“On the path of magnificent kasbahs on horseback”
8 Day The Path of 1000 Kasbahs Horse Riding Holiday in Morocco
Skoura Palm Grove, Region of Ouarzazate, Morocco
Horse Riding Holiday in Morocco: Discover the Area of Ouarzazate on Horseback
Horse riding holiday in loop with departure and arrival in Skoura palm grove, near Ouarzazate. You will discover a preserved Morocco, far from the beaten track. You will be charmed by the mountainous and lunar landscapes that you will discover between the oases of greenery, in particular the valley of the almond trees. You will pass through many small Berber villages to meet the locals and you will probably encounter nomads with their herds in the isolated valleys. The total duration of your stay is 8 days / 7 nights, including 5.5 days in the saddle.
Key information
- Riders Weight Limit: 85 kilograms / 188 pounds
- Horse Height Range: 15 hands
- Tack Type: English saddles
- Horse Breed: Barb-Arabic Stallions (about 1.55m height)
- Meeting in the morning of Day 1 in Marrakech
Meet the instructors
Hassan
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Highlights
- 5.5 days of horse riding with helmet
- The magic of encountering nomads and their herds
- The almond valley blooming from end January till end February
- The superb kasbahs
- The palm groves with a view over the snowy Atlas Mountains in the back
- The lunar landscapes, specific to the stone desert
- 7 nights accommodation
- Return transfers
Skill level
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Styles
6 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: Arabic, French
Group size: Maximum of 8 participants
Airport transfer included:
Marrakesh Menara Airport
Accommodation
Check-in Time:
10:00
Check-out Time:
10:00
You will sleep in various accommodations during the trial as follows:
- On the first night, you will sleep in a traditional kasbah in the palm grove of Skoura.
- From night 2 to 6, you will sleep under a tent at the camp and the camp location will change every day. There will be hot water / shower and toilets at your disposal. The camp during the trial is on a high-standard level (pleasant dining tent, shower tent with hot water, and chemical loo in a separate tent). There is a possibility to sleep in groups under the big Moroccan tent or isolated in igloo tents. Foam mattresses are supplied but you will need to bring a sleeping bag and camping pillow. There will be no electricity at the camp nights in tents at wild spots.
- On the last night, you will sleep in a riad in Marrakech.
Program
The stables are located in Essaouira, on the Atlantic coast. Every year, they move the team and horses to spend a week near Ouarzazate, allowing the customers to discover another region with totally different landscapes with them.
Daily itinerary
Day 1
Arrival at Marrakesh in the morning (if not possible, then you must arrive on the day before and sleep the night before in Marrakech to be there on time for a morning pick-up in a central point in Marrakech) and transfer towards the palm grove of Skoura (about 5 hours drive, lunch not included). Dinner and night in Skoura in a traditional Kasbah.
Day 2
You will cross the palm grove of Skoura where you will encounter magnificent palm trees. You will see the mountains far away with their snow-capped peaks, from the palm grove. This contrast of landscapes is really extraordinary. You can discover magnificent Kasbahs along your road. The picnic will be made at Aït Saïd. Your bivouac will be in the heart of the oasis of Tamassinte.
Day 3
You will take the direction of the Atlas Mountain and you will discover a very big variety of landscapes throughout your road with an alternation of mountains with rich and contrasted colors. Picnic at Tamsoulte, in the valley of almond trees. Almond trees are in flowers there at the end of February - beginning of March and you will appreciate the beauty of this small paradise in bewitching scents. You will go through small paths following villages dug in the mountain. The bivouac will be located in Atagragra.
Day 4
You will meet nomads and will cross their camps, full of children, sheep and goats. Picnic at Assaghmou which peaks at 1600 m. You will go down the mountain by rugged paths in the direction of your bivouac which will be established near the small fortified of N'Aij, situated near Ghassat, at 1450 m.
Day 5
You will cross the magnificent valley of Assif Izerki inhabited by nomads and full of very old picturesque villages. Picnic at Taferghouste. In the afternoon, the road goes back up the oued Dadès lined by ksour flooded in the greenery of oases and dominated by the overwhelming silhouette of the AtlasMountain. The oued Dadès feeds the lake of restraint of the dam Mansour ed Dahbi which allows the irrigation of the valley of Drâa. It is at the edge of this lake that your bivouac will be located.
Day 6
You will follow the Dadès to arrive at the village of Afra where you will lunch with magnificent Kasbahs nearby. In the afternoon, you will take the direction of the Sarho mountains. Your bivouac will be on the plateau of Maouste, in front of the village of Sidi Flah. This village, lined by Dadès, in fact consists of three hamlets: 2 Arab hamlets surrounding a Berber hamlet.
Day 7
Morning on horseback through small paths which will let you in the palm grove of Skoura. You will have lunch in Skoura. Departure towards Marrakesh in the early afternoon. Free time to discover/visit Marrakesh in the evening. Dinner not included. Night in riad (with breakfast included).
Day 8
After the breakfast taken at the riad, you are free to go to the airport at any time (transfer not included).
Instructors
Hassan
Hassan was born and grew up in the region of Ouarzazate. He's working with horses for about 10 years. He's very gentle, has a great sense of humor and very helpful. He will help you to feel confident and at ease during the trail. He speaks French, English, Arabic and Berber.
Location
You will be meeting in Marrakech in the morning of day 1, and then transfer to Skoura palm grove, near Ouarzazate. You will transfer back to Marrakech on the afternoon of day 7.
Food
All the meals will be prepared by a Moroccan cook; he will make you discover the tasty local dishes including tagines, couscous, Moroccan salads, soups, etc.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Snacks
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Gluten Free
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
- Hallal
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
What's included
- 5.5 days on horseback from the morning of day 2 to day 7 lunch time
- 1 night in a kasbah in Skoura on day 1 and 1 night in a riad in Marrakech on day 7
- 7 nights accommodation in total
- High standard level in the camps during the trek (pleasant dining tent, shower tent with hot water, chemical loo in a separate tent)
- Possibility to sleep in groups under the big Moroccan tent or isolated in igloo tents. The camp is moved on each day (foam mattresses are supplied but you will need to bring a sleeping bag and camping pillow)
- Bottles of water are provided daily by the staff. All the meals during the trial are included
- Saddlebags will be provided to keep personal equipment (camera, sun cream, etc.) during the rides
- Transportation of materials and equipment with a support vehicle. You will have access to your luggage each day for lunch
- Pick-up is included
What's not included
- Lunch on day 1
- Dinner on day 8
- Transfer back to Marrakech airport from the riad on day 8 (about 15 EUR)
- The optional extra night in Marrakech if you cannot find a flight to arrive on the morning of Day 1
How to get there
Recommended Airports
RAK
Marrakesh Menara Airport
152 km
Transfer included
Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK). The airport pick up is included but not the drop-off.
You will be meeting in the morning of day 1 in Marrakech. If you can take a flight arriving in the morning, pick-up will be at the airport. If you cannot find a flight arriving in the morning of day 1, then you must arrive on the day before and spend 1 night in Marrakech. In this case, the pick-up will be near your hotel on day 1. The flight back is to be booked on Day 8.
Airport: Marrakesh Menara Airport
Airport transfer included: Marrakesh Menara Airport
No additional charges. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookHorseRidingHolidays.com. All major credit cards supported.
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