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Morocco holidays, Atlas Panorama

COUNTRY:
Morocco
LOCATION:
Atlas Mountains
HOLIDAY TYPE:
Moderate walking holidays
DEPARTURES:
2012: 18 Mar, 8 Apr, 29 Apr, 13 May, 27 May, 3 Jun, 1 Jul, 22 Jul, 26 Aug, 9 Sep, 16 Sep, 30 Sep, 7 Oct, 14 Oct, 21 Oct, 4 Nov, 18 Nov, 9 Dec, 23 Dec, 30 Dec
2013: 6 Jan, 20 Jan, 3 Feb, 17 Feb, 3 Mar, 17 Mar, 31 Mar, 14 Apr, 28 Apr
PRICE:
From £599 - £699 (8 days) including UK flights
MORE INFO:
From £379 - £439 excluding flights. Single supplement £80.
VOUCHERS:
Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
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Morocco holidays, Atlas Panorama

Morocco holidays, Atlas Panorama

Volunteer departures
We have been working with the people of Tijhza Valley for many years on various projects, from helping to build a water tower to providing energy-saving light bulbs for the many villages that make up this wonderfully remote community. Founded by our tour leader, Andy McKee continues to support his Berber friends by leading special groups for hardy volunteers, who work alongside the villagers and receive a truly memorable experience in return. This is an excellent opportunity to enjoy relaxed walking in the picturesque Tijhza Valley, and at the same time discover the way of life of these hardy but extremely friendly Berber people. By helping to paint some of the poorer homes in the village or simply helping to distribute the incredible amounts of materials sent to this community, you can make a difference and become directly involved with our Responsible Tourism project. There is also time for you to enjoy any of the various spectacular walks that leave straight from the village.

Next volunteer trip is 25th September 2011
Small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.

How this holiday makes a difference

As a part of our continued commitment to responsible tourism, we operate this trip in a way that aims to reduce impacts and to give as much back as possible to the local communities. Whilst staying at the gite in the mountains we will have the opportunity to visit the local school, which has been adopted by as one of our Responsible Tourism projects. We have already supplied a water pipeline system to the village as well as a toilet block for the school and we are keen to continue much much-needed improvements for the people of the village.

We also support the Terre des Jeunes Project based just outside Marrakech. This project was set up to help young, underprivileged children, to be integrated back into society. The school gives these children a support network, offers them education along with the skills necessary to gain a gardening apprenticeship. They are then supported in the task of finding employment at a local hotel. The projects aims are both to help these children and to promote environmental awareness.

In Tighza you stay in a local gite, which has provided direct benefit and employment to the local community. We use a locally run operator, who employs local leaders. We have worked with them for many years and over this time have built up an excellent working relationship, we have regular training sessions with the local leaders to help them in all aspects of their jobs, to encourage them to think about the responsible tourism issues and to implement these ideas on the trips. We are also working with our operator on issues such as reducing our impact by not buying plastic drinking bottles but developing a refill system on our centre based trips.

We use local leaders and they receive regular training from us, which covers all aspects of their jobs including Responsible Tourism and ensuring that all clients are given a responsible tourism briefing. Leaders are also encouraged to take all clients to visit our responsible tourism projects in the areas they visit.

We use all locally owned and run accommodation on this trip. This contributes directly to the local communities as local staff are employed and locally produced and sourced goods are bought for the accommodation benefiting the wider community. The group is limited to 16 and this small group sizes means we can stay in small locally run accommodation so helping to benefit the local communities who employ local staff and source supplies locally. This also means that the groups do not have a dramatic affect on the local communities in terms of litter and resources.

We have at our offices worked to reduce our carbon footprint through a reduction of energy use and energy conservation measures. We also actively reduce the waste produced by having active reduction and recycling policies in place. We run annual staff workshops on Responsible Tourism. Global warming is a reality and to help you make a difference by reducing the carbon dioxide that is produced when you travel we offer a chance to carbon balance your flights. We encourage all our clients to do this and do so for all our staff travel. Go on do your bit!

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Story of the holiday provider

The three founders of this adventure company drove from London to Kathmandu in 1974 on an itinerary they made up as they went along, ending with a hike up to Everest Base Camp. Believing activity holidays offer you greater insight into a country, they set up as trekking tour operators. The staff all come from adventurous backgrounds, have led dozens of trips all over the world and have collectively climbed Kilimanjaro over 100 times. Whether you want a hardcore trek or a softer experience, rest assured your guide will have the expertise to take you firmly out of your comfort zone.

Listen to the podcast below:

Holiday provider no: 55

Morocco holidays, Atlas Panorama

Reviewed 01 Jan 2012 by Kerrie Buhagiar4 star rating

Great - just what I needed...the benefits (economically) were shared out across the community and local villages with different families involved in different ways. (read full review)

Reviewed 22 Nov 2011 by Tammo Schuelke4 star rating

Absolutely great....The first night we had exceptionally clear skies - I've never seen anywhere near as many stars. Beautiful!(read full review)

Reviewed 26 Oct 2011 by Dave Young4 star rating

Very good - a good combination of a 'full-on' city like Marrakech and the much more contemplative environment of the quiet mountains. The contrast between the two is huge.(read full review)

Reviewed 14 May 2010 by Holly Foat5 star rating

Amazing, brilliant, inspiring… I can really see why it’s so hard not to go back! The most memorable part of the week was the hamman in Marrakech, mostly because it involved being thoroughly scrubbed by a rather large woman whilst lying naked on a tiled floor in a dark steamy room down one of the back alleys of Marrakech – it was so far removed from my normal life! (read full review)

Reviewed 20 Oct 2010 by Anne Marshallsay4 star rating

Most memorable? Walking in the Atlas Mountains, our group bonded well and the support from our guide was brilliant! The scenery is amazing and I would love to go again!(read full review)

Reviewed 08 Feb 2010 by Val Scaresbrook4 star rating

Most memorable was seeing the Atlas Mountains - the geology and environment are so different to what we've seen before.(read full review)

Reviewed 08 Jan 2008 by Rebecca Hill5 star rating

It was absolutely wonderful.(read full review)

Reviewed 13 May 2008 by Monica Filkova4 star rating

Visiting a local Berber home with an old Kasbah & having tea with some members of the family was the highlight. (read full review)

Reviewed 08 Apr 2008 by Jo Beesley4 star rating

Excellent holiday - would not hesitate to book another one in a different part of the world. (read full review)

Reviewed 16 Oct 2007 by Terry Artt4 star rating

Sleeping under the stars in the desert, the stars were brilliant and the moon rose during the night. The Berbers cooked a lovely simple meal which we ate sitting on the sand under the stars. The colours of the desert and the mountains are unforgettable.(read full review)

Reviewed 11 Jul 2007 by Kaye Birks1 star rating

The guide was very friendly and helpful and allowed us time to walk slowly in the 38 degree Celsius heat.(read full review)

Reviewed 10 Dec 2006 by Rachael Goodall5 star rating

4.5 out of 5! I feel reborn. The most memorable or exciting part of your holiday was either the 32km walk to the lake in the mountains or the hammam experience when we had some free time on the last day - every traveller should seriously consider visiting the hammam!!!(read full review)

Reviewed 24 Dec 2006 by Kate Jayasuriya4 star rating

The mountain setting was superb, very beautiful and felt completely cut off from the rest of the world. It was so refreshing to re-connect with the simple life - honest food, clean air, virgin snow, silly after dinner games and mule transportation.(read full review)

Reviewed 24 Dec 2006 by Jill Adams4 star rating

We really enjoyed our holiday. Redouan, the local guide was excellent and we were very well looked after in the guesthouse... I would throughly recommend it.(read full review)

Reviewed 24 Sep 2006 by Carolyn Logan-Taylor4 star rating

I loved the village so much I want to return and assist on projects there. I really didn't want to come home. I've learnt a lot about myself and how material things really don't matter. I can't wait to go back. Marrakesh 5/10. Atlas Mountains 100/10. (read full review)

Reviewed 23 Apr 2006 by Jennifer Barnes4 star rating

We had a wonderful holiday in Morocco with this operator. The most memorable bits were the souk in Marrakesh, a meal with with our guide in a Moroccan restaurant serving a buffet of traditional Moroccan food, our guide's skills and friendliness, and the wonderful walks he took us on in the Atlas mountains. (read full review)

Reviewed 04 Jan 2006 by Margo Thaller4 star rating

The size of the group was perfect. As a French citizen I enjoyed very much travelling with Brits. (read full review)

Reviewed 11 Dec 2005 by Tom Barry4 star rating

I really enjoyed that we were authentically off the tourist trail and we experienced day to day village life & sounds. The guide Mohammod was very approachable and professional. (read full review)

Reviewed 25 Sep 2005 by Emma Fisher4 star rating

The walking in the Atlas mountains - the walks themselves, the hostel and its staff, the wonderful welcome and food they gave us... (read full review)

Reviewed 10 Apr 2005 by Susan M Tyzack4 star rating

We had a wonderful and much needed holiday. It was most relaxing, especially since all the hard work in planning and arranging everything had been done excellently by the operator and especially the local guides. Fantastic!(read full review)

Reviewed 10 Apr 2005 by John Read4 star rating

It was an excellent holiday. Morocco is a fascinating and beautiful country with delightful people who are alternatively living in the 18th and 21st century (the wonderful simplicity of the Berber villages is such a contrast to the sophistication of the towns but the villages now have satellite tv so all that will change soon). (read full review)
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Holiday Reviews

We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!

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