Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Gazing at the stars from the balcony of the Gite. Never seen so much stars and never had such a good view of the milkyway before.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan is really good in keeping everybody safe and on time. He has a lot of knowledge of the surroundings, and of may other places outside Marokko. His advice on how to deal with taxi drivers in Marrakesh really helped and kept us from paying to much. When one of us got stomach problems he was really concerned about her wellbeing and he made sure she took all the precautions to not become sicker. His guidance of our little group made this holiday very pleasant and relaxing.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you read the trip notes and come prepared. The gite was equiped with head cushions, so no need to bring your own.

Most Inspirational Moment

The scenery in the mountains is breath-taking and meeting the friendly Berber herdsmen.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan was quiet but with a very dry sense of humour. He was extremely well organised and helpful. He paced the walks well and took the abilities of the group into account. The trips notes advised that the last walk was either 10 hours or 5 hours depending on the group, however, Hassan arranged a local lad to take those who wished to do something shorter along the valley for the morning, thus pleasing everyone!! The tour leader in Marrakesh (as mentioned in another review) was really annoying. He tried and failed to be humourous and we got more information about his weight and marriage than the culture and history of the city!!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Definitely take some spare snacks as the gap between breakfast and lunch was too long and the snacks at the gite were sugar based where nuts or dried fruit would be better. The trips notes asked people to take water purification tablets in preference to buying plastic bottles of water, however we were told that the community keep the bottles and use them for argan oil which they sell in the markets.

Suggestions

The gite is basic, but the welcome was warm and the food was just delicious!!!

Most Inspirational Moment

The stunning scenery and rock formations observed throughout the 32km hike to Lake Temba at back. The refreshing and cold swim in Lake Temba with a countless number of little frogs.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The main tour leader, Haussain was very good at organising the group and looking after wellfare and safety, along with protecting our belongings. On the walks he was very good at pacing the speed to accomodate the slowest members of the group. Instead of imparting information regarding the fauna, flora or geology while on the walks, he would wait to be asked specific questions by members of the group. I felt a bit more dialoque would have helped during the walks. The guide (Mohammed Azim) for the city tour of Marrakech was poor. His explanations were far too long and rambling. He would walk a few yards then stop and tell some story about his family or Father which was neither interesting or relevant. These frequent stops were also in the full heat of the sun and not in shaded areas. The visit to the spice and potion shop was very interesting and a very much a welcome interlude from Mohammed. The brief visit to the outskirts of the souks was also a dissapointment, being taken to yet another shop which was supposidly selling better quality goods than other shops, no one in the group wanted to purchase anything anyway. Please find an alternative guide for the tour of Marrakech.

Advice for Potential Travellers

When in the souks, don't believe the locals when they say a place is closed, it is just a "friendly" way of disorientating you, and asking them to guide you (for a fee). Try friendly banter with the shop owners in the souks, that way you are less likely to be over hassled to look at their goods. I found this worked very well, along with smiling and no, merci. If you can, avoid the summer months, I was there at the beginning of August and it was hot in Marrakech and also hot in the mountains, until the last day, when it was cool with a wind and rain, ideal for the 32km round walk to Lake Temba. For some of the walks, stock up on snacks (e.g. cereal bars, chocolate bars), to allow for the five hour gap between breakfast and lunch. I found I was running out of fuel in the stomach with about one and half hours to go until the picnic lunch stop.

Suggestions

Half hour for breakfast at the village gite was insufficient time to have the hot porridge, bread, coffee/tea and then be ready with walking boots on and rucksacks ready. 45 minutes would have been preferable. Bottled water could be purchased at the gite, thus the requirement to take water purification tablets was not applicable.

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved trekking in the mountains and meeting the shepherds with their huge herds of goats and sheep. People everywhere were happy to talk and it's amazing how well you can communicate with only a few words of a language.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan was very good at setting the pace to suit the slowest members.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The luggage is carried to the gite by mule so you can leave some stuff in the hotel in Marrakech. Water purification tablets not really necessary as there is bottled water availabe to buy at the gite.

Most Inspirational Moment

The fact that we all made it on the long trek, had a wonderful picnic and enjoyed the day.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan is very helpful, considerate and friendly. He is quite quiet but certainly knows what is going on in the group and was able to work out everyone's abilities very quickly. He made sure that everyone in the group was able to complete the walks. It was very interesting to talk to him about local life in Morocco.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Although we thought the Gite was very clean and comfortable, don't go on this holiday if you don't want to share a dorm, sleep on a mattress and need to be connected to the internet to survive. We took 3 season sleeping bags but in fact we were hot (April), there are blankets and pillows in the Gite. Take blister plasters, just in case!

Suggestions

We thought the holiday was very good value for money

Most Inspirational Moment

The group was amazing and we all accomplished 10 hours of amazing scenery and keeping as a group. The whole holiday was inspirational from start to end. Everything was arranged like clock works.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan was a great group leader, keeping us all under his control and encouraged some of the group to achieve more than they thought possible. He looked after us all with ease. Thank you for an amazing holiday!

Advice for Potential Travellers

A foodie tour is worth doing in Marrakesh. Bring lots of layers as it is cold in the mountains and can be changable.

Most Inspirational Moment

A toss up between the Telouet Kasbah en route to the mountains, and the views of the High Atlas in the snow after a steep stimulating climb.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Experienced, no-nonsense, friendly, efficient, knowledgeable, wise.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The mountain village gite is basic and facilities are very simple, but more comfortable than the trip notes suggest (hot showers every day, western loos, substantial floor mattresses, pillows and blankets are all available). Bring warm clothes for the evening/early morning if there in March. Bring snacks to keep you going on walks unless you like mars/snickers which are available at the gite. Avoid tap water and use bottled water - also available at the gite. Bring a few cans of beer if you fancy a drink in the village. Be prepared for pleasant exhaustion!

Suggestions

Info about facilities etc in the village gite should be updated. We were disappointed that the hammam could not be used as the man who runs it was absent.

Most Inspirational Moment

We had a great day last day walking to frozen lakes way above the village - it was a hard 5 hours walk to get there, with an hour over snow but we were met with an amazing view, including men fishing on the lake shores. Sitting on the terrace in the sun with a mint tea watching the sun go down each evening was just lovely. An afternoon spent in the village hammam was an eye opener, and and experience never to be forgotten!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan was great - very knowledgeable, hard working and funny. He was professional, even in the face of difficult clients; I'd actively choose one of his trips if I were returning to Morocco again.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Although the days were hot, the wind was very cold, and as soon as the sun went down, it was freezing! The gite has no heating, other than a gas heater in the room where you eat, so it's pretty nippy. Make sure you take bring a few layers, and a good warm sleeping bag. The gite sells a few chocolate bars and water, but a few snacks from home didn't go amiss on the long days walking. Rubbish dumping seems to be a bit of a problem throughout Morocco, so if you've got a water filtering system, or water tablets, it's well worth bring them so you don't add to the mound of plastic water bottles lying around.

Suggestions

This holiday wasn't as challenging as I was expecting, although the 10 hour walk on the last day was certainly tiring. I would have liked less time in Marrakech, and more time walking, but what we did do was wonderful. If you are looking for a luxury holiday, this isn't it. The gite is basic, but very hot showers await your return from the mountains, and it was perfect as a base for our week.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the mountains in the morning when the sun rose over the tops. Such beautiful colours and so peaceful. Seeing the night sky packed with stars...layer upon layer which was magical

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan exuded calm and immediately gained our trust and confidence that he would pick the best routes and ensure we were safe - even after the recent storms had caused lots of landslips.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you do go up to the lakes - they are worth seeing and so tranquil. It was magical seeing some fishermen there when we arrived, having trekked through snow for the last 30 minutes or so.

Suggestions

Cleverly designed holiday to give you a good introduction to Morocco

Most Inspirational Moment

There were parts of the last days walk which although difficult in some ways at the time were also enjoyable for the sense of achievement at the end. Recent rains had made the streams swell and crossing difficult and a bit hairy but we all made it across. There was snow for a good hour or more on the outward end which made walking tricky and falling easy! but also a very beautiful and picturesque sight. Local kids coming up to chat and show their curiosity about us on one of the afternoons at the gite was noisy and chaotic at times but also special. The cook, coming up on 'dinner donkey' with our picnic lunches was also an experience

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan is a very experienced, calm, friendly, hard working man who looked after us all very well and was very knowledgeable and helpful. The staff at the gite have little English but are smiley and hospitable and will help when they can.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Winters especially in the mountains can be very cold and the gite is not heated other than having a heater in the room where we had our meals. Go prepared with layers for the day as well as for sleeping. The gite sells a small selection of chocolates/biscuits and crisps you may want to take something with you for the walks and if you have a sweet tooth. There was always fruit and no desserts for afters! If you like a drink you can buy some alcohol to take with you from Marrakech. Water and soft drinks are available to buy at the gite. The Hamam experience was not one to be repeated. It was not warm, let alone hot and we all shivered for much of the time. Do check if they have made improvements if you are going to go for it in the winter.

Suggestions

Having a group of people who get on with each other makes for a good experience and this was a friendly bunch, helpful and supportive when needed and chatty, fun company. If you like more walking and less city and don't mind basic living check out the Undiscovered Atlas tour. Excellent, remote, great scenery and we had a very guide, cook and other staff with us.