Make Your Next Trip Extraordinary

Karen Dalfen

Karen Dalfen’s husband enjoying lunch on a rooftop in “Hard to Reach” Village.

We had the most fabulous 14-day experience in Morocco. Michael curated a seamless itinerary, a truly exciting journey where each and every day produced some form of WOW. We stayed at the most exquisite hotels as we travelled from Casablanca to the Atlas Mountains. Thanks to Driss, our calm, intelligent and fun guide, and Unis, our always obliging driver, all we had to do was enjoy.

We had our first speechless moment in Casablanca when we visited the Hassan ll mosque, a magnificent tribute to the craftsmanship, architecture, resources and people of Morocco.

From Casablanca we drove through rolling hills, farms, valleys, dams and riverbeds to the chaotic and ancient UNESCO city of Fez, a place replete with endless narrow streets, souks, palaces, mosques, stores, merchants, and artisans. It was here that I learned to cook my first tajine.

We had so many wow moments in Fez. From an evening dinner with Fatima, a feminist, to being thunderstruck by hidden gardens, endless mosaics, fountains and artisans creating their works. From there we headed to the gorgeous Royal City of Rabat, replete with parks, boulevards, exotic gardens, Mausoleum and the charming Casbah of Udayas. This was a totally unexpected gem of a city.

Of course no trip to Morocco can exclude Marrakech with its endless night entertainment, and carnival atmosphere. But the truly wow moment was taking a motorcycle drive through areas outside of the Medina as well as through the Medina. Then again staying at the Mamounia is one big wow.

For a calm respite we took a side trip to Essaouira, where we could escape from the frenetic pace of Marakkech. What a charming vibrant port and resort town.

We ended our stay in the Atlas Mountains, where we spent three glorious nights sleeping in a Berber tent at the award-winning Kasbah Tamindot. We had the most incredible experience hiking to a village that our guide said was called Hard to Reach. We should have paid closer attention to his statement, and at 6,000 feet, we finally reached the perfectly named hamlet of Hard to Reach. As our reward, we were served the best ever vegetable tajine, hot soup and tea! What a finale to our journey.

Camel trek through the Sahara Desert, Morocco.

Camel trek through the Sahara Desert, Morocco. Photo: Geri Krauss

My husband and I recently returned from a trip to Morocco planned by Michael. The trip was superb. To begin with, we had a wonderful guide who stayed with us throughout the two-plus-week trip. He was not only a talented guide—sharing with us his deep knowledge of the country and its culture—but a kind, thoughtful and devout person who truly cared about our enjoyment, well-being and how we experienced Morocco. The trip itself spanned much of the country—from the cities of Marrakesh and Fes to the Atlas mountains, the Sahara desert and the seashore. While we had to drive long distances to cover everything we wanted to see, the time passed quickly, as the scenery throughout the country was gorgeous and dramatic. The drivers were careful and great—accommodating many requests to stop for photos. The hotels Michael recommended were each special in their own way (riads in the cities, kasbahs in the mountains and a tent in the desert) and the experiences he planned for us—cooking classes, dinner with a university professor to speak to us about the Sufis, walks through villages, markets and the old cities—were truly special. Wendy treated us to a WOW Moment in the desert—a camel ride up the dunes with hors d’oeuvres and champagne as the sun set—which was truly WOW! We did, unfortunately, suffer some health issues during the trip, but Michael and our guide were very accommodating to adjust our schedule as necessary. The country itself is fascinating—and we learned so much about its history, politics, culture and role in the world. We have traveled extensively with Wendy’s experts and every trip has been great. We heartily recommend both Morocco, Michael and Wendy!

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our 12-day trip to Morocco. Our trip covered a wide range of landscapes, culture, and experiences. Enjoyed spending time in the souks in Fes and Marrakesh, where we saw many aspects of life dating back to medieval times. Also enjoyed spending some time in the countryside, observing life in small villages, where things have changed little for centuries. Enjoyed watching artisans making pottery, carpets, fabrics, and argan oil. My wife really enjoyed falconry in the High Atlas Mountains. The food was very good overall and the service in the restaurants and hotels were excellent. We felt safe during the entire trip.

Arrangements were thorough, from the moment we got off the plane and going through customs until we passed security on our departure flight. Our guide and driver accompanied us during the entire trip. We found it helpful to have the same guide who helped give us a thorough background of the country and culture. We are independent travelers, but they insisted to take us anywhere, including restaurants at night. Needless to say, we were spoiled. I certainly recommend Morocco for the exotic experience that we had.

We booked a Morocco trip with Wendy’s recommended planner, as we have in two prior trips. We went March 5 and returned on the 17th. We were two couples with a private guide and driver for the entire trip, and by the end of the trip we were sad to say goodbye to both of them.

Our guide was Redouane and our driver was Aziz. They were both so gracious the entire trip. Red was the consummate guide, with his knowledge of all of the groups of people in Morocco, the Muslims, the Berbers and the Jews, and taught us so much history and culture. Using Michael Diamond as the planner was phenomenal, as we worked on the itinerary and made changes even at the last minute. Every hotel we stayed at was perfect and when we decided to change restaurants at the last minute or cancel — there was never any issue. We had friends who went on a tour with 30 people and said they would never do it again. There is just nothing like a private guide when traveling for the ultimate experience. Wendy’s lists of travel planners cannot be beat.

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