber villages, the donkeys, the seaside, the gardens, the synagogues, the souks, the gorges, the valleys, the people, the goats in trees and oh the shopping! Boy did we shop. Although we thought we were going to start out in a bigger vehicle, we were thrilled with the way things turned out. Had we not needed a car to follow us with our many purchases, we would never have had the opportunity to meet Said. Even with out language barrier, we felt we truly got to know him and spending time with the people of Morocco was at the top of our wish list.. We felt very fortunate that both Hussein and Said, were so comfortable hanging out with our crazy family. The retaking of our parents wedding vows could not have turned out better. How fortuitous that Youssef was friendly with Jacob Kadosh. This event could not have been more perfect, and was filled with kindness and warmth, exactly what you would hope for, for an occasion like this. There were so many highlights in our journey it is hard to pick only a few to mention. However being invited into the home of a Berber family during our walk in Ourika valley and Hussein working out us being able to visit a Berber nomad family truly was the people experiences were were hoping for. We gave out chocolate, pens, balloons, clothing, head scarves and I think best of all, Polaroid pictures of them and us. Right after visiting with the nomad family, we were rewarded with a full rainbow. These are the memories and expierences we will all carry with us forever. Handing out liters of water to Shepperd's along the road prompted many great smiles of these hardworking men and was so heart warming, I am smiling as I write this. Seeing the sights of a country is one thing, experience a country is another. We can not thank you, your family and Hussein enough, for providing us with such an unbelievable Moroccan experience The one thing that I think that came as surprise to all of us was the extreme warmth and comfort with closeness of the people We hugged and kissed and held the hands of both men and women. It continues to amaze me how people can connect with out sharing a spoken word between them. Where ever we went it was like being a member of the family. Our only
regret was not having another six weeks to explore and experience the
wonders and the people of Morocco! Alas our trip had to come to an end.
After many hugs and tears we headed home. If the opportunity presents itself to you with your future clients, you should encourage them to bring and instant camera. It was a big hit! Like with my father, please feel free to have any of your future clients contact me. With warmest regards and my gratitude, Abelow
Family
Akim - We returned
from Morocco just 20 hours ago after an absolutely fantastic vacation
in your wonderful country! I know Judy plans to e-mail you in more
detail, but I wanted you to know as soon as possible just how wonderful
everything was and how much we appreciate all the extra things you did
and arranged. Your family, Kasbah Omar, your gifts of djelabas, the
Berber entertainment, the other places we stayed, the meals we ate, the
surprise synagogue wedding and everything else - and I do mean
everything - was just perfect. Hussein was unbelievably terrific and he
was, himself, a highlight of the entire vacation. He deserves a bonus
for putting up with us and probably a few days rest to recover. The
fact that we were able to do everything we wanted to (and to change
part of our planned itinerary) And more
importantly for Morocco's economy, all the things we bought. We
consider ourselves so fortunate to have been able to really interact
with Moroccan families and other people - not only your Thank you
again for everything and thank your family as well as Hussein. We hope
there might be an opportunity to meet with you in person and maybe Meg
to share more of our thoughts and stories from the trip. Of course,
please feel free to use us as references if any prospective clients
would like Bill, Judy
Abelow and Family
Hi Akim, I promise that I will get back to you. I have been away a lot (fencing and school trips) so things have been crazy. I want to write a detailed email ........ I promise that I will get back to you with a longer version. The short list would be that we loved the trip and would like to do it again, this time with the desert. Our driver and friend Abdul was great to travel with and he was there for us all the time. Alex and I both looked at each other yesterday and said, "We miss Morocco." Wonderful memories!! We even went out for Moroccan street food............thanks to you. Anyway,
details to follow.
Hi Akim - I wanted to thank you for helping organize my trip as a sigle woman to Morocco. It was fabulous. Mustapha was a very kind and patient driver, and made sure I had everything I needed while I was there. He showed all sights and my local local guide for a tour of Essaouira was great. It was a fabulous trip and I will recommend your agency to anyone who is looking for a great and easy way to travel around Morocco. Kind
regards,
Dear Akim After Morocco I went on for a few days to Israel, and I only got back home yesterday, that is why I hadn't written. Out trip to Morocco was SPLENDID, it really was very very very good, and we kept thinking nice thoughts about you all along (and voicing them too!). We had excellent chemistry with our guide, Muchtar, he was very knowledgeable, pleasant, with a good sense of humor, and extremely patient (something you definitely need to travel with my family). I think he is the best guide we have ever had in our entire history of traveling to any country in the past. I want to tell you that I know how complicated it must have been to get us always kosher food, but it was definitely worth it. The kosher food added a huge step to our enjoyment (even though I am afraid now I will have to go on a very strict diet!!). And the hotels were also excellent. Fortunately, they were ordered from nice to gorgeous, so we were always pleasantly surprised. We liked the Palais Rhoul so much, we decided to spend the last day in the Hammam and the gardens! All in all, it was really a perfect trip, and my father was extremely happy. I thank you very much for your excellent work. All the best, The Katz
Family - France, Israel & Mexico
Dear Akim, On behalf of my whole family, we thank you for the most memorable trip to Morocco. We especially appreciate what you and your friends did for my mother. Even though she had a cold, that birthday party really cheered her up, and we could not believe that she actually got up to dance!! Please do convey our gratitude to your friend at Ourika Garden. The entire
trip was lovely, and I am grateful to your suggestions for limiting our
trip and not going to too many places. As it was, we already had the
seashore, the mountains, the desert, and the medina. You were right
that more would have been too exhausting. For us, the Sahara trip was
definitely the highlight - spending the night in the desert with the
first full moon of the year was just incredible. Although my mother did
not go into the desert, she was game enough to get on a camel and have
a photo taken. Please be assured that we will tell our friends about your services. Our friends are very interested in Morocco after seeing our photos. Thanks
again,
Akim: Sorry for the delay in responding. We had a delightful time. Everything went off without a hitch....and our driver Khalid was GREAT! The hotels
were the highlight of our trip.....as I am sure you heard.....we did
hang out at the hotels a bit. The Kasbah in the High Atlas is to
die for and my wife loved the horseback riding. Without your suggestions, we would never have identified such fabulous Riads. Thank you
for all your help. The trip was delightfully smooth -- great
accommodations -- fabulous restaurants and no surprises. Your promotion
from president to travel counselor is well deserved:::)))))
Hello Akim, We returned
last Tuesday from Spain and Morocco. I just wanted to let you know what
a wonderful time we all had. Our driver Abdul was waiting for us
when we got off the boat in Tangier with a very nice and comfortable
van. Abdul did a wonderful job. He was a great driver and was
always punctual and very helpful. Our stay at Riad Mabrouka in Fez
was wonderful. The staff was so attentive. Our rooms and the courtyard
and garden areas were just beautiful. We had a very enjoyable day in
Fez with our guide Abdul (another Abdul) and a delicious dinner with
entertainment at Maison Blue. The following day we really enjoyed
Meknes, Volubilis, lunch at Moulay Idriss and finally Chefchaoen. What
a beautiful town. Casa Hassan, although not as luxurious as Riad
Mabrouka, was so conveniently located near the main square. The
people of Morocco were very friendly and welcoming to us. We were all
very impressed with the beautiful mosaics in all the buildings we
visited but the most pleasant surprise of all was the delicious
food. We absolutely loved the Moroccan salads, pastilla, and the
tajines, and fresh fruits and most of all the mint tea. When I got
home, I bought a Moroccan cookbook immediately. If there was one
complaint, it was that all the interesting presentations in Fez
(ceramics, carpet, tannery, cloth ) also included a bit of high
pressure sales after the presentation. All three couples bought
mosaic tables which we are looking forward to enjoying in our yards
here in California. Thank you very much for organizing a trip to
Morocco that we will never forget. Sporleder/Jones/Scott
group
Akim, We are back! It was a wonderful trip and I wanted to thank you for organizing everything. Youssef was great and we have become good friends with him now! Again, it was an amazing trip and thank you for facilitating it! Warm regards, Boris &
Jennifer Rapoport- NYC
Akim, Sorry I
have not had a chance to tell you about our trip but I have been away
for the last two weeks. We really liked Feta, our guide in Marrakesh. He was very knowledgeable about the area, history and culture. He did take us shopping where we bought more items than planned. Of course we bought rugs and some pottery. We were not very good a bartering, but by the end of the trip the shop keepers said we were like Berbers. We enjoyed our “trek” in the Ourika Valley. Our guide was very nice and drilled some local phrases into our heads that we used the rest of the trip. It was a great experience to see how simple the people live in the mountains. Many thanks
to you…..We were extremely happy with the trip you planned for
us and the experiences we had. It was a great way to see
Morocco. We have already recommended going to Morocco and using
your services.
Dear Akim, We had the
most wonderful trip of Morocco. Philip and I both really enjoyed
getting to see a little of your marvelous country, get to know a little
of your culture and meet some wonderful Moroccans.
Akim, An
excellent trip. Hajib did a phenomenal job in taking us to all
the places we wanted to see and explaining interesting details that we
might otherwise miss along the way. The riads and hotels you
have selected for us were fantastic. Having dinner with the
Berber family at the high Atlas was amazing experience. A
great job to him and to your company.
Dear Akim, The best laid plans could not have produced these results without Youssef. Just having a car and driver is the best way to tour a new country, but he was exceptional. Most of all it was his unflinching good humor that made him a perfect companion for those 28-days. Not once did he appear bored with his job or with us. He went far beyond being just a driver, giving us all sorts of information about the country as we drove along. But when we had a guide in the car with us, he never said a thing, leaving it to the skilled guide to inform us. That showed respect for the guide and we chalked that up as another of Youssef’s admirable characteristics. What made this trip far superior to any we have ever taken anywhere in the world was being invited to his present home and to the family home where he grew up. We were simply thrilled to meet them all, to “break bread” with them, and to be made to feel so welcome. We were struck by the genuine love and respect they showed each other. We felt as accepted as if we were part of the family. We’ve discussed ranking our experiences in order of interest and/or importance, but we weren’t able to do that. They were so varied and so many to choose from. We really did like being in two places for longer periods, to rest and collect our thoughts. Fez and Marrakesh were the most appropriate for those long stays and we appreciated the opportunity to be on our own, exploring the medinas and getting the “feel” for those exotic cities. Riding camels in the sand dunes was definitely an experience we’ll long remember. From our vantage point on the dunes, Ralph took a photo of a caravan of camels bearing a group of tourists. That photo is now the “wall paper” on our computer. We apologize for writing this over a week after our return home, but we wanted to write more than a “thanks-it-was-a-great-trip” message. Please do feel free to call on us to use as references for future clients. With our
sincere thanks for your superb planning of a magnificent tour of your
great country,
Hi Akim, We
appreciate your following up and want you to know that we had a
wonderful time in Morocco. We worried that the timing -- late
July and early August -- would have us traveling during the worst heat
of the summer, but we were extremely lucky. We arrived in Fez
just after a heat wave broke, and departed Marrakech just before the
heat returned. The evening breezes in the square in Marrakech
were delightful. The riads
we stayed in were a delight, especially Riad Mabrouka in Fez. And
Khalid, our driver, was not only an excellent and careful driver, but
an attentive companion as well, who was still willing, after a hard
day's driving, to make the extra effort to get us to and from a late
dinner. He took good care of us. Pat Ward's
family & friends - USA
Dear Akim, Gita Arjun
& Family - India
Hi Akim,
Dear Akim,
Akim, I wish I had a day to discuss with you. For now let me just say the experience far exceeded our expectations. You could not have provided us with a more appropriate itinerary. Our driver/guide Khalid, was incredible. His wife cooked us dinner one night in Marrakech. It was remarkable to say the least. Each of the city guides were very good, spoke fluent English, knew there subject matter . The guide in Marrakech spent half a day taking my wife shopping, her favorite activity, which allowed my daughter and me to sit by the pool and relax. The riyad was probably the highlight of our accommodations. It was definitely 5 star and we long to return. Fez was great, the desert was spectacular and the accommodations there were wonderful; sleeping in a tent but dining in the hotel on delicious Moroccan food. The drive over the Mid and High Atlas was as beautiful as you described with all of the wild flowers in bloom.Thanks for delivering on such short notice. I have
recommended you to two associates since my return. If someone
suggesting my name contacts you, try and line them up with Khalid. He
was very good.
Bonjour to you Akim, How nice to hear from you. I had the loveliest surprise in the post yesterday. Youssef sent me a long lost package of creams that I bought in Marrakech in September! I cannot believe he found them but was absolutely delighted to receive them! Wonderful products from magical Marrakech…I still have the fondest memories of the trip. You did a truly Extraordinary Job. I am so looking forward to visiting again someday. In the meantime, I will phone Youssef to thank him personally, but just in case they change cell phone numbers as frequently as they do here, please remember to send him my sincere thanks and good wishes when you next speak to him. Love and
Light to you, Meg and Omar,
Dear Akim, Mr. David -
USA
Dear Akim, Babette
Pettersen - Belgium
Dear Akim, Thank you SO very much for this wonderful taste of your country. I LOVED Morocco and meeting your sister Myriam. You have organized this so well and I shall recommend you to all of my friends and colleagues. PLEASE send me your sister's mailing address as I want to send her something for her generosity in giving me the belly dancing outfit. It was a wonderful visit to the Ryad, the mountains and the Berber house. Your country and the people are truly magnificent and you are a great Ambassador. Your wife is lovely and that little boy- FANTASTIC. Thank you so much. My warmest to you. Pamela -
Belgium
Hi Akim, I just wanted to let you know that Megan and I had a wonderful trip to Morocco. Youssef was a great guide and was extremely attentive. He was very protective and helpful and knowledgeable. He took us to all of the places that we were excited about on our itinerary and more importantly, took us to some amazing places that we would have never seen without him or on a big tour group. We were invited into people's homes and served bread and tea. The hospitality was wonderful. By the way, you have a great family, we were able to meet some of them in Marrakech. We bought some amazing things, took a ton of great photos, but most of all, have excellent memories that will last a lifetime: Youssef bringing a birthday cake into the Sahara for my wife's birthday, the great and horrible weather of the Sahara, the call to prayer chants being projected throughout the cities at night, the sights and smells of the medina in Fez. Thank you so much for a wonderful trip. Jason
Torrey-Payne - California
Thanks for setting up our trip to Morocco. Youssef did an outstanding job for us. We particularly enjoyed the visit to the Berber home and the very gracious hostess. We also enjoyed meeting your sister and having dinner in her and Youssef's home. I know we insisted on the Sheraton Hotels, but do not use the Marrakesh Sheraton. Service is very bad. John and
Jody Stevens - Michigan
Hi akim, We got along quite harmoniously....Hajib was terrific in all ways....I've lost his e-mail and would love to write him so please send it along. I imagine you’ve spoken to Guilbert ..........Our guide Mohamed in Marrakech was very good...all guides were very professional.... the Kasbah Lamrani where we had our second night in Tinghir was totally atmospheric....wonderful Moroccan food and wonderful Moroccan service. We so enjoyed meeting you and part of your family.....your wife and child via the video screening with dinner....that was interesting......3 hours of ceremony. Thanks for a very life remembering journey AND yes we will be in touch for the future. Eugene -
Florida - Music Sacred Festival
Dear Akim, We had a very good time on our trip in Morocco. Thank you for your efforts in making this happen. It turned out exactly as we had hoped. We will never forget all the things we experienced.I also wanted to tell you that our guide, Youssef Khalfaoui, was absolutely exceptional in his service to us. In the days we spent together he continually did whatever he could to maximize our enjoyment. It is also apparent that he is a person of the highest quality. We enjoyed his company. The trip would not have been the same without him. Thanks
again for everything.
Dear Akim, We had a great trip and expect to return in the future. Everything was planned well, guides were wonderful, the country is amazing, the itinerary was representational of the countries diversity, and the people very accommodating. We have been recommending the trip to all our friends and had 2 slide shows that were well attended. Studio B
architects - Aspen, CO
Akim, We've just gotten back to Thailand after a monster trip. Thank you so much for all your help, advice and organization. It was such a pleasure to finally meet you, not to mention to sample the delights of your wonderful country. The emails are flowing madly about how wonderful it was and I feel like a complete fraud when people thank me for all the organization. I have no doubt that we will meet again and in the meantime if I can do anything in the way of references by phone or emails to prospective clients, then please feel free to give them my details and also feel comfortable that you will receive rave reviews! Please also send my thanks to Hassan and the rest of the team, not to mention your family. We all had a superb time and have now gone to our respective countries for a rest! Thanks again and Take Care. Dr. Penny
O'Hara
Dear Mr. Elanbassi: Thank you for organizing my trip to Morocco. I had a wonderful vacation! As a single woman going to a Middle Eastern country, I was apprehensive. Yet, my fears were for naught. You organized a trip that allowed me to see the Moroccan culture without worries for my safety nor the hassles usually associated with traveling. I chose your travel agency hoping that my trip would be more than getting on and off tour buses with fifty other Americans. Akim, you allowed me to see not only the historic places but also the Moroccan culture, to meet the people and observe their customs. My favorite experience occurred in the town of Tafraout. Allison
Martin, California
I've been traveling for a long time, and I really loved my experience with Marrakesh Voyage. They understood the way I like to travel, and helped me build an experience suited to my tastes and interests. Andrew Z.,
New York City
The thing that most impressed me about Marrakesh Voyage was the quality of support once we were in Morocco. Our driver, Abdel, became a friend, guide, and companion on our journey, and really enriched our experience." Jennifer
C., New York City
Akim and the rest of the Marrakesh Voyage group are so much more than travel planners - they're like great hosts - they know when to step in and help guide you, and when to step away, and let your experience unfold. I recommend them highly." M. Alberti,
New York City
Our company held a meeting in Marrakesh with the aid of Marrakesh Voyage. The trip was an absolute success, and could never have happened without the insight and diligence of their team. They were a delight to work with." Fashion
Executive
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