Bonjour!!!!
Je cherche désepèrement une agence qui fait vraiment des circuits au Maroc hors des sentiers battus mais en y regardant de plus près toute disent faire leurs circuits hors des sentiers battus mais en réalité chaque fois que j'y suis allez elles font toutes les mêmes itinéraires et j'en ai marre d'être prie pour un ..... j'en ai contacté plein que ce soit en France je parle pas de Fram ou NF qui disent aussi ça mais là je sais que c'est de l'attrape C......ou au Maroc toujours à peu prés la même chose, je ne passe pas une journée sans croiser d'autres agences qui sont dans le même coin, pourtant le désert est vaste j'aimerais allez vers les mont kem kem en passant au sud de Oualed Driss ou vers Tata par les pistes au sud du lac Iriki, J'ai entendus parlé d'un petit village perdus dans le désert Saff ???? il parait qu'il n'y a personne par là !!!!!!
il doit bien y en avoir des agences qui font des circuits dans ces coins là ???????
Je suis preneur de tousles tuyaux !!!!!
Merci
pourquoi ne ferais tu pas ce circuit tout seul ? tu n'as pas besoin d'une agence pour le faire. Tu peux circuler librement au Maroc.
Un conseil: achète une carte détaillée du pays et organise ton circuit tout seul, tu y gagneras doublement : tu seras libre de t'arrêter comme tu le veux dans les endroits qui te plaisent, cela te coûteras moins cher
Je pars pour le Maroc le 24 juin prochain et je n'ai pas planifié mon voyage avec une agence. Je ferai mon itinéraire lorsque je serai sur place en suivant ce que les gens me conseilleront d'aller voir! Je pars seule pour le moment parce qu'aucun de mes amis n'a le courage de partir au Maroc et je reste là-bas jusqu'à la mi-août alors si tu veux te joindre à moi tu es le bienvenu!
Bonsoir,
Merci pour ta proposition mais malheureusement je compte partir 2 semaines mi mai donc quand tu sera la bas je serais déja hélas de retour.
En fait ce qu'il me faut c'est un guide car en voyagant seul on est trop sollicité par toutes sortes de rabateurs et ça j'en ai marre aussi. De plus pour aller là ou je voudrais j'ai pas envie de me perdre c'est pour cela qu'il me faudrait quelque chose de sérieu pas des pseudo guide comme il y en a tant qui t'emmenerons dans les bivouacs surfaits des copains !!!!
Enfin merci encore
pascal
Ce n'est pas le guide qui te met à l'abri des rabatteurs. Au contraire, il est bien souvent le premier rabatteur et touche une commission sur les achats dans les magasins ou les restos dans lesquels il t'amène. Malheureusement, je pense que ce que tu cherches (un guide qui ne t'emmène pas chez les copains) n'existe pas.
Je suis d'accord avec ce qui a été dit plus haut. Tu achètes une carte détaillée, un guide (papier), une location de voiture et roulez jeunesse. Je ne connais pas le Maroc mais je l'ai fait en Tunisie il y a 3 mois, sans aucun problème (je ne me suis même pas perdu 😎).
Comment tu comptes te déplacer ?
Moi j'ai un 4x4, je prends une carte des infos sur le forum et après c'est au filing, voyage4x4.com te donnera des idées de ce que l'on peut faire.
Je prends le guide gadini par exemple qui donnent des centaines de pistes, j'ai tout lu il y a 4 tomes.
Mais pour tout ça 2 mois au maroc sont nécessires.
Si tu as des questions.
Es tu prêt à payer le budget que cela représente ?
Un 4*4 avec un guide, pour une personne, c'est facilement du 150 euros par jour, juste pour le véhicule et le guide.
Ensuite il y a aussi des "contraintes" dans les itinéraires, et tu peux avoir la même description d'étape, avec en réalité un passage par des pistes et des endroits différents. Il y a des tas de façons de faire la vallée du M'Goun et la vallée des Roses, et pour certaines, tu passeras à un ou deux km du circuit classique, et tu seras dans un autre monde.
Après si tu as des souhaits particuliers, dit les aux agences, et elles devraient pouvoir s'adapter, si elles connaissent les coins en question
Regarde le site marocenliberté. Je rentre du Maroc et j'ai fait plusieurs des excursions mentionnées, certains prix sont largement en-dessous des 150 euros qui ont été estimés sur cette discussion. Les guides étaient parfaits. Il faut savoir aussi que l'on ne peut pas toujours éviter les touristes (ns en sommes ns-mêmes n'est-ce pas ? alors arrêtons de dire toujours cela, ça fait prétentieux et ça fait beaucoup rire les guides...), les plus beaux endroits de la Terre facilement accessibles sont toujours visités par les touristes.
Excellent séjour dans ce pays magnifique.
bonsoir pascalciosi
J'aimerai juste dire que je ne rencontre quasi jamais de touuristes sur mon chemin chaques fois que je vais au maroc coté sud desert ou on longe la mer et je ne fais pas d'itineraire special je roule et souvent je me retrouve seul que je m'entend réspirer.
Donc je dit possible de se trouver seul sans touristes enfin je dirai que les 4 ou 5 personnes que nous sommes on est des touristes seuls 😎
bon je précise que je fais sa avec un vieux camping car qui supporte le desert et la chaleur depuis déjà 14 ans au Maroc et encore dans la periode de juillet aout alors ne pas perdre espoire il y a ancore bc de place pour les solitaire. 😉
Si je peut me permettre moi je prend une direction aproximative je planifie pas et je me retrouve a 98% dans des endroi perdu tres souvent super mais même si il t'arrive quoi que ce soi panne ou autre il y a toujours un marocain qui sort de nul part pour t'aider et sa je trouve excellent.
Maintenant a toide faire le choix roule roule observe et tu tombe automatiquement sur des paysages perdu.
Bonne découverte ciao
Le Maroc authentique, c'était vrai il y a encore 10 ans.
Maintenant avec la multiplication des offres, la démocratisation de la destination et l'édition de certains guides "foireux" et sans morale (non, non je ne parle pas du/des plus connus), il faut bien avouer qu'il faut chercher longtemps pour trouver encore un endroit sans touriste ou 4x4.
Bon soit je suis d'accord avec Nachwa: prends la carte Michelin et choisis tes chemins aux hasards, c'est maintenant (presque) impossible de se perdre au maroc.
Pour cela ; il faut vraiment connaître un guide local hors agence ; nous sommes allés plusieurs fois
au maroc mais chez un guide
et dernièrement nous avons fait la vallée du zat ; une région encore méconnue des touristes car le peuple
berbère s'est réunit et à fonder une association pour éviter le tourisme de masse
sinon touts les agences m^mes locales font à peu de choses pres les m^mes circuits
Je ne vais parler que de ce qui se trouve au sud de marrakech, effectivement il suffit de suivre sn instinct, au maroc si l'on sort des routes nationale, cela suffit à être dans des endroits déserts.
Si on prends les routes signatées en blans sur le guide michelin c'est l'assurance de se retrouver à croisé aucun bus touristiques et trés peu de voitures. On peut passer une journée et à ne croiser que un dizaines de voitures.
Forcément, il faut éviter les grands classiques, dades, todra merzouga, ait benhadou, agadir, marrakech, l'ourika, ouzoud, oukaimeden, todra, essaouira.
Il reste encore beaucoup d'autres choses entre ces lieux et c'est là que se trouve le bonheur....(les petites adresses sympa où l'on peut encore discuter avec des gens sympas.
Pour la sécurité comme il a été dis, il y a toujours un marocain sorti de je ne sais pas où pour vous aider).
bonjour
Merci de le reconfirmer que l'on peut encore se retrouver seul et réspirer librement.
Au mois de juillet je part pour un mois un mois et une semaine. Je prend avec moi 3 jeunes canadien en fin d'étude ils veulent conaitre les cultures et compte sur moi pour leur montrer des endroit isolé avec les vrai berberes ceux qui vivent avec leur moyen qui partagent sans compter.
Je leur demanderai aprés notre voyage de laisser leurs impressions ainsi vous saurez si il ont découvert avec moi ce que je pretend.
Oui bien sur moi suis un touriste en quelque sorte mais je m'adapte et réspecte toutes leures coutumes et a quelque part je ne me sent plus touriste mais comme unn ami qui fais une visite donc un des leurs.
Il est vrai que cela est plus facile pour moi peut être de les comprendre jétai marié a une marocaine d'onc j'ai appris bc.
Alors certains ne désesperez pas il y a encore de belles ballades désertiques a faire. salutations a tous
Hello, my husband and I will be in Egypt this coming November. Cairo seems more challenging to explore without a guide, and we’ll be there for 3 full days. Would anyone have the name of a guide?
Thanks!
Hi, we're looking for a guide to show us around Essaouira.
We're 11 adults and don't want to go through an agency. If you have a contact to help us discover this city, that would be great!
Thanks
I’m heading back to Egypt for the first time in 30 years this July. Last time, I was 20, and we spent two weeks traveling on a shoestring as backpackers.
I’m wondering about a "cruise" on a felucca from Aswan—mainly to avoid being stuck in an air-conditioned tourist bubble (we’re already spending our first week in that setting with our diving club). We’d like to explore the most interesting stretch of the Nile between Aswan and Luxor. Do you have any thoughts on this option, tips, or maybe some contacts?
I was wondering if it’s possible to join a group as a solo traveler with local agencies in Djanet for circuits like Tadrart, Essendilene, Sefar, or Tassili?
If you have any agencies to recommend, I’d love to hear about them.
I didn’t find any info on the forum.
Best,
Here’s a first draft for a 14-night itinerary during the Christmas break with two teens. We’re especially fond of hiking (nothing too extreme, though), which is why we’re drawn to the south.
- Marrakech (2 nights)
- Aït Ben Haddou (1 night)
- Dadès (3 nights, though we’re thinking of doing a day trip to the Todra Gorge on one of those days)
- M'hamid (1 night)
- Erg Chigaga (1 night)
- 4 nights to slot in
- Marrakech (2 nights)
Okay, I realize this involves a lot of driving, and we’re still debating the return route since we’d like to avoid the Tichka Pass in January, but going through Taroudant seems like it would add *a lot* of time. 😕
If you’ve got other suggestions for an itinerary with great hikes, I’m all ears!
Also, the 4 nights total in MRK isn’t really our preference, but since we’re arriving/departing super early from overseas, we’d like to be a bit rested before the long flight.
Another question:
For hikes (aside from the desert one), is it better to have a guide with us, or are the trails well-marked?
Hi everyone,
Our trip to Morocco will be from November 3 to 17, in the High Atlas.
Basically, our route would be:
Marrakech - Aït Benhaddou
Skoura - Tinghir - Merzouga
Merzouga via the N12 to Zagora
Zagora - Draa Valley - Marrakech
It seems to be the low season, so I’d love to travel without having to book accommodations in advance. In other countries, pre-booking has restricted us and kept us from visiting unplanned sites. Freedom is important to us, but I’d also like to avoid arriving somewhere and finding nothing available.
What do you recommend? Book ahead or not?
Your advice is always helpful, and thanks to anyone who can shed some light on this for me.
Roberto
First of all: a big thank you to everyone whose insightful, funny, lively, and exotic posts we’ve enjoyed. It’s a joy to find such lovely writers on this forum, who’ve given me tons of ideas and addresses to prepare our trip.
Our plan: to explore Morocco from November 2nd to December 4th. We’ll have our own vehicle (a 2011 Renault Grand Scenic, in great condition), shipped with us from Sète to Tanger Med. Returning from Nador.
Our profile: 75 and 62 years young, so old but happy to be, in very good health. Seasoned travelers—it’s practically our whole life. Lovers of beautiful landscapes, historic sites, fine craftsmanship, and road trips. This will be my 3rd trip to Morocco, but the first two were 20 and 17 years ago. I’ve never been north of the Essaouira-Marrakech line (though I’ve gone further south). As for my husband, a lifelong expat including in Muslim countries, it’s his first time in Morocco.
He’s the one driving. He’s very experienced, cautious, not necessarily fast, but used to driving in all conditions (and countries, including the most creative on the road). But I don’t want to tire him out, and he no longer drives at night (and we’ll be there in November).
I’ve decided to show him a bit of everything by taking a road trip along beautiful backroads, with daily distances averaging 180-200 km (except on highways, which will be rare), regularly broken up by rest days. I’m counting on a speed of 40-50 km/h, plus stops/visits along the way.
Since I’ve read so many posts, I’ve narrowed it down to some very specific questions.
1) Coming directly from Rabat via the highway, we’d prefer to skip Marrakech*. Still, we’ll need to sleep somewhere nearby. We’ll head toward Skoura the next day. Does anyone have a well-located address for this route, possibly east of Marrakech? Ideally, we’re looking for a small town, easy parking, clean accommodation (minimum) with average comfort (or better if available), a bit heated, and if possible, pretty and/or nice—but above all, a place to sleep well, wash with lukewarm (ideally hot) water, and have a decent dinner.
(*Explanation for the "no-go" in Marrakech: it’s a shame, because there are truly beautiful things in this city, but I think the vibe won’t suit us—it’s an understatement for "it’ll put us off" / "make us flee" / "traumatize us." Not because it’s too crowded and we want to stand out from tourists (we’re part of them), but because of forced henna on your hand, or spending 10 minutes every quarter-hour saying "no thank you" to a "guide" who’s as much a guide as I am a trapeze artist. Knowing us, it’ll wear us down. The country is vast and beautiful, and our time too short to waste our memories just days after arriving. And I don’t want to ruin things for my peaceful husband, or he’ll demand we turn back—and Sète in November isn’t exactly thrilling either.)
2) Which route to Skoura (in 2 days)? I see two options: either via the Tichka Pass, with a night in Telouet before reaching Skoura, or via the R307/N23 from Demnate, with a night near Megdaz before descending to Skoura. So: Tichka Pass or R307/N23? I have a slight (big) preference for the second option, even though I know the other route is very beautiful too. Of course, before deciding, we’ll check the weather and the current state of the R307/N23—does anyone know where to get info on the road conditions? But even assuming the road is "passable," is it a bit too tough in itself? In short, is it reasonable? If a kind soul could share their experience, a thousand thanks in advance.
That’s all I’ve written for now. I’ll save the other questions for later posts. Thanks again to those who had the patience to read this and to those who can respond. Happy Sunday to all!
I’m just a few days away from my trip to Marrakech—I’m leaving from November 13th to 20th and bringing my parents along! I’d love to plan my stay as best as I can, and I’m sure the forum crew can help. So, here are my questions:
- Where’s the best place to exchange money without getting ripped off? The owner of the riad where we’re staying told us to avoid doing it at the airport because it’s really expensive and to do it in the medina instead, near Jemaa el-Fna square.
- Which traditional hammams do you recommend that are reasonably priced? How much should we budget for one? That’ll help me plan my expenses.
- What are some nice restaurants in the medina?
- I’d also like to know roughly how much to expect for a tea, a meal, a taxi, a djellaba, and babouches. I don’t want to get overcharged and would like to know what to expect.
- What are the must-do activities and places to visit?
Hi, I’d like to head to Morocco next week with my car. I’ve looked online at all the different info about the ferry crossing to Tangier, but I’m finding it really expensive. Is there a way to buy tickets in Spain? Or another way to get the Algeciras–Tangier crossing cheaper? Thanks for any tips or info!
We found a guide who offers the trip from M'hamid to a camp (departure at 3 PM, tea, meal, camel ride, overnight stay, breakfast, and return to M'Hamid by 11 AM the next day via the sacred oasis). He quoted us a price of 380 € for April.
What do you think of this rate?
This might sound like a silly question, but is it common to negotiate the price for this kind of thing (we're booking from France)? It’s still a big part of our travel budget.
Hi there,
We're planning to visit Egypt between January 25 and February 15, 2027. I looked up the Ramadan dates and found some sites saying it starts on February 8, while others say February 18... Where's the mistake?
Thanks,
Christian
Hi there,
We’re a family of 4 with two boys aged 12 and 10 traveling to Egypt in February.
We’re spending 3 days in Cairo to take our time exploring the city and the sites before heading south.
-Is it necessary to have a guide to visit the GEM? Are audio guides available?
-Do you have any contacts for drivers to organize a few transfers (Giza, Saqqara, Airport)?
-Do you know a French-speaking guide who’s friendly, family-friendly, and good at making things exciting, with reasonable prices?
With our two teens, we’re heading to Morocco for two weeks at the end of December and beginning of January. It’ll be our first trip that’s more "off the beaten path," even though we’ve visited several countries before. Given the overwhelming amount of info, I’m feeling a bit swamped with the prep this trip requires, and I’ll admit I’m a little lost when it comes to figuring out what’s realistic to visit in two weeks 😕 So, all your tips, personal experiences, and suggestions are more than welcome!
- Which places should we prioritize during this time of year? (I’ve read that some spots are less accessible in winter?)
- What’s the best way to get around? (rental car, train, private transport, buses, etc.? — just a heads-up, we’ll have a few suitcases!)
- In terms of "safety," are there any areas to avoid?
- Any recommendations for reliable local tour companies (beyond the big names like "Get Your Guide") that offer excursions or private transport to help us explore the country?
- A doable 2-week itinerary that lets us enjoy the country’s diversity without having to change accommodations every two days?
I’m planning a trip to the High Atlas in Morocco and have a few questions for you:
- Why do so many people recommend avoiding international agencies for car rentals? Can anyone explain why?
- Is Booking.com reliable, and has anyone rented a vehicle through their service? There’s a pretty big price difference compared to local Moroccan agencies.
- Is there a detailed road map included in the rental car?
- Is Google Maps enough to get around the High Atlas? This will be my first trip there.
Thanks so much to anyone who can help with this destination I’ve been dreaming about for years.
Have a great evening,
Roberto
hi there, I’m heading to Tunisia 🙂 from April 27 to May 8 with my family. I’ve read through the various discussions about the country, but I’m still a bit unsure🤪: for currency exchange, I saw on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website that withdrawing currency with a bank card from ATMs is limited to 200 TND per week. There are four of us traveling by car, so that might be a bit tight! And it’s a hassle to carry a lot of cash, even if I’m not being paranoid! What do you all recommend?
Cheers,
Laurent.
We're planning a 2-week trip in late February/early March for a road trip in the High Atlas with a rental car, and we'd love to avoid booking our accommodations in advance. Is that doable, easily manageable, or risky (are accommodations available, expensive, or not great)? Thanks for your tips!
Annie
Hi,
This autumn, we’re planning to explore the Oriental region and we’re wondering where the best place to land would be. We’ll have three weeks ahead of us and we’ll be renting a car.
Any tips would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Is there an official website or list of certified Egyptologist guides in Egypt? And most importantly, what are the normal prices for a full day or half day? There’s so much scamming and crazy pricing—depending on who you contact, it can range from simple to quadruple!!!!
Thanks
Hello,
In September, my wife and I, along with another couple, will be traveling to Tunisia and staying at the Sheherasade Hotel near Sousse.
We’d love to hear your recommendations or tips on places to visit, as well as advice on taxis or other transportation options.
Thanks in advance!
This autumn’s trip should be in Morocco—barring any geopolitical issues between now and then.
After many trips to the south of Fès, I’m giving the north a try.
My plan is roughly to do a road trip loop from Rabat back to Rabat, passing through Asilah, Tangier, Tétouan, Chefchaouen, Akchour, Fès, Meknès, and Volubilis.
That’s a lot of cities.
Probably a bit too many for our taste—we usually prefer more isolated spots...
So I’m looking for tips on little backroads, secluded beaches, half-day hikes, and offbeat places.
If you’ve also got recommendations for accommodation... (We’re open to splurging over 100 € if it’s a real favorite.)
Feel free to think outside the box—this is an open-ended plan! !😉
Hello,
I’m looking for testimonials from Pieds-Noirs who have recently returned to Algeria.
There can’t be many left after 65 years of the country’s independence.
I’m planning to go back myself soon to reconnect with my roots... before I pass away...
I’ve started making a few pre-bookings for hotels and apartments to rent in Algiers. At first, I received friendly and welcoming responses. Then, when I mentioned I wanted to stay for two or three weeks—maybe even a month—explaining that my trip wouldn’t be strictly touristy but more of a pilgrimage to the places of my childhood, and that it would likely be a very emotional journey, I expected a positive and warm reaction to my approach. Instead, I suddenly stopped getting replies from the three or four people I’d contacted. So now I’m wondering about the reception former Pieds-Noirs can expect...
Anyone here who can share their experience of returning? I specified “recently” because it seems that right now, diplomatic relations between the two governments are extremely tense, not to say hostile... even if Macron claims otherwise...
Hello,
I’m traveling to Algeria from October 27 to November 16, 2026.
I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been through the process about the accommodation attestation required for the visa application:
- Does it need to cover the entire duration of the trip?
- Is this document mandatory for a hotel to rent a room?
- Is it checked during inspections?
- Is a hotel booking (e.g., via Booking.com) sufficient for the visa?
- If so, does it need to be paid in advance?
I plan to visit several cities and do one or more treks with a guide or agency.
If you have any contacts you’d recommend, I’d be grateful!
Also, I’d love to share this trip with a companion who’s already done some traveling.
We’d organize the journey together, of course.
Thanks for your feedback!
Safe travels to all,
Dom, Dijon, 64 years old
I’m leaving for Tunisia in five weeks for a full 15-day trip. I’ll be arriving in Monastir and departing from there as well.
I’d like to do a route that’s a bit different from my first stay, which was more focused on cities and culture (Tunis, Sousse, Kairouan, El Jem).
I’ll be getting around by public transport.
I’d like to head south toward Tozeur, and I saw that you can take a *louage* from Monastir to Sbeitla (2h30). I imagine it’s not too complicated to get to Tozeur from there afterward? The issue is the return trip to Monastir and safety in Sbeitla.
If this route seems too complicated, I might opt for Djerba instead, which looks simpler.
I’m heading to Morocco in September 2026, and part of my trip takes me through Merzouga. I’m looking for a 4x4 driver-guide to explore the area with my partner and me.
