Undiscovered Atlas
Undiscovered Atlas
Undiscovered Atlas
8 Days Starting and ending in Agadir
Visiting: Morocco
Tour operator:
Tour code:
TMA
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
6 - 16
Age range:
16-99
Special diets catered:
Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
A fantastic winter trek in the dramatic and isolated Anti-Atlas mountains. Marvel at kasbahs perched above terraced valleys and wide oases, as well as distant peaks fading into the desert haze. The ascent of Jebel Aklim (2531m) provides wonderful views of the snow-covered High Atlas. Walking through small Berber villages brings you closer to the locals and their way of life. The trek ends in Taroudant, with time to experience the souks and the ancient city walls.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Start Agadir
The adventure begins in Agadir, a coastal city at the foothills of the Anti-Atlas Mountains. We join together at the hotel in the early evening for our welcome briefing. This is a great opportunity to meet the group and ask any questions you have.
Accommodation: Oasis Hotel & Spa (or similar)
Day 2 : Drive To Taroudant For Lunch; Continue To Irghem. Trek To First Campsite
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
From Agadir, we drive inland to Taroudant where we enjoy a brief tour, including time for a coffee on the square. We have lunch in the oasis of Tiout before continuing onto Ighrem, a copper town that has survived for centuries on a trade of pots and water urns with the Saharan caravans. It lies on a plateau near the Tizi’n’Touzlimt pass (5,970ft/1,820m), where the road to Tata and the desert landscape meets the Anti-Atlas range. Here we start our trek into the mountains towards our camping spot for the evening, Tagragra No. 1. Our camping spot is perched on a plateau, so the sunrise tomorrow is well worth an early night.
Accommodation: Tagragra No. 1 campsite (full-service camping)
Drive time: Two hours
Day 3 : Walk To Village Of Tagdicht
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We have a long first day as we climb over a col and then a series of spurs before entering a broad valley. After a picnic lunch, we continue past an abandoned mine towards the head of the valley, eventually reaching the beautiful village of Amal. Finally, we cross over a pass for the final stretch of today’s walk (in the beautiful evening light) to the village of Tagdicht. Here we camp on a traditional threshing platform that lies between the many agricultural terraces and is just outside a village at the foot of Jebel Aklim.
Accommodation: Tagdicht campsite (full-service camping)
Day 4 : Ascent Of Jebel Aklim
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today is a steeper day’s walking. We climb Jebel Aklim (8,303ft/2,531m), one of the highest summits in the Anti-Atlas, for excellent views to the High Atlas and the extinct volcano of Jebel Siroua. The summit is reached via a high col and a series of spurs. Pausing for a scenic picnic lunch, we then descend to our camp at Tagragra No. 2. This area is one of the most remote in this range yet is still surrounded by Amazigh villages. During harvest, the valleys are full of brightly dressed women and children working in the field. We enjoy our picnic lunch on the summit of Jbel aklim,
Accommodation: Tagragra No. 2 campsite (full-service camping)
Day 5 : Three-Day Complete Circuit Of Aklim Range
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We travel from Tagragra through the wonderfully remote village of Irtem. Walking through these villages, we can chat with the Amazigh people, enjoy their friendly conversation (mainly through hand gestures and basic French) and gain true insight into their traditional way of life. We will enjoy a cup of mint tea with villagers. We arrive at our campsite close to the village of M’dint (City of Cats). Nestled in a valley of olive groves and trickling streams, the campsite is protected from the elements and provides a peaceful resting spot.
Accommodation: Lamdint-No-Oumouch campsite (full-service camping)
Day 6 : Continue Our Trek With A Chance To Swim In Natural Pools
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Leaving M’dint, we cross two cols, slowly weaving our way up the valley. The villagers are very friendly and, if we are lucky, we may get invited in to try mint tea and local delicacies. Passing through ancient olive plantations, we admire the irrigation channels before resting for a picnic lunch under the shady trees. Be sure to hunt out the small river for a soothing paddle! We work our way up the last pass of Tizgue for a steady uphill push, well worth it as we are rewarded with views of our entire route. Our campsite rests next to ancient argan trees and there is a natural series of rock pools where we can enjoy a swim and a wash as the sun sets.
Accommodation: Laainn-Tmaoiat campsite (full-service camping)
Day 7 : Final Day In The Anti-Atlas Mountains. Drive To Oulad Berhil And Taroudant
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Today offers picturesque walking among date palms and through rocky landscapes. We walk along a dry riverbed (wadi) before arriving at Anammer village for our final picnic lunch. In the early afternoon, we transfer by minibus to Oulad Berhil. After check-in at our riad, there is the option to rest or make the journey to Taroudant (45 minutes) where we are free to explore the city, dubbed Marrakech in miniature. There is the chance to visit the souk for authentic Moroccan souvenirs or relax in one of the hammam steam baths before our farewell meal.
Accommodation: Riad Hotel l'Arganier d'Or (or similar)
Drive time: Three hours
Day 8 : Transfer To Agadir; Trip Ends
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today we check out of our riad in Oulad Berhil and make our way to Agadir via Taroudant, where again there will be time to wander around and pick up any last minute souvenirs. Those on the group flights are taken to Agadir Airport in time for their flight, which is usually in the evening. For those not on the group flights, the trip ends in Taroudant. It is possible to join the group transfer to Agadir Airport with prior arrangement.
What's Included
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Meals
7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners.
* All breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners
* All accommodation
* Transfers for group flights
What's Not Included
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Visas & Vaccinations
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Single supplement
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Travel insurance
Food
Moroccan food is generally speaking, excellent. At the beginning and the end
of the trek there will be the opportunity to eat in restaurants where meals
are reasonably priced - kebab and bread cost only about £4 (approx.
US$6.50). In main towns it is possible to find very good French and Moroccan
restaurants where a meal with wine will cost anything from £20 (approx.
US$30) upwards.
On the trek all of the food is provided.
Breakfast is likely to consist of a variety of breads with jam and other
condiments as well as tea and coffee, and porridge. Protein or fruit is a
rarity.
Lunch is usually plenty of salads, plus a hote dish and vegetables. Dinner
usually sees a variety of dishes served that include seasonal fruit and
vegetables as well as some meat and tinned fish as well as 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 as well as omelettes and vegetables. Please note that if you have any
special dietary requirements you should inform the Exodus Office prior to the
trip. If you have a specific medical/dietary need (i.e. coeliac or vegan) you
may find it helpful to bring some items of food with you 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 5l water containers from which
you'll be able to refill your bottle. Whilst individual bottles of water 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.
Where running water is available, you can refill your bottle with tap water
although this should not be drunk untreated. There is a wide range of
products available these days which are even more effective than the
traditional purification tablets - we recommend talking to an outdoor
retailer for the latest advice as technologies are improving all the time.
Handheld UV filters such as a ‘SteriPEN’ are very effective, can treat 1
litre of water in a couple of minutes and the water is ready immediately –
look for lightweight lithium battery models and remember that you will need
to bring a wide-mouthed bottle (e.g. Nalgene) for use with these devices.
There are also an array of water filter and purifier bottles on the market
but be wary of their weight, bottles with a small capacity and the products
performance in freezing conditions. Exodus has partnered with Water-to-Go, a
filtration system that eliminates over 99.99% of all microbiological
contaminants from any non-salt water source – please visit
https://watertogo.eu/exodus/"
target="_blank">Water-to-Go for more information. Exodus customers can claim
15% off your first order, and better still, 15% of the purchase value will be
donated to the Exodus Travels Foundation [1]. Please note that if the water
freezes it will clog up the filter – in this event, defrost before use by
sitting the filter in lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes.
[1] node/211076
Accommodation
As we make our way through the Anti-Atlas peaks, we spend our nights wild camping, while our first night is spent in a hotel in Agadir and our final night is at a riad in Taroudant.
Agadir: Oasis Hotel & Spa (night 1)
We begin our adventure at the Oasis in Agadir, where there’s a sandy beach and promenade within walking distance. The city centre is close too, for restaurants, cafes and markets. The hotel itself has a pool area with loungers, a bar, and a gym with plenty of machines.
Wild camping: (nights 2-6)
Our camping nights are a truly wild experience, as we sleep under the Moroccan sky, cradled by the Anti-Atlas Mountains. To make the experience a little more comfortable (while saving energy for the walks), the crew will go ahead of the group and set up our campsites. There is a toilet tent and larger tents for eating inside if the weather is not suitable for al fresco dining.
Taroudant: Riad Hotel l'Arganier d'Or (night 7)
Built in 1992 on an orange farm, this riad is in the traditional Moroccan style. There's a swimming pool, plus a patio and garden where you can relax with your new-found friends and chat about your adventure together.
Worth knowing
Camping on this trip is always full service but in wild camps – official campsites do not exist in the areas we visit. Wild camping means there are no wash facilities or a toilet block. A basic toilet tent is put up at each camp. All camp chores are done for you, including building and dismantling your tent, cooking and washing up. A table and chairs are also provided for mealtimes.
Check out our Q&As
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
16+ age people can go on this tour.
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What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?
full service
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Transfers for group flights
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.