Frequently Asked Questions

We are a full service operator focused on private individual and group tours. We specialize in photography tours as many of our local hosts are amazing photographers. We book standard, comfort, and luxury accommodations where available. All of our partnerships have been personally inspected by one or more of our team. We strive to develop and maintain ethical working relationships with all local suppliers.

We strive to remain at a distance from the “mass tourism” that plagues many countries, including some areas in Morocco. We prefer to offer organic, sustainable, and culturally authentic tours that offer our guests amazing cross-cultural experiences while they explore the beautiful country of Morocco. Our goal is to offer more than just a vacation, but an experience that will be remembered for a lifetime.

Because we do not conceptualize your tour as a check list of services, please note that we do not offer a cost breakdown with our quotes.

The geography of Morocco is such that all throughout the year there are locations where the climate is mild. For instance, during the summer months when it is extremely hot in the interior of the country, the coast is a cool respite. Summertime is the best time to hike and explore the higher altitudes of the Atlas mountains. In winter, the Atlantic coast is warm. The desert is very hot in the summer, but pleasant at other times of the year.

No, we will work with you until you feel comfortable and excited about your plan.

Like the old adage says, “You get what you pay for.”  We have no interest in being the cheapest tour in Morocco. You receive an excellent value and return home with amazing memories and new friends in Morocco. Our tours are not cookie cutter, one size fits all tours. While we have example itineraries on our website, everything is customized. Because we put a great deal of focus on each of our tours, we limit the number of bookings at one time. This enables us to build great individualized itineraries and match people with our excellent hosts. We do not compromise on the quality of our local hosts.

We believe in paying our local hosts fair living wages. This is also something we will not compromise. One of the primary reasons we started Open Doors Morocco was that we saw the disparity in the tourism industry here. In most cases, the locals work the hardest, yet are compensated the least. The majority of Moroccans working in the tourism industry are not able to support their families on their income. At the same time, we won’t compromise on the expectations we lay out for our hosts. We have high standards for our local hosts and they rise to the occasion because they love their jobs and engaging with their foreign guests. You can read an outsider’s review on our vision by visiting Sixnie and Salt: Ethical Tourism: What is it? And Why Should You Care about It?

Please note that we do not offer itemized cost breakdowns.

The company is certainly not the least expensive option, but it is very, very, very much worth it! Emily D.

There are many reasons to select Open Doors Morocco for your Morocco vacation. First, our primary goals are to create amazing experiences for our guests, while relating ethically with the Moroccan nationals. Those who choose to travel independently in Morocco, stand to miss out on many things that can only be experienced with a local host. We prefer to use the term, “host” rather than “guide” because they are far more than guides. Your ODM host is the touchstone between you and the Moroccan culture. They love introducing guests to their country and being involved in cross-cultural experiences. You will have the opportunity to meet some very special Moroccan people as you travel throughout the country simply because you are with a Moroccan.

Depending on where you are in the country, we may hire an additional guide. For instance, we always hire a guide in the city of Fes. The Fes Medina is a labyrinth and it requires a guide who is licensed specifically for the Fes Medina.

We have never used a guide in any of our travels, but this was the only way I could talk my husband into this trip. I’m so glad we did. We would not have been able to navigate on our own and see as much otherwise. Vicky L.

Secondly, traveling with us enables you to forget about the details. We will handle everything from touchdown to departure.

Finally, at Open Doors Morocco we believe in paying our tour hosts a thriving wage. We don’t pay our tour hosts peanuts for their knowledge and expertise. They are passionate about their work and sharing their country with others. The work hard and should be adequately compensated for their work. This is unusual in the tourism industry and it’s something we don’t compromise on.

We enjoyed Said’s company immensely, his knowledge, insights and stories were golden. We discovered spots we wouldn’t have on our own, and I doubt with anyone else. Disco Donkey

We do not book in the large “cookie cutter” hotels unless specifically requested. We use accommodations with a Moroccan style that we know personally and have been rated by our guests as excellent. That said, there are various levels of accommodations in Morocco. We will book Standard, Comfort, or Luxury accommodations. Depending on your location, luxury is not always available.

Standard accommodations are clean and simply decorated, yet still beautiful. Comfort (or Superior) accommodations are slightly more plush. Finally, luxury accommodations are the most plush.

In addition to traditional accommodations, we also offer home visits in various parts of the country. These home visits are available for those wishing to experience life in a Moroccan home. Our home visits are well vetted. Some people like to stay in a home visit for 1-2 nights out of their trip. Staying in a home visit is one way to help the local economy. It’s also a sure fire way to make sure you are pampered and spoiled while you are there. Moroccans are amazing hosts!

The care that this company takes in preparing customized itineraries that accommodate all manner of needs/desires (my partner is an above-knee amputee) is impressive, and resulted in great experiences for us. Rosemary Y.

Riads are traditional homes in Morocco, usually found in medinas (the old cities). Many have been turned into small, intimate hotels. They are characterized by an inner courtyard or garden as the central element of the building. The courtyard is open air with the rooms situated around the courtyard. The courtyard is on the bottom floor and the rooms rise 3 – 4 floors around the courtyard. The rooftop is usually set up as a terrace for relaxing and meals.

In keeping with the Islamic idea of privacy, riads do not have large outward facing windows. Instead the rooms have windows facing the opened courtyard. From the outside most riads have simple doors. Upon entering the riad, you find yourself in a beautifully decorated palace, or sanctuary, hidden away from the hussle and bussle of the busy medina.

A riad in Marrakech.

All children our boys’ ages should be let loose in a giant sandbox once in awhile. Sidsel

Absolutely! We love having kids along. You’ll find that children are loved and cared for in the Moroccan culture. Your children will love Morocco. It will be a vacation they’ll remember for a lifetime. Morocco is very family oriented. Bringing your children along may be an advantage for engaging with locals, as Moroccan society is very child friendly.

Our kids gained a great appreciation for the different lifestyle and the country. Amy S.

There are few words adequate enough to describe the wonder of a visit to the Moroccan Desert, especially when your host was a Nomad who grew up calling it home. Deborah K.

To visit the desert, you need a minimum of three days, four is better. In fact, a desert trip wrapped up into a longer tour is the best way to see it. There is so much to experience that it’s difficult to process in a short time period, especially since the desert is far from the primary tourism cities.

As a word of warning, now and then someone will come to us asking to see the “Marrakech Desert” just an hour outside the city. There is no desert directly outside Marrakech, and any tour operator who tries to sell you a tour to the Marrakech Desert is lying to you. The “Marrakech Desert” consists of hills with dust on them.

Additionally, if you run across a tour for $100 – $200 USD, you would be wise to ask questions. It’s impossible to operate a private tour for this amount of money. These types of tours are those that will take up to 17 people per vehicle, and in our opinion is not the best way to experience the desert.  A private tour, in a high quality 4×4 with the capability to drive off-road is the best means of travel for this adventure.  In addition, when the vehicle is driven by an experienced ODM host, who not only has been to the desert once or twice, but grew up in the desert, your experience is so much richer and authentic. It’s similar to the difference between hiring someone from Delaware to take you on a tour of California and hiring someone born and raised in California to lead you. In other words, how many times in your life will you get to see the Sahara Desert?

Please always ask permission before photographing someone. Your host will help you with the language barrier. Many Moroccans, especially those in smaller cities, villages, and rural areas do not wish to be photographed. In fact, many consider photographs of themselves to be forbidden by Islam. Many travelers have posted photos of Moroccans on Facebook and other social media without permission. This is understandably uncomfortable to those in the photos. We recognize that the Moroccan people are very photogenic, however they are real people with hopes and beliefs, not exhibits. We ask that you approach photography with empathy and respect. Our rule of thumb is that if the person’s face is easily identified, their permission should be granted before posting.

Our hosts are specialists when it comes to photography as we work with many photographers. They can help you as you navigate photography and the Moroccan culture. For avid photographers, we can arrange photo fixer experiences for you to ensure that the Moroccans are accepting and you shoot great portraits.

Photographers Take Note! Personal, Professional, and Original with a focus on Cultural Awareness and Sustainability Laura H.

Absolutely, we can do this. Mention something to us during the tour planning and we will make suggestions based on your specific itinerary. In Marrakech, we work closely with Creative Interactions. Creative Interactions offers many interesting workshops that provide various levels of introduction to the Moroccan culture. We’ve had many guests take advantage of their workshops that typically last 90 minutes to 3 hours. It’s amazing how much preparation for the rest of the tour can be wrapped up in these short sessions. People walk out with more confidence in greeting the culture and asking simple questions such as, “Where is the bathroom?” We can make the arrangements for you with Creative Interactions.  Just let us know if you are interested.