Original Travels Co
  
 56 Google reviews 
 
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 Patty Jokiel 
 
2024-08-16
 
 
  
We had a simply magical experience in Morocco for our 25th anniversary celebration. The tour guides were wonderful, the cities were steeped in historical wonder, and the views were breathtaking. We especially loved our driver, Samir, and the beautiful riads we lodged in.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Amanda Parkhurst 
 
2024-07-15
 
 
  
We are typically a family that is adventurous, plans all of our own trips, and wants to soak up as much culture as possible by getting to know locals. I originally thought that having a planned itinerary with a driver would be less of a true cultural experience. I also worried that having a driver with us for 12 days straight could impact our family dynamic - what if we are just not a good match for each other?. From the moment Tariq picked us up at the airport we could tell that we were going to have a blast with Tariq. He was the right combination of funny, caring, knowledgeable, and professional.

On our 12 day adventure, we covered around 2000 km, so had plenty of van time where we could ask him anything, take turns choosing the music we were going to listen to/dance to/sing along to, and learn more about Morocco’s history. Tariq made sure that our trip felt effortless. He would hop on the phone prior to us arriving to connect with the riads so that someone was there to meet our van as it pulled up. In the mornings, he was always waiting by the van with a big smile on his face ready to help connect us to either a tour guide in Marrakech or Fes, or to take us to his favorite hammam in his home town.

While we started off as strangers just getting to know each other, towards the middle of the trip, I felt like Tariq had become an honorary member of the family. Our trip would not have been what it was without all of the behind the scenes work he did to make our trip fall into place.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Alyson Goodwin 
 
2024-07-06
 
 
  
We had a wonderful trip with Original Travels. We did a 12 day trip from Casablanca to Fes to the Sahara to Marrakech to Essaouira and back to Casablanca. From the moment we arrived at the airport in Casablanca,  our driver, Samir, educated us about the country and went out of his way to make sure that all our needs were taken care of. Original Travels was able to book cultural experiences for us such as a meal with a family in Fes. We really felt that absolutely everything was being taken care of and we could just relax and enjoy this beautiful country. I highly recommend Original Travels!!
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Laura Chow 
 
2024-06-28
 
 
  
This was the trip of a lifetime expertly organized by the Original travels team and our amazing guide and driver Karim- everything was coordinated seamlessly and it was clear their knowledge, experience and care in how well this company and Karim took care of its guests.  Incredible itinerary, fantastic luxury hotels, comfortable car and skilled driving and wonderful personable driving and guides for interesting customized  and adventurous personalized itineraries with  interesting food, things to see, activities and spectacular views and sights and people.  We particularly liked the visits and meals at homes of the local people which is unique and it was so clear that this company and Karim went above and beyond to provide such memorable, luxurious yet affordable, fun, interesting, cultural and action filled and historic trip with great food, restaurants, hotels and activities.  We loved the desert camp and the food tours and markets. It was really nice getting to know our driver Karim and he was so authentic and personable throughout our whole 8 day trip that it really made our trip a wonderful experience.  If in Morocco and needing a driver or guide or tour - everybody should choose Original Travels as their first and only choice and ask for Karim as a driver.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Jenny Mack 
 
2024-06-23
 
 
  
The team at Original Travels were very responsive and provided excellent service in planning our family’s custom, 6 day visit to Morocco in June 2024. The hotel properties, tours and experiences they arranged all met or exceeded our high expectations. Our driver, Tarik, was particularly fantastic. We spent 8-10 hours a day with him during our multi-day drives through the Atlas Mountains to and from a tent camp at Erg Chebbi. Tarik was an excellent, safe driver and very knowledgeable about everything we were seeing and doing. He had great attention to detail— making sure everything at all of our stops went smoothly. Most of all, he was great with our kids (ages 15 and 11) and really fun to be around.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Imran Ahmed 
 
2024-06-11
 
 
  
Simply put, Karim was wonderful and made our two week trip to Morocco with two children very special.

For perspective, another family member traveled with Karim a couple of months before us and gave us rave reviews and hence we retained Karim for our family trip. We had such a positive experience that we are sending our parents to Morocco in September and plan to ask for Karim and Original Travels to host them as well.

Things that were great:

Karim. Learning about his background and Imazighen culture. It was interesting to learn about Berber history, language and culture. Karim always had a positive attitude and smile on your face. Despite the long drives and other challenges (like fighting kids!), he was always nice and patient with us, and kind to all you interacted with such as local guides and hotel staff. Great driving and amazing easy drop off and pick up at each of our locations. It made it so easy to visit many places in a short time. This was extremely important to maximize our time in Morocco! Karim was also incredibly flexible and understanding and went out of his way to ensure we had what we needed. We traveled during Ramadan which meant that Karim could not participate in meals on the road or join us for dinner but he never let us feel out of place.

Furthermore, wherever Karim organized a local or specialist guide for us, the guides were very well-selected, hospitable and appropriate for our needs. We could not only trust Karim but also his network of people.

Lastly, Karim's pride in Morocco made for a very interesting and educational trip for us. We learned as much as we saw and had a deeper experience as a result.

Our kids (5 and 9) built a kinship with Karim that he actively fostered to make them feel comfortable and welcome. We would note that doing some of the 4-6 hour drives would not have been possible with kids if not for Karim's fantastic attitude with the family.

One item to improve or plan for:
Nothing really to suggest other than to get a little more background on the daily plan before setting out. A little more detail on each day’s schedule in the morning or before the trip begins. For example, remind people when there will be a stop for lunch or breaks and when the tour will end each day. Provide a little more information about places we visit.

Other:
Karim was extremely helpful in planning our journey with respect to hotels, sights etc before we even arrived. He was easy to deal with and his selections and recommendations were perfect for us.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Irfan S 
 
2024-06-08
 
 
  
We had a wonder 8 days trip across the major  areas of Morocco.  Our guide and driver Samir was great in coordinating activities and stops along the route.  Highly recommended using him and his team in the future.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Elizabeth A. Barnes 
 
2024-06-07
 
 
  
I traveled with Original Travels to Morocco with my husband and two kids May/June 2024. Our two boys are six and nine years old, and this was their first big international trip. I really wanted the trip to be fun, not just an adventure, and I can honestly say that our (truly wonderful and amazing guide) Tarik and Original Travels took all of the stress out of the trip and we were able to truly enjoy it (yes really). My husband and I got to enjoy our first trip together in years and years because we weren’t arguing about logistics, and we had a lot more free time to just enjoy the time with our kids (and instead talk about how much fun we were having).

Instead of worrying about how to get from A to Z, or where to eat, or whether the bathrooms would be clean, Tarik took care of everything. It was amazing! Our kids get carsick and Tarik just went with the flow of the family, happily accommodating bathroom breaks at a moment’s notice and keeping the tone a joyful one. We could not have been luckier to have Tarik as our guide. There is not a single thing that I wish Tarik could have done or improved, in fact, his help went far beyond what I thought he would do. It was luxurious. Tarik would call ahead to each hotel to make sure they were expecting us and someone would help us with our bags, he was flexible with pickup times, and he would text us to check in on non-driving days. He was warm, funny, thoughtful, and incredibly knowledgeable. Also, I have to mention, a truly exceptional driver! I felt safe every moment of every drive…we were so fortunate to get to work with him!

Our visit to Morocco was truly a life changing experience, and we are already devising ways to return to work with Original Travels and Tarik again. I cannot recommend them both highly enough.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Pat Keys 
 
2024-06-06
 
 
  
Tarik was an incredible driver and guide during our trip to Morocco. I traveled to Morocco with my family (two adults and two kids, ages 6 and 9) for two weeks, and Tarik was our driver the entire time. From the moment he picked us up at the airport in Casablanca to when he dropped us off two weeks later, he handled our trip with reliability and enthusiasm. It did not matter that we do not speak either French or Darija, since Tarik was able to communicate fluently in English with us. There are four key things that come to mind in thinking about Tarik: attention to detail, reliability, experience, and memorability.
First, Tarik paid careful attention to the entire trip, including our comfort and happiness both on the road, and when we were in a city for a few days. Second, Tarik was completely reliable. When we needed to be picked up or dropped off at a particular time, Tarik was always there — both when and where he said he would be. Third, Tarik was obviously a very experienced driver. Whether it was navigating every city we visited across Morocco with no need for a map or GPS, or anticipating how the kids might react to an activity, Tarik was ready. Fourth, the trip was made much more memorable by having a talkative, friendly and fun driver. Our trip was spread out across the entire country, which required a lot of time driving in the van. Tarik engaged us in conversation, answered questions when we had them (including a ton of questions from me about how to pronounce different words in Darija), and when we needed to rest, he was able to let us tune out. He was also fun and great with the kids. I’m certain that my kids will look back and remember Tarik very fondly.
The trip felt truly effortless, in large part because we were confident in Tarik managing the logistics and normal surprises that occur on a trip. If we come back to Morocco, we hope that Tarik can be our guide around the country again!
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Chandani Ribadia 
 
2024-06-04
 
 
  
Karim and Abdel created an amazing trip for us via the KimKim New York Times travel agency. We felt safe secure and comfortable during our travels throughout Morocco. I reccomend this group for a well rounded culture focused experience.