OAT

Great trip. Said is a great leader. Surprisingly green Atlantic Coast. Camel rides, visits with local people, and many great sites. Very worthwhile adventure.

Let me begin by saying that I am a traveler who is not inclined to travel in groups, or take tours. My husband and I decided to try this OAT tour on the suggestion of several friends who raved about the company. I am so glad that we did! The size of our group - 16 - made it easy to get to know one another, and we developed an easy camaraderie that grew as the trip progressed. The pacing of the trip worked; although there were some long days, there enough stops to break up those days, often in places where we could catch a spectacular view. The visits with families and the Women's Collective brought an intimacy and a step into Moroccan culture that I could not have gotten on my own. The accommodations were wonderful, a nice mix of hotel, riad and glamping in the desert! The only negative I can think of is that it became a little tiring eating tagine. Perhaps find more restaurants, like MTouch Cafe and Restaurant in Fez, which offered wonderful food with a Moroccan twist, but had many options besides tagine. Finally, while no one could have anticipated the massive interruption that was caused by the Coronavirus, I do think OAT could have had better planning for what ensued on the trip. We had great difficulty speaking to a representative at OAT before we left, and I felt that the attempt by the company to do outreach and viable emergency contingency planning was lacking. It is definitely a live and learn situation, and I would suggest that OAT develop a clear protocol for when they will cancel or call a halt to trips, and if at all possible, outline how people could get home should an event like this occur again. That being said, I cannot say enough positive things about our guide, Nory. Personable, friendly, engaging and with an incredible knowledge of the country, he was instrumental in making the trip the success it was. He was also right there for us as things got a little crazy re: flights home, the country shutting down, and not only shared information as soon as it was available to him, but included us and our input into the contingency planning. We truly were a team by the end of this trip, trusting one another during this adventure that none of us will ever forget! Nory played a big part in making that happen, and I am grateful that I was able to have this experience with him. Thanks again!

The country is lush and beautiful the boi-diversity is simply amazing. The people are warm helpful and so appreciative of your visit.

We were surprised from the start of the pretrip with the landscape and miles and miles of farmland. It seemed that everyday we had connections with the Moroccan people and their warm and welcoming spirit. From our home hosted visits (one with a Nomad family) to the local guides and even a roadside stop to visit with a shepherd, all were interesting and added to our experience into the culture of Morocco. Of course the camel ride and hilarious Hammam visit were expected highlights that won't soon be forgotten. Our guide, Aziz, was truly the best you could ask for. He was on top of any issue that popped up, made sure all of our tours and meals were ready when we arrived and arranged for us to do whatever interested us, even if we were the only ones doing it. Now at home, we are missing our new traveling companions, olives, our daily mint tea, and the oh those sweet oranges with cinnamon.

We enjoyed every minute of this well planned itinerary. Our very excellent and knowledgeable guide Liza Mora made every day and every experience incredibly interesting. This trip checked every box of my expectations for experiencing a lush and beautiful country, seeing MANY colorful birds and other wildlife, amazing scenery and meeting incredibly wonderful people -- both those our OAT group and the people of CR, as well as our guide and amazing driver Alex. I am running out of superlatives. MAGNIFICENT, AMAZING, SENSATIONAL -- they all apply.