| country: | Morocco |
| location: | Atlas Mountains |
| trip type: | Moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | 2009: 23 May |
| price: | From £1295 (9 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK. |
| offers: | We have a special offer on our Morocco walking trip departing 23 May. £100 off – Now only £1195. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |

photo gallery
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the amazing things you'll be doing
For those with a spirit of adventure, the attractions of Morocco are found in its wonderful mountains and its bustling bazaars – and this trip combines them both. Trekking in the high Atlas Mountains is an opportunity not to be missed as the experience of wandering through isolated Berber villages and up onto highland peaks will reward visitors with some of the most spectacular scenery and views in Africa. In addition, no traveller should miss the opportunity to visit Morocco's great old city of Marrakech, which, with the labyrinthine streets and passages of the centuries-old Medinas, offers endless possibilities for local interaction, exploration and shopping! Trekking in the high Atlas Mountains is an experience not to be passed up.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Marrakech. We’ll go straight to the hotel for check-in and then out to dinner before bed. |
| Day 2: | Marrakech – Tiziane. An early start and transfer by minibus through the Asni Valley to Tassa Ouirgane (1200m), to the start of our trek. A short day leads to the gite of Tiziane (1700m) after 4hrs walking. |
| Day 3: | Tiziane – Aremd. Passing through many typical Berber villages we will explore the Azzaden Valley. There will be amazing views of the Aït Mizane Valley from the Tizi M’zik pass (2360 m), before we reach the village of Aremd (1904 m). Today will be around 5 hours walking. Overnight at the gite of Aremd. |
| Day 4: | Aremd – Ouenskra. Today we trek to reach the Ouenskra (2250m) village over the Tizi N’tamatert pass (2280m), passing through Tachedirt. There is a magnificent panorama over the mountains and valleys. Overnight at the gite of Ouenskra. |
| Day 5: | Ouenskra – Imsker Today is a full day trek through the villages along the Imnan River to reach Imsker (1380m). Overnight at the gite of Imsker. |
| Day 6: | Imsker – Essaouira. A short trek leads us to Imi Oughlad (1380m) where we meet with our drivers for the transfer to Marrakech for lunch. Early in the afternoon we’ll continue on to Essaouira, where we will have some time to relax. We will stay in a hotel in the town. |
| Day 7: | Essaouira. Full day at leisure in Essaouira exploring this historical city built by the Portuguese, known for its fishing port. Overnight at the hotel. |
| Day 8: | Essaouira – Marrakech. Early transfer to Marrakech and lunch at leisure. After lunch we’ll have time for a ½ day city tour to explore the souks (markets), bazaars and the Djemaa el Fna Square. Rabat may be Morocco's capital city, and Casablanca it’s largest, but Marrakech is considered by many to be the cultural capital and by far the most atmospheric. In many ways, the main square of Djemaa el-Fna in Marrakech is the heart of the city. Plenty goes on here, from food stalls, to fortune-tellers and street performers. From here, there are several entries to the markets, and plenty of cafés. For a great view of the square, stop for a drink at the Café Glacier. Final dinner in the square and overnight at our hotel. |
| Day 9: | Departure. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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In Morocco we use local ground handlers who in turn book locally run hotels, providing employment for a number of members of staff and support families. The ground handlers also use local drivers and camp staff and ensure that all supplies are purchased locally for the journey. This means that all the operational costs go directly into the local economy.
On our horse treks, we work exclusively with “African Horse stables”, who ensure that the Barb/Arab horses we trek with are well treated, well fed and well looked after. Our trips visit local markets en-route enabling our clients to purchase arts and crafts directly from local artists and tribes-people, again ensuring that money goes directly into the community. We have a strict environmental policy to make sure that the fragile eco-system of the mountains is not damaged or spoilt in any way. Our guides are trained to uphold this policy and all clients are fully briefed on appropriate/responsible behaviour whilst in wilderness areas. Our “Leave No Trace” ethic is applied to all trips in all regions, and as tour operators is something we are careful to promote. In each area we employ and develop close relationships with drivers, camp staff and guides. We feel the interaction between our friends and our clients offers both parties a valuable understanding between cultures. When you take one of our trips, we make a contribution to “Climate Care” – an organisation devoted to ‘offsetting’ or ‘neutralising’ harmful greenhouse gas emissions caused by your flight. This is done by funding projects across the world that will reduce greenhouse gases on your behalf through sustainable energy or rainforest restoration. We also support several NGOs around the world such as the Hope Foundation, A-Cet and Adopt-A-Minefield, which are all carefully selected to improve the standard of living for the communities we visit. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |








