Guest Post by Silvia Latour
This is the second part of a multiple story series following guest blogger’s Silvia Latour’s as she explores Morocco. Part one shares important information all travels should know before they go, like whether they need specific vaccinations. In part 2 she delves into why she chose a small group tour for her Morocco trip.
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When I first started looking at the trip there were so many options to explore Morocco. After much research I decided on a small 10-person private tour.
The Right Sized Bus
We had our own guide, a skilled driver and a scenic tour bus. Our bus wasn’t one of the giant ones but just the right size, comfortable and spacious. I quickly found out there are numerous advantages to this combination in Morocco. At some stops, we were easily accommodated at places that a giant tour bus full of people would never have been able to go. There were also areas in some of the older cities that were challenging to navigate and would have been impossible for a larger bus.
An Experienced Guide
I cannot express the value of our guide, Mohamed. He led our way to interesting points, provided amazing amounts of detail about all things Moroccan, and then safely got us back to our bus and driver (Abdul!). When you travel with a guide you have no need for maps or GPS. There is no hesitating, no wasting time and no getting lost. This trip was packed full of touring amazing things without being rushed or stressed was incredible. Once thing I noticed is that our guide was very respectful everywhere we went. Doors were opened I could have never opened on my own and we were welcomed everywhere we went thanks to his rich network of contacts. It was like having a backstage pass at a concert.
Authentic Local Experiences
When driving from point to point, Abdul our driver, would select songs and Mohamed would sing along – he had a wonderful voice. Both were very proud of the cultural music and we quickly found a few favorites. An interesting fact about our tour guide is that he studied in Montreal for 8 years and was quite well versed in my home city. He loves to travel and visited as much of Canada as he could and comes back regularly to visit. This gave way to many jokes of about Montreal winters and potholes! And we kept wondering if we should open a Moroccan poutine palace! Ah, but enough about Canada….
Create New Experiences with New People
I knew only 1 person in our little group of 10 but honestly, meeting new people is fun…and we all had a common goal: Morocco! The group turned out to be an amazing mix of individuals and I made sure to spend a little time with everyone. All had traveled. Some extensively and on our last night when we were recounting our favorite moments at our last dinner together, many found this trip special, memorable and impactful. Considering the collective amount of travelling the group had experienced, this spoke volumes to the quality of the tour.
What made it stand out?
It was a well-planned, perfectly mapped out for interesting points with great places to eat and stay. Most of the group also found 10 to be the perfect number of traveling companions. We covered so much of Morocco in our 10 days and a few even added some bonus days to go to Agadir where there was a more beach/coastal area. I was instantly jealous that I didn’t extend but now I have a reason to plan my second trip to Morocco.
Go to Morocco with an open mind and heart and you will come back richer.
Silvia Latour lives in Montreal, Quebec. She currently works as a Sales Specialist and Business Intelligence Analyst for a major Pharmaceutical Company. She enjoys spending time with friends & family, travel, photography, volunteering and baking. Her life philosophies include: So many places to go and so many things to bake! Shoot with a camera and be kind. Follow her sweet creations on Facebook.
Part One: You had me at camel… Morocco: What You Need to Know Before Going
Part Two: Small is Beautiful: The Benefits of Small Group Tours
Part Three: Moroccan Riads… More Please
