Je désire visiter le Maroc en avril 2016 avec 3autres personnes. Nous aimerions visiter les villes impériales avec guide pour une période d'une semaine. Avez-vous déjà fait affaire avec des agences Locales? Avez-vous été satisfait? J'aimerais connaître les noms...
Merci
Ne prenez pas de guide pour la semaine entière, prenez un guide ponctuellement pour vous accompagner sur un site particulier et avoir ainsi des explications intéressantes.Et faites sans agence avec un bon guide type "routard" ou "lonely".
d'autant plus que les visites, sur une semaine, vont être plutôt succinctes.
un bon guide papier avec une sélection préalable des sites qui vous attirent le plus sur ces villes. forcément vous taillerez à coup de serpe dans les "à voire à faire"
faire seul : c'est facile.
des guides locaux, pourquoi pas.
Tout dépend de votre budget , du désir de faire votre propre circuit ou de vous laisser conduire par un guide qui aura tout prévu pour vous durant ce voyage.
Je peux vous donner plus d'infos en MP si vous le souhaitez .
Bonjour,
Comme déjà dit, pas besoin de guide.
Une voiture de loc, une prépa par les divers "guides papier" (surtout pour Fes), et c'est parti!!
Une semaine, c'est un peu court because autour des villes dites "Impériales", il y aussi des coins sympas.
Bon voyage,
Razul
Ps: Frite-Alors!!, toujours aussi sympa ?
Comme tout le monde, prendre un guide à la semaine n'est peut être pas la meilleure solution, mais après tout, cela dépend évidemment de ton budget et de ton niveau à savoir organiser un voyage, donc c'est surtout toi qui a la réponse plutôt que nous...
Cependant, je reste quand même un peu prudent sur l'utilisation des guides papiers... Cela fait maintenant plusieurs années que le routard m'a convaincu qu'il ne devait plus sortir souvent de son bureau et que les forums et blogs étaient la source majeur d'inspiration de ce guide qui a bien vécu mais que je trouve totalement largué. Le Lonely ouai mais mises à jour trop vieilles... Et quand même trop généraliste pour les détails...
Je reste sur l'idée qu'avoir un guide à la journée SURTOUT pour visiter les villes impériales est une bonne option... Déjà parce que tu feras la visite en 3 fois moins de temps et en voyant plus de chose que tout seul. ( je note que tu n'as qu'une semaine pour faire 4 villes donc un jour par ville et le reste dans les transports )
Autre avantage : avec un guide, il est souvent plus facile de prendre des photos pour les gens non avertis...
Maintenant, reste à savoir si tu dois prendre un guide officiel ou non officiel... Cela n'engage que moi mais au Maroc, je suis un grand allergique des guides professionnels que je trouve souvent trop peu intéressé par leur culture et bien trop tenté par les visites de boutiques... avec une tenue ridicule qui me fait penser au dupont et dupond dans Tintin et Milou et un humour ultra usé jusqu'à la couenne... Sans compter que les places sont bonnes et que beaucoup de guides pro avec carte officielle ont acheté leur diplôme. La corruption est énorme dans ce milieu au Maroc...
Alors guide officieux ? C'est à double tranchant... Il faut quand même un peu de bon sens pour savoir où l'on met les pieds... En négociant correctement même sans plus, on n'aura un prix bien moins inférieur... il cherchera aussi à nous emmener dans les boutiques pour toucher sa commission mais il sera plus facile de gérer avec lui qu'un officiel que vous risquez d'avoir déjà payé et qui a trop l'habitude de travailler avec les pigeons... Mais l'avantage qui me plait le mieux c'est que le guide officieux est un type du coin, il connait les gens autour de lui et il est connu aussi... L'approche humaine est bien plus intéressante et le guide ne manquera pas de raconter quelques détails inconnus du routard ou du Lonely... Les officiels de + en + souvent ne viennent même pas de la région et ne sont pas bien vu par la population locale à cause de leur amour des commissions. L'officieux s'il est bon et que l'on ne s'est pas trompé sur le choix nous montrera des choses que les guides papiers ne connaissent pas... ( c'est le cas pour Fès et Meknes, et je me suis amusé à en tester plusieurs )... Ensuite dernière chose, je connais plusieurs faux guides qui ont une immense culture de leur région et son de vrais passionnés mais ne peuvent devenir guides officiels car le prix demandé pour acheter la carte est au dessus de leur moyen...
Dernier avantage du faux guide c'est qu'une fois fait la visite, on peut ensuite revenir sur ses pas plus facilement si on trouve que cela a été trop rapide et cela n'aura pas couté cher...
Maintenant, la meilleure option reste quand même de ne rien avoir et de se laisser manger par l'ambiance... Mais pour cela, une semaine au minimum par ville sera requise..😇
BON , je généralise bien sûr, il y a quand même de vrais guides qui sont bons et pléthores de faux guides nul de nul...
Si j'avais à te conseiller, ne choisis par le guide via une agence... N'oublie pas qu'à moins d'être un passionné d'histoire et de civilisation et donc d'avoir déjà une bonne culture du pays, la quasi totalité des touristes auront oublié les infos du guide un an après... Choisis donc en fonction de ton intérêt réel... Photos ? vie locale ? shopping ? gastronomie ? dépaysement ?
ok tes conseils olive, mais ... trouver dans chaque ville le guide non officiel sympa qui te rendra tous les "services" dont tu parles, dans un parcours d'une semaine, ça relève de l'impossible.
au mieux tu prends le gars au hasard balthazar sinon tu y perds ta matinée, à le trouver. j'exagère mais pas tant que ça.
ce que tu dis est vrai mais ça demande un peu plus de temps (entrer en relation, discuter, juger si le gars a .. ou n' a pas ...)
tu dis "guide papiers" non ... mais les villes ne se lisent pas que dans les guides papiers.
en préparant de chez soi la visite, (merci mr google, et les forums aussi) on a dans les grandes lignes les lieux qu'on a envie de voire, et on les voit sur le terrain, même si on ne voit pas pas tout, si on ne vit pas tout. Une journée + une soirée par ville, même avec un TO même avec un bon guide... pas possible.
et les guides papiers sont bien utiles pour trouver certaines références (gares, gares routières, tramway ect) pour se déplacer.
avec tous ses défauts, c'est le routard qui m'a rendu le plus de services.
les prix des guides ? tu négocies comment quand tu n'as pas un peu l'habitude du pays et la connaissance des prix "officiels" ?
là encore : manque de temps.
marrakech-fes-rabat-casa en moins d'une semaine ? ? ? ? les TO le font, certes ...
moi perso je conseillerais, oui comme tu le dis, de faire en fonction des intérêts personnels et dans le ?? d'en rester aux classiques d'un premier séjour, qui sont deja superbes, sachant que si il y a un réel attrait pour le pays, on y revient ....
et les grands classiques, on peut les faire seuls.
amicalement
(ps : je voulais repartir en afrique via la mauritanie encore, mais Ouaga hier soir .... ??? enfin on verra)
Coucou Béa, pas compris, tu es à Nouakchoot ? pas à Ménata j'espère ? 😛
Pour le guide, oui c'est ce que j'ai précisé, il faut du temps et une certaine aisance dans cette façon de faire, on est bien d'accord... et de toute façon, vrai ou faux, c'est à la fin qu'on saura s'il était bon 😉 ...Je formulais juste ma vision de la chose d'une manière générale.
Pour préparer sa visite, tu as aussi raison, parfois il suffit juste d'imprimer 3 ou 4 pages sorties du net pour avoir des infos LARGEMENT plus explicatives que les guides papiers...
nan nan je ne suis pas à Nouakchott .... je dois y retourner en octobre (mais pas à la Menata 😉 ha quel souvenir la Ménata !! mais j'irais dire bonjour à Daniel s'il y est encore)
bises
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.
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