This expedition has so much going for it it's unreal, but here are 12 reasons to persuade you to get yourself on an expedition with us and experience it for yourself!
A short flight time - With a flight time of just 3.5 hours from Manchester it doesn't require extensive, tiring travel to get to.
No jet lag - During the winter months Morocco is just one hour ahead of GMT, so there's no jet lag to contend with.
It's a short trip - Granted, with UK - UK expeditions being sold out there with shorter itineraries, it could be shorter (see point 4) but 8 days for an international expedition including your travel days means it can slot into your year nicely without stealing too much annual leave.
The itinerary increases your chance of summit success, and limits your chances of getting sick - Yes, you can find yourself a shorter itinerary and do Toubkal in 4 or 5 days total, but depending on where you live you could go from sea level to 4,167m in just 3 days! Our itinerary has two acclimatisation days built in to help your body adjust to the altitude, making it safer for you, and of course your chance of reaching the summit (the main reason why you're even going!) is increased.
Toubkal is the ideal intro to altitude - At 4,167m, Mount Toubkal is classed as 'Very High Altitude'. Although your body could react to altitude differently each time you go, it is a great initial test to see how you perform, and whether trekking the altitude (both physically and mentally) is for you. If you do well, you may then feel more confident about joining one of our trips to Nepal or Tanzania where we climb even higher.
The itinerary provides you the chance to actually experience Morocco - As above, this isn't a 'Smash 'n Grab' trip. The acclimatisation days allow some additional hiking in the fabulous Atlas mountains and possibly the opportunity to bag another peak or two as well. At the end of the trip you have two nights and at least a day and half in Marrakech, where our Riad is positioned brilliantly for you to get into the markets and souks.
It's hard, but not super hard - Obviously, grading such a trip is very subjective, and weather etc can alter the overall difficulty, but the trip doesn't require supreme levels of fitness to get through two weeks of long days unlike some expeditions.
Experience an 'Alpine Start' - There really isn't a better feeling than getting up into the mountains early and aiming to summit a mountain for sunrise. If you're lucky enough you'll have clear skies and see the surrounding mountains bathed in moonlight. The summit day involves about 12 hours walking overall, but the other days of the expedition are only about 5 hours which means the starts can be much more leisurley (9-9:30am)
The food is amazing - During the trekking phase of the expedition you will be fed traditional Moroccan cuisine such as Tajines and salads. The food is super fresh, tasty and there's loads of it!
The Moroccan people are the perfect hosts - Much like how it can be regarded that the people of Nepal make the country, the same can be said about Morocco. From the people in Marrakech to the Berbers that live in the Atlas, everyone is welcoming, friendly and so very helpful.
You still have some creature comforts - There's no camping off grid or anything like that. You can charge your devices throughout the trip and there is Wifi available at all the accommodations we stay in. The accommodation in Aroumd and Marrakech is really nice too. The Toubkal refuge is OK, but being a mountain hut it naturally won't be as plush.
It's an ideal introduction to expeditions - For many of the reasons outlined above this trip really is a great way to go about starting.
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