Escorted & Package Tours

Packages for the Independent Traveler

Package tours are simply a way to buy the airfare, accommodations, and other elements of your trip (such as car rentals, airport transfers, and sometimes even activities) at the same time and often at discounted prices.

One good source of package deals is the airlines themselves. Most major airlines offer air/land packages, including American Airlines Vacations (tel. 800/321-2121; www.aavacations.com), Delta Vacations (tel. 800/654-6559; www.deltavacations.com), Continental Airlines Vacations (tel. 800/301-3800; www.covacations.com), and United Vacations (tel. 888/854-3899; www.unitedvacations.com). Several big online travel agencies -- Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Site59, and Lastminute.com -- also do a brisk business in packages.

U.K. travel company Panorama (tel. 0871/664-7984; www.panoramaholidays.co.uk) has good airfares to Morocco from various U.K. destinations, as well as air/hotel packages to Agadir, Essaouira, Marrakech, and Ouarzazate. Another U.K. company, Sovereign (tel. 0871/200-6677; www.sovereign.com) has a good choice of air/land packages to Marrakech from select U.K. airports. Sunway (tel. 01/231-1888; www.sunway.ie) has a range of air/land packages throughout the year to Agadir with return flights from Dublin included.

Travel packages are also listed in the travel section of your local Sunday newspaper. Or check ads in national travel magazines such as Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine, Travel + Leisure, National Geographic Traveler, and Condé Nast Traveler.

Ask Before You Go -- Before you invest in a package deal or an escorted tour:

• Always ask about the cancellation policy. Can you get your money back? Is there a deposit required?

• Ask about the accommodations choices and prices for each. Then look up the hotels' reviews in a Frommer's guide and check their rates online for your specific dates of travel. Also find out what types of rooms are offered.

• Request a complete schedule (escorted tours only).

• Ask about the size and demographics of the group (escorted tours only).

• Discuss what is included in the price (transportation, meals, tips, airport transfers, etc.; escorted tours only).

• Finally, look for hidden expenses. Ask whether airport departure fees and taxes, for example, are included in the total cost -- they rarely are.

  Escorted General-Interest Tours

  Escorted tours are structured group tours with a group leader. The price usually includes airfare, hotels, meals, tours, admission costs, and local transportation.

  U.S. & U.K. Companies

• Abercrombie & Kent (tel. 800/323-7308; www.abercrombiekent.com) is one of the world's leading luxury tour operators, and has been organizing quality travel itineraries and group tours since 1962. Their Morocco tours include a 14-day "Morocco Revealed," which takes in the major sights from Casablanca to Marrakech and includes cocktails with the former U.S. ambassador to Morocco. There's also a 9-day private tour taking in Morocco's four imperial cities.

• Adventures Abroad (tel. 800/665-3998 in the U.S. and Canada, or 0114/247-3400 in the U.K.; www.adventures-abroad.com) prides itself on operating quality, small-group holidays worldwide in three categories: active, cultural, and family. They offer 8-day and 15-day tours of Morocco, as well a visit to the country within tours of Spain and Portugal, Tunisia, or Libya.

• Audley Travel (tel. 01993/838400; www.audleytravel.com) arranges personalized tours for the discerning traveler based on each client's particular interests. Their North Africa and Arabia department can tailor-make itineraries to specific regions of Morocco such as Fes and the north, Marrakech and the mountains, central Morocco, or a combination of all three.

• Authentic Morocco (tel. 0845/0944725; www.authentic-morocco.com) is Liz Williams' U.K.-based company specializing in personalized custom itineraries to Morocco with well-respected English-speaking guides. Liz specializes in working with Western travelers -- especially females. There are numerous sample itineraries, including New Year's Eve in the desert and specialist photographic tours, but it's the custom-made tours that make this company stand out.

• GAP Adventures (tel. 800/708-7761 in the U.S., 0870/999-0144 in the U.K., or 1300/796618 in Australia; www.gapadventures.com) operates group tours for independent-minded travelers and currently offers three itineraries in Morocco: an 8-day "Morocco Sojourn" from Marrakech to Essaouira via the Western High Atlas; an 8-day "Morocco Hike & Bike" through parts of the Western High Atlas and central Morocco; and a 14-day "Highlights of Morocco" tour from Casablanca to Marrakech, visiting most of the country's major sights.

• Gateway2Morocco (tel. 800/997-6612; www.gateway2morocco.com) is a young company offering personalized tours of Morocco. Based in the U.S. with Moroccan connections, their itineraries are many and varied, catering to general interest along with specialist tours such as arts and culture, golfing, Jewish heritage, outdoor adventures, and honeymooners.

• Marrakech Voyage (tel. 888/990-2999; www.morocco-travel-agency.com) is a U.S.-Moroccan agency specializing in custom-made, fully escorted tours for individuals and groups. They have an extensive selection of suggested itineraries, including tours coinciding with some of the country's many festivals.

• Martin Randall Travel (tel. 020/8742-3355; www.martinrandall.com) is considered the U.K.'s leading cultural travel specialist, with more than 180 art, music, archaeology, history, and architecture tours to Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. Groups are around 17 people and are accompanied by expert lecturers. Their itineraries change each year; the 2007 Moroccan tour traced the Saharan gold trade that opened Morocco to the world.

• Morocco Custom Travel (tel. 866/966-7622 or 209/466-3105; www.moroccocustomtravel.com) is a professional and dependable firm run by Peggy Ward Engh, who divides her time between the U.S. and Marrakech. A wide range of services are provided, with custom-made tours for individuals, conventions, and incentives. Their suggested itineraries include "Spiritual Morocco," which looks at the country's long Jewish history, and "The Ancient Route of the Moors," which showcases the history and gold age of Andalusia.

• Naturally Morocco (tel. 01239/710814 in U.K.; www.naturallymorocco.co.uk) is a very professional U.K.-based responsible and sustainable tourism operator offering personalized tours, activities, and accommodation within Morocco. Their Moroccan office, based in Taroudannt, is a combined guesthouse-cum-cultural and environmental center. From here they operate a fantastic and diverse selection of cultural and environmental experiences.

  Despite the fact that escorted tours require big deposits and predetermine hotels, restaurants, and itineraries, many people derive security and peace of mind from the structure they offer. Escorted tours -- whether they're navigated by bus, motorcoach, train, or boat -- let travelers sit back and enjoy the trip without having to drive or worry about details. They take you to the maximum number of sights in the minimum amount of time with the least amount of hassle. They're particularly convenient for people with limited mobility and can be a great way to make new friends.

  On the downside, you'll have little opportunity for serendipitous interactions with locals. The tours can be jam-packed with activities, leaving little room for individual sightseeing, whim, or adventure -- plus they often focus on the heavily touristed sites, so you miss out on many a lesser known gem.

• Overseas Adventure Travel (tel. 800/493-6824; www.oattravel.com) is a specialist in natural history and "soft-adventure" tours, with optional add-on excursions. The group size is never more than 16, and tours are led by naturalists. Their 15-day "Morocco Sahara Odyssey" travels from New York to Casablanca through central Morocco, Meknes, Fes, and Marrakech, and includes 3 nights in private desert tented camps.

• The Best of Morocco (tel. 1249/467-165; www.morocco-travel.com) is a Moroccan specialist based in the U.K. with an office in Marrakech. They've been organizing tailor-made holidays to Morocco for more than 40 years, and now offer an extensive selection of accommodations, itineraries (both general and specialist), and general information.

• Trafalgar Tours (tel. 020/7574-7444 in the U.K., or 866/544-4434 in the U.S.; www.trafalgartours.com) has been operating since 1947 and offers holiday packages worldwide, including quality escorted coach tours to Morocco. The coaches are luxury 49-seaters, with air-conditioning and an on-board washroom. Their 10-day "Best of Morocco" is a return tour from Casablanca and includes the imperial cities and some of central Morocco. Some of their tours of Spain and Portugal also travel across the Straits of Gibraltar to visit parts of Morocco.

• Tribes Travel (tel. 01728/685971; www.tribes.co.uk) is a U.K.-based fair trade travel company operating tailor-made holidays to destinations in Africa, Asia, and South America. They offer itineraries throughout the majority of Morocco, ranging from 9- to 14-day tours, as well as shorter holidays in Essaouira and Marrakech.

  Morocco-Based Companies

• Blue Men of Morocco (tel./fax 952/467562; www.bluemenofmorocco.com) is owned and operated by American Elena Hall, who divides her time between her two bases in Spain and Merzouga, on the edge of the Erg Chebbi desert dunes. She offers a range of itineraries, including combinations of Morocco with southern Moorish Spain.

• Compass Odyssey (tel. 061/250746 or tel./fax 021/439-2225; www.compassodyssey.net) is my own responsible-tourism company, specializing in small-group escorted tours of Morocco and South Africa. I lead two trips around Morocco every spring, with an emphasis on sightseeing and one-of-a-kind cultural experiences that benefit both locals and travelers.

• Craft Treasures of Morocco (tel. 024/783543; www.styles-morocco.com) is an escorted tour of Morocco's famous craft workshops, led by British-based Arabic-historian Jennifer Scarce and Essaouira-based craft specialist Alison MacDonald. The tour goes beyond the tourist shops, taking clients to the artisans themselves.

• Fes Art et Culture Travel (tel. 061/250249; fact@menara.ma) is owned and managed by one of Morocco's best guides, Hassan el Janah, and operates tours of Fes and the rest of Morocco. While the company's emphasis is on the country's renowned art and culture, they also offer general interest itineraries and special-interest themes such as festivals and history.

• Menara Tours (tel. 024/446654; tours@menara-tours.ma) is one of the country's leading inbound tour operators, with offices in Marrakech, Agadir, Casablanca, and the U.S. They offer the full range of travel services, including tailor-made, fully escorted tours for individuals and groups, as well as internal flights and airport meet and greets.

• Moroccan Club Travel (tel. 024/331594; www.mct.ma) is based in Marrakech, with partners in Japan and the U.S. Their very friendly English-speaking staff operates tours Morocco-wide, including 4WD tours to Morocco's Saharan dunes, a "Just for Women" tour that includes numerous encounters with local Moroccan women, and an 11-day "Grand Morocco Tour" from Casablanca.

• Mountain Voyage Morocco (tel. 024/421996; www.mountain-voyage.com) is the Moroccan branch of U.K.-owned Discover Ltd., owner of the Kasbah du Toubkal in Imlil. They offer a range of services, including tailor-made escorted itineraries by land or air, private villa rentals, and corporate or private event coordination.