It’s one thing to arm yourself with a guide book and head out into town, but in order to discover the side of Marrakech most tourists never see, an organised tour comes highly recommended. There will only ever be so much that makes its way into the books and maps picked up by most travellers heading out to Morocco. By contrast, local knowledge runs much deeper and is constantly changing – precisely why professionally-run day trips in Marrakech come so highly recommended.
Now, it’s of course fair to say that when it comes to booking these kinds of trips and days out, you need to be careful with regard to who you book with. It’s no secret that this is the kind of industry where standards vary exponentially from one provider to the next – some will stop at nothing to delight you while other seem hell-bent on overcharging for lacklustre service. Suffice to say, it’s the latter of the two that should be avoided at all costs, so what can the average traveller do to ensure that they get the very best deal going for that Marrakech day trip?
Book in Advance
Well, the first and most important rule of all is to always, ALWAYS book in advance. This is a rule that should be followed no matter where you are traveling or what you plan to do when you get there – booking ahead is a big deal. The reason being that not only do most of the less-agreeable operators tend to do most of their booking in-person and on the day itself, but advance booking almost always means lower prices paid. The further in advance you book, the better – the web has made it easier than ever before to make all such arrangements and ensure the deal found is indeed the best on the market.
Shop Around
Another reason to book ahead is the way in which it gives you the opportunity to shop around and get a better insight as to what is on offer and which deals make the most sense. Now, what you pay will often be reflected in the overall service package you receive – you’re unlikely to get five-star service if you’re only willing to pay pennies. But at the same time, it’s more than worth checking out what kinds of prices the other Marrakech day trip services are quoting in order to see whether the provider you’re interested in is in general on-par with rivals.
Check Booking Fees
Whichever way you look at it, booking fees are attached to excursions and deals for no reason other than to overcharge travellers unnecessary. These days, the fact that the vast majority of bookings are made via the web means that there is in fact little to no admin involved in the process at all. So when an excursion provider insists on adding a percentage or set-fee admin charge to the price of the tour itself, it’s basically a case of shelling out good money for nothing. Admin fees have no place in the modern way of doing things where the web has taken over, so choose a provider that doesn’t attach them.
Choose Established Brands
There’s a large and very important difference between the one-man street-side excursion-sellers and the established businesses that have been doing what they do for years. Suffice to say that when it comes to getting both a fair deal and the very best kind of service for the duration of your trip, it’s really only ever the latter that you should be looking to do business with. Certain established brands that have been organising first-class trips for years have the reputation and big brand backing that not only instils confidence, but guarantees low prices and stellar service. So if these kinds of things matter, established brands are really the only way to go.
Look for Price Promises
Last up, when an excursion or day trip provider is willing to offer a price promise covering all deals and services on offer, it’s a pretty strong sign of confidence in what they do. What’s more, it also means that should you find a better deal elsewhere, you’re covered. This is something of a standard cornerstone for any excursion provider of any real merit these days as those that don’t offer price promises are in many respects telling you there’s a better deal to be found. It should be pretty clear whether or not you’re covered by such a promise, but you can always ask if unsure.
