Paradis Plage Beach Holiday

We had a fantastic time. Thank you for all your help, advice and guidance in organising our holiday. As this was not our first booking with Tourdust we were confident that all our transfers would work perfectly and they did - everything ran so smoothly! The riad in Marrakesh was stunning - a truly beautiful oasis of calm in such a busy, bustling city. As you can imagine, we were very grateful for the air conditioning in our room as outside was so hot! I was nervous about walking through the souks at night, but as they were well lit we felt perfectly safe and found our confidence grew in navigating the journey home each time we ventured out. When we arrived at our lodge in the Atlas Mountains we were blown away by the scenery. The views were amazing and the beautiful lodge gardens were the perfect place to sit and relax before taking a dip in the pool. Our day trek was truly amazing - no small thanks to our guide Rashid, who was so helpful and knowledgable. The lunch in the traditional Berber village was delicious and we were were made to feel so welcome. The home owner showed us how to make bread and then cooked it for us in her traditional clay oven. This was a memory we will never forget as we stood surrounded by her chickens and goats watching her use her bare hands to prepare the fire! Our night in the desert was breathtaking. The camel ride at sunset was so incredible and the quad biking the next morning was brilliant fun. I am so glad we added in these extras as they really made the experience! We finally made it to our hotel at the coast, where the surf lessons were a hit and the hotel was a great place to relax and read! Thank you again for all your help. We would definitely recommend Tourdust to all our friends and family. Tanya

Tanya G reviewing Marrakech, Mountains & Coast Summer Holiday on 18 August 2023

General Feedback:
This was the first time in years I could a) afford a holiday, b) take a break from other commitments and c) spend a full week (instead of the odd Saturday afternoon) with my kids. For that reason this holiday HAD to be right. So I was careful to shop around. I spoke to several companies that all had euphoric smiling families on their websites but when I spoke to Tourdust it was immediately apparent that they had both on-the-ground experience and a genuine enthusiasm for the destination.

Tourdust did what a travel company are supposed to do – added value; I simply gave them the challenge (two hard to please teenagers, one adventurous and active, the other not so) and they put together a perfect package (e.g. a challenging but short 2 day trek, a mule for back up for the girl who has only ever exercised her finger tips). The week seemed like a month. Holidays usually require so much effort on working out what to do next, how to get from A to B, how NOT to be ripped off etc, but on this holiday all of this stress was lifted. Each time we were transferred from one location to the next it involved no more effort than throwing our things into bags and handing them to an obliging driver. All my attention and energy was therefore spent on enjoying the holiday and most of all watching the kids not just enjoy themselves but surprise me by walking (actually running!) up a mountain and not complaining, sleeping in “basic” accommodation (3 walls and not much more) and telling me it was the most enjoyable night of all, making an effort to understand a culture and see their prejudices disappear, build their confidence in a new language and taste new foods – still can’t believe they both ordered and ate a camel burger!

Thank you Tourdust for delivering the best holiday I’ve ever had and a shared experience with my kids that will be the talking point for many years to come. I only have one outstanding request from Tourdust – where are you taking us next year!


Special Mentions:
Rebecca can you please make sure that our gratitude to Yousseff is communicated; I appreciate that his job is far from easy – balancing being informative whilst allowing us privacy, encouraging us to take on the challenge but ensuring our safety and comfort. He did a thoroughly professional job – constantly attentive to our needs and providing us with a wealth of knowledge about the locality that made the trek a much richer experience than it would have been. To my delight my kids were very interested in Morocco’s culture and religion and they quizzed Yousseff extensively. He was very generous in sharing his own perspective despite some of the questions being a little undiplomatic. His pride of Morocco and especially of the local area challenged our western materialistic perception of what is of value and this was the best souvenir we took home with us.

Also could you make sure to thank the manager (Tino?) of Windy Kaouki for going out of his way to provide an alternative WiFi network connection after the usual one failed. I cannot over state how important this was to me; if I could not have responded to the support call on that Thursday evening I may have lost a major contract I’ve held for 12 years. So please pass on my thanks to him.

Constructive Criticisms:
My kids and I came up with a few suggestions that we think would have made the trip more enjoyable:

1. If the drivers could speak English it would have added to the experience – we were lucky enough to have Yousseff with us on the trip from the Atlas Mountains to Marakech and it would have been nice to have someone speaking English on all journeys to answer all our questions about the surroundings.

2. I would advise anyone staying in small places like Sidi Kauoki not to eat in any of the small local establishments but to stick with the hotel; my son got very sick from a burger in a sea front Café.

3. Quad biking would have been great if it had been included

4. €20 for a 10 minute trip from Beldi Country Club to the airport is extortionate

Finally Rebecca, thank you for taking on the responsibility of organising my holiday. Your commitment and attention to detail was no less than what I imagine you’d dedicate to your own holiday plans.

john t reviewing Morocco Family Adventure: Marrakech, Trek & Surf on 22 August 2014

Overall it was an Excellent holiday great time had by all, organisation like transfers always very smooth and professional.
Trekking with personal guide excellent, muleteers and chef great, trek just right level for us.
Riad Bel Haj excellent high class accommodation, luxurious, staff very friendly, ideal situation for exploring, peaceful in heart of the old city. Strongly recommend it.
Riad Ribali excellent spacious luxurious, staff very helpful. Meal in was excellent. Also strongly recommend.
Surfing lessons fantastic. Instructors great strongly recommend.

Selwyn R reviewing Morocco Family Adventure: Marrakech, Trek & Surf on 19 March 2014

We had a great time. The boys enjoyed trekking - although I think it was more of a mule ride than a real trek! The guide was fantastic and realised quickly that Tristan walked faster and whined less if he held his hand rather than Adeline! Food was amazing throughout this part of the trip. Dylan was not overly impressed with squat toilets - but learnt to get on with it fairly quickly!

Surfing was a big hit - Dylan's favorite part of the trip. The surf instructor (Mohamed) was brilliant with them all. Adeline's only comment on this was that the driver did not know where he was taking her on the way there (I think she called the office at this point).

Accommodation and food for the first week was great according to Adeline and the boys.

Nicola W reviewing Morocco Family Adventure: Marrakech, Trek & Surf on 18 November 2013

We would like to thank you for all your advice and pre trip departure information that you gave us. It proved to be most informative and helpful.
Where to start?
The transport and drivers were all very helpful and punctual and ensured that throughout the transfers they were able to enlighten our journey with facts and stories.
The surf team were patient, great with the children and even managed to coax me to stand on the board. We thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and surfing somewhere different each day, giving us a real insight into coastal life. Mohammed really made the experience fun and diverse.
The accommodation was clean, quiet and the staff very attentive at the coast.
Riad Wo, really was WOW! A peaceful haven amongst the busy hassle and bustle of the city. Again the staff were attentive and always there in the background if we needed guidance, help or a mint tea. The children especially loved the pancakes each morning for breakfast!

All in all a truly memorial trip. If you can pass on my thanks to all involved in making our holiday a superb experience.

Joanna J reviewing Morocco Family Adventure: Marrakech, Trek & Surf on 29 October 2013

We had an absolutely fabulous trip, teens, adults and child. The trekking was the highlight for all of us, and we could have done another day. Not to worry - it was a first for us, so we weren't to know. The guide Yussuf was great with all of us - kept the pace just right, helped Lydia when necessary, played cards with us all, talked about the villages, the life, the local history. Omar, who was in charge of the mule with Lydia was also very kind to her. Even shared his MP3 player with her, though I don't know what she made of the Berber pop! The food on the trek was something we all really looked forward to: not just the picnics but the breakfasts and dinners (to be honest, these were our favourite meals in Morocco). We also enjoyed hearing Ibrahim singing while he walked.

Any negatives? Well the gite in Tiziane was a bit grubby, but we got on with it ok, having our own sleeping bags, and the other gites and refuges were comfortable and clean.

The rest of the trip: well, Chez Momo was lovely and good food, but we didn't really want to just hang around by the pool after the previous days' trekking. Hence we called Mohamad and arranged the trip up to Tin Mal. It was nice that we were able to do that and pay later. I think Chez Momo's not on your usual itineraries. If it is, a few suggestions about things to do in the area might have helped - even just how to walk down to the village and anywhere to visit in it. They weren't able to do that in the reception there (I guess most guests are just there for the relax).

Dar Vedra in Marrakech was so stylish, a great location, and we had the place to ourselves. Again, lovely breakfasts, helpful staff. One of the most comfortable beds I've ever stayed in.

Essaouira: I know it wasn't your usual accommodation, but it was ideal for us, being so close to the old town and beach. Good clean accommodation, nice breakfasts, clean pool, helpful staff. But the charms of Essaouira were outside the hotel. We got in the sea, once we'd walked a bit South down the beach, and enjoyed exploring the town, eating at the seafood stalls, riding camels etc.
This was outside Tourdust's control, but the weather was with us the whole time. We left the mountains just as it was starting to get cooler, and arrived in Marrakech after the summer heat had dispersed.

Altogether the organisation was fantastic, all the pickups went smoothly and it was reassuring to know that we could call you or Mohamad up if we needed any help or advice. I know that one of my friends has already been in touch, looking to do similar.

Joanna Rowan P reviewing Marrakech, Mountains & Coast Summer Holiday on 26 September 2013

The trekking was fabulous. We were looked after so well and the children loved the guys. Our accommodation was extremely basic on the first night of the trek, we decided not to shower!! but it was all good fun. The second night was quite luxurious and a cool shower. The food was wonderful and the children nor us went hungry. I was very surprised at the terrain and will admit it was hard going some of the time but at the end of the day, it was quite an achievement. The boys never moaned at all and loved riding the mules. They loved playing a card game with the guys which they taught them. I cannot express enough how attentive the four guys we had, and if you are able to, please pass on our thanks.

Our next part of the holiday went well. Dar Vedra was amazing and except for the first night (they had another guest) we were the only people there and were looked after very well. The room we had was fabulous, comfy beds and soft towels and really nice breakfasts. We decided not to have a guide and made our way into the square and the souk quite easily. We even ventured out in the evening and ate in the square. On our return that first night we found we were locked out of the Riad. They had forgotten to give us a key and we were waiting outside for some 30mins. Tim managed to call Mohammed and then just after they came to open the door.

Unfortunately William caught a bug on our second day there and we spent the afternoon in the room. They were really good and at short notice they cooked dinner for us as we had to stay in.

It was certainly an adventure driving out of Marrakech. We had the directions which you had sent but there were no road numbers on the few signs along the roads. Not once did we see a road sign with a number on it. I think it would be better to have some landmarks on your directions.

The Atlas Kasbah was really nice. Our room was ok, beds and towels not as soft as previous, and as the water is solar heated, a hot shower was not always guaranteed. The pool was lovely and our first full day there was spent around the pool. We ventured out into Agadir the following day and went on the beach for a picnic but found it far too touristy so we headed back to the hotel and in the pool. The food again was superb.

Timothy S reviewing Marrakech, Mountains & Coast Summer Holiday on 12 September 2013

I have nothing but praise for both your company and the people that you deal with. My initial contact with Ben and Anna was wonderful, they are both friendly, helpful and were always ready with a comforting or helpful reply when called upon. From the get go I knew that I had struck it lucky in my dealings with Tourdust.

Imlil:

Mustafa collected us from Marrakech train station, he was quiet but efficient and went out of his way to find a bank machine for us so that we would not be stuck for dirhams. As we drove further into the mountains his pride in his home village became apparent as he opened up a little and began to point out little things of interest. In Imlil we were met immediately by Hamid (of Dar Adrar) who escorted us to the gite. Upon arrival he showed us to our rooms and prepared the first of many mint teas that we were to sample in our time in Morocco. Realising that we may struggle to find somewhere to eat for lunch, seeing as it was Eid al Adha, he did not hesitate to offer us lunch, a tasty omelette and salad was promptly delivered to us in a cosy sitting room. Hamid was so hospitable and a pleasure to deal with. The rooms are exactly what we expected them to be - better in fact. They were comfortable and clean and typically rustic. The views from the terrace were breath-taking. Early on that first afternoon, a roaring fire was lit and we snuggled up and relaxed, reading our books in the tranquil atmosphere of the gite. Dinner was served and was a delight. We met with Mohamed as we were retiring to bed and he suggested we be ready to leave around 9.30 the next morning - perfect. After a good nights sleep, we hate a wonderful breakfast and set out. The guide (Lassan) was wonderful - a very experienced guide with years of training. He was talkative and absolutely marvellous with Katy (my nine year old daughter). The chef, Ibrahim was a bit of a wonder, we really couldn't figure out how he could consistently provide such wonderful meals on a portable stove. Mention must also be made of Hassan the other local that escorted the mule - he was constantly helpful and looked after Katy so well. The overnight in the village was wonderful, the Gite d'Etape, whilst expectedly basic, was a great night. The owner was present much of the time but stayed in the background making sure everything was running smoothly. There was only one slight glitch which was unavoidable I suppose, we had not realised that we would not be returning to Dar Adrar after the hike and had left many of our belongings there. We were met in the village by Mustafa for the return journey to Marrakech with all of our belongings but they had missed Katys two pairs of shoes that had been left in the communal shoe area, it was not a big deal and we were not put out at all.

Marrakech:

Mohamed had organised everything to perfection, we were met in Marrakech by Direse the man with a cart who steered us through the Marrakech back alleys like a pro. At breakneck speeds we careened through the frenetic streets until we finally arrived at Riad Boussa. Anyone who has never been to Marrakech before may have worried that they were being sucked into some little side alley for dodgy dealings but I knew the score. The door to Riad Boussa opened and we were led into this oasis. The first words my daughter gasped were 'it’s a sanctuary' and she was so right. The wonderful scent of essential oils drifted in the soft candle lit air. We were made comfortable by Madame Grillion and brought yet another round of the ubiquitous mint tea. Madame Grillion sat with us and went through a map of Marrakech with super suggestions for both sights to see and restaurants. We took all of her tips and were delighted with each one. Special mention needs to be made of Dejeuner de Marrakech for lunch. We had a wonderful time exploring Marrakech and enjoyed the many sights and sounds of this truly colorful city.

Sidi Kaouki:

The next morning, after another tasty breakfast in Riad Boussa, Madame Grillion confirmed our driver was on the way and Direse was called upon to guide us to Djem el Fnaa once more. Mohammed, our driver delivered us safely to Sidi Kaouki and all was fine. There had been quite a lot of inclement weather which had caused some problems for the taxi service and the surf school Blue Morocco but nothing that we were aware of in any negative way. The first afternoon the weather meant we were unable to have a surf lesson but I think we all welcomed the time for relaxation. There was a little confusion about meals with the Auberge owner (Auberge de la Plage), I believe her name was Francoise but I may be wrong, I am afraid it has slipped my mind. The surf instructors and owner of the school were all so friendly and really went out of their way to make the lessons an experience as opposed to just a lesson. The owner of Blue Morocco was friendly and a pleasure to deal with.

Sonja O reviewing Morocco Family Adventure: Marrakech, Trek & Surf on 05 December 2012

In the past I have always been a believer in independently organising my own holidays, as that has always been part of my holiday experience. However, I was wary about taking my wife and children (aged 15,14 and 10) on an adventure without some help to organise the trip. After some careful searching on-line I found 'Tourdust' who organise adventure travel 'everywhere'. All the reviews raved about their services, so I sent them an email...

Ben and Anna helped us plan a eleven day holiday to include trekking in the Atlas Mountains, exploring Marrakesh and surfing on the Atlantic coast. Using their wide knowledge they made some excellent suggestions and encouraged us to make choices that would not have occurred to me had I booked independently. This included an excellent last minute suggestion, based on up to date weather information, to stay in the mountains on our first night rather than in the heat of Marrakesh. They were also immediately on the case, by phone, when our taxi failed to turn up on the last day to take us back to the airport.

I could rave for a long time about the holiday; the amazing cooking on the trek, the beautiful Riad in Marrakesh and the friendly surf instructors... but you need to experience it yourself. I am complete convert to their style of adventure travel and knowledgeable advice and would think twice before attempting to organise my own holiday again, especially if travelling as a family.

PATRICK R reviewing Morocco Family Adventure: Marrakech, Trek & Surf on 02 August 2012

we had a great time, all of the people we worked with were great, everything went pretty smooth.

A couple of bits which may help you when booking this for others:-

- Day one of the trekking we arrived with not enough water, believing that they would already have it for us to buy, luckily one of the guys had his car and drove off and got us some.
- Food was traditional and excellent!
- At the surf place due to Ramadan we couldn't stay at the centre but was placed in a hotel 200 yards away which had no electricity!! however living including showering by candle light was fab, we played cards, chess and read a lot of books which was great for the kids and i would sell this!!
- There was some confusion over the use of the surf boards outside of the lessons, they were very good about it but insisted that one of them was present at all times. This felt like we added a lot of pressure on them and as such rarely did it, partly because it was Ramadan and in the afternoons when we wanted to go out they were sleeping. To be honest we went to go out on 3 occasions and weren't able to. The team were great so i don't want you to go back and criticise but recognise that during Ramadan its far more complicated and if the equipment is to be used outside of the lessons that it has to fit in with them as well.

Ian H reviewing Morocco Family Adventure: Marrakech, Trek & Surf on 12 September 2011

The trip was a huge hit... A massive success

The trekking was good... We were a bit out of shape but our guide was amazing. He just got it and was super knowledgeable. I really think he was the gem. We were cold at night even though we had terrific sleeping bags but that is part of the fun.

The people from the surf school were awesome. The accomodation was a wee bit to funky for us and the man moved us into a super duper cute little studio bedroom with terrace near the village. He was terrific even had everyone to his house for dinner one night and that was one of the best meals I ever had. The surf instructor was perfect.

I found tourdust online and I am sure after our amazing trip that they are a gift from heaven. In two days they created a personal trip for me and my 10 year old son. We wanted adventure,surfing and hiking and it was feb half term we had 5 days to travel...ben and anna could not have been cooler or more organised. We knew every detail of our trip and had an itinerary that met our individual needs and interests. We even had a hand drawn map where no map had existed before. Both harry and I were sorry that the rest of our family couldn’t be with us but feel that we lucked out with our wonderful adventure.

Anon reviewing Morocco Family Adventure: Marrakech, Trek & Surf on 16 March 2011