We’d like to plan a day trip from Tarifa to Tangier in September our wedding anniversary trip. Any recommendations for a guide service? Small group or private, hoping to avoid just being escorted only to the shops where the guides get kickbacks. I’d also appreciate feedback on the camels-on-the-beach “experience” - kinda fun or just tourist kitch? - or other suggestions. Thanks!
I found a guide in the Rick Steve's Sevilla, Granda, and Andalucia book. Haven't gone yet, so can't vouch for them -- we'll see.
Hi! Yes, I would highly reccomend this tour . I had great experience with them! Enjoy Tangier :)
I went once, never again. We had a private guide who took us to the usual sights, the guide was fine but the sights just weren't interesting or worthwhile. Tangier is a dirty place (except for the exclusive enclave for the rich), lots of harassment from locals and would have likely been worse if we didn't have the guide and the obligatory hard sell from vendors chosen by the guide (friends and family most likely).
As for the camels on the beach experience, absolutely avoid it. The camels are poorly treated with calves chained to the ground all day whilst the adults are forced to carry tourists around a stretch of litter strewn beach. It really is a pitiful existence and such a cruel and outdated practice should not be encouraged. Our guide also introduced us to a 'snake charmer' which is nothing more than an old man aggravating a snake for our "amusement", I made it quite clear that we had no interest in such cruelty. In fact, animal cruelty is a persistent problem there along with misogyny and poor treatment of women. My advice is to stick to Spain.
There are wonderful places to see in Morocco, like Marrakesh, Fes, Agidar and Rabat.
Tangier is NOT worth the trip.
There are flights from many European cities to great Moroccan destinations like Fes and Marrakech. Morocco can be a part of a trip to some other European country; you don't have to settle for a time-consuming trip to much-inferior Tangier just because you're going to be in sourthern Spain this year.