Undiscovered Atlas

Enjoy a remote trek among terraced valleys, desert oases and Amazigh villages

Embark on a fantastic winter trek in the dramatic, isolated Anti-Atlas Mountains – camping wild as you go. You’ll marvel at kasbahs perched above terraced valleys and wide oases, and spot distant peaks fading into the desert haze. The ascent of Jebel Aklim (8,303ft/2,531m) provides wonderful views of the snow-covered High Atlas, while walking through small Amazigh villages brings you closer to the local people and their way of life. The trek ends in Taroudant, with time to experience the souks and ancient city walls.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• We buy supplies from small shops in the villages we pass through, which supports the local economy.
• There is interaction with local villagers and our group is sometimes asked to join them for Moroccan tea.
• We visit the souk in Taroudant where you can purchase authentic Moroccan handicrafts.
• Read more about our other initiatives

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for reusable bottles.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices regarding working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• The mules we use are from an association in Imlil, which cares for their wellbeing.
• With our partners, Rewilding Apennines, we rewild 100 square meters (1,075 sqft) of land per passenger who travels with us.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• There are five days of wild camping on this trip, which reduces the carbon footprint compared to staying in a hotel.
• Walking trips like this have very little detrimental impact on the environment and the locals, as it is a quiet, low-impact activity requiring comparatively few resources to support.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring a reusable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is rated Activity Level 5 (Challenging).For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.  

It includes five days of point-to-point walking with full porterage. The maximum altitude is 8,303ft (2,531m), with an overall average of 6,004ft (1,830m). This trek involves walking on rough trails and paths scattered with loose stones; some days are demanding although no great altitude is reached and there are no extreme temperatures to contend with. Frost is possible some nights, especially between November and February.

Hotel accommodation on this trip is basic, but clean and comfortable. Wild camping is without showers, but a basic toilet block is set up. Recently, authorities have been clamping down on wild camping, despite it being perfectly legal. Therefore, we may have to move to gites on some nights.

Morocco can get cold in winter though usually daytime temperatures are mild. Pack winter clothes for November through to March when nighttime temperatures, especially in the desert and the mountains, can drop considerably. During these months, there can also be rain throughout the country and snow in the mountains. As Morocco is generally mild to hot it is not set up for colder temperatures and so there may not be heaters available. Please pack winter clothes and nightwear to ensure you are comfortable. You can also ask for more blankets at the hotels. Please be prepared for the colder months.

Ramadan is expected to run from approximately from 28 February- 29 March 2025. One of the most important periods in the Islamic calendar, it is a special time to visit a Muslim country. Each evening, the streets empty as people head home to break the fast, followed by an air of festivity upon their return. Our leaders and drivers choose to work at this time so we continue to run trips; however, their energy levels may be slightly lower than normal. Many tourist sites, restaurants and shops will have an amended schedule, but your tour leader will know how to adapt the itinerary to still experience all the inclusions on this trip and maximise your experience during this special time.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Morocco

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies, tuberculosis and typhoid. A polio vaccination certificate may be required for some travellers. Please confirm your needs and requirements with your doctor or travel clinic.

Visa

Morocco

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Morocco. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/morocco
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/morocco
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/morocco/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Morocco.html

Food & Drink

All breakfasts, five lunches and five dinners are included on this trip.

Moroccan food is, generally speaking, excellent though not very varied. For meals not included, budget for the following approximate prices.

• Lunches: 60-100 dirhams (US$6-US$10)
• Dinners:
  • In cities: 80-200 dirhams (US$8-US$19)
  • In small towns and villages: 60-100 dirhams (US$6-US$10)
• Drinks in restaurants
  • Soft drinks: 10-20 dirhams (US$1-US$1.90)
  • Beer: 30-50 dirham (US$2.85-US$5)
  • Wine: 150 dirham (US$14) and more

Where meals are included on the trek, expect the following to be catered.

Breakfast is likely to consist of a variety of breads with jam and other condiments plus tea and coffee, and porridge.

Lunch is usually plenty of salads, plus a hot dish and vegetables. Dinner is usually a variety of dishes that includes seasonal fruit and vegetables plus some meat and tinned fish and various rice, lentil and bean dishes. The choice tends to be large, so there is usually something for everyone. It is certainly not limited to cous cous and tagine and is often commented as a highlight of the trip.

Vegetarians can be catered for and there is usually a variety of bean/pulse dishes plus omelettes and vegetables. Please note, if you have special dietary requirements you should inform your sales representative prior to the trip. If you have a specific medical/dietary need (ie coeliac or vegan) you may find it helpful to bring some food items from home.

Drinking water

For the camping part of the trip, the leader will collect a small amount of money (around 40 dirhams) to purchase several large water containers from which you can refill your bottle. While individual water bottles can be purchased at the beginning of the trip, we strongly encourage you not to buy bottled water as this contributes to the growing problem of plastic pollution in Morocco.

Weather

For winter treks, the days are usually warm (above 20C/68F) in Agadir and Taroudant while the nights can be cold, with temperatures dropping to 5C (41F). Rain cannot be ruled out but is unlikely to be prolonged. On trek, the days should be warm (15C-20C/59F-68F) with clear skies, but the nights are generally cold and sometimes drop below freezing. On the high ridges and summits there is often snow but not normally enough to stop us walking. Very occasionally, snow has been known at lower altitudes but it does not lie for long. For spring and autumn treks, the days are pleasant (20C-26C/68F-79F) in Agadir and Taroudant and the nights mild. Rain is infrequent. On trek, the days should be warm to hot (18C-28C/64F-82F with clear skies and strong sun) the nights will be cool (8C-18C/46F-64F). At this time of year, it is unlikely there will be snow on the higher ridges. Rain cannot be ruled out but is unlikely to be prolonged. Please note, mountain weather is always unpredictable and we may very occasionally be forced to amend the itinerary for part of the trek.