Trek Detailed Trip-Notes
Know before you Go
Before you leave for your walking and trekking holiday to Morocco, it is important that you read this pre-departure that has been prepared to provide you with as much information as possible about your forthcoming adventure to ensure that your trip begins and continues to run as smoothly as possible. While we appreciate that you are embarking on an “adventure holiday” that will produce its own share of surprises, it is also true that forewarned is forearmed. This information is not written with the intention of being anything other than general information that we hope will help you become more prepared for your holiday. We hope that our services will exceed your expectations and the following information will help to ensure you have a memorable holiday and great time during your trip in Morocco. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.
Useful and Essential Information
🔸 Treks offering Enriching Travel Experiences
With over 19 years of experience in leading and organizing tours all over Morocco, we at Atlas Sahara Explore aim to offer all our guests visiting Morocco the ultimate vacation, authentic experiences, and memorable holidays. For all travel lovers and adventure seekers out, we work hard to offer you incredible travel experiences that will blow your mind, change your world view and let you dig down deep into foreign culture. Travelling with us will guarantee you unforgettable memories you will treasure for a long time and above all you will be in great and safe hands throughout your holiday in Morocco.
🔸 Expert Local Tour Guides
All our groups are is entrusted to expert Moroccan Tour guides who speak several foreign languages and competent staff who will take care of all services from beginning to end of tour. You will be accompanied by a professional team who represents the real image of our company and consists mainly of native Berber people. The success of your trip, your safety and your welfare are our main objectives.
The friendly Berbers who accompanying you will work hard to ensure you discover Morocco in a way it should be seen, offering you rewarding and remarkable experiences and above all unforgettable memories you will treasure for a long time. We at Atlas Sahara Explore we work hard to ensure that your travel experience is filled with accurate information, and our local guides will help you discover awe-inspiring landscapes and will give you an-in-depth culture immersion that can open doors to a deeper understanding of the places you’re going to visit.
🔸 Local Crews and Companions Staff
Atlas Sahara Explore employs hundreds of locals all round the year. Cooks, assistants, drivers and camphands… Their wealth of detailed knowledge and experience make them excellent trip companions when hiking or trekking in diverse regions of Morocco. The most of our itineraries are usually supported by a crew of muleteers and camel-drivers with their pack animals they carry your luggage, food supplies, logistic and all necessary camping equipment. All our muleteers and cameleers are Berber natives’ mostly nomadic people. Instead of having to struggle along the way with back packs heavily loaded with the barest of necessities, therefore you will be able to enjoy easy to moderate walks and hikes with campground facilities.
🔸 Accommodation on Trek
During the trekking days, the overnight stay will be Bivouac style. Tented camp is the most practical option to discover some of Morocco’s most breathtaking scenery and wilderness areas. With us you will camp in comfortable spacious camping tents and foam mattresses are provided. We also supply crockery and cutlery needed and all cooking and cleaning chores are taken care of by our trek staff. Camping in tents allows you to enjoy nights out in the open air, experiencing moments of real pleasure discovering the spectacular night skies and stars.
Services Included on this Trek
- 🔹 All land transportation by private air-con vehicles
- 🔹 Services of a professional tour guide
- 🔹 Accommodation in private camps or Hut to Hut
- 🔹 Full board included during the trekking days
- 🔹 Camels to carry your luggage during the trek
- 🔹 Mineral bottled water provided daily
- 🔹 Luggage handling and all hotel taxes
- 🔹 Professional Liability Insurance
What is not included on this Trek
- 🔸 Personal Travel medical Insurance
- 🔸 Miscellaneous items of a personal nature
- 🔸 All items not mentioned as being included
- 🔸 Tips for the local crew
🔸 Accommodation in Cities
An important feature of all Atlas Sahara Explore Tours is the wide range of accommodation used. When visiting the imperial cities, Southern Morocco and the Sahara desert, we offer a great choice of carefully selected accommodations in very comfortable boutique hotels or stylish authentic riads and charming guest houses, which have been chosen for their comfort and cleanliness as well as their charm, welcoming quality, tranquility and security. Our selected accommodations are nestled in the heart of the city, with close proximity to the main business areas and attractive highlights. The accommodations we propose offer a brasserie restaurant, internet access, fully-equipped fitness centre and laundry service.
🔸 Camels to carry your staff on Trek
For the walking and trekking days along the coastline, we provide the necessary logistics of setting up and installing the overnight camps, cooking facilities and kitchen equipment. Most of our programs are supported by a crew of camel-drivers with their pack camels to carry your luggage and all camping equipment during the trekking days. Rather than struggling along the trail with heavily loaded back packs, your bags are transported by camels allowing you to enjoy the easy to moderate walks and hikes with camp site facilities. You will only need to carry essential items for your trekking day : water bottle, sun cream, camera and a warm fleece.
🔸 Trek itinerary and Breaks
The itinerary and stages of all our walking and hiking tours are well designed and calculated to allow comfort breaks and photo taking. You will have enough time to discover beautiful sites and attractive highlights, encounter the locals, admire the landscapes and take pictures. Our tour guides make each and every trip wonderful by sharing their extensive knowledge and taking care of all the little details, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy every moment of your holiday.
🔸 Personal Travel Insurance
Personal travel insurance is compulsory for all our trips. We require that, at a minimum, you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. It is very important that you have insurance cover which is adequate and suitable for your particular needs. When selecting a travel insurance policy we strongly require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation, until the date you return home. This will not only guarantee you peace of mind while you travel with Atlas Sahara Explore but also cover you for any things that can go wrong while travelling.
🔸 Best Food on Trekking Tours
The cuisine of Morocco is quite well known and enjoyed, and rightly on treks you can savour the delights of our gastronomy when you taste tajines, couscous, harira and a wide range of other Berber and Arabic traditional dishes during the tour days. Supplies of fresh fruits and vegetables are available, as well as Moroccan pastries which are stuffed with almond paste.
Food is an important aspect of our trip and well-balanced meals which are varied and of good quality as we realize that it is an important part of the holiday to experience meals that are not only well-balanced and healthy to support all the outdoor activity, but also to help you discover Morocco through its famous cuisine. Delicious food is certainly one of the highlights of traveling in Morocco and every meal is a new page in Moroccan gastronomy symbolizing a culinary heritage that is our pride.
On our camping trips the food is cooked by Berber cooks who have a wide menu of local dishes, all meals are always prepared and cooked to meet the highest standards of hygiene. Most of our clients say that food on treks is even better than meals in hotels and restaurants.
Breakfast : coffee, milk, black tea or mint tea, honey, butter, cheese, orange jam, strawberry, fig and peach jam, pancakes, toast, cereals, bread…
During the walk : the magic bag is always there in time; almonds, dates, figs, walnuts, peanuts, pralines…
Lunch & Dinner : food always hot and varied : vegetable tagine, meat tagine, chicken tagine, Moroccan soup, couscous, rice, chips, lamb and beef kebabs, zaalouk salads, pastas, fruits…
Afternoon’s snack : mint tea or berber coffee, cakes, fritters or doughnuts with cream of sweet potatoes…
🔸 Overland Transportation
There are some long travel days and some rough travelling in areas away from main tourist routes. High passes, windy roads and rough surfaces make for some challenging travel experiences. On some long travel days we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimize our time at our next destination. If you experience travel sickness we recommend you consider medication to help ease the discomfort. The best part about all of these long drives are the spectacular views and fun stops en-route such as mountain passes, kasbahs, palmeries, sand dunes, goats up trees etc.
🔸 Passport and Visa if Required
When traveling throughout Morocco, we offer high quality and dedicated services for all your transport needs and all services are operated in our reliable modern air-conditioned vehicles with fully trained Berber drivers in customer service and safe practices. With extensive experience providing the best transportation service, our priority is the safety and comfort of our clients and the punctuality in our services. We always do our best to make every journey as hassle-free as possible, because we understand that a happy customer will talk about us.
There are some long travel days and some rough traveling in areas away from main tourist routes. High passes, windy roads and rough surfaces make for some challenging travel experiences. On some long travel days we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimize our time at our next destination. If you experience travel sickness we recommend you consider medication to help ease the discomfort. The best part about all of these long drives are the spectacular views and fun stops en-route such as mountain passes, kasbahs, palmeries, sand dunes, goats up trees etc.
🔸 Recommended Formalities
All necessary documents should be presented in sequence such as valid passport, visa if required and any necessary permits to your trip. Documentary requirements are listed below :
- 🔹 Valid passport, your passport must be valid 5 months beyond duration of your trip.
- 🔹 Vaccination certificate and medical indications, optional.
- 🔹 Contract of your travel insurance and assistance.
- 🔹 Personal papers, credit cards…
🔸 Traveler's First-aide Kit
Regardless of the destination, all international travellers should assemble and carry a travel health kit when they take part in an expedition or travel adventure. The contents of a travel health kit should be tailored to the traveller’s needs. All medications should be carried in their original containers with clear labels, so the contents are easily identified. For peace of mind, ensure you are equipped with the correct medical and first aid kit for your needs, and make up a small medical kit including :
🔹 Your medicines prescribed by your doctor specifically for your trip.
🔹 Your usual medicines you take on a regular basis when you are at home.
🔸 Personal Gear and Clothing
When packing for trip you will need to bring a mixture of comfortable travelling clothes light and some warm items for the evenings and cooler nights. You can also bring some smarter clothes for evenings out in cities. Please, bear in mind that the weather will vary significantly from place to place also depending on the time of year. Remember that quality gear is essential for any destination – you will enjoy your holiday to the fullest if you’re prepared for all kinds of weather. Laundry facilities are available in some destinations. A checklist of the essential equipment you may need during your holidays will sent you. Please also keep in mind that when visiting religious sites, appropriate attire is required. It is recommended for females to pack a scarf. You will need a mix of light and warmer clothing. In general, the weather is warmer along the sea coasts, cooler at higher altitudes and a warm in the Sahara desert areas.
🔸 Local Cutsoms and What to Wear
Travelling in the destinations that we visit requires a good deal of understanding that often standards simply won’t be as they are at home. When traveling in town and villages, it is essential to dress appropriately to the culture of the region you intended to visit. Dressing correctly fosters contacts with local people. Bear in mind that too short, too bare and figure-hugging dress are often widely badly perceived in the Atlas Mountains and Southern Morocco and may shock local people and the local staff who accompany you. Though Moroccans are advancing fast, they are still for the most part a very traditional nation. This is clearly reflected in their dress. As tourists, it would be wisest to pay attention to your own dress as what you wear could offend locals or lead to harassment. Legs and shoulders are considered to be ‘private body parts’ in most parts of morocco and men and woman should do their utmost to keep these areas covered.
🔸 Money Matters
How much money do I need ? It is impossible to determine how much money you will need. We survey a number of our customers and the amounts vary enormously. Please take this information in the spirit in which it is given. We recommend you try to take more rather than less, you can always take it home. Credit cards are generally accepted in major hotels, shops and restaurants and sometimes even in Souks – marketplaces. It is a good idea, however, to always have some cash and to carry some coins.
Your tour includes breakfast each day and full board when Traveling into the Sahara desert. You will therefore need additional funds to cover all additional expenses not included in your tour cost. We suggest you allow between €10-€20 for your extra food and drink requirements.
Shopping is a personal thing that varies enormously. On average, people spend between €30-€80 on knick-knacks, ceramics and other souvenirs. If you have any plan to purchase a carpet, prices can be anything from €100-€800 or more.
🔸 Where currency can be exchanged ?
It is relatively easy to change currency in Morocco and many banks will offer this service. In addition, many hotels are able to do this. Moroccan cities also have a good number of ATMs. Dollars, Pounds or Euros are the best currency to bring to Morocco for exchange purposes.
🔸 Credit cards and travellers cheques ?
It is possible to exchange traveller’s cheques but generally much more difficult to do so. Credit cards are generally only accepted in the more expensive shops and restaurants.
🔸 Community-Based Tourism
Our trekking holiday packages and group tour itineraries are carefully designed for like-minded travellers who sharing a dream to improve local lives and respect the resources of the area they would like to discover. We constantly offer sustainable travel experiences with thoughtfully designed trips, blending cultural and history insights, memorable adventures and responsible travel. With Atlas Sahara Explore, you ensured to travel off-the-beaten-track, have unforgettable experiences and excellent services with our personal touch. We believe responsible tourism is the better way to see the world, not only do you get more authentic experiences, but your holiday benefits local people and the environment. Traveling with Atlas Sahara Explore simply means holiday tours that improve welfare of the local communities and respect their culture as well as wildlife conservation and the environment.
🔸 Main Languages Spoken in Morocco
Morocco’s main language is Moroccan Berber and Arabic. Berber which is completely different from standard Arabic is spoken by more than 45% of the population. The main languages spoken in the places where you travel are Berber and Mococcan Darija, which is a Moroccan Arabic dialect heavily influenced by Berber, French and Spanish. While classical Arabic language is not spoken in daily life and is used for official communication by the government and other public bodies, Darija has a strong presence in Moroccan television entertainment, cinema and commercial advertising and is the most commonly spoken language in daily life. French is foreign language and you will find this widely spoken, in contrast to English which is not so prevalent.
🔸 Photography in Morocco
Taking pictures is not permitted at some places, these places are always marked. Our etiquette requires obtaining the consent of the inhabitants before taking their photo and if you want to take a photo of people, always ask – they may say no, so respect that. You have to give up a photo if a payment is required to prevent abuses and it is inadvisable to photograph on the sly.
Taking Drone to Morocco
Please note that drones are not permitted to enter or be used in Morocco, either for personal or professional use.
🔸 Our Commitment towards Environment
Far from the purely commercial tourism, ultimate duty for Atlas Sahara Explore and all those involved in tourism development to protect the environment and natural resources as part of the main objective for responsible and sustainable tourism. However we do, we are aware that we are having an impact on the environment. The whole team of Atlas Sahara Explore endeavors to minimize this impact by traveling in small groups who make less impact than big ones.
Wherever possible, we engage in projects and activities that not only make the environment sustainable but contribute to improving and conserving it. Our code of conduct ensures we have a positive influence on the environment and continuously make the respect for the nature and the environment our ethos. Our motto wherever we travel is « Take only photographs, leave only footprints » and guests hoping to travel with us should adopt the same philosophy.