Customer Testimonials

What a wonderful day walking in stunning scenery & with such good company. We have memories that we will always treasure. From our first email contact with Jamal prior to travelling to Morocco, taxi pick-up from our hotel to Amizmiz; meeting with Jamal, enjoying his choice of route & knowledge of the environment, to the friendly hospitable Berber people that we met—everything went so smoothly and was extremely well organised. We were so impressed that we tried for a second trip whilst in Marrakech but unfortunately this did not happen, however we were able to spread the word at the hotel where we were staying and highly recommended Berber Travel Adventures as a way of experiencing a side of Morocco I could never have imagined!

JillUnited Kingdom

My mother, teenage daughter, and I had a fabulous time with Jamal on our hike around the Berber villages just outside of Amizmiz. The entire experience was culturally enriching and profoundly rewarding. Our day with Berber Travel Adventures was one of the favorite parts of our trip to Morocco.

ZolaZola

We had a fantastic day exploring the Atlas Mountains with Jamal, visiting two families along the way and enjoying a delicious tajine with the second family who were very welcoming. Beautiful scenery and a pleasant escape from the busy city for a day! Jamal was also very interesting to chat to, offering many insights on both Berber and wider Moroccan culture. A highly recommended trip. Thanks!

On a wonderful day with clear blue skies we did the Amizmiz heavy hike in the lower regions of the High Atlas. Having our own hired car, we met with our guide Jamal at the trailhead in Amizmiz. Then we started on the hike through awesome landscapes, a wonderful blend of forest, open mountain slopes and lush valleys. At times we had splendid views toward the snow-clad higher peaks.

A special treat was visiting two Berber villages en route. In the first one we had tea and bread and talked a lot. Later on we had a nice lunch, sitting on the floor on bright coloured carpets and eating a superb meal with our fingers. Our guide Jamal was friendly, helpful and spoke English very well. We kept a steady and comfortable pace (I am 65 years), yet covered a total of some 15 kilometres during the day. The hike was the highlight of our stay in Morocco. We can definitely recommend this tour to others.

FinnDenmark

This trip exceeded all of our wildest expectations! We loved everything about the Atlas Mountains: the people, the place, our guide! Jamal was so friendly and knowledgeable, he made our trip a once in a lifetime opportunity! We really felt so lucky to have seen such a beautiful part of Morocco with such a great guide. Planning our next trip back already!

AbigailUnited Kingdom

My boyfriend and I came across Berber Travel Adventures on TripAdvisor, and due to the large number of positive reviews posted, we decided to give it a shot. We were not disappointed! We decided to go for the 'Heavy' one day excursion, which involves a walk of approximately 5-6 hours in the Atlas Mountains.

We met our guide, Jamal, in the Berber village of Amizmiz. We were staying in Marrakech and found the directions listed in the website on the bus route to Amizmiz to be extremely helpful. The scenery in the Atlas Mountains was breathtaking! Another reason why we opted for Berber Travel Adventures is that a walk seemed a much more attractive and fun experience than a long jeep ride as was offered by other companies. We took several photos along the way —while Jamal patiently waited! Jamal was very friendly and great company throughout the walk and has a good sense of humour.

After a couple of hours, we stopped at the first Berber village for mint tea and bread with one of the families. Visiting a Berber house was a humbling experience in itself, and we could appreciate the hard work they carry out daily. The family was extremely welcoming! After that, we continued our walk in the mountains. Due to heavy rains a couple of days before, one of the roads along our route had been damaged. However, Jamal was extremely resourceful and immediately planned an alternative path through the mountains to make sure we reached our destination. We had a delicious lunch accompanied by a variety of mint teas with another family in a picturesque Berber village tucked away in the Atlas Mountains. It was an amazing cultural experience for us! The family was full of smiles and made us feel at home. On the way back, I was offered a donkey ride. This is one experience I shall never forget, it was great fun!

Berber Travel Adventures was the perfect choice for us! Besides enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Atlas Mountains with an experienced guide, we had the opportunity to experience a cultural encounter with the Berber people. A truly unforgettable experience, highly recommended!

Noureddine was an excellent guide—he shared Berber history with us and was very knowledgeable about the land and culture of Morocco. We also greatly enjoyed our tea stop and delicious lunch. Overall, we loved the trip and would recommend Berber Travel Adventures to anyone.

Berber Travel Adventures was the highlight of our trip to Marrakech. I can't recommend this trip enough! Jamal was away on holiday, and therefore Said was our tour guide for the day. Said is a really nice, friendly guy, and an excellent tour guide. We started off in a local market where they trade a lot of fresh produce, meat, spices and it was fascinating to see how these people trade (it's not a tourist market which is great). We then had tea in a traditional tearoom. Said made the best mint tea that we had tasted on our entire trip as he bought all the ingredients in the market on that day. After tea, we started our miniature hike to a Berber village. It was a really pleasant walk, took about 45 min to an hour to get there. We had lunch in a local villager’s house. I can honestly say that it was the best meal we had in Marrakech. The food was unbelievable! We loved it. All in all, it was an amazing experience that I will never forget.

We liked the excursion very much. It was our first time in Morocco and now we have this photo on the wall in our house. The staff from Berber Travel Adventures took really good care of us. Thank you everybody.

ErikSweden

Our tour with Jamal of Berber Travel Adventures was simply fantastic. The 3 of us took the overnight (2 day/1 night) excursion. Thankfully, this tour is NOT about grand attractions and crowded tourist areas. It's all about meeting wonderful local people who are doing what they do every day, in their own homes, and sharing with them great meals and entertaining conversations. It's the REAL THING. Totally authentic and very special.

Jamal is a thoughtful, patient and diplomatic tour leader, always happy to answer questions and to help out his guests. We met many locals along the way as we walked up the mountains. It was clear from every encounter that he is held in great respect throughout this region. I really appreciated Jamal's consideration of my recent illness. I was even allowed to ride the mule when I got too tired to walk! I thought she (the mule) might be a 'nightmare' (pun!) but she was terrific, patient and diplomatic as well! Many thanks to Jamal, Mohammed and family and all the other lovely families we met along the way. You made our time in Morocco a really special experience.

My advice if you are planning this trip—ask Jamal what to take as gifts for the families you will visit. It is hard to anticipate what they might like. I would suggest gifts of soap, as it was largely non-existent in the bathrooms you will use. For yourself, take a little bottle of hand disinfectant as toilet facilities are basic. If you are a woman, go join the women in the kitchen sometimes—it's a hoot! And one more thing —Jamal starts out all respectful to you on the first day, then by the second day he is pulling your leg mercilessly!!!

I have to say this was the best experience of my boyfriend's and my time in Marrakech! Our guide for the day was Saïd and we couldn't have asked for a more friendly and welcoming person. Also being English sometimes we found it hard to communicate in Marrakech but Saïd's level of English was perfect which made the whole day easy and enjoyable.

The families we visited to have tea and lunch were also very welcoming and went out of their way to make us feel at home. The food we ate was delicious!

I would recommend Berber Travel Adventures to anyone going to Morocco, as you get to experience the real culture and beautiful sights and scenery of Morocco, at a very good price with excellent service from the guides. If I was to come to Marrakech again I would 100% use Berber Travel Adventures. Thank you for such a lovely day!

NatalieUnited Kingdom

My trip with Berber Travel Adventures and Jamal was indescribable. It is hard to try and put into words a experience that I know will stay with me forever, but I will do my best. I did the overnight, 2 day hike with a friend. It was a true pleasure to spend time with Jamal, our guide who also began these trips. Part of the reason these trips are such a success is due to Jamal's real relationships with so many families in the villages you will visit and his effort to truly make it a beneficial and eye opening experience for everyone involved. Traveling with Berber Travel Adventures was not like any other tour group you may have been a part of. You do not feel like a tourist. You are embraced by all that you meet. The people we met were some of the most gracious I've ever known and welcome you into their home. The opportunity to see another way of life with some one such as Jamal, someone who truly takes pride in his work and truly makes you feel comfortable, is a unique experience. Berber Travel Adventures is an authentic experience that as a tourist is hard to find. I highly recommend anyone looking at this page to take this journey. The landscapes and the scenery are jaw dropping. For anyone who loves nature, this is a must. The quiet and the calm you will experience is like no other. The people you will meet, the untouched beauty you will see, and the lifestyle you will learn about will stay forever in your mind.

We loved the day trek out to the High Atlas Mountains! Jamal was a wonderful guide, and the scenery and the food we ate along the way was great. Best meal I had in Morocco was in one of the Berber villages!

Would highly recommend a trip with Berber Travel Adventures, and would like to try a longer trek next time I visit Morocco!

AmyUnited States

What a fantastic day we had with Jamal. We will never forget it. Jamal was brilliant—we felt so at ease with him and had a laugh as well as being educated in Berber life. The market was so interesting, so nice to be away from the tourist haunts in Marrakech. The Berber family we met and the food they cooked for us we could not fault. The walks to and from the village had breathtaking scenery from start to finish. We had a truly memorable day thanks to Jamal's personality, in depth knowledge of true Berber life, and a very well planned day out...many thanks!

DorothyUnited Kingdom

We came to Morocco for our honeymoon and pre-booked our trip after reading a good review on Berber Travel Adventures while reading reviews on our hotel. We are so glad we did. It was a wonderful day —the scenery was breathtaking. Jamal was friendly and very knowledgeable. It was great that we didn't see any other walkers/tourists, just locals. The visits to the two Berber houses for a snack and lunch were an amazing insight into their lives. We would love to go back, next time doing the two day and one night trip.

Pete & JoUnited Kingdom

We have trekked in several parts of the world, and Nourdine is the most thoughtful, caring guide we have ever had. We appreciate the competence of Berber Travel Adventures.

Given our ages—67 and 72 —the trek was difficult for us, but there were animals available for us to ride, and we wouldn't have missed the beauty of the Atlas mountains and the warmth and hospitality of the Berber people for anything.

LeahUnited States

The entire excursion was a great experience. Though we left on a rainy day, we highly enjoyed the walk, the landscape, and the villages we passed. There were enough stops to eat and drink and the walk itself was not too heavy.

The overnight stop at Omar's and Fatma's house was great. Our guide Nourdine made everybody feel at ease. To see Fatma cook in her tiny kitchen filled with guests was a real treat. It is hard to believe that she can create a meal so great with so little. We had a good night's sleep and although there were a lot of rugs at hand, we were glad that Nourdine brought some sleeping bags because it was still pretty cold in February.

The next day we walked back through the enchanting landscape that left us in awe. We have seen the Italian Alp, but the High Atlas is at least as impressive. Walking through this landscape while Nourdine and donkey driver Mohammed were singing Berber songs was magical.

There was enough (if not too much!) food and drink and we already recommended friends and family members to enjoy a walk with Berber Travel Adventures.

We really enjoyed our two day trek.

Jamal was very friendly and knowledgeable. I wish we would have done a longer trek.

Meeting the people in the Berber villages was really an adventure. They were always very friendly and inviting.

Definitely recommend!!!

MaureenUnited States

We had an excellent excursion. The length of hike was appropriate, and the routes taken up and down the valley were well chosen to give us the best views. We had the chance to visit many families for drinks and meals which was wonderful. I guess we were lucky with the weather—it could have been miserable if it had been raining heavily but nothing you can do about that! Our guide, Nouredine, was a great guy, so no complaints there. He was very helpful in educating us on the Berber way of life and the history of the area and in the space of 48 hours we were firm friends. Be warned: you will be expected to eat a LOT of food! I found it quite tricky to consume so much so often, although it was all delicious of course. It's very hard to say no when someone has spent all day making the food!

I would thoroughly recommend Berber Travel Adventures. You are not simply buying a hike you are buying a view through the doorway of Moroccan culture—both historical and contemporary. It gave me a valuable insight into how one part of the world lives, and how far from reality our Western lives can be.

RobUnited Kingdom

The excursion with Berber Travel Adventures was by far the highlight my trip to Morocco. The sights were beautiful, the culture was rich, and our guides were fabulous. I'd definitely do it again. Highly recommended!

My husband and I had an amazing time on our recent 2 day/1 night excursion. We really enjoyed walking in the hills, seeing the enroute villages, eating delicious tagines, and spending the night in a traditional Berber home. Jamal has a wonderful way of sharing his love of the Berber culture to others. We highly recommend this excursion to others.

Our one day trek into the mountains was the highlight of our visit to Morocco. We got to see the real unsanitised Morocco and our meal with the Berber family in their home was the best meal of our stay! We were made to feel very welcome and we would have loved to have stayed with them for longer.

We would recommend, without hesitation, taking one of Jamal's treks—which can be tailored to your level of fitness (or lack of it). The web site is very well constructed and far better than any of the others we googled. The information provided by Jamal was very accurate and his promise not to take us to any carpet or other tourist shops was one of the main selling points!

Peter & SianUnited Kingdom

We were a group of 5 Norwegian women, and we had chosen the “One day hike to Berber villages.” The hike was very well organized, and we were brought to and from Amizmiz by taxi. Jamal had booked the taxi for us, and the taxi driver, Abdoussamad, was a very nice man, full of humour, and talked about every subject you could imagine. We enjoyed the taxi rides very much.

Jamal met us in Amizmiz and we walked about 4-5 hours altogether, in a moderate pace. The nature was wonderful, and after a short walk we reached the first little village where we were served mint tea. The family was very welcoming and nice, and it was interesting to see how they lived. We also discovered a similarity between the Norwegian and Berber languages, as yes (ja) is the same in both languages. The old woman in the family had a lot of fun because of that. And we did too. Afterwards we walked for about half an hour to the next village where we had a delicious lunch. Jamal was all the time very patient and kind and answered all our thousands of questions. He has great knowledge and is a very good guide. We really recommend this excursion. The next time in Morocco (hopefully it will not be too long till next time), we want to have some more adventures with Berber Travel Adventures!

LivNorway

We did a two-day trek with Jamal and Mohammed, and it was one of the most wonderful experiences that we have had (and we have travelled in many parts of the world and had several experiences to compare this to). Berber Travel Adventures really was one of the most special.

What made it was the authenticity of experience and the sensitivity with which our passing through villages and homes was handled. We came away having had the opportunity to meet lots of different people, understand a way of life, and make connections with people in a way that is usually absent from a tourist's experience.

The variation in the landscape, and the knowledge and attention of our guide Jamal, made for an experience with depth and so many levels of interest. The fact that Jamal has such good friendships with the people we met and a genuine interest in ploughing the funds generated back into the communities we met make this a true example of sustainable/responsible tourism. We want to thank Jamal and Berber Travel Adventures for such a wonderful trip!

We all met Jamal (fluent English speaker) in Amizmiz after an hour and half's drive with Abdessamed, who collected us from our hotel in Marrakech. The heat was intense, 50° C, however it was mid August so we did have to expect it! Jamal showed us all around the entire weekly market, which was a large very active trading market, with Berber tribesmen selling everything from onions and spices to freshly butchered meat. Jamal knew a lot of the people in the market and was greeted with a friendly wave by everyone, so we felt that we were being shown around Amizmiz by the right person! After one hour we stopped and had delicious freshly made doughnuts and peppermint tea and then went on our way. We then walked some of the way to the nearby village for lunch, and as our children aged 12, 10 and 6 were not accustomed to the heat, we were given a lift to near the village. Then we were welcomed by Jamal's friends in the village to their house for lunch where two delicious huge tajines were cooked for us, one lamb and one chicken and then peppermint tea and melon afterwards. After this excellent lunch we all went to the river to cool down, as the temperature outside was still 50° C. Abdessamed collected us later and drove us back to Marrakech. All in all, it was an excellent day's sightseeing in Amizmiz and we definitely recommend Berber Travel Adventures as a reputable and professional company to show you the sights of the western High Atlas Mountains and gain a unique insight into the Berber way of life in the mountains.

We took the medium walking tour with Berber Travel Adventures at the end of July. The scenery in the High Atlas mountains is truly breath-taking and the setting of the Berber settlements is almost surreal. Jamal as a guide is truly wonderful and very knowledgeable about customs, traditions, and the history of both the region and Morocco in general. We really recommend this experience for anyone who wants to see another side of the region and all those fond of hiking.

I thoroughly enjoyed our excursion to the Berber villages. It was a very educational experience with regards to the Berber way of life and the surrounding land. We also saw some amazing views. I had a fantastic time and would definitely consider another excursion if I ever return to Morocco!

This was by far our favourite part of our trip to Morocco—a great chance to see the real Morocco and get away from the madness of Marrakech. The scenery was spectacular and Jamal was a wonderful guide. The welcome we received from the Berber villagers could not have been better and we had the best tagine in Morocco.

We had an amazing time hiking through the Atlas mountains with Jamal. The Atlas mountains are beautiful and Jamal knows them like the back of his hand. Lunch with the Berber family was definitely a highlight. A great day out.

We really enjoyed our excursion. It was an excellent day and we were looked after extremely well. It was such an interesting experience and in fact it was the highlight of our visit to Marrakech. We thoroughly enjoyed our mint tea and bread and eggs midmorning in a Berber house and later on our excellent lunch of couscous and tagine. I am glad we booked it in advance and we enjoyed the company of the other couple with us. Our guide Abdul Ali was such a pleasant and friendly host and had a vast knowledge about all sorts of topics. I would like to thank Jamal for organising such a brilliant trip. I would definitely recommend it and would like to do a longer trip next time.

A friend and I went on a two day trip with Jamal, Mohammed (and the mule). I can honestly say it made our entire holiday! After a day in Marrakech, I'll admit we were feeling a little shell shocked, but Jamal demystified Morocco for us. The mountain scenery was breathtaking, we were made to feel very welcome in the Berber village and the food was fantastic! I can't recommend this enough.

I highly recommend a trip with Berber Travel Adventures; it was one of the highlights of my time in Morocco! The company is very professional, the guides are extremely knowledgeable and the tour was authentic. My brother and I went on a one day hike to Berber villages with Jamal and Nourdine. They answered all of our questions about the local culture, history and environment. They travel with respect for the local villagers and the environment. Both are from the area and still live there which means the tour is very authentic.

Thank you Jamal for a wonderful day. The pace of the whole day was just right; we kept moving but never felt rushed. Next time we would not hesitate to use your company and take a longer trip with you. We learned a lot from your quiet conversation and were thrilled that you managed to make us feel comfortable in Berber homes. All our children have commented on how happy the ladies and children were in the villages and our youngest son now aspires to buy a donkey and farm the hillside. Thank you.

We had a really excellent day with Jamal. Morocco is such a country of contrasts old and new and we loved our tour of the souk in Amizmiz. It was very busy with local trade which was good as we could look at our leisure without being pestered to buy. We were fascinated to see the range of activities from men having a shave to locals buying second-hand shoes and a man selling a most interesting range of medicinal preparations all from natural materials. The local people come down from the mountains where they are mostly self sufficient to do business and buy the things that they cannot produce themselves.

After walking round the market we stopped for mint tea and freshly made doughnuts before walking back out of the town and onto the track leading up into the mountains. Our lunch in a mountain village was wonderful, made by a very friendly Berber lady and served by herself and her family. We learnt how to use bread in our right hands to eat the lovely tagine meal that she had prepared and afterwards we had a tour of her house which was very simple. After a leisurely and very enjoyable lunch we returned to the town. Jamal is an excellent guide and the trip was undoubtedly one of the highlights of our stay in Marrakech. It was so good to have a taste of local life which we would never otherwise have been able to do.

My trip up to the Atlas Mountains was great—the weather was not very good that day, but the company was excellent. Our guide Jamal took us to a local Berber village coffee shop, which I loved. We walked through local villages and got the chance to see the way of life for people in the villages in the Atlas Mountains. Jamal also spoke to us about Berber culture, life and different experiences.

I would love to go back and see lots more of the Atlas Mountains and know if it was with Jamal and Berber Travel Adventures it would be excellent.

This was the highlight of our trip to Morocco. Jamal was a wonderful guide and he took us through beautiful scenery to meet the most lovely people, who welcomed us into their homes. I highly recommend a hike with Jamal.

Even though this was just a 1 day excursion it gave us a very good first impression of life in the Berber/Atlas mountains. As described, Berber Travel Adventures is for the "culturally adventurous" and we can imagine what the longer tours must be like. The organization was very efficient and our guide Nourdin was friendly, enthusiastic and inspired confidence. Our meal taken with the Berber family was DELICIOUS! The whole day was a much needed contrast to our stay in Marrakech helped by the fantastic backdrop of the Atlas mountains. If at all possible we will visit again.

The two most enjoyable days of our trip to Morocco were the ones we spent hiking with Jamal from Berber Travel Adventures through the High Atlas Mountains. Jamal was a wonderful guide; he’s an experienced professional but also has a laid back demeanor and a great sense of humor. He was even patient enough to teach us French along the way! Our stops for tea and lunch in the Berber villages were such great experiences, we learned so much about the Berber culture, not to mention the food and scenery were amazing! This opportunity wouldn’t have been possible without Berber Travel Adventures; we only wish we had more time to go on a longer excursion!

Jamal was great. He showed us a side to Morocco that we loved and long to see again! The villages were welcoming, and so interesting. Our lunch with Mohammed was the tastiest meal we had during our whole stay! At times the walking was quite a challenge for myself, but for my partner it was a breeze!!! We plan to return in the not too distant future and take a longer overnight trek. Just brilliant!

This was my first trek—what an amazing experience to have in just one day. The people we met in the Berber villages were delightful and so welcoming. Jamal is an extremely knowledgeable man. It was a pleasure to spend the day with him and learn all about the life and culture of his people. It is a day that I will always treasure and never forget.

We were a group with a range of walking experience but our guide Jamal planned a day's excursion which offered a variety of "real life" cultural opportunities and allowed us to see something of the stunning landscape. Jamal managed the illness of one of our party with calm assurance. He had prepared also for changing weather conditions. We enjoyed his company, felt safe and would recommend Berber Travel Adventures to anyone wanting to see more of Morocco.

Jamal was an excellent guide - friendly, knowledgeable and kind-hearted. The one-day excursion hiking in the Atlas Mountains and having lunch with a Berber family was one of the highlights of my trip. It was a great way to get out of the cities and get a feel for another aspect of Moroccan culture. I would recommend Berber Travel Adventures to anyone!