There are a few reasons to be wary of group travel, whether it’s fear of not enjoying the company of those you’re traveling with or the desire to do what you want, when you want, the decision to travel in a guided tour isn’t an easy one. For me, I’ve always traveled by myself and enjoyed it because it allowed me to do exactly what interests me most — and this is usually museum-heavy. I also value spontaneity in my travels, something I felt would be limited if I was with a big group.

When I went on Intrepid Travel’s North Moroccan Adventure tour, I was still worried about these things but at the same time had a sense of relief. I’d heard mixed reviews of Morocco from my traveler friends so I was glad to have a tour guide and others to help me steer clear of any bad experiences. In the end, I was glad to have been in a group, and here’s why:

You see things you wouldn’t have otherwise

Had I been looking into Morocco on my own, I wouldn’t have picked out Moulay Idriss as a destination. Our group spent a night there, in what is considered Morocco’s holiest town. It is a sacred pilgrimage site that until 2005 was closed to anyone who was not of the Muslim faith. At sunset, a local guided us to a stunning view of the village from above which provided a unique ability to see the locals’ response to the call to prayer.

You get a tour guide

One of the biggest struggles of traveling can be not speaking the language. With a tour guide, this problem is eliminated. This is especially helpful in a country like Morocco where Arabic, French, Berber and Spanish may be spoken. A tour guide is also helpful when it comes to questions about local customs (do I tip this guy or no?), practicalities (OMG I forgot to pack toothpaste) and food choices (what even is a tajine?).

It’s definitely more efficient

Anytime you’re traveling alone, there’s a certain amount of time that has to be dedicated to standing in line, figuring out how to travel from place to place or deciding where to eat. In a tour, all this is pre-planned by people who know more than you. It’s a quick and easy way to cut down on some of the more frustrating aspects of travel.

It puts the “adventure” in “adventure travel”

Morocco is a unique place that’s hard to see in one short trip. With a tour like this one, you’re sure to catch all the highlights like snake charmers, drummers, old medicine men and dancers. Morocco can take you from the winding streets of a city’s medina to the desert in less than a day.

Choosing a destination and tour can be one of the more difficult decisions to make after deciding to travel with a group tour. Intrepid Group offers a wide range to help decide what’s best for you.