Hike Morocco's Atlas Mountains

This trip is a great combination of activity and relaxation. After an excellent guided tour of Marrakesh we were free to shop, visit local gardens (I recommend the Majorelle Gardens not far from the hotel) or relax by the pool. We were all keen to get into the mountains and they didn't disappoint. From our lovely village location our fantastic guide Abdelkabir Ait Lasri led us off on our daily walks with a characteristic "Yalla yalla, let's go". On the walks he kept the pace just right so somehow none of us ever felt either held back or left behind. His knowledge of geology added an extra level of interest to our mountain experience. Most impressive was that the week I went on this trip it was Ramadan so despite not eating or drinking all day, Abdel never failed to give 100% in making sure "everyone ok?" Always adding: "If you have any questions, I am here." The walks vary in length and as a group we did opt for the short version of the long walk on day 6, which nonetheless was still a pleasant six hour round trip along the river with a picnic (Moroccan style) lunch produced by our fantastic "chefcook". I met a lovely group of people on this trip and with Abdel at the helm there is nothing I could fault. I had a great time. Highly recommended.

This was an exceptionally cold trip with snow in the mountains and rain in the lowlands - something that was outside the experience of our group leader and other ‘locals’ that we met. There was just 4 days of snow and it coincided with our 4 days in the mountains! A guided tour of the old city of Marrakesh, and free time to look further, at the start of the trip, and more free time in Marrakesh at the end, with a good ‘filling’ of 4 days in the High Atlas Mountains, is a great sandwich to give an experience of this part of Morocco. Abdullah, our group leader, recommended excellent restaurants from which we were able to look out over the central square. It was unfortunate that the snow in the mountains curtailed our activities there. However in addition to the walks to and from the riad, we were able to make some enjoyable excursions. One to the top of one of the neighbouring mountains before there had been much snow, and an interesting morning walk along the valley when there was 6 inches of snow on the ground. We spent a day and a half confined to the riad when the snow storms prevented walks, and the group spent time reading, playing cards and scrabble, and participating in a ‘pub quiz’ compiled by one of the group. Despite the weather, it was a very convivial group. We were also able to take advantage of the Hammam. The riad has limited heating. However the riad staff made sure that the gas space heater was always on in the communal area when we were there – and they managed to find a second one as it was so cold. A gas lamp was also provided during the two power cuts. Despite fire wood being very limited in that area, the staff willingly provided sacks of wood for the upstairs woodfire. We also took advantage at night of the additional blankets available. The food prepared by the riad staff was excellent – and even though towards the end supplies were limited due to the roads into the mountains being blocked, they still managed to provide nourishing meals. All in all it was a great trip.

We had a wonderful week of complete contrasts - the busy-ness of Marrakech and the quiet of the Atlas mountains. The itinerary worked smoothly and was well balanced; there was nothing that I would change.

Our first Exodus adventure, and it certainly lived up to expectations. Every detail was taken care of, from pre-adventure packing lists, flights, transfers, accommodation, local guides, food and some very well organised walks in the High Atlas Mtns. We were blessed with a terrific host & coordinator, Ismail, who ensured we were well informed of activities - the length & difficulty of our walks and the expected time they would take - plus meals and departure times. Nothing was too much trouble for Ismail and he kept our group of 16 in constant good humour and united throughout the 8 days. The entire adventure exceeded our expectations - the sheer beauty and tranquility of the varied Moroccan landscapes, the kindness of the Berber and Moroccan people, the hamman experience, the hustle and constant movement, cacophony of sounds & myriad of smells & colours in Marrakech. We can't recall a time when we ate so well and slept so deeply. Morocco is a wonderfully safe, inviting place to visit. We would highly recommend this trip.

A very enjoyable trip split between cosmopolitan Marrakech and experiencing rural village life