Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

The best moment was seeing those in the group for whom this was their first trip reaching the summit of Toubkal.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you are an experienced walker hoping to do the optional treks as well as Toubkal, inquire as to the abilities of the rest of the group. Sometimes new walkers are much slower and with only 1 guide to 16 trekkers preventing a splitting of the group, the walking pace can be painfully slow. As a result insufficient time is available for the optional walks.

Most Inspirational Moment

Inspirational? Well getting to the summit was an achievement but, IMHO, not hugely enjoyable in view of the terrain one has to trek through to get there. But I did enjoy getting back to Marrakesh and having a wonderful fresh orange juice with ice cream in a cafe overlooking Jamaa el Fna! 

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was OK and I think he was looking after our safety which is the main concern. Eg, when we descended from Mnt Toubkal, we were in 3 groups & he stayed with our slowest group & ensured we avoided the snow fields we'd been through on the ascent. But at other times he was very much at the front, practically out of sight and there was no back-marker as I've experienced on other treks. It was up to the group itself to ensure that slower members were accompanied. To be fair, at the start, there was one of the muleteers at the rear but latterly he had to go ahead carrying one of our number who'd suffered a sprained ankle.Our guide was also very kind in taking us to see his home & meet his children, and drink wonderful mint tea!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't underestimate how difficult it is, the Trip Notes (IMHO) are too brief & just don't give the necessary detail, principally that probably most of trek is over lose stones or scree & quite difficult to walk on, requiring a lot of concentration. And the ascent of Mnt Toubkal includes quite a bit of clambering over boulders.Also I was somewhat concerned that we depended on bottled water - I'd taken purification tablets but there's no opportunity to get boiled water & add the tablets. At Toubkal base camp, the only source of bottled water is from the refuge which necessitates scrambling down to a stream & up the other side. I wouldn't have thought that there are any recycling facilities for the bottles.I took an additional mattress but not necessary. Tents were OK although one of them had to be abandoned on the first evening as one of the zips had burst. Be prepared for VERY basic toilet arrangements.  Our group didn't really suffer from altitude sickness but it is a tough acclimatisation in just 3 days before you tackle Mnt Toubkal.Also, compared to the treks I'd done in the Himalaya, I didn't find the scenery all that great - it's very arid, dry, stony; but then that was what I expected.

Most Inspirational Moment

So many to choose from...Our lunch stop on the first day of walking was amazing.  It was a hot day and we had been walking for a couple of hours.  When we stopped for lunch.  The lunch tent had been pitched on the mountainside and was open on two sides.  We had fantastic views all across the valley; down in the valley some women were harvesting crops and singing with their work; so we happily sat and allowed the breeze to float through the tent whilst admiring our wonderful surroundings.Our over night stop on day 3 just took my breath away. We pitched our camp on the mountainside in such a remote position, you could see nothing other than our camp and the wilderness.  A 5 minute wander down the track lead us to a beautiful cool stream with miniature waterfalls that was perfect for soaking your feet after there hot walking boots or allowing the cold water to run through your hair - so refreshing and relaxing whilst looking out over the beautiful scenery.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader (Laycen) was fantastic, he was very knowledgeable about the area; he was great fun to be around and appeared to genuinely enjoy spending time chatting with us.  The amount of information he provided was perfect; not huge long lectures that never end, but not nothing either; just the perfect balance. He also appeared to genuinely care for the guests, frequently checking that people were not suffering from altitude sickness etc.. And trying to help if anything was not quite right.In short.....Couldn't have wished for more, he was perfect!

Advice for Potential Travellers

BOOK IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!  You will not regret it.  You couldn't wish for more.On a more serious note; one of my concerns prior to travelling was access to drinking water-there are multiple places to buy water on all days except the summit day, where you need to be prepared in advance.  During a days walk you will pass many drink sellers, it is often quite nice to stop and have a chilled Coca-Cola on route.

Most Inspirational Moment

The most inspirational moment was seeing the panaramic views from the top of Mount Toubkal - it was so beautiful I felt quite emotional.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was fantastic. I felt I could totally trust him and felt safe with him. Whilst our safely was his main concern he also entertained us with his local knowledge, impressive language skills and great sense of humour.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go for it!

Most Inspirational Moment

I have loved every minute of the trip but definitely Summit Day was the most inspirational moment for me! A great personal challenge, both mental and physical and what an achievement to be at the top! What I have also truly enjoyed was being disconnected from everything and going back to what really matters. Like the Berbers would say, only two things are important: good health and happiness! 

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Lahcen was funny, kind, open-minded and very helpful. Always happy to answer any questions we had and share the fascinating life and culture of the Berbers.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Prepare for both warm and cold weather. Although for us, Summit Day was rather warm, it can be very windy at times. Make sure you have the required level of fitness and can follow the pace set by the group leader (which is honestly perfect), especially on Summit Day, so as to not penalise the whole group.If you are interested in helping out local communities, please bring pencils or books for the kids. As we walked through the mountain villages and met with children there, I wish I had pens with me to give to them!  

Most Inspirational Moment

The third day of trekking, slowly walking up the valley and finally seeing the Toubkal refuge.Bartering in the souks in Marrakesh and enjoying a superb and unbelievably cheap dinner in the square.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Abdullah was excellent if perhaps a little quiet. He knew the scenery well and coped expertly with anyone having challenges throughout the trip. He struck a great balance between being the guide and being part of the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Stay on in Marrakech for an extra two nights. The trip doesn't give enough time if you want to go to a few of the sights and to explore the city properly. The hotel with Exodus use is good and very cheap.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Struck exactly the right balance between treating us as  independent adults and keeping a watchful eye

Advice for Potential Travellers

Have a trek towel in your kit. Carry a spare biro tucked away. Pack some sandals to give your feet some relief.Keep your sense of humour close to hand and enjoy.

Most Inspirational Moment

I think the most inspirational moment was getting to the top of Toubkal, which was definately hard work and quite a struggle.  To do that after nearly four days of hard walking was certainly rewarding.  I just about amanged to hold back the tears a few times when the emotions overwhelmed me - although perhaps it was just the altitude sickness!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan was a really good leader.  He was extremely welcoming and clearly wanted us all to enjoy our week in Morocco.  He even invited the group to his house for tea and some snacks towards the end of the week. On the walking aspect he kept a very good pace which wasn't too fast, but certainly pushed me hard.  He was perhaps a bit hands off to the extent that he expected you to sort yourself out most of the time and take resposibility which I think is exactly right.  He is a mountain leader after all not a nanny.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for cold night especially in April/May time.  Remember to bring plenty of strong suncream.  The toilet facilities on teh nights when you are camping are very basic and consist of a small tent over a hole in the ground - so bring wet wipes and toilet roll.  Make use of the nearby refuges when at the high base camp.  You don't have to be super fit to do this one, but it is several days of long hard walking so you should have a decent level of experience on mountains.

Most Inspirational Moment

Without a doubt my most inspirational moment would have to have been the ascent of Mt Toubkal itself. The sense of achievement and the views were both incredible. However, the trek 'upwards' through the Berber villages would have to come a close second. Culturally the trip was quite mind blowing!

Thoughts on Group Leader

I was travelling alone so was instantly comforted by the organisation, communication and skill of our guide. He was a Berber and had been guiding trips to the summit of Mt Toubkal and the surrounding areas for over 20 years so had a wealth of knowledge to offer. He took stock of all of our varying abilities and waited, listened and understood, which is really important I think. He was a really decent guy.

Advice for Potential Travellers

My advice for this trip would be to not underestimate the effects of Altitude Sickness. Thankfully I wasn't effected by this but some others in my group experienced some symptoms. Also, plan for the extremes of temperature as it can be very hot during the day but freezing during the night. So on both counts, be prepared!

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the summit of Mount Toubkal would be the obvious one and it is definitely up there on the list but to be honest reaching the summit of Mount Ouanakrim, the second highest peak, was probably the best part of the trip especially as we did this the day after Toubkal so we had great views across to the summit of Toubkal and it was a great reminder of what we had achieved.  We were the only group on Mount Ouanakrim which was great after the comparative bustle at the summit of Toubkal and made the trek up worth the effort.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan was friendly, approachable and a competent guide. He looked after the group well and provided all necessary advice and information on what to expect each day. All the other support staff on the trip were also fantastic, setting up camp, transporting bags and equipment and cooking up a storm every mealtime ensuring we were fully fuelled for our mountainous escapades. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring plenty of sunscreen and use it! It feels a lot cooler in the mountains but it is so easy to get sunburn!  Gloves, hats and a warm fleece were also invaluable for a couple of the early morning starts we had as well as for the windy summits. Wearing two pairs of socks will help prevent blisters but remember to bring blister treatments just in case and look after your feet - take advantage of cold streams to soak them at the end of a long day walking. Get money before leaving Marrakech on the first day and if possible change large notes for smaller denominations and coins so you have easy money to pay for bottled water/snacks/showers at the refuge.