Walking,trekking and hiking in morocco

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The Walks
Most people who go on guided walking tours worry about how difficult they are going to be and will I be able to keep up with the group or will I be the one that slows them down, well don't worry. Our tours are aimed at those of you who wish to explore the Atlas Mountains at a moderate pace, so you are not expected to be an avid walker or incredibly fit and the walks are 4 to 5 hours in duration. All our walking Guides are experienced and FRMSM guides and all have first aid training.
For our self-guided tours you need to be comfortable with walking without the assistant of a guide. Both our self-guided trails are well sign-posted and we do provide you with detailed instruction, but it is advisable to have some navigational skills.

What if the dates for the group treks don't fit my itinerary?
If this is the case, we can organise a bespoke trek for you. Additionally if you want to spend more time in Marrakech before or after a trek we can organise the hotels and quote you a price.

I am a single trekker. How does this work?
Normally single trekkers have no problems fitting in with a group. Normally single trekkers share rooms or lodges with other trekkers of the same sex, but if we have an odd-number we ensure that a room or lodge is organised accordingly.

Will I be able to deal with the high altitude?
Our itineraries are designed so that our clients ascend at a sensible and safe rate. The effects of altitude are felt by everyone, even the muleteers, but most people find that gentle acclimatisation allows them to reach their high point without any problems.

What Do I Bring Along
It is not necessary to bring large amounts of clothing as nowadays there is a readily availability or places where you can have your clothes washed and dried and we will take them there for you. We have listed a few essentials that you will have to bring along and when you make your booking we will send you out a full list of essentials.

Pack light and pack tight.
Day-pack *
sunglasses *
water bottles (Platypus collapsible bladders pack flat!) *
towel (Moroccan hotels don't always have them) *
ziplock baggies *
needle and thread / safety pins
camera, batteries and film – bring lots!

Clothing
sarong (can double as a towel, lightweight sheet or scarf)
cotton long sleeved shirt (for intense sun) *
light wind-proof jacket
a hat (sun) *
lightweight long pants *
2-3 T-shirts
woollen sweater/fleece *
cotton scarf (doubles as a wash cloth)
Hiking boots or hiking shoes*
First aid – make sure you use water proof labelling when re-packaging
disinfectant crime / gel (Polysporin)
Band-Aids
Ibuprofen (Advil or generic – for pain, swelling) *
Tylenol (colds and fever)
cold medication – Echinacea / zinc lozenges
tweezers
Visine
Aloe Vera gel (for burns)
Anti-histamine tablets
diahrrea medication (Imodium) *
Personal
sunblock *
sanitary supplies with ziplock baggies to carry out
moisturiser / lip balm with sunblock *
book
small torch / flash-light (small bicycle lights make good travelling torches)
nail clippers
wet-wipes
soap / shampoo / toothpaste / toothbrush etc *

A typical walking day
6:00	Get up. This sounds great but in fact the day is simply moved forward a couple of hours. Start packing your kitbag; keeping day-sack separate with drink, iodine, share of first aid kit, snacks, jacket, camera. Put kitbag in a pile to show the Berbers it is ready for packing onto the mules. Eat breakf when it is ready.
7:00	Start trekking. Stop whenever you fancy. Enjoy the cool temperatures at this time of the day, especially since the harder uphill part will be in the morning. Have snacks along the way – bring your own. Buy cokes occasionally. Very occasionally there may be a little café selling mazbas etc.
14:00 – 17:00	Finish trekking. Our days varied quite a bit with some finishing at lunchtime and some taking much longer. Lunch would normally be served shortly after we arrived at camp. Set out camping mats and sleeping bags. Have a wash in the stream; wash clothes also. Read a book / write diary / play with the Berber staff or local children.
19:00	Dinner
21:00	Bed time

Accommodation
Walkinginmorocco offers a huge range of different accommodation options. In ascending level of comfort/facilities, here is a list of most of the different options and a short description:

Wilderness camping – on our trek we camp in high quality tents with 2 people sharing. There is usually a toilet tent available for the group’s comfort

Permanent tent camp – in the desert camping is often on this basis in permanent nomad tents with dining and sleeping area. Expect to share with 1 to 3 others. Toilet tent.

Family House - most basic lodging with Turkish toilet (porceline hole in the ground) and occasionally a shower. Dormitary-style or small shared room sleeping arrangements.

Gite – family house upgraded and registered as tourist accommodation. Shared rooms (usually up to 4 people), bathroom and toilet facilities (Turkish or European)

Converted kasbah – a converted adobe-brick house. All different standards of comfort exist across the south of Morocco

Auberge – Rustic small hotel, often European owned. Private or shared facilities. Rooms on a twin-share basis. May be a pool.

Riad – traditional medina town house set around a courtyard and converted into guest-house/hotel accommodation. All categories exist from basic to deluxe.

Meals
Morocco has one of the world’s most celebrated cuisines. Typical dishes include meat tajines (spiced lamb or beef stew often incorporating fruit), couscous, spiced kebabs, briouats (flakey pastry parcels of spiced meat or fish), harira (bean soup), and superb pastries made with almond paste and honey. Restaurants in Marrakech range from basic food stalls to full-blown palace restaurants offering Moroccan specialities. There are also good quality French, Italian and Chinese restaurants. Elsewhere, it’s strictly Moroccan fayre served with freshly-baked Berber flatbread. Traditionally Moroccans eat with their hands, using bread as a scoop into a communal bowl in the centre of the table. Berber houses don’t even possess western cutlery, although even the lowest grade of restaurants will have a stock should any foreigners drop in. Note that when eating from a communal bowl it is only appropriate to use your right hand.

Moroccan food is generally heavily meat-orientated and vegetarians may find that their options are rather uninspiring and very limited.

Transport
Transport is inclusive in our fully packaged tours - you will be carried by minibus from your arrival at Marrakech or Casablanca Airport until your departure. On long trips we make several stops for refreshments.
For our self-guided, we will forward you with a full list of train and bus details on how to get to your first accommodation and back at the end of your tour as soon as you have booked the tour with us. We can arrange transfers to and from Marrakech and other locations. These are arranged directly with the Walkinginmorocco. On confirmation of your reservation with us we will send you a transfer request sheet for completion

The Group
Our groups are small and friendly - 6 to 12 of diverse nationalities. The emphasis is on fun and enjoyment and you will be in the company of like-minded travellers who enjoy the great outdoors. We cater for all age groups from early teens. Many of our clients travel alone, some are couples and we also cater for larger groups. We can custom-design a tour to suit the requirements of a group of 6 or more members at a discounted price.

Insurance
You are strongly advised to obtain insurance cover for personal accident, cancellation charges, medical expenses, loss of money or baggage, travel and personal liability when taking part in any of our tours.

Walkinginmorocco or its servants or agents cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to your baggage, or for any illness or injury while on our tours. We also cannot accept responsibility for any loss of damage resulting from circumstances beyond our control.

How will my booking be processed?
To confirm your booking we will require a non-refundable deposit of €300 which can be made by bank transfer. The balance is payable on arrival in Marrakech and is normally made in the form of Western Union. Alternatively this can be made by bank transfer shortly before arriving in Marrakech.

The Moroccan Weather
Morocco has four climatic zones. The Atlantic region encompasses Rabat and Casablanca, with mild winters averaging 17°C and temperate summers at around 25°C. Rainfall can hit 56mm in January. In the mountains, rainfall is at its highest (up to 135mm in Oct) and peters out towards the south of the High Atlas massif. Summer highs hit 30°C, winter lows average 9°C. In the east of the country there is very little rain and summers are long, arid and over 30°C. Towards the Sahara, the rain decreases and a desert climate prevails. Winters are cool and summers unbearably hot, with the mercury hitting 40°C.
http://www.moroccoweather.com/

Ininerary