Private Tours for Casablanca and Agadir

[sienna100]

Hi Mary, I live in Abbotsford and am planning to go on MSC Splendida at the end of January. I have also been looking for a private tour in casablanca, for 4 people, and was very interested in your experiences. I wondered how much aproximately you ended up paying for the thingsd not included in your tour cost? Did you have to pay anything up front, or at the end of the tour? Thanks, for your first hand information

Lisa

[mclim]

Hi Lisa,

 

My DH and I are from Vancouver so we are practically neighbours=)

 

No, we didn't pay any fee upfront because Omar knew my family as we had used him as our local guide in Marrakech in Nov 08. By the way, Omar lives in Marrakech.

 

In addition to the tour fee, we paid for our own admission fees, lunch and tips to Omar and the driver.

 

The admission fee to the mosque in Casablanca is 120 Dhs PP (11 EURO). The Mohammed Mausoleum V in Rabat was closed when we got there so we just visited from the outside - I think the fee is nominal. For lunch, we paid USD$14 pp. That's the extras we paid.

 

We paid Omar's tour fee and tips at the end of the tour.

 

My suggestion is to ask Omar to arrange with his travel agent friend to get the necessary paper work so that he and his vehicle can meet you near your cruise ship. Depending on where your cruise ship is docked, it could be quite a bit of a walk to get to the outside of the secured port entrance - Gate 1.

 

Mary

[loum140]

Mary: I will be e-mailing Omar soon re: a tour to Rabat from Casablanca. We can probably not leave the ship till 9 a.m. and must be back on board by 3 p.m., so allowing for travel time back and forth, it will have to be a short day of touring with probably no time for lunch. We can take some items from the breakfast buffet (hard boiled eggs, fruit). I do hope he will be agreeable to accomodate us. We are 5, but I will post details on our CC roll call to try for another couple. Can we use you as a reference in our e-mail? Marsha

[mclim]

Hi Marsha,

 

Yes, you may use my name as reference.

 

I contacted Omar on Jan 1 to arrange a Rabat tour for my friend in mid-April 2010. He replied on Jan 5 but hasn't replied to my Jan 6 email as yet as he is doing a sahara tour so he may not reply to your email quickly.

 

Mary

[loum140]

Mary: Shall I just tell him I was refered by "Mary from the Royal Princess", or do you think it's better if you e-mail him and tell him I'll be contacting him? We arrive in Casablanca on April 1, 2010. Thanks. Marsha Meyer

[mclim]

Marsha, I am also setting up an April 11, 2010 Casablanca/Rabat tour with Omar for my 7 friends (tour date already confirmed). I haven't heard back from him yet since Jan 5, 2010 as he is doing a tour right now.

 

I will email and mention to him today that a cruise critic member, Marsha Meyer, would like to set up a Rabat tour on April 1, 2010 and that you will contact him under a separate email.

 

Mary

[loum140]

Mary: Many thanks!!!! As usual, CC members come through for each other!!! Marsha

[mclim]

Hi Marsha,

 

Omar replied to my email this morning as follows:

 

I think it would be possible to do a tour of Rabat from 9am to 3 pm. the time is not enouph to do a busy tour of Rabat, but it can cover the most interesting sights.

 

Please let me know which date Mrs Marsha is planning to have this tour?

 

Many thanks

Omar

 

I did put April 1, 2010 on my subject line but he must have missed it. Please email him as he knows you are interested in a Rabat tour.

 

Cheers:)

Mary

[Ozza Alf]

We have decided to go it alone. Train from Casablanca port to Rabat is approx £17 for all four of us 1st class. I have found out that they are clean safe and reliable, and depart every half hour. When in Rabat get taxi to Kasbah des Oudaias. See fort and walk up to new town and back to station. No need for guide as there is very little harassment to purchase goods and it's safe.

 

Can do this either before or after a quick look at the mosque etc in Casa!

[ladysail2]

Could I ask a few questions, please?

 

Why does everyone seem to want to leave Casablanca and go to Rabat? Are there souks/shopping in Casablanca?

 

I've been to Agadir and we did an all day tour in Agadir and in Touranndant...which I found to be too rushed for my liking. I'm going on a cruise in Jan 2011 and one stop will be to Casablanca. Is it worth just staying in Casablance and looking around.

What I like to do is visit souks, see the local culture, see the local food and hopefully buy spices, oil and that sort of thing. I bought a beautiful Moroccan carpet in Touranndant...so I don't need another one...well...perhaps I could just take a look...LOL.....my liking is to be relaxed and just to soak in the atmosphere.

 

Thanks for any advice.

Joyce :D

[Ozza Alf]

Could I ask a few questions, please?

 

Why does everyone seem to want to leave Casablanca and go to Rabat? Are there souks/shopping in Casablanca?

 

I've been to Agadir and we did an all day tour in Agadir and in Touranndant...which I found to be too rushed for my liking. I'm going on a cruise in Jan 2011 and one stop will be to Casablanca. Is it worth just staying in Casablance and looking around.

What I like to do is visit souks, see the local culture, see the local food and hopefully buy spices, oil and that sort of thing. I bought a beautiful Moroccan carpet in Touranndant...so I don't need another one...well...perhaps I could just take a look...LOL.....my liking is to be relaxed and just to soak in the atmosphere.

 

Thanks for any advice.

Joyce :D

 

I have been swatting up on Casablanca for months now but all I have found out is that there is virtually nothing to do there and the souke/Medina isn't nice and there is a harassment problem. Everyone says don't go there without a guide. With the ships tours being way to expensive I have tried in vain to get an independent tour guide. Having looked at it I see the best thing to do is take the train to Rabat and see a bit of local life on the train. I am told Rabat is safe and almost hassle free and the Medina is much nicer to walk around. There is also the Kasbah, the fort, the palace, the beach, and the new town to explore. All this and it only costs a few pounds/dollars.

 

I will post a review when we get back to let everyone know how we went on.

[ladysail2]

I have been swatting up on Casablanca for months now but all I have found out is that there is virtually nothing to do there and the souke/Medina isn't nice and there is a harassment problem. Everyone says don't go there without a guide. With the ships tours being way to expensive I have tried in vain to get an independent tour guide. Having looked at it I see the best thing to do is take the train to Rabat and see a bit of local life on the train. I am told Rabat is safe and almost hassle free and the Medina is much nicer to walk around. There is also the Kasbah, the fort, the palace, the beach, and the new town to explore. All this and it only costs a few pounds/dollars.

 

I will post a review when we get back to let everyone know how we went on.

 

Thank you Ozza Alf for the information. I would have thought that there would be something significant to see in Casablanca.....but perhaps planning a trip to Rabat would be the thing to do.

I'm looking forward to your review already...:D

[Mparis184]

Thank you Ozza Alf for the information. I would have thought that there would be something significant to see in Casablanca.....but perhaps planning a trip to Rabat would be the thing to do.

 

I'm looking forward to your review already...:D

 

Joyce - funny bumping into you here. My thought was to get a tour together and go to Rabat. After reading this board it seems like that might be the best idea.

 

How long is the drive to Rabat from Casablanca? I still have a lot of research to do. I look at travel time as touring time - I enjoy looking at the scenery and seeing how the people live outside the large cities. I loved the ride from Agadir to Taroudant and have spectacular photos taken from our van. I loved every minute of that trip and tour, especially the goats in the trees.

 

I am looking forward to our visit to Casablanca in January 2011 and hope everyone on this board comes back after their trip and shares their experiences and adventures with is.

 

I have contacted the tour guide that we used in Tangier in November to see if he has any suggestions and could recomment a personal guide for Casablanca.

 

Marion

[Mparis184]

I should have read all of the posts before jumping on the thread. Travel time between the two cities is 1 hr and 15 min. That's not too bad.

 

Interesting thought taking the train..............I would attempt that if we got our own group together from the ship.......food for thought. Guess there are pros and cons for everything. We took the local train in Belgium to Brugge and it was easy. However, the culture in Morocco is so very different I might feel more comfortable and see more sights with a local guide.

 

Marion

[loum140]

Mary: I sent an e-mail to Omar a week ago at the address you listed in your previous post but have had no reply as yet. Perhaps he's on another tour. Will wait a few more days, then try another e-mail. Marsha

[mclim]

Hi Marsha,

 

Did you hear back from Omar?

 

Mary

[loum140]

Mary: Yes, I have been corresponding with Omar for several days now. (He was on a tour earlier) He advised against going to Rabat due to heavy Thursday traffic and the short time we have in port, so at his suggestion, we are doing a half day city tour of Casablanca. I have put together a group of 9 people from our CC roll call. Once again, thanks for the referral. I'm sure things will go smoothly. Regards, Marsha

[wrk2cruz]

I got my group of 8 pax reserved with Omar for Dec 4, 2009 to tour Casablanca and Rabat. I will report back when I return from our cruise.

 

We are touring on Friday and Omar said that there is only one English tour available on Friday and that is at 9:30 AM.

 

I asked Omar regarding visiting the souks and shopping and he said we can do all that in Casa after we return back from Rabat.

 

It is 250 Euro minimum for 2 to 6 pax for a vehicle, driver and a tour guide (Omar). For our group of 8 pax, it is 40 Euro pp. Gratuities, admission fees and lunch are not included. I asked what size of vehicle, Omar said he'll give us a vehicle that can seat up to 12 pax (but price would still be 40 Euro pp. even if > 8 pax). The vehicle has a p/a system so everyone including those seated at the very back should be able to hear him.

 

Hi, I was wondering how your tour turned out???

[mclim]

Mary: Yes, I have been corresponding with Omar for several days now. (He was on a tour earlier) He advised against going to Rabat due to heavy Thursday traffic and the short time we have in port, so at his suggestion, we are doing a half day city tour of Casablanca. I have put together a group of 9 people from our CC roll call. Once again, thanks for the referral. I'm sure things will go smoothly. Regards, Marsha

 

That's wonderful. I hope everything works out for your group.

[mclim]

Hi, I was wondering how your tour turned out???

 

Yes, the tour turned out really well. Please see post #21 for my trip report.

[retire03]

Hello Ozza Alf,

 

Are you there? Wife and I will be on NCL Jade in December and are very interested in finding out more about train to Rabat. How far is train station from where ship docks and where can i see a train schedule. What is cost in Euros or dollars. Ship is scheduled to dock at 8AM and depart at 5 PM which would make for a relatively short day, but, I think, still doable by train. Hope you or someone is able to respond to these questions. Thanks.

 

Jay & Ingrid

[Ozza Alf]

Hello Ozza Alf,

 

Are you there? Wife and I will be on NCL Jade in December and are very interested in finding out more about train to Rabat. How far is train station from where ship docks and where can i see a train schedule. What is cost in Euros or dollars. Ship is scheduled to dock at 8AM and depart at 5 PM which would make for a relatively short day, but, I think, still doable by train. Hope you or someone is able to respond to these questions. Thanks.

 

Jay & Ingrid

 

Sorry for the late reply.

 

Casa Port train station is 10 minute brisk walk, or a 20 minute leisurely walk from the ship. At the end of the dock just beyond where all the taxi drivers gather turn right, then left to the port security gates and then 1st left.

 

Ask for return tickets to Rabat Ville. I can't remember the price breakdown but for 2 adults and 1 child it came to 19euro (you can pay in euros) and our 4 year old traveled free. You can get 1st class if you wish which for us would have come to 30euro but it's not worth it as the 2nd class are clean and modern and the one on the way back was futuristic double decker (not sitting on bales of hay with a chicken on your knee!). The trains we went on left and arrived exactly on time. Journey time is 1 hour each way

 

The people on them looked mostly to be business people but everyone in the stations and on the train were friendly.

 

At Rabat Ville station there is a bank just across the road where you can get some Dirhams. The McDonald's is opposite the bank across the big road and just around the corner.

 

Get a taxi from the train station to the Kasbah (5euro or 50 dirhams). There is a top and a bottom entrance it's best to go in the top one first. If you follow the main "street" it will take you to a terrace overlooking the beach. After exploring head back for the entrance that you came in and tur right (you can see the entrance to the medina across the VERY BUSY main road from here) and go down the steps and turn into the bottom entrance on your left. This is the bit with the cafe where you can get lovely sweet mint tea and wonderful cake type things (beware of the henna tattoo lady. She came over and before we could say no both our daughters had henna tattoos for approx 1euro each!). Leave by the same entrance that you came in at and head for the medina over the road.

 

If you walk straight forward through the medina without turning off you will exit it at the other end on Avenue Hassan 2. If you do you need ot turn right and then left on to Avenue Mohamed V. This is the main road through the centre of Rabat and is lined with modern stores. It takes you back to the train station. The walk around both parts of the Kasbah took around an hour including tea. Walk through the medina 10 minutes and walk back to the station from the medina should take around 20 minutes. We took a wrong turn out of the medina so it took us half hour!

 

We got on the train and did all this because we wanted to see a little of the real Rabat and it's people. You could of course go on a taxi tour of the main sights.

 

The Kasbah, medina, and main shopping street are very safe and the only time anyone said anything to us was the henna tattoo lady (who was very nice) and a teenage boy who asked if we were OK and pointed us in the right direction when we were looking lost outside the medina. We did not get any hassle at all anywhere including the medina, although at the same time we did not stop at any of the shops. It is a real medina for local people rather than for tourists and sells everything from live chickens to chopsticks.

 

Time table etc can be found on the ONCF website. Just do a search for "ONCF Morocco". I do have the link but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post it.

 

Please ask if you need anything else.

[nancycoop1]

We will be on the Ocean Princess in October. Am looking forward to your review for our stop in Casablanca. Would prefer private guide.

 

Hi - we will also be on the Ocean Princess in October and would like to find a private guide. Are you interested in Marrakesh or Rabat? We have been to Marrakesh, but would consider doing it again. It is quite a drive from Casablanca for a private guide.

 

Nancy and Joe

[sawbone]

We were in Casablanca last week and hired Omar for the day. He took us to Rabat and we had a fantastic day. Omar is very professional and friendly. I would definately recommend him and if we return to Casablanca, I will try to hire Omar.

[nancycoop1]

We were in Casablanca last week and hired Omar for the day. He took us to Rabat and we had a fantastic day. Omar is very professional and friendly. I would definately recommend him and if we return to Casablanca, I will try to hire Omar.

 

How can I contact Omar? Thanks for the recommendation.