MOROCCO
FACTS
Footloose are trekking specialists and in Morocco we arrange a wide range of
trekking holidays to suit all levels of experience and different tastes and
interests.
· We are also agents for several UK trek operators who offer all-inclusive
fully organised tours to all parts of Morocco, especially the Atlas and Anti
Atlas mountain areas. Talk to us before making a decision - we can help you
find the trip you're looking for. We can check space availability and make the
booking for you.
· Or we can help you plan your own trip (for yourself or your own small
group) in some of the more remote mountain areas. We have our own local contact
based in Morocco and take full advantage of his expertise and enthusiasm. You
decide the departure date and the area. We organise everything ......... or
just a few essentials.
· If you want to be completely independent, we can also arrange your
flights. We can offer you a range of choices, charter or scheduled flights,
often cheaper than the high street travel agents.
· If you plan to travel independently, we're also happy to help with
more general advice about aspects such as public transport, hotels and sightseeing.
The Country
Only three hours away, but far enough to immerse yourself in a completely different
culture. Here, hundreds of years of influence from Europe, Africa and the Middle
East have blended to give a mixture of the familiar and the very foreign. In
the north are the ancient cities of Fez, Tangier and Marrakesh. The long Atlantic
coast has endless beaches and of course the magically named Casablanca. Further
south is Agadir, land of sunshine packages, but an easy gateway to the wild
lands beyond.
The people reflect the main areas - Arab in the north, Berber in the mountains
and Tuareg in the desert.
The climate in the mountains and desert is dry and generally warm to hot. Spring
and Autumn are perhaps the best time to visit. Winter is still warm by day but
the nights are cold, especially in the mountains. If you plan high walking at
this time be prepared for snow.
The Mountains of Morocco
For walkers, Morocco's great attractions are the vast mountain ranges that
stretch in a huge arc across the centre of the country, from the Atlantic to
the Mediterranean. This is excellent trekking country, with a seemingly endless
array of peaks, valleys, plateaux and escarpments. The landscape is dry and
rocky with villages and cultivated areas in the valleys. Yet many areas are
quiet and seldom visited by outsiders.
The High Atlas is by far the largest mountain range in Morocco, and the most
popular area for trekkers. However, most visitors to the High Atlas concentrate
around Jebel Toubkal (the highest peak in North Africa) and ignore the rest
of the range, thus missing a huge area for remote walking.
Morocco also has several smaller ranges, including: Jebel Siroua (or Sirwa)
and Jebel Sarho. Both of these ranges are in the south of the country, between
the High Atlas and the Sahara. Remote and wild, they offer a selection of treks
through spectacular scenery.
The major trekking operators that we represent organise tours in the High,
Middle and Anti Atlas, as well as Sarho and Sirwa. Our local contacts are based
in south-western Morocco and so specialise in the more remote and seldom-visited
parts of the Western High Atlas and Jebel Siroua.
The Trekking
The style of trekking that has developed in Morocco over the last ten years
or so has become something in between independent self-contained backpacking
and the fully-serviced style of the Himalayas.
The routes normally used by trekkers follow established paths used by local
people. In the valleys and lower areas these paths link isolated mountain villages,
or pass through fields and orchards of almond and walnut trees; on the high
ground the paths are used by shepherds taking flocks between summer and winter
pastures.
For accommodation in the mountains, most trekkers combine camping (or bivvying)
in the high remote areas with staying in local houses in the more populated
valleys. This of course is a good way to meet the Berber people who inhabit
the mountains. They of course welcome the small lodging fee you pay.
For visitors to Morocco it's usual to take a local guide for all but the most
popular trekking routes. Quite apart from the fact that this stops you getting
lost, a guide is also valuable as a link between you and the local people. You
feel much less of stranger when you come into a village when your guide seems
to know half the inhabitants. On a more practical note, a local guide can help
you buy food and supplies before your trek, and find food and lodgings in each
village (and sort out any payments if required). In the wild areas, a guide
can show you the essential water sources, plus places to camp or caves for bivvying.
It's also usual for most trekkers in Morocco to use mules as baggage animals.
Even high in the mountains, days are often hot, so carrying your own food and
gear is no fun in such temperatures. A muleteer looks after the mules during
the trek. It's usual to hire a mule in one of the mountain villages, where the
local people are glad to earn a bit extra from the passing trekker trade. Your
guide will help you with this.
Footloose in Morocco
Tailor-made Trekking
Using our local contacts in Morocco, based to the south of the Atlas, we can
arrange a trek to suit your own specifications and budget in the Western High
Atlas or Jebel Siroua areas.
There are no set itineraries or departure dates. We'll suggest a few choice
areas: You can go when you like (seasonal weather conditions permitting) for
as long as you like - anything from two days to three weeks, or even more if
time is not a problem.
We arrange an experienced English-speaking guide (who also speaks French, Arabic
and Berber), mules to carry the baggage (they speak only Berber), all food for
the trek, cooking equipment (the guide also does your cooking), and transport
to the start of the trek. We can also arrange hotel accommodation before and
after the trek. And of course we can arrange your flight out and back. All you
have to do is enjoy the trekking.
Joining a group
There are a numbers of adventure holiday operators who run trips to Morocco.
Most are for 14 or 15 days, although a couple go for just a week. There are
many dates throughout the year, but few in the summer months because of the
heat. Most are walking and trekking, ranging from fairly strenuous mountain
treks to day walks from a hotel. Accommodation is similarly varied and includes
hotels, local houses and camping. Footloose is able to find a trip for you,
of a suitable grade and at a convenient time. We can then confirm availability
and make your booking. This service is, of course, completely free.
The Next Step
To discuss your ideas and options, give us a ring. If you want help deciding
which fully-organised trek to join, or if you want something more independent
arranged by our local contact, we can help.
Guide Prices
Flights are at their cheapest in November and December - about £160 and
then rise towards Spring with the usual high of about £320 for Easter
and £240 either side.
The costs for tailor made treks are calculated from the number in the group
and the number of days. Two people going out for six days would pay about £70
each per day, fully inclusive. The same trip for six people would be about £50
each per day.
Organised treks with UK operators are usually one or two weeks and start at
about £500.
Footloose
