tour guides for Morocco -- please respond if you know any of these?

You can read reviews about them even discussed you need recent reviewed tour, as you can see their listing is not important as the tripadvisor give them you can just do some researchs to and contact the reviewers of each, as i think everyone of each has some negative review which you can discover through their reviews, so you can know the negative and the positive reviews, and the negative and the positive side of each, from another side ask them if they are registered with the government and you'll see the answer i'm sure they will not reply you and the ones that they are registered they will responding you.
Good Luck.

Hey, use the Thorn Three forum on the Lonelyplanet to get a genuine and honest advice, on Tripadvisor i think you have used Tours and Guides which was on the Top Asked Questions those links there contains some tours that are not exist anymore, find some 2011 and 2012 recent topics which can help you get the right one.

TF

I am in the same situation - i.e. trying to figure out who's real in Morocco.

My research has brought these 4 to the top:

Around Morocco http://www.aroundmorocco.com/contents.htm (Amraoui Lahcen)
Arrahla http://www.arrahlaexpeditions4x4.com/ (Amraoui Lahcen)
Mad About Morocco http://www.madaboutmorocco.com/ (Mark Willenbrock)
Authentic Morocco http://www.authentic-morocco.com/ (Liz)

Obviously 2 of them are Lahcen. I have communicated with Lahcen & Mark so far.

Ian

I should clarify what I mean by: to the top. All have been favorably mentioned in actual Trip Reports here on Fodor's. Like many, I treat anything on Trip Advisor with a grain of salt unless the reviewer has been around for a while & has numerous reviews under their belt.

Ian

i think that you have to read something helpful about them to be recent. We already told you that, there has been many touts discussed here from many spammers, and fodors did not removed which make the old topics in this thread risky to take something which will damage your vacation. Use the Lonelyplanet Thorn Three which will help you out with the right and correct info about each of the following you have mentioned over here.
Or use the Tripadvisor forums and discuss your tours with the DE of it, and before that check out everyone of the ones you have mention on Tripadvisor they have some reviews page which you can through reading many reviews about them and get your tips from the reviewers. When you contact them sending them PM.
so Good luck in your plans and i hope your trip will be the best by the right picked one.
Anjali

Before putting any faith in tripadvisor (or Yelp) recommend reading this:

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/traveler-magazine/the-insider/user-gen-reviews/

Key quotes:
"Last year, TripAdvisor essentially admitted to its credibility problem when it changed its hotel review section slogan from “reviews you can trust” to “reviews from our community” in response to a British Advertising Standards Agency investigation."

"The lesson is clear: To make a vacation decision based on TripAdvisor reviews or to pick a restaurant solely on Yelp is folly. Such blind faith in a broken system could ruin your trip. But aggregating recommendations from friends, user-generated reviews, travel agents, and yeah, even the observations of an old-school magazine writer—that’s the right call."

I appreciate the info about touts, but it has reached a point where you are hijacking every single thread. Why don't the two of you just create a separate thread and then say "see our thread on.."

If you have some affirmative knowledge on a place, then please share it, but otherwise please stop hijacking threads.

And planetraveller, you might have more credibility if you made some attempt to write in English, in complete sentences, paragraphs etc. The fact that you don't even list where you come from on your profile is pretty suspicious.

Ian,

It would be great if we could share info! If you are interested I'll create an email just for that purpose and thus can post it (if we're allowed to?).

When are you going?

I have written about ten groups and find the responses "all over the place", from detailed suggestions to two line answers.

I have just gotten an email back from RoughTours with American references, which is a good sign.

I have pretty much decided to stay 4-5 days in Fez, hiring a local guide once or twice (depending on how much trouble the locals are), then take a tour from Fez to Marrakech over 7 days, then spend 4-5 days in Mk, then same in Essaouiri (sp?).

I was going to spend a few days in Istanbul first but it's just too blasted cold lol.

I look forward to hearing back from you!

TF (same age range btw)

PS: I have just checked and of the companies I have written, I think that Lahcen is the only one who has not responded.

Oh! I have just figured out that there are two different Lahcens! Around Morocco is Lahcen Boujouij. The 4x4 is Amraoui Lahcen. Do you mind sharing which one you have heard from?

Many thanks again!

TF

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g293734-Activities-Marrakech.html
check out the following link which will show you their reviews and try to contact reviewers for any details about any tour.for the ones you have mentioned, this is my first time to hear about them sorry do not know about them.

i think if you are alone you can just type some key words on the search box of fodors, and lonelyplanet or tripadvisor and see the result about solo female traveller in Morocco.

you can also check out this list which has some helpful recent trip reports:http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntreeSearch?q=morocco+trip+report&x=33&y=12

TF

Not a problem to share directly. cab87 at rogers.com

I am actually researching for May 2013 . . . I like to start early & since the flight is with points, I have to book in June of this year. We travel every 2nd year - this year was Turkey. It deserves its own trip btw.

Good catch on the two Lahcens. I heard back from Lahcen Boujouij from Around Morocco almost immediately. Ditto Mark @ Mad. I also heard from Sahara Services.

My rough plan is CDG to RAK (Marrakesh). 3 nights there on our own & then tour into the High Atlas. Dades/Todra Gorges. Erg Chegaga desert for the Berber tent deal. Etc. I usually self-drive but my wife has put her foot down this time & said no. Tours can do it in 3 days, but with the distances involved, we are thinking that we will stretch it to 5 to slow down & enjoy the country rather than see it as a blur. We will have another 2 nights in Marrakesh after the tour & then it is off to Paris for 4 - 5 nights to relax.

I read through a mess of Trip Reports on TT today. Some good info but skewed to the backpacker crowd certainly.

I think that the real key to a good tour seems to be to do your own research on hotels & customize your own tour accordingly. Their will be fewer surprises that way.

Ian

in my opinion i would book hotels and hire a driver guide like many do so might be cheaper more great to try things yourself.

We did much of our Morocco trip with Blue Men of Morocco. We had Zaid as our guide and he was fabulous. Since then I have recommended them to two other people and they have both been very happy. Here is a link to my trip report (we started out in Barcelona so you may want to skip over that part).
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/trip-report-family4travels-to-barcelona-and-morocco-tapas-gaudi-tents-tangines.cfm

caution!!!!! be aware it will be vanished in a few minutes.

Moderators

Are you really going to allow this guy to take over a thread that has some real content from real Fodorites that could benefit other real Fodorites?

Ian

in my opinion guys around Morocco is good it has a lot of good reviews and highly recommended everywhere. so do not waste your time.
Lan what's up are you sad because i warn the real fodorites from taking a tout tour or what? im here to help moreover do i look fake? why you are just harassing me...
i hope you will stop this and let me help this travellers to have a good trip with the right tour, you still need to learn how to discuss.

TravelinFeet

Be aware that there is a huge difference between a driver & a driver/guide. Many travelers book a tour & end up with just a driver who will comfortably get you from point A to B but will not give you a real tour. In other words: A driver without the personality or knowledge to make your tour special. A recent trip report on TA (from another Toronto traveler btw) was pulled that highlighted this fact about one of the key players that we have discussed here . . . so book carefully.

Ian

I agree with Lan, It's True i also read that as she said her honest review was removed by the owner, that's a huge problem with travellers to find the honest Tour, try to read everything before you do your trip ask for more details to make sure you'll enjoy your trip as it's planned on your plans.
Which means suit your needs.
Good advice Lan.

When are you guys going? We are planning to go early next year,maybe we can all go and minimize the cost? We are a family of four (all adults).

to respond to the original question/list of operators --

My husband & I used Journey Beyond Travel (you wrote Tomorrow but I think you meant Travel) and they were fabulous to work with.
I wrote a fairly detailed trip report here on fodors - here is the link if you're interested

http://www.fodors.com/community/africa-the-middle-east/kasbahs-camels-and-couscous-12-days-in-morocco.cfm

I don’t understand why my reply was deleted? I had a similar situation as well. I had spent a lot of time researching guides and tour companies. I eventually went with Ali from Camel Safaries as he responded promptly, and was professional. He was genuine in what was promised and went beyond our expectations. I highly recommended this company. Should you need details of my experience, please let me know directly.

because the slef promoting get removed from moderatory once you do it, re-read the guidelines first.

I have finally narrowed it down to two -- Lahcen B and Dessert Majesty. DM seems a bit calmer and slower a pace, and has many options for staying with locals. Lahcen's company seems to be more "go getter" in a positive way -- but I'm not sure I'm prepared to be burnt out at the end of the week. I have spoken with several single women who have used DM, in the US and one from France (NOT TOUTS) who had very good experiences but perhaps a bit on the quiet driver side...?

Decisions, decisions...

TF

SeriousWanderlust, You Might share it here to help everyone here, you are not considered to be a Tout everybody knows you as a regular member on fodor's community of the forums.
I hope you can help every one here, i'm too as one of them too.
Thanks