[Travmom]

I am planning a family trip to Morocco with my husband and 2 college-age kids--8-days in Morocco from late December to early January. We will be traveling on a tight budget. I have looked at the top Moroccan destinations.

Does anyone have recommendations on how to tour outside the cities? Would like to see the Cascades d'Ouzoud Waterfalls. Thinking about the road from Ouarzazate to Erfoud. Would like to see the Ergg Chebbi Dunes, Todra Gorge, Ait Benhaddou Kasbah, Kasbah Taouirt.

Travmom

[well-rooted]

Travmom, I was in Morocco just over a year ago, and went to pretty well the same places you are wanting to visit, and with a limited budget. Took my twenty-something daughter, so there were two of us.

We started from Marrakech by local bus and planned a circle trip through Ouarzazate, to the dunes at Merzouga (south of Erzoud), then back to Marakech via the waterfalls.

Once in Ourzazate I was concerned that we could not get back to Marr. in time to make our flight, so I looked into renting a car. Then I found that renting a driver meant only an additional $25 a day. So I took the offer and away we went. I think that 6 days cost $400 (CDN) plus fuel.

Normally I would never travel this way, as I love using the local buses, but the driver was what made the trip so wonderful. He spoke excellent English, had a great sense of humour, very intelligent and turned out to be the owner of the rental agency, who wanted to get away for a few days.

It was such a positive experience that I have kept up an email friendship with him. If you want to contact him, his name is Nawful Kabbaj and his email address is: kabbajnfl@hotmail.com.

Now back to what I came here to research....

By the way, the waterfall was my favourite place, though the Sahara was gorgeous too.