Charity camel trek in the Sahara
| country: | Morocco |
| location: | Sahara Desert |
| departures: | 2009: 17 Oct |
| price: | From £950 (9 days) including flights from the UK. Fundraising option: £200 participation fee + £1500 minimum sponsorship (£800 to your chosen charity). This trip can be booked without flights. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Raise funds for a charity of your choice as you experience the delights of Marrakech, the stunning landscape of the Saharan desert, sleep out under the Saharan sky during a two day camel trek, experience two nights in a desert oasis and experience the life of the nomadic tribes which still wander with their camel trains across the lonely lunaresque dunes.
Finally, you will get to spend two days refurbishing a community building in a Berber village of Oulaid Dr working alongside locals, learning about their life in this inhospitable, yet strangely beautiful environment, before enjoying a second night in Marrakech.
Your journey will take you through some of the most stunning Atlas passes along the Tiickha Pass from Marrakech to Ouarzazate (pronounced War-za-zat). The road from Ouarzazate to Zagora (about 100 miles) takes you at first through the grandeur of the peaks and ridges of the Djebel Sarhro range to the main pass at Tizi n'Tinififft (1,660 m). At Agdz, you emerge from the mountains to catch a first, extraordinary glimpse of the Draa Valley and the oases - a thick streak of palms reaching out into the haze, and the first sign of the Draa kasbahs, rising as if from the land where the green gives way to the desert.
The journey continues south through the mountains and on towards the town of Zagora, whose scenery is evocative, being located in the middle of a belt of sand dunes. Again, onwards south, then west, then north, to the fascinating town of Oulaid Driss, which again boasts a wonderful Kasbah, cafes and more authenticity than would find in some of the more well known towns in the region. And, there are guaranteed to be more than a few opportunities to get alongside the locals, and find out what life is really like in this bleak, baron, yet beautiful region.
Finally, you will get to spend two days refurbishing a community building in a Berber village of Oulaid Dr working alongside locals, learning about their life in this inhospitable, yet strangely beautiful environment, before enjoying a second night in Marrakech.
Your journey will take you through some of the most stunning Atlas passes along the Tiickha Pass from Marrakech to Ouarzazate (pronounced War-za-zat). The road from Ouarzazate to Zagora (about 100 miles) takes you at first through the grandeur of the peaks and ridges of the Djebel Sarhro range to the main pass at Tizi n'Tinififft (1,660 m). At Agdz, you emerge from the mountains to catch a first, extraordinary glimpse of the Draa Valley and the oases - a thick streak of palms reaching out into the haze, and the first sign of the Draa kasbahs, rising as if from the land where the green gives way to the desert.
The journey continues south through the mountains and on towards the town of Zagora, whose scenery is evocative, being located in the middle of a belt of sand dunes. Again, onwards south, then west, then north, to the fascinating town of Oulaid Driss, which again boasts a wonderful Kasbah, cafes and more authenticity than would find in some of the more well known towns in the region. And, there are guaranteed to be more than a few opportunities to get alongside the locals, and find out what life is really like in this bleak, baron, yet beautiful region.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | London - Marrakech. Depart London Heathrow for Marrakech. Transfer to the Hotel Residence Grand Sud for welcome dinner and overnight. |
| Day 2: | Marrakech - Oulaid Driss. Drive over the Tiickha Pass & down to Ouarzazate, before continuing to Zagora and Oulaid Driss. (approx 8hrs drive). You will be welcomed by the villagers and briefed about the local traditions. Overnight in the local camp. |
| Day 3-4: | Start your trek in the desert, over dunes and lunar rocky scenery, walking with your local berber team, your guide, your cook and the camel owners. Together, at the pace of camels, you will appreciate the Saharan landscape and time. You will understand how important is it to respect and go with nature, not against it. You will learn the secrets of nomad cuisine – how to cook bread in the sand, sleep under the stars read the magnificient Saharan night sky. Nights will be spent under canvas. |
| Day 5: | Today you will walk back to Oulaid Driss. Overnight in the local camp. |
| Day 6-7: | Two days of community work, during which you will help the local to renovate and modernise a local community building and set up sport facilities for the children. Overnight in the local camp. |
| Day 8: | Return journey to Marrakech. Farewell dinner and overnight at the Hotel Residence Grand Sud. |
| Day 9: | Transfer to the airport for the return flight to London. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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This tour offers you opportunities which few other charity fundraising events do. Instead of just ‘seeing’ Morocco as a mere fundraising tourist, a spectator of sceneries and events happening to other people, this tour will provide you with the chance of actually getting involved with a community development project in the Berber village in which you are staying.
We work to very rigorous environmental sustainability standards, such as ensuring the accommodation is vetted to ensure rigorous environmental sustainability standards, water conservation and recycling policies, and that they source as many products as possible locally, that the hotel workers and support staff benefit from ‘staff friendly’ employment practices, such as the right to belong to trades union, and earn a fair wage for a fair days work. Therefore we can guarantee that the money you spend directly benefits local people.  As well as the physical challenge of a three day trek through the Sahara, you will spend two days helping out on a community development project in a Berber village, directly benefiting the very people who have just guided you through the desert! By raising a minimum sponsorship for your chosen UK charity, you can ensure this trip helps communities both at home and abroad. |
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