MOROCCO HIGH ATLAS INTRODUCTION

CHALLENGE OVERVIEW A land of incredible history and culture, Morocco is a melting pot of Berber, Arab and European influences. The country is perched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Sahara Desert in the far north western corner of Africa. More than anywhere else, it captures the spirit of North Africa; the smell of incense in the narrow labyrinths of the ancient souks in the cities, verdant Berber oases and the rolling golden dunes of the Sahara. Our journey through the High Atlas is a great chance to explore the rocky gorges and high altitude settlements that have populated this area for centuries. The local way of life has remainded virtually unchanged and despite being only a 4-hour flight from the UK, Morocco can seem a world away! The most challenging part of the trip will be the dawn ascent of Mount Toubkal; North Africa’s highest peak that tops out at over 4,167 metres above sea level. GRADING.

Tough! This is a multi-day trek to significant altitude.There are several hours of trekking each day and you will need to be in good physical shape to complete this challenge.You will have to deal with very hot and very cold temperatures and thin air, not to mention the rocky terrain! TRIP DURATION.

8 days in total with 6 days of trekking (trip extensions are available) ACCOMMODATION.

You will be accommodated in friendly, simple hotels in Marrakech. During the trek you will be staying in shared tents, although occasionally our guides may make use of simple mountain bunkhouses. AVAILABILTY.

May - October

1975 Morocco broke free from years of French colonial rule with the return of King Mohammed V in 1956. Morocco has been under the rule of many a power throughout its history. Although Independence Day in Morocco celebrates freedom from the French , the month of June, marks the freedom of the country in 1975 from Spanish rule.

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Morocco has a developing economy. The major resources of the economy are agriculture, phosphates, and tourism. It is the world’s biggest exporter and third-largest producer of phosphorus. Industry and mining contribute about onethird of the annual GDP.

HIGH ATLAS ITINERARY 8th June: DEPARTURE, ARRIVAL AND ORIENTATION You will depart from the UK for your flight to Marrakech, which may stop once en-route. You will be met on arrival by a Really Wild Representative and transferred to Imlil via Asni, a 3 hour drive from Marrakesh. Imlil is the principal trailhead for walkers and is also the place where you will meet our mule team. On arrival you will check in to your comfortable guesthouse. After dinner and a challenge briefing from your head guide you can make your final preparations. You can then retire for the night. Dinner included

9th June: TREK DAY ONE After breakfast and once all your gear is loaded, you will depart Imlil (1740m) and begin walking along along the valley towards Tacheddirt, some 8kms from Imlil. Soon the trail begins to rise as you climb up to the pass at Tizi ‘n Tamatert (2279m). You then descend to the pretty village of Ouaneskra (2200m) and continue, for a further half-hour or so, to Tacheddirt (2300m) where you will set up camp near the river. Breakfast and dinner included 10th June: TREK DAY TWO After breakfast, you will begin an immediate long, slow ascent to the pass at TiziLikemt (3555m). At the top you will enjoy your first view of the Toubkal Massif before a long downhill descent to the village of AzibLikemt (2200m) where you will set up your camp for the night. 11th June: TREK DAY THREE

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

This is a long but relatively easy day passing through many different landscapes. From Tizi ‘n Ououraine (3120m) you will enjoy further views of the Toubkal Massif including the summit, the east face and the Ifni Dome (3876m). The trail leads on towards Amsouzert (1700m), one of the most striking villages in the region, where you will spend the night in a local guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included

12th June:TREK DAY FOUR West of Amsouzertare you will explore several small villages as you make your way towards Ifni Lake (2300m), the only lake in the Massif. It is a memorable sight being unusually deep and surrounded by rocky mountains and giant heaps of rubble. You will expect to arrive by lunchtime and spend the afternoon relaxing at the shore.You will camp tonight in this area. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included 13th June:TREK DAY FIVE By now you should be fit, acclimatised and ready to tackle the hardest day of the trek. You will make your way along a steep path that leads up a seemingly endless scree slope until you reach the pass at Tizin’Ouanoums (3664m); a narrow ledge between two shafts of rock. From here it is a long zigzag descent to Neltner Refuge (3200m), where you will spend the night in tented accommodation. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included 14th June:TREK DAY SIX Today, you will leave before dawn following a well-worn route to the summit of Toubkal (4167m). If conditions are good it should take no more than 2-3 hours to reach the summit where you will enjoy beautiful views of the entire Atlas range and the Marrakech plains beyond. Returning to base, you then descend fairly rapidly to the villages of Sidi Chamharouch and Aremd before following the Mizane River, along a well-forested trail, to the trailhead at Imlil. You will then transfer back to Marrakech by private vehicle to your Riad where you will have the chance to rest before you head out for a celebratory meal. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included 15th June: DEPART After breakfast, you may have some free time (depending on your flight departure time) for last minute shopping and sightseeing before you transfer by private vehicle to the airport for you return flight to the UK. Breakfast included END OF SERVICES Our itineraries are planned well in advance and occasionally we may need to make minor alterations to them due to local circumstances. If there are any significant itinerary changes you will be informed directly however minor alternations and tweaks can be common and we ask you to bring a degree of flexibility with you.

MOROCCO HIGH ATLAS FAQ’S

HIGH ATLAS FAQ’S HOW MUCH MONEY DO I HAVE TO RAISE? Please see our website for more details. HOW MUCH OF THIS MONEY GOES TO THE CHARITY? Our challenges are typically run on a 50:50 minimum ratio. This means that, of the money you raise, at least half goes to furthering the vital work of the charity and the remaining money is used to cover the cost of your trip. IS THIS CHALLENGE SAFE? All of our challenge events involve an element of risk (that’s part of what makes them challenges!) but we work closely with our partners in Morocco ensure that your trip is memorable for all the right reasons! We risk assess all our trips rigorously and we comply with BS8848 British Standard for adventure travel. WHO WILL I BE TRAVELLING WITH? You will be travelling with your best friends (you just haven’t met some of them yet!). Group sizes vary but typically there will be 12-20 fellow participants on your trip. WHO WILL BE LOOKING AFTER US IN MOROCCO? We use only the best English-speaking guides who have years of experience of guiding in these mountains. They will not only be there to ensure that you are healthy, safe and well looked after – they will also be more than happy to give you a real insight to the culture and traditions of Morocco! WILL I GET SUPPORT FROM THE CHARITY FOR MY FUNDRAISING? Absolutely! Whilst it is your responsibility to reach your fundraising target, all our partner charities have staff dedicated to supporting participants taking part in a Really Wild event like this. CAN I EXTEND MY STAY IN MOROCCO AFTER THE TREK? Yes! Many of our departure dates allow participants to stay on as a group after the trek has finished and explore the highlights of Morocco. WHAT WILL THE WEATHER BE LIKE? Weather in the High Atlas mountains can be unpredictable, as in any mountain environment. Generally though, the weather in Morocco during June through to September is hot and dry with temperatures typically around 30-40 degrees Celsius during the day at lower altitudes. At night the temperature drops and you will need a fleece and a hat. DO I HAVE TO SPEAK ARABIC TO ENJOY THIS TRIP? No! All our staff in Morocco speak fluent English and you will find that, whilst Arabic is widely spoken and very useful, your guides and the people who live in the Atlas Moutains mostly speak Berber. French is the most widely spoken European language in Morocco but there are plenty of English speakers in the towns and cities.

62 PROVINCES

Morocco is divided into 16 regions, and subdivided into 62 prefectures and provinces. Casablanca is its largest city.

HIGH ATLAS INCLUSIONS

1942

HIGH ATLAS WHAT’S INCLUDED WHAT’S INCLUDED

Casablanca is an American romantic drama, in 1942, It was filmed in Moroccos largest city.

• International flights • All meals mentioned in the itinerary and three meals a day during the hike • All relevant transfers • All relevant accommodation • All national park fees, entrance fees, taxes, permits and vehicle entrance fees to national parks as applicable to the itinerary • Services of professional English speaking guides at all times • Safe drinking water during the hike • 24/7 support and emergency line available throughout the itinerary • Equipment hire facilities • All camping equipment required on the trek (exc. sleeping bags / mattresses) • Porter Service – You will only need to carry day packs whilst on the trek. WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED • Evacuation - in event of serious medical injury we will coordinate with your travel insurance company to arrange evacuation • Meals and drinks other than those mentioned • Tips and gratuities (we will advise on suitable amounts) • Optional excursions • Items of a personal nature such as souvenirs and telephone calls • Country visa (if applicable) • Travel insurance • Vaccinations • Personal equipment (e.g. sleeping bag, sleeping mat, clothes, hiking boots) Kit list will be provided upon registration.



MOROCCO OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS What about making the most of your time in Morocco? After completing such a tough challenge, you might decide to put your feet up for a little while and explore some of the amazing wonders that this great country has to offer. Here is an example of how you could choose to finish off your challenge: Camel Riding in the Sahara A visit to the Sahara desert should be on everyone’s wish list and it will leave you with memories to last you a lifetime. The dunes of Erg Chebbi have the highest and most spectacular sand dunes in Morocco and are a great place to experience getting across the Sahara the old-fashioned way; hop aboard a camel whilst it takes you on a journey you will not forget. Sleep overnight in a traditional Berber ‘Bedouin’ tent and get treated to a traditional tagine whilst staring at the millions of bright stars visible from this part of the world.

Here at Really Wild Challenges, we have devised some trip extensions that, we believe, will cater to every taste. Our range of extensions will be available to book 6-months in advance of departure so we will be in touch with you closer to the time to tell you more. *please note that all trip extensions are subject to availability

Camel Treking Sahara