8
6 697
Depending on your arrival time, there may be some time to explore this wonderfully colourful city before our group meeting in the early evening. *Hotel Les Printemps by Blue Sea or similar*
After breakfast we transfer by minibus to Imi Oughlad, a journey that takes us from the plains around Marrakech into the heart of the High Atlas range. After meeting our mules and muleteers we start a 5 hour walk, climbing up to the Tacht Pass (2000m) before descending into the Azaden Valley, famous for its beautiful juniper forests. We camp on the outskirts of a small village by the river. *Full-service Camping*
Distance in Km: 11
Distance in Miles: 6
Activity Hours: 5
Altitude Gain: 643
Altitude Loss: 300
A full day walking through the villages on the northern slope of Mt Toubkal. This famous mountain can be seen from Marrakech thanks to its unique shape. We travel through Azib Tamsoult and the Irhouliden cascade before arriving at our camp for the night, which sits at L’Azib N-Tzikarte 2700m. There is an optional ascent in the afternoon for those who want to try a more demanding 3-hour trek to the summit of Hadjj (3200m), for excellent views of Mt Toubkal. *Full-service Camping*
Distance in Km: 8
Distance in Miles: 4
Activity Hours: 6
Altitude Gain: 900
Altitude Loss: 130
Today we cross the Aguelzim pass (3550m), the climb is quite steep but once at the top we can enjoy panoramic views of the Toubkal Massif and towards the plains that surround Marrakech. We then descend to Toubkal Base Camp and either enjoy a 3 hour optional climb to the summit of Ouanoums (3650m) or simply relax. The busy refuge, which sits at an altitude of 3207m, was constructed by Club Alpin Française in 2000. We camp in the grounds but can still benefit from the facilities, including showers, a small shop and the cosy lounge. *Full-service Camping *
Distance in Km: 6
Distance in Miles: 3
Activity Hours: 5
Altitude Gain: 850
Altitude Loss: 300
We make an early start from base camp for the ascent of Mount Toubkal, climbing steeply through scree before traversing the southern ridge to reach the summit at 4167m. After enjoying the magnificent panoramic views, we descend back to base camp. Here we have the rest of the afternoon free to reflect on our achievement. *Full-service Camping*
Distance in Km: 6
Distance in Miles: 3
Activity Hours: 6
Altitude Gain: 960
Altitude Loss: 960
We have an exciting opportunity this morning to ascend another of Morocco's 4000m peaks - Mt Ouanakrim. Although lower than Toubkal this summit is considered more challenging, but is often a highlight of the week for many Exodus clients. Depending on weather and the group’s ability, our leader will decide if this walk is achievable. On return we leave base camp to walk down to the village of Arroumd (1904m). If there is time, we will spend the afternoon exploring the village. Other may chose just to relax on the pretty terrace. Please note that distance below do not include optional climb. *Hotel Armed or similar*
Distance in Km: 9
Distance in Miles: 5
Activity Hours: 4 (not including the ascend to Ouanakrim)
Altitude Loss: 1300
The short walk down to Imlil is followed by the drive back towards Marrakech, where we have a guided tour. Taking in the main sites we learn about the history, culture and architecture of this wonderful city. We then have free time to explore the Djemaa el Fna and the souk, a must for some serious bargaining for souvenirs. *Hotel Les Printemps by Blue Sea or similar*
Distance in Km: 4
Distance in Miles: 2
Activity Hours: 1
Altitude Loss: 170
* 4 nights camping, 1 night gite with shared facilities and 2 nights 3-star
hotel in en suite rooms
* 5 days point-to-point walking
* Group normally 5 to 16, plus local leader. Min. age 16 yrs
* Altitude maximum 4167m, average 2600m
* Travel by minibus
All breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners included.
Moroccan food is, generally speaking, excellent though not particularly
varied.
Breakfasts usually consist of porridge, bread and jam with coffee or
tea. Main meals will often be in the form of tajines of meat and vegetables
with a great mix of herbs and spices and light fluffy cous cous. Salads will
often comprise of both cooked and raw vegetables including tomatoes, smoked
peppers and aubergine. Seafood is also popular as are dried fruits and
pastries.
When eating out, meals are reasonably priced - kebab and bread cost only
about £4 (approx. US$6.50). In main towns it is possible to find very good
French and Moroccan restaurants where a meal with wine will cost anything
from £20 (approx. US$30) upwards. Generally dinner is likely to cost between
£5-10 (approx. US$8-15) depending on what you drink. £15 (approx. US$25) a
day for food should be sufficient. Local beers, wines and soft drinks are
available at very reasonable prices but you can pay UK prices or more for
imported alcohol. Your leader can help recommend restaurants each evening.
Vegetarians can be catered for but there is a fairly limited choice of cous
cous and tajine or omelettes. This is particularly the case during the more
rural or trekking sections of the trip.
If you have any special dietary requirements you should inform the Exodus
Office prior to the trip. If you have a specific medical/dietary need (i.e.
coeliac or vegan) you may find it helpful to bring some items of food with
you from home.
We advise you buy your own water purification tablets in the UK and take them
with you. Bottled water can be purchased throughout the trip, but as
recycling is not fully established in Morocco plastic bottles are an
increasing waste problem.
We encourage you to bring water bottles and a means of purifying, filtering
or sterilising water (see packing section) in order to be able to drink cool
water from mountain streams. Bottles of water are available but we strongly
discourage buying these as it contributes to plastic waste.
* 4 nights camping, 1 night gite with shared facilities and 2 nights 3-star
hotel in en suite rooms
* 5 days point-to-point walking
* Group normally 5 to 16, plus local leader. Min. age 16 yrs
* Altitude maximum 4167m, average 2600m
* Travel by minibus
This is a challenging yet non-technical trek to an area of outstanding scenic
and cultural interest. Although this trip is not technically difficult, you
should be an experienced walker as trails can be very stony. Most routes
follow mule trails but there are some rough paths that involve walking on
scree. All 5 days walking include full porterage and you should be prepared
for a couple of long days with some boulders and steep sections (maximum 8-9
hours). Jebel Ouanakrim requires a small amount of scrambling near the summit
but it is optional.
The temperature at particular times of year can make a difference to how
tough this trek feels. Please note that Morocco can get very hot during the
summer months of July and August and departures during this time may not be
suitable if you struggle with the heat. Be prepared as well for some stormy
weather even during the summer. There can be snow patches in late April/early
May and from the end of September so crampons may be needed for April and
October departures. We will advise no more than two weeks before departure if
extra equipment/clothing is necessary. Crampons and ice axes will be provided
free of charge in these circumstances. From May to June, snow can
occasionally block some passes in the mountains and force your leader to
change the itinerary. As with any trek in mountainous/high altitude
areas, safety is paramount and your leaders will always make decisions to
amend the itineraries to ensure the safety of the whole group.
*Altitude Warning:* This trip goes to high altitudes where there is a risk of
being affected by Acute Mountain Sickness. Please refer to the Altitude
Warning below for further information. In order to keep a circular itinerary,
this holiday offers four nights camping, with two of these spent over 3000m.
Please note two nights camping are in wild camps as official campsites do not
exist in some of the areas we visit. On the treks we use mules to carry
personal gear so only a light daypack is required, occasionally carrying a
share of the picnic lunch.
Our hotel in Marrakech is of a good standard and has a swimming pool to help
relax after a challenging trek.
If you would like to a more strenuous ascent of Mt Toubkal, using ice axe and
crampons, please check out our winter itinerary - Mt Toubkal Winter Climb
(trip reference TMW).
*Please note Ramadan runs from 23 April to evening of 22 May 2020 (evening
of 13 April to evening of 12 May 2021) - *During Ramadan, our local guides
and drivers choose to work and so we continue to run trips in this period.
However, the energy levels of our staff and some local guides may be a bit
lower and some restaurants may be closed during the day. Ramadan is a
special time to visit a Muslim country - each evening the streets empty for
an hour while everyone breaks their fast, and there's a feeling of festivity
in the air at sundown.
Hotels & Camping
On this trip you will spend 2 nights in a 3 star hotel with en suite rooms
and small swimming pool. 4 nights will be spent camping, 2 at the Toubkal
base camp while the other 2 are wild camping. Here camp chores will be done
for you but there will be limited washing facilities and no fixed toilets. On
day 6 you will spend 1 night in a cosy gite with hot showers and toilets.
There may be times when the weather forces us to use a gite instead of
camping at basecamp. This gite is more akin to a mountain refuge with dorm
rooms and single supplements are not available for these nights.
There will be a local leader, driver and local muleteers/guides throughout. A
second leader will join the group for all walking days for groups of 11 or
more.
All breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners included.
Moroccan food is, generally speaking, excellent though not particularly
varied.
Breakfasts usually consist of porridge, bread and jam with coffee or
tea. Main meals will often be in the form of tajines of meat and vegetables
with a great mix of herbs and spices and light fluffy cous cous. Salads will
often comprise of both cooked and raw vegetables including tomatoes, smoked
peppers and aubergine. Seafood is also popular as are dried fruits and
pastries.
When eating out, meals are reasonably priced - kebab and bread cost only
about £4 (approx. US$6.50). In main towns it is possible to find very good
French and Moroccan restaurants where a meal with wine will cost anything
from £20 (approx. US$30) upwards. Generally dinner is likely to cost between
£5-10 (approx. US$8-15) depending on what you drink. £15 (approx. US$25) a
day for food should be sufficient. Local beers, wines and soft drinks are
available at very reasonable prices but you can pay UK prices or more for
imported alcohol. Your leader can help recommend restaurants each evening.
Vegetarians can be catered for but there is a fairly limited choice of cous
cous and tajine or omelettes. This is particularly the case during the more
rural or trekking sections of the trip.
If you have any special dietary requirements you should inform the Exodus
Office prior to the trip. If you have a specific medical/dietary need (i.e.
coeliac or vegan) you may find it helpful to bring some items of food with
you from home.
We advise you buy your own water purification tablets in the UK and take them
with you. Bottled water can be purchased throughout the trip, but as
recycling is not fully established in Morocco plastic bottles are an
increasing waste problem.
We encourage you to bring water bottles and a means of purifying, filtering
or sterilising water (see packing section) in order to be able to drink cool
water from mountain streams. Bottles of water are available but we strongly
discourage buying these as it contributes to plastic waste.
For this trip we use a private bus, the size of which will depend on the
group size, with a local driver. Roads in Morocco are reasonable and driving
conditions in towns and on the plains are good. On mountain roads, the pace
will be slower. Although the buses normally have air-conditioning and
heating, this may not be up to European standards.
*Travelling flight inclusive from London: 8 days*
We normally use the scheduled services of British Airways or Royal Air Maroc
(depending on availability). As flight timings and schedules change
regularly we recommend you call one of our specialist sales staff or your
agent to confirm up‐to‐date timings. Please note timings may change at a
later date and cannot be confirmed until approximately two weeks before
departure.
There are alternative flight options from regional airports (Bristol,
Liverpool, Manchester…) Please ask our Sales team for more information.
*Travelling land only: 8 days starting and ending in Marrakech*
Your trip normally starts at our accommodation in Marrakech in the of Day 1
of the itinerary. Details of how to reach the start point are provided in the
Final Joining Instructions ‐ sent approximately two weeks before departure.
*The airport in Marrakech is famously inefficient, and transit through it can
be a lengthy process. Upon arrival, you can expect at 2 hours to be spent in
getting through immigration, security and baggage reclaim. You should have a
pen with you to complete the arrivals form and have the details of your
accommodation to hand also for this purpose. Operators are not allowed to
wait inside the terminal building for clients, so please find your Exodus
representative outside the main doors.*
*Upon departure from Marrakech, we always suggest allowing 3 hours to
navigate the airport as checking in, bag drop, immigration and security can
take even longer on exit for Marocco. The airport doesn't accept mobile
boarding passes, so we suggest having a printed boarding pass to avoid
subjecting yourself to further delays.*
In Spring and Autumn, Marrakech is warm to hot (maximum daytime temperatures
around 25 - 30degC) with pleasantly cool nights. In the High Atlas the sun is
strong but the air is cool and the nights can be cold. Mornings are clear but
cloud in the afternoon is usual, often bringing showers and occasional
storms.
In Spring and Autumn, Marrakech is warm to hot (maximum daytime temperatures
around 25 - 30ºC) with pleasantly cool nights. In the High Atlas the sun is
strong but the air is cool and the nights can be cold. Mornings are clear but
cloud in the afternoon is usual, often bringing showers and occasional
storms. During the summer months, Marrakech is very hot (33 - 42ºC), as are
some of the lower valleys of the High Atlas. At medium altitudes the days
will be hot and the nights warm. Only at 3000m+, when it will be cold, will
you require warm clothing. During the summer, the sky should be clear but as
in all mountain areas the weather can be unpredictable and late August can
have some stormy weather. Rain can be experienced on all treks, usually
showers but sometimes storms. In April/May and occasionally in October there
may be a little snow lying at the higher altitudes. Please note this chart
denotes the average temperatures in Marrakech.
* Waterproof and windproof jacket
* Fleece jacket or equivalent
* Gloves & hat (for summit days)
* 3 season sleeping bag
* Travel pillow
* Water bottle
* Water purification tablets
* Sunhat
* Sunglasses
* Sunscreen
* Daysack
* Strong walking boots with good ankle support and tread
* Water free hand gel
* Travel towel
* Soap
* Toilet paper
* Torch (flashlight)
* Earplugs if you have trouble sleeping
In addition to the items mentioned above, essential kit for treks departing
in April, May, September and October:
* Warm jacket
* Warm trousers
* Waterproof trousers
* 4 season sleeping bag
If you decide not to bring a kitbag, please make sure to bring a soft holdall
and not a hard suitcase.
As Morocco is a strict Muslim country, we ask that you wear suitable
clothing, i.e. over the knee skirts/shorts/trousers and with shoulders
covered. Additionally, women should avoid wearing close-fitting or revealing
clothes.
We believe in reducing our negative environmental impacts wherever possible,
this goes for when you need to spend a penny in the great outdoors! If no
facilities are available there may come a time when you need to go to the loo
behind a tree/bush/rock. To avoid leaving toilet paper behind we recommend
taking biodegradable dog poo/sandwich bags with you. Once you have done your
business you can pop the used toilet roll in here and take it off the
mountain or trail at the end of the day and dispose of it when there are
appropriate facilities available.
Plastic bottles are a big issue in many countries where recycling isn’t yet
widely available; they often end up in landfill sites or get burnt, both
processes are harmful to the environment and we would like to reduce our
impact here. In an effort to reduce waste from single-use plastic bottles we
strongly encourage you to bring a means of purifying or filtering water which
can be collected from streams. This can be done via water purification
tablets, water bottles with a built in filter, portable filtration pumps or
the use of sterilisation tools such as steripens. Steripens use UV light in
order to kill viruses and bacteria as do purification tablets whilst
filtration systems or bottles, obviously, filter these out. There are
numerous brands available such as ‘Water-to-Go’, ‘Grayl’ and others,
similarly there are numerous water filter pumps such as ‘Lifesaver
Liberty’ and others. These are just suggestions of possible brands but you
may want to research into which is most suitable for you. It is possible to
buy bottles of water at various points but we discourage this as it
contributes to plastic waste.
* Walking poles
We recommend you change your money at the airport into the local currency, as
Morocco only allows 1000 dirhams to be imported or exported. When changing
your money, ensure that you keep hold of your exchange receipt as you may
need to show it at the airport bank at the end of your holiday where it's
normally possible to change any unspent Dirham notes back into Euros,
Sterling or US Dollars.
Drinks and snacks whilst in the hotels and refuge (please note there is only
mineral water and chocolate at Neltner Refuge) - approximately £2-3 (approx.
US$3-5) per day should be enough.
Allow approximately £2-4 (approx. US$3-6.50) per day to cover small
souvenirs or postcards etc. Some may be cheap, but carpets, for example, can
cost a lot.
Our local staff are paid well and fairly for their work with Exodus and
tipping is at your discretion for both the leader and the local staff.
However we would like to advise that tipping is part of the local culture and
generally expected. If you do wish to tip, we have found it useful for the
group to have a kitty for tipping – about 200 dirhams per person, this can
ease confusion and embarrassment of not knowing how much or how little to tip
local staff (such as drivers, cooks and guides). If you do not wish to join
in on the group kitty, do not feel pressured. Many clients also wish to tip
their leaders at the end of the trip, we suggest 30 dirhams a day per person.
This is completely at your own discretion and to be used as a guideline only.
* Travel insurance
* Visa's and Vaccinations
* Single supplement
Ved skriftlig aksept av vårt tilbud bekrefter du/dere at våre betingelser er både lest og forstått og at evt kansellerings gebyrer kan tilkomme ved en evt. avbestilling av reisen.