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Atlas Mountains holiday, Kasbah Trails

country:Morocco
location:Atlas Mountains
trip type:High altitude, strenuous walking holidays
departures:2008: 6 Sep, 20 Sep, 4 Oct, 18 Oct, 15 Nov, 20 Dec
2009: 17 Jan, 14 Feb, 21 Mar, 4 Apr, 23 May, 20 Jun, 25 Jul, 15 Aug, 19 Sep, 24 Oct, 21 Nov, 23 Dec
price:From £749 - £849 (13 days) including flights from the UK, from £429 - £499 excluding flights. Local payment £80
late availability:Late availability on 20th September and 4th October departures. Special offer: Free insurance on late availability departures
read 5 travellers reviews
the amazing things you'll be doing
An active journey through the heart of magical Morocco.

Imperial Cities & Sahara Desert
From the modern powerhouse of Casablanca and capital Rabat you head to the cities of the past, imperial Meknes and medieval Fez, with their fantastic architecture and lively souks. You’ll visit the pilgrimage site of Moulay Idriss and Roman ruins at Volubilis before heading into the Sahara Desert. Witness the raw beauty of the rolling sand dunes and trek with camels to sleep in an atmospheric Bedouin camp.

Atlas Mountains & Marrakech
You strike west via the towering Todra Gorge to the Valley of the Roses where you’ll stay for two nights in a Berber village giving you the chance to take day walks in the Atlas Mountains. After following the ‘Valley of the Kasbahs’ you’ll explore the famous and picturesque Ait Benhaddou kasbah before crossing the Tizi-n-Tichka pass to the climax of your adventure – exotic Marrakech with its vibrant souks.

Essaouira extension
Round off your trip by relaxing in the old Atlantic coast port town of Essaouira. Unwind in the atmospheric old town and souk, enjoy fresh seafood and feel the sand between your toes on the wild and extensive beach.
day-by-day itinerary
Day 1:Fly to Casablanca.
Day 2:Visit Casablanca, Rabat and Meknes.
Day 3:Moulay Idriss, Roman Volubilis & Fez.
Day 4:Fez city tour.
Day 5:Drive to Merzouga via Erfoud.
Day 6:Camel trek to Bedouin camp in desert.
Day 7:Return to Merzouga by camel; drive to Todra Gorge; walk.
Day 8-9:Day walks in Valley of the Roses & Atlas Mountains.
Day 10:Explore Ait Benhaddou.
Day 11-12:Drive to Marrakech; city tour & souks.
Day 13:Fly to London.
travellers' tales
We all got on very well and I know that everyone came back home enriched, but we are all so grateful to our wonderful group leader Youssef Bousdour who provided us with a magic carpet and communicated his deep love and respect for his country. (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.
how this holiday makes a difference
On this trip: Our policy of staying in locally owned accommodation, having local guides and group leaders and using transport owned and operated by local people wherever possible is continued in Morocco. Our small groups (maximum of 16 people) have a minimal impact on the fragile environment as we explore predominantly on foot. All tour guides are responsible for ensuring that the guests understand the nature of the environment that they are in and minimise the impact that they may have. We collect and dispose of all litter, purify all drinking water instead of using bottled water, and use responsible cooking fuels (kerosene) instead of wood.

We have joined forces with Kasbah du Toubkal and Room to Read to assist in providing educational books for schools in Morocco. If you would like to offer your support to the project, please bring with you any educational books that will appeal to students from ages 5-18. Books can be in any range of subjects: children's story books, basic literacy and numeracy, geography, history, Tin Tin.... English/French dictionaries or any other educational equipment, pens, pencils, calculators, writing pads etc would also be gladly received. Please bear in mind when making your choice of books that Morocco is an Islamic country. Your group leader will take your contribution from you on arrival and happily tell you more about the project. For further details see www.roomtoread.org.

Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us.

Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems.

Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full.

Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book.

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