Fervent amateur de la partie Asie du Sud Est du forum, je me lance ici puisque je me rend du 29 dec 07 au 5 janvier 08 au Maroc pour découvrir principalement le Sud.
J'ai recu un devis pour un séjour organisé en petit groupe (seulement nous 5).
Est ce que les connaisseurs du Maroc pourraient me donner leur avis dessus svp? Et eventuellement les coordonnées de guides que vous recommandez?
Merci à vous tous,
Mil
L'offre:
DECOUVERTE DU SUD EN 6 JOURS
28 décembre 2007
Arrivée a Marrakech, nous allons vous cherchez a l'aéroport et nous vous conduisons au riad chosi (je vous communiquerai quelques sites ou vous pourrez choisir)
suivant l'heure d'arrivée organisation de la jouronée, première approche de la ville visite en ma compagnie des principaux sites (palais Bahia, jardin Mojorelle, place Djelmna el Fna, souks, etc ...)
29 décembre 2007
Nous allons vous chercher entre 8 h et 9 h, installation dans le 4 x 4, un Toyota land Cruiser
Traversée du Haut-Atlas par le Col de Tizi-n-Tichka. Le paysage est merveilleux, on aperçoit à peine les villages en gradins construits avec les matériaux que l’on trouve sur place la terre et la paille (le pisé) de la couleur de la montagne. Vous emprunterez la piste des anciens caravaniers, environ 90 Kms, vous pourrez admirer les Casbahs de Telouet et de Aït Ben Haddou. Cette piste de cailloux, entre l’apique de la montagne et le ravin est très impressionnante, les couleurs entre le jaune, le rouge, le lit de vin, est vraiment étonnant, vous arrêterez visiter une mine de sel, ou la le paysage scintille et le blanc prédomine. Le paysage est vraiment désertique, des roches des roches, mais toujours où il y a un point d’eau, l’oued qui passe dans la vallée, contraste saisissant, tout est vert, des palmiers de la culture des arbres fruitiers, etc …. Vous vous rendrez compte de la vie difficile des berbères, de leurs coutumes, car nous traverserons beaucoup de villages
Le repas de midi se fera à Telouet, nous mangerons un délicieux tajine aux pruneaux et aux noix.
L’hébergement se fera à Ouarzazate.
la piste sera ne pourra être utilisée en cas d'intempéries, car elle devient très dangereuse, nous emprunterons donc, dans ce cas, la route goudronnée.
30 décembre 2007
Après un bon petit déjeuné, départ pour la vallée des Roses, puis la Vallée de Dadès, nous irons faire une incursion dans les gorges de Dadès, roches impressionnantes que l’on appel les doigts de singes, des kasbahs magnifiques la terre est d’un rouge foncé lit de vin, accentué par le ciel bleu, et la végétation luxuriante, palmiers, figuiers, culture de céréales, de henné, etc …puis Boulmane Dadès, Tenerhir, et vous arriverez dans un décor impressionnant : les gorges de Todra, au lieu de l’escalade, ou l’apique de la falaise est de 350 mètres.
H ébergement dans les gorges de Todra, a la kasbah de Tabouriht, au milieu des palmiers.
Le matin avant de partir petite promenade dans la palmeraie.
31 décembre 2007
Retour sur Tenhrir, puis direction Goulmane, Erfoud ou vous pourrez visiter une usine de fossiles. Un paysage d’immensité de désert des pierres, des pierres et encore des pierres !!!
Vous emprunterez la piste sablonneuse jusqu’au lieu du Bivouac aux dunes de l’Erg Chebbi. A Merzouga la route s’arrête, vous aussi, du sable du sable a perte de vue, sculptures mouvantes, couleurs changeantes, dunes de sable entassées par le vent, hautes comme des minarets. Fascinant grandiose, illimité le désert toujours recommencé ou sable, vent et soleil s’unissent pour n’engendrer que l’infini.
Vous serez chaleureusement accueillis par Ali ou l’un de ses frères à « l’auberge du sable ».
Vous pourrez piquer une tête dans la piscine.
Les dromadaires, et les chameliers vous attendent pour une promenade d’environ deux heures pour rejoindre le campement nomade, où vous passerez une nuit, complètement en dehors du monde, dans une tente touaregs, ou a la belle étoile, et ou vous pourrez admirer le lever et le coucher du soleil dans les dunes.
cette soirée sera exceptionnelle un réveillon sera organisé, avec animation, et repas spécial.
1er janvier 2008
Petit déjeuné chez Ali (ou au bivouac) avant de partir, puis direction Rissani, vous vous arrêterez visiter la « caverne d’Ali Baba », ou un berbère vous confiera tous les secrets de la signification des dessins sur les tapis, joyaux de l’artisanat Marocain, puis la route direction Zagora, nous traversons encore des paysages différents, de grandes étendues, désertiques, ou parfois le paysage ressemble a des paysages de savane africaine, plat avec de petits arbres épineux, les acacias, il ne manque plus que les girafes, broutant paisiblement, mais là ce sont des dromadaires, vous referez une partie de piste, arrivée Zagora, vous serez hébergés dans un magnifique Riad www.riadlamane.com un parc très agréable, a la décoration très berbère, une piscine, des chambres avec un lit de deux mètres de large !!!, un service impeccable, c’est le paradis. (j'ai tél ils ont encore des places !!!)
2 janvier 2008
Après un petit déjeuné copieux, vous reprendrez la route, et vous traverserez la vallée du Draa, la plus grande et belle palmeraie de la région, par la piste, pour arriver à Agdz, puis Ouarzazate.
3 janvier 2008
Hébergement à Ouarzazate, le lendemain matin nous irons faire un tour dans l’Oasis de Fint, magnifique Oasis de verdure, blotti dans un décor féérique, et si vous avez envie vous pourrez faire un tour au studio de cinéma, presque aussi important de ceux d’Hollywood. Puis retour sur Marrakech, en traversant de nouveau le Haut Atlas, nous vous conduirons à votre riad.
4 janvier 2008
Matinée visite des tanneurs, vous serez revenus une centaine d'années en arrière !!! visite ballade dans la Médina
Repas du soir sur la Place djelmna El Fna, place unique au monde, patrimoine mondial préservé par l'Unesco
5 janvier 2008
nous vous conduisons a l'aéroport, suivant l'heure, une dernière matinée peut être passé pour les derniers achats.
Nos conditions :
90 euros par jour et par personne nous ne comptons pas le 5 janvier (pas d'hébergement) 8 jours x 90 euros .............. 720 euros par personne soit au total ...................3600 euros dont 30 % devra être versé pour la réservation ce prix comprend : la location du 4x4 avec chauffeur expérimenté parlant français les hébergements tous les repas les chameliers, nuit en bivouac avec soirée réveillon, animation prise en charge durant les journées a Marrakech Ce prix ne comprends pas : les boissons prises au cours des repas et en dehors le gasoil (il faut compter environ 120 euros)
Piquer une tête dans la piscine à Merzouga un 31 décembre, faut peut être pas rêver, surtout le soir... Fais toi bien préciser si vous dormez à l'auberge ou au bivouac (de l'oasis ?)
Caverne d'Ali Baba : bazar piège, non seulement on vous confiera tous les secrets, mais on ne vous lachera pas tant que vous n'aurez pas acheté
Fint + studios + retour sur Marrakech en une journée, c'est un peu la course.
Normalement le gasoil doit être inclus dans le prix, le kilométrage est connu, il n'y a aucune raison de ne pas le mettre dedans.
Sinon circuit hyper classique, prix correct, et comme c'est la fin d'année, il y aura du monde.
Je suis pas tellement au courant des tarifs pour le Maroc mais c est clair que 90e/pers/par jour je trouve ca un peu cher comparé aux tarifs de l'Asie... Bon ok c est pas du tout la meme région mais quand meme il y a un fossé énorme...
Je ne sais pas combien ils payent l'essence et les 4*4 en Asie, mais 90 euros / personne et par jour pour un réveillon est un très bon prix. N'oublie pas que dans le sud il y a environ 5 mois de vraie saison touristique, et qu'il faut vivre avec cela toute l'année.
As tu une idée des prix en riad pour la fin d'année à Marrakech ? Et as tu regardé sur internet les prix des chambres dans les hôtels qui te sont proposés ? Fais le calcul, tu verras qu'il ne reste pas grand chose, à la fin.
le prix en effet n'est pas exessif, ne pas oublier que c'est le 31 déc !
les studios de cinéma pas terrible, il vaut mieux prendre ce temps la pour découvrir et surtout prendre le temps
de connaitre ce peuple trés chaleureux .
bon voyage
francia
le mérite d'un homme réside dans sa connaissance et dans ses actes et non point dans la couleur de sa peau ou de sa religion!
Khalil Gibran
Les prix au maroc coutent bcp plus chere que l'asie du sud-est et de tres loin. Alors que tu peux manger pour 1 à 2 euros en asie au maroc tu dois compter 4/5 euros en equivalent.
justement, je me posais la question de savoir si c'est pas un peu risqué de prévoir une balade dans le sud si l'organisateur nous propose du bivouac? je suis curieuse de connaitre la météo début décembre aux alentours de ouarza.merci pour vos infos.
Ouarzazate et le sud c'est pas pareil.
Ouarzazate est à plus de 1.100 m d'altitude, entouré de montagnes à plus de 2.000 mètres. C'est froid, et personne ne te proposera un bivouac à Ouarzazate. Par contre, dans le désert, c'est tout à fait faisable. La température chute la nuit, mais normalement on doit te fournir des couvertures, et dans la journée tu te balade en Tshirt
Ok je comprends mieux.Merci.
Si je prends la route des kasbahs début décembre, je suis encore en montagne avec une température fraichounette la journée? Ou bien c'est déjà la chaleur le jour et le froid la nuit?
Nous sommes un couple ayant la trentaine et nous allons partir à Marrakech à la fin du mois. Nous avons reçu le même devis et je serais curieuse de connaître votre retour d'expérience sur ce voyage.
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.
Even though I come to Morocco four times a year, it’s been a long time since I’ve made the trip by car. I need to refresh my knowledge! I’ll be traveling in early October. I have a car that’s about 20 years old. The plan is to cross via Algeciras/Ceuta.
A few questions:
1) Does this crossing still exist? If so, do I need to buy the ticket in advance or on the spot? From whom? Any advice is welcome!
2) What documents are required for the car?
3) If anyone is making the trip around the same time, it could be fun to drive together 😊
