Day 1 London / Marrakech
We fly to Marrakech and are transferred to our hotel for the night. This ancient and beautiful city is home to the 800-year old Koutoubia Minaret, the most perfect Islamic monument in North Africa. This vibrant city has a unique market place where the Southern tribesmen and Berber villagers bring their goods to buy and sell.
Days 2-4 Community Project
The following morning we are transferred out to the mountains. For the next couple of days we will be working alongside the local Berber community and really getting to know the families who call this beautiful valley home.
The activities we undertake here will depend on the requirements of the local community at the time we travel. We may be helping with the cows and sheep, gathering grass and fodder, and producing food or carrying water. We may also be helping with building projects in the village, attending the Sunday souk, loading the mules for carrying goods or maybe helping in the fields with the irrigation systems, harvesting or planting.
The evenings will be spent at camp reliving the day’s activities, telling jokes, having fun and getting to know the people with whom we are sharing this unique experience.
We will aim to gain a real insight into the local culture, history and language, and hopefully the local families will also have learnt something of our culture and experience through spending time with us.
On the final afternoon we will say goodbye to our new friends. We will then have the chance to trek around some of the local routes and get a feel for the terrain. Our leader will be able to talk us through the group’s planned routes and we will also have the opportunity to revise the skills we will need.
Days 5-8 High Atlas Mountains - Trek
Today we start our trek. After a final check of our kit we will begin our personal challenge in the spectacular High Atlas Mountains. The High Atlas region is a mix of fertile valleys and soaring, barren snow-capped peaks offering stunning trekking.
On our route we may pass through age-old traditional Berber stone and adobe villages which blend almost seamlessly into the mountainside. As we trek along we can expect to encounter Berber communities hard at work making their living through agriculture.
The valleys here have complex irrigation channels and neatly terraced fields. We will see an abundance of walnut, cherry and apple trees and maybe see mules at work threshing wheat.
Over the next few days we will get a real feel for life in the Atlas Mountains. The Berber people are very friendly, so do remember to say ‘Salam Aleykum’ which is a friendly ‘hello’.
Later we climb higher into the mountains and head over steep mountain passes where ancient junipers still grow despite the nomadic flocks grazing on the vegetation all about. From the tops of these passes we are rewarded with fabulous views across the Atlas Mountains. We descend on routes which can be rocky and steep. We continue through the fields and irrigation channels of the local Berber communities.
Each night we will camp and the evenings will be spent recounting each day’s great adventure, telling bad jokes and falling asleep under the stunning night skies of the Atlas Mountains.
Day 9 Ascent of Toubkal (4,167m)
Today we leave our camp early in the day for our ascent of Mt Toubkal, which is the highest peak in North Africa.
It is a steady, steep trek up to the summit. We should have time for a well-earned rest at the summit to take in the stunning views before returning to our base camp where we can celebrate our achievement.
Day 10 Back to Marrakech
This morning is another early start as we trek from the Toubkal Refuge to the village of Imlil where we will meet our driver and return to Marrakech.
On arrival we transfer to our Riad in Marrakech, after which we are free to explore.
We may have the opportunity to see the famous Jamma El Fna Square, in the centre of the Medina. This is the stage for long-established rituals where groups of acrobats, drummers, pipe musicians, dancers, storytellers and comedians entertain the crowds. The team might also see snake charmers!
There may be a chance to visit the amazing souks, (markets) selling beautiful Moroccan, African and Asian crafts and clothes. We can try our bartering skills for family presents and souvenirs as we wander around the souks.
Day 11 Return to London
After an adventure to last a lifetime, we return home with wonderful memories.