The horses spend the cooler winter months in the depths of the desert. From October to May we offer a desert trail. This is a superb route through the desert along which we encounter the mountains of Saghro, the Drâa River Valley and the sandy expanse of the Sahara. Accommodation is in comfortable camps near oasis and/or small villages. On this riding holiday you can enjoy the incredible variation of desert landscapes and meet the people that have adapted to these harsh conditions. This is one of our top rides.
No supplement if willing to share. Otherwise:
2012: £62/€72/$96
SAMPLE ITINERARY - SKOURA TO TARBHALT DESERT TRAIL
Day 1 Arrival - Ouarzazate or Marrakech airport. If you are flying into Marrakech then you must arrive no later than 2pm. Transfer Ouarzazate (a 4 hour drive through the Atlas Mountains) and dinner & overnight in a hotel in Ouarzazate.
Day 2 Ait Marssid - Bab N’Ali After breakfast you will be met by your guide in the reception of the hotel. In the summer months please meet at 07:00, in the winter 08.00. Transfer from Ouarzazate to Ait Marssid (a 3 hour trip). After the allocation of horses we saddle up before going through the narrow pass of Tizi N’Tazazarte (2283m high) via an ancient nomadic track. Enjoy a picnic lunch at a high pass with panoramic views onto the volcanic slopes of Mount Saghro. In the afternoon we keep descending along the same track which leads us to where we settle our first bivouac. 29 kms, 4 hours horse riding.
Day 3 Bab N’Ali - Amada N’Oumarirh
Today we head to the wadi (valley) N’Sit where we happen upon the Berber villages at the foot of Mount Saghro. After a picnic lunch at Anagame we leave the wadi along a track that gives us a wonderful view of the N’Sit valley before finishing the day with a gallop along the plateau of Amda Oumarirh. Bivouac under the shade of the acacias. 33 kms, 5 1/2 hours horse riding.
Day 4 Amada N’Oumarirh - Assafour This morning we cross the first desert plateau with acacias before taking a path that crosses several palm groves and villages. A picnic at Imi Ouaqqa. In the afternoon we go up the Bou Isserfane wadi where we ride through local villages and relish the magnificent sight of the first dunes before crossing the large palm grove of Tazzarine. Bivouac right after Assafour. 36Km, 6 hours horse riding.
Day 5 Assafour - Foum Tizza We keep on riding across the desert plateau at the foot of Djbel Serdrar which gently takes us along towards the Saharan plains. We picnic in the shade of the acacias close to the dunes. Long gallops today! This afternoon, our bivouac is at the foot of the dunes of Tizza. 28 kms, 5 hours horse riding.
Day 6 Foum Tizza - Taghbalt Our ride continues between Djbel Amraafi and Toukal to the oasis of Taqcha. Our picnic this time is in the shade of the palm trees. We make our way along the small gorges of wadi Taghbalt and the scenic villages in the heart of the palm plantations. Last bivouac at the foot of the grand dunes of Taghbalt. 42 kms, 6 1/2 hours horse riding.
Day 7 Taghbalt - Aqouge N’Ait Atmane Enjoy our final gallops on the plateau of Eferd before passing through the last villages. A last picnic under the shade of the acacias. 20 kms, 2 1/2 hours horse riding. In the afternoon we transfer to Ouarzazate, passing by Agdez. (a 3 hours trip).
Day 8 Breakfast at the hotel in Ouarzazate and 9am transfer to Marrakech. Picnic lunch en-route. If you are departing from Marrakech, flights must be booked no earlier than 3pm to allow for the transfer time.
NOTE:
This itinerary on this horse riding holiday is given for your guidance only and it may be altered in accordance with the prevailing conditions by the organising team.
NOTES - SKOURA TO TARBHALT DESERT TRAIL
There is a full backup team with vehicle for the length of your stay. Cooking will be done for you but you will be requested to assist with grooming and saddling your horse.
Level required:
One must be a good horseman and fairly fit. The horses are all stallions as it is customary not to castrate riding horses. They all have individual characters and are well schooled, of good temperament and no more difficult to handle than normal riding horses. Certain stages may force you to have longer days than usual. Certain passages in the mountains force us to dismount. A sense of humour and common sense are essential as well as the capacity to enjoy camping, remote mountains and desert scenery.
Logistics:
The camping is in 3 person dome tents with no more than 2 per tent. Foam mattresses are supplied, you need to bring sleeping bags. You are asked to give some help with the setting up of your tents. There is a shower tent with a large bucket of hot water for washing every day. There is one shower tent and one toilet (chemical). Meals are taken in a large restaurant tent around a round table with stools for seats. We recommend you bring 2 water bottles, mineral water will be supplied as well as plentiful amount of Berber mint tea. It is also possible to buy the usual array of carbonated drinks for about 40p per bottle in local shops.
Alchohol Alchohol is not provided on this trip. You are welcome to bring your own from your country of origin or purchase in Marrakech before the trip.
The weight limit for this ride is 15 st/209 lb/95 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.
FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
All accommodation either camping or in 3* hotel with en suite bathroom, all riding with English speaking guide, meals as per itinerary including packed lunch on Day 8, 4WD back up and luggage transport, transfers to and from Ourzazate or Marrakech and return airport transfers.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Flights to and from Ourzazate or Marrakech, alcoholic drinks (you can provide your own), lunch on Day 1, drinks in Ouarzazate and tips.
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What you see on our web site is exactly how much your invoice will come to and this will not change once booked. Unlike some other companies the prices on our web site are fully inclusive of often hidden extras such as: VAT, Sales Tax, state taxes, city taxes, service charges, non-optional tips, fuel surcharges which can add 20% or more to the advertised cost. Prices are available in £ sterling, Euros and US$. Once invoiced, prices are guaranteed against adverse currency fluctuations. Contact us for package prices which include flights from the UK and see each ride for exact details of all items in individual itineraries.
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