Further Information
Morocco
Sahara Desert
This document has been compiled by our challenge leaders. Please do take into account your own
personal preferences and common sense! We welcome feedback on how this document can be improved
upon your return from your Challenge.
Morocco is about 3½ hours in flight time from London and is on the North Coast of Africa. It includes an
Atlantic coastline, a flat, arid interior rising up to the massive mountain range of the High Atlas (of which Mt
Toubkal is the highest peak at over 4,000m) and another smaller mountain range - the Anti Atlas - before the
country’s southern borders in the Sahara desert.
The people of Morocco are of Berber and Arabic origin, speaking different languages. The official languages
are the Moroccan dialect of Arabic and the Berber language of Tachelhit. The country is Islamic and is reigned
by Mohamed VI.
The south of Morocco is the land of the Sahara and life is only possible in oases and kasbahs. At Ouarzazate,
scarcely 200km from Marrakesh but in a different world, you stand on the threshold of the mighty Sahara.
Standing on the edge of a vast desert plateau, with snow-covered peaks visible in the distance, this ancient
garrison town retains an almost tangible connection with a distant past.
Morocco is very welcoming and the people are friendly, enjoy your experience!
Ouarzazate: day time average in our trekking seasons is 15 to 30 °C, night time average is 0 to 10 °C.
The evenings could feel much colder in the wind, and there is always a possibility of rain. Remember to take
waterproofs just in case. Occasionally there are sand storms, which are uncomfortable, but the guides will tell
you how best to cope with these.
Morocco is in the same time zone as the UK, except in the summer when it is GMT +1 hour. The hour changes
to GMT during Ramadan.
All meals are supplied on the trek, including fully cooked dinners. You will have a chance to try the local
Moroccan specialities including tagines and couscous.
Please note, due the early departure on day 6, breakfast will not be available at our hotel.
Global Adventure Challenges
Red Hill House, Hope Street, Chester, CH4 8BU
Tel: 01244 676454 Fax: 01244 683962
Email: [email protected] Web: www.globaladventurechallenges.com
Morocco
Sahara Desert
The trek, while not too technical in the walking sense, is quite tough due to the difficulty of walking in sand
dunes. The scenery has a stark beauty and will offer tremendous photo opportunities. The distances trekked
on this challenge can change daily due to the sand continuously moving! Although the mileage covered is not
huge, you will be trekking for approximately 7 hours on the second and third days of the actual trek. The
average trekking speed will be approximately 1-2km per hour.
Any form of endurance exercise would be good training. The fitter you are, the more you will enjoy this
challenge. Trekking training tips can be found on our website to point you in the right direction and Global
Adventure Challenges can offer training days and weekends to help you prepare - please contact us at
[email protected].
Due to the location of the area in which we will be trekking we will have some days with quite long transfers to
enable us to reach these remote parts. On day 1 our transfer from Marrakech Airport to Ouarzazate will be
approx. 4-5 hours (depending on stops), on day 2 Ouarzazate to M’hamid will be approx. 4 hours (discounting
photo and tea stops) and on day 6 Ouarzazate to Marrakech will be approx. 4-5 hours (depending on stops).
We wake up to the beautiful clear light in the desert and after a wonderful breakfast of porridge, eggs,
pancakes and cheese to set us up for the challenging day ahead, we set off on our journey through the
dramatic landscapes before us. Rest stops will be whenever needed and depend entirely on the dynamics of
the group. We will stop for lunch around midday and usually get into camp for the evening between 3-4pm.
On reaching our camp at the end of the day, there will be time to relax for a couple of hours in the Bedouin
tents with mint tea and snacks before dinner. Our evening meal will be between 6-7pm. After dinner, there’s
time to relax and chat, or read for a while before we retire for the night.
During the trek we may pass a school for nomadic children and therefore you might like to take some
pens/pencils or other items to give out. Please note that this can’t be guaranteed and therefore we recommend
that you take things that are light just in case you have to bring them back home with you.
We don’t have scheduled rest stops but we can stop at any time for water and snacks. Mineral water is carried
by the camels and is provided free of charge. There is a strict policy of 3 litres of mineral water per person, per
day, provided ONLY for drinking – NOT for washing. This is because the camels have to carry all the water for
people and animals and they have a weight restriction (they also have to carry feed as well as water and trek
kit). It is also non eco friendly to use bottled water for wetting scarves and pouring on hot skin!
It is not safe to drink the water from the taps in Morocco and you should only use bottled water for drinking,
brushing teeth, etc.
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Global Adventure Challenges
Red Hill House, Hope Street, Chester, CH4 8BU
Tel: 01244 676454 Fax: 01244 683962
Email: [email protected] Web: www.globaladventurechallenges.com
Morocco
Sahara Desert
All equipment that you should bring is shown on the kit list. Trekking poles may not be suitable in some areas
of the dunes, but they are always worth bringing along.
Your main luggage should be a soft holdall/kit bag/rucksack not a hard shelled suitcase and will be transferred
with you to the hotel and by camel between camps. Please leave any luggage that you don’t need for the trek
in a small bag at the hotel in Ouarzazate, where it will be held in a safe place. Please try to keep the amount
taken on trek to the minimum for the camels’ sake! Your trekking bag will be carried by camel to each camp
site where it will be available in the evenings after the day’s walk is over. You will carry your own day pack
with essentials – sunblock, camera, tissues, snacks, etc.
Leave valuables at home if possible. One main important rule – if you don’t need it, don’t bring it! We suggest
you take all personal and valuable items, including your passport, with you on trek in your day pack putting
them in a plastic bag first in order to not get them wet or sand damaged.
It is highly recommended you consult your Doctor about what immunisations are required for Morocco.
The vaccinations below are given as a guideline only – always consult your own Doctor:
Hepatitis A, Typhoid and Diphtheria
Tetanus and polio boosters should be up to date
You must discuss your own particular needs and contra-indications to vaccines or tablets with your
Doctor or practice nurse.
In extreme emergencies there is a local helicopter service for evacuation if required.
There will be a comprehensive First Aid Kit carried with the group at all times. All Global Adventure
Challenges leaders are trained in Outdoor Emergency Rescue Care Level Two as a minimum.
We will never be more than a couple of hours from a hospital if necessary.
As well as the Global Adventure Challenges leader, our group will be accompanied by experienced local
Berber guides throughout the trip, as well as cooks and camel handlers.
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Global Adventure Challenges
Red Hill House, Hope Street, Chester, CH4 8BU
Tel: 01244 676454 Fax: 01244 683962
Email: [email protected] Web: www.globaladventurechallenges.com
Morocco
Sahara Desert
While in Ouarzazate we will stay in a hotel with twin share rooms. While on trek we will be camping with two
people per tent. All the camping equipment will be transported by camels. Sleeping mattresses will be
supplied but you will need to bring your own sleeping bag as advised on the kit list.
The hotel in Ouarzazate will have en-suite washing facilities. While on trek in the desert, as you can
appreciate, it’s impossible to provide water for washing, therefore we suggest ‘wet-wipe’ washes until we are
back at the hotel - remember, this is a challenge! A latrine toilet will be dug at each camp, which again, will be
very basic!
Hygiene is very important to avoid stomach upsets – wash hands wherever possible, especially before eating.
When washing facilities aren’t available in the desert, use antibacterial hand gel or wipes.
High factor sunscreen is a must. We suggest that you cover your head while trekking – perhaps using the
seche provided or a hat and although contrary to logic perhaps, a long sleeved top is actually a protection and
cooler when it is very hot.
Satellite telephones will be carried with the group strictly for use in emergencies only.
UK citizens do not need to acquire a visa beforehand as UK citizens can enter Morocco on a free, three month
tourist visa. A customs/police form will be given to you on the flight to Morocco which needs to be completed
and handed to the immigration police on arrival. A departure form also needs to be completed at the airport
before leaving the country. For other nationalities please contact the appropriate Embassy.
The currency in Morocco is the Moroccan dirham (MAD), of which there is roughly 13 to the £GBP. Dirhams
can be bought at London airports or there are ATMs in Ouarzazate. Cash can also be exchanged in banks or
associated currency exchangers (English notes only). We suggest you take cash if you want to have a quick
shop before the celebratory dinner, as Ouarzazate is a really small town and credit card facilities are very
scarce. We suggest taking approximately £100 spending moneyJbut this depends on how many presents
you wish to bring home!
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Global Adventure Challenges
Red Hill House, Hope Street, Chester, CH4 8BU
Tel: 01244 676454 Fax: 01244 683962
Email: [email protected] Web: www.globaladventurechallenges.com
Morocco
Sahara Desert
As a guide, a cup of coffee is 6-15MAD, a glass of orange juice 3MAD, a dinner of two courses 25-200MAD (of
course there are also more expensive restaurants!). A light-weight women’s top costs around 100MAD in the
souk.
Every participant must be covered for the activities throughout the itinerary. A comprehensive travel insurance
policy is available through Global Adventure Challenges and a travel insurance application form is enclosed
with your welcome pack. If you are opting to use your own personal travel insurance then details of your policy
should be sent to Global Adventure Challenges.
There is no departure tax due on leaving Morocco.
Tipping your guides is appropriate, customary and always appreciated. Your guides work in teams and evenly
split all gratuities they receive. Your gratuity should reflect the quality of service you received and anything
special your guides did to enhance your trip. We recommend around £35 from each person, but this does
depend on your budget, and what you feel is appropriate.
You will see mainly Berbers in Ouarzazate and nearly all the women wearing Djellaba’s (long robes with long
sleeves and hood) and the foulard or head scarf. The mosque calls out 5 times a day for prayer and you will
probably be woken by the call from the muezzin at the early morning call before you get used to it!
Alcohol - Please note that although our guides and cook are used to tourists, they do not drink alcohol and
therefore we ask that they are not put in the situation of being offered a drink.
Clothing - It is respectful in Berber areas for long sleeves and trousers to be worn, by men as well as women,
especially in the villages and places outside Marrakech – however, crop tops and thin straps will attract
unwanted attention in the city as well! The trek in the desert is away from villages, so it is ok to wear shorts,
however the sun is strong so you may want to cover up!
A little bit of politics - just a word of warning, the Moroccan government is cracking down on proselytising
and any attempt to convert the local people or even carry a bible may get you into trouble.
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Global Adventure Challenges
Red Hill House, Hope Street, Chester, CH4 8BU
Tel: 01244 676454 Fax: 01244 683962
Email: [email protected] Web: www.globaladventurechallenges.com
Morocco
Sahara Desert
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Dress appropriately in Berber areas – long sleeves and trousers for women and men
Morocco is a Muslim country therefore alcohol is not widely available
The Moroccans are very sensitive about the King so any negative views should be withheld until out of
the country if possible
‘Hello’ in Moroccan Arabic is ‘salam alaykum’ and ‘thank you’ is ‘shukran’. The Berber word for ‘how
are you’ is ‘la bes’ and for ‘thank you’ is ‘saha’.
Though not seen as an indigenous language in Morocco, at least half of the population is able to speak
French. This is due to the strong French influence during the period of 1912 to 1956, which has also
left a large amount of French architecture in parts of Morocco.
Vipers, cobras and scorpions are residents of the desert, but please DO NOT BE ALARMED! It is very, very
unlikely that we will come across them. Please do use your common sense and check your boots and shoes
before putting them on and always zip your tent up at night.
Mobile signals can be found all over Morocco (roam for IAM and Maroc Telecom). There will be mobile phone
signals in Ouarzazate, but this will start to diminish as soon as we reach M’Hamid on day 2. Please don’t rely
on being able to use your mobile phone.
If you would like to stay in Morocco after the challenge we can arrange an extension for you. Please submit
your request for an extension with the relevant dates by email to
[email protected] as soon as possible. There is a minimum £60 + VAT charge
for having your return airline ticket extended. Please note all extensions are strictly limited, subject to
availability, given on a ‘first come, first served basis’ and the final decision always rests with the airline.
In our overseas destinations we work with small local ground handlers that employ local guides, using as
much infrastructure as we can locally, to boost economy and income. We aim to ensure that all local guides
involved with our events are given a fair wage in accordance with appropriate local standards and each of our
challenges is designed using the knowledge of local people.
We believe that we need to preserve and respect the locations in which our challenges take place in order for
future generations to experience the same fantastic times and views as we do. More information regarding
our Responsible Tourism policy can be found on our website.
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Global Adventure Challenges
Red Hill House, Hope Street, Chester, CH4 8BU
Tel: 01244 676454 Fax: 01244 683962
Email: [email protected] Web: www.globaladventurechallenges.com
Morocco
Sahara Desert
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Full country name: Kingdom of Morocco
Area: 710,850 km2
Population: 32,993,000
Capital City: Rabat
Largest City: Casablanca
Currency: Moroccan dirham (MAD)
People: Berber-Arab 99.1%, Jews 0.2%, others 0.7%
Language: Arabic, Moroccan Arabic, Berber
Religion: Sunni Islam
Government: Constitutional monarchy
Major Industries: phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles,
selling of arts and crafts, construction and tourism
Major Trading Partners: EU (in particular, France), US, Africa, China, Gulf Region
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Global Adventure Challenges
Red Hill House, Hope Street, Chester, CH4 8BU
Tel: 01244 676454 Fax: 01244 683962
Email: [email protected] Web: www.globaladventurechallenges.com