Sahara Desert Trek & Project
30th March – 6th April 2014
ITINERARY
Day 1 (Sun): LONDON / MARRAKECH
Depart London for Marrakech (4 hour flight).
On arrival we meet our local Berber guide and transfer to
the hotel for a welcome dinner and briefing.
Day 2 (Mon): MARRAKECH / SAHARA DESERT
We set off early this morning for the journey over the
High and Low Atlas Mountain Ranges and into the
arid scenery of the Sahara desert (journey time
approx. 7 hours).
Late this afternoon we meet up with our trekking
team, consisting of local Berber guides, cooks and
their camels, and start the trek. Overnight under
the stars in bivouacs (or tents weather permitting).
Approx distance covered 5 miles.
Days 3 (Tue) & 4 (Wed): SAHARA DESERT
Spend two full days out in the Sahara. Each
day you will traverse sand dunes and a rocky,
lunar landscape, passing the occasional
oasis and mile after mile of natural beauty, a
million miles away from daily life in the UK!
Each night fall asleep to the sound of the
crackling fire and the soft grunts of the
camels!
(approx distance covered 20miles per day)
Day 5 (Thu): SAHARA DESERT / OULED DRISS /
MARRAKECH
This morning it’s a final trek to the village of
Ouled Driss, where you will bid farewell to our
team of camels and the local Berbers, and
head back overland to Marrakech
(journey time approx. 7 hours).
(approx distance covered 5miles)
Days 6 (Fri) & 7 (Sat): MARRAKECH
Spend two days assisting on a local community
project. This is likely to include tasks such as
painting, decorating, gardening and other tasks
dependent on the need at the time.
Day 8 (Sun): MARRAKECH / LONDON
Some free time for final sightseeing and
shopping before transferring to the airport to
fly back to London (depending on flight time).
WHAT TO EXPECT EACH DAY
 Distance
Trekked
First day (only a short day) about 5miles
Second Day – 20miles
Third day – 22miles
Last day – 5miles
 Terrain
Varied: sandy, rocky, scrubland – possible river
crossings!
DAILY ROUTINE
•
•
•
•
Each day is different and ruled by a number of factors, such as
condition of the trail, weather conditions, and the pace of the
group as a whole.
This is just a guideline and will vary:
You are usually on the trail by around 7.30am, having had
breakfast and packed your trek bag ready to load onto the
camels.
You’ll then have a few hours’ walking before lunch around
11.30am/12pm. Lunch break will last around 2-3 hours.
The afternoon walk usually finishes no later than 6pm, leaving
you plenty of time to relax and think about the day, or gaze at the
stars. Dinner is normally taken early evening - around 7.00pm.
ACCOMMODATION


You will spend a total of 4 nights in hotels and 3 nights
camping in a tent or under the stars!
You will need to bring a sleeping bag (and sleeping bag liner)
and a compressed foam sleeping mat will be provided for
camping.
TOILETS/BATHING

At every campsite, a dug-in toilet will be improvised in a separate tent; this will be
located at some distance from the campsite. Please bring ‘no-water’ antibacterial hand gel to clean your hands.

There will not be any shower facilities so it is recommended that you bring a
good supply of baby wipes.

Please note that due to the wilderness environment, the facilities will be basic.

You should bring your own supply of toilet paper as this is not provided in public
restrooms, and will not be provided during the trek. Toilet paper should be
disposed of in bins provided where available and not put down the toilet.

During the day, ensure that all waste is buried at least 15cm. Toilet paper should
only be disposed of into a bin – please bring a supply of small plastic bags and
carry this until it can be disposed of properly.
CLIMATE AND CONDITIONS
 In
the Moroccan Sahara, the average daytime
temperature is 25˚C to 40˚C during the day.
Sunscreen & sunhats are vital.
 Nights
 As
will be approx 5˚C to 12˚C.
a general rule, a sunhat (essential), t-shirt or
lightweight shirt and lightweight trekking trousers are
suitable for during the day (with a long sleeved light shirt
to protect yourself from the sun).
For night times, you should add light long sleeved layers,
and a fleece or sweater to keep you warm.
FOOD/MEALS

Your meals are prepared by a local cook using fresh local produce.

You will be served with a variety of Moroccan cuisine as per
availability.

During the trek there will be a dining tent

All meals are healthy, nourishing, filling and incredibly tasty. There is
always plenty to satisfy a hungry trekker!

All water used for cooking and consumption will be boiled. 3l bottled
water per day will be provided for you on the trek.
‘SPECIALIST’ EQUIPMENT
•
Walking boots. You should take walking boots with good
ankle support. Ensure that your walking boots are well
broken in and comfortable. You must ensure you give
your boots at least 6 weeks of constant wear (such as
during your training) to ensure they are broken in
properly. Trainers/flip flops may be useful for around the
camp.
•
Insect repellent. Containing 50% DEET. BugProof
repellent from Nomad Travel is recommended.
•
Water container. 2 litre Camelbak or Platypus Hoser is
recommended for easy ‘drinking-on-the-go’ plus a 1-2
litre bottle as backup. You cannot drink too much water in
the desert.
LUGGAGE
During trek your main luggage will be carried on
camels. Your luggage should be packed in a soft bag
or holdall such as the above. A suitcase is NOT
suitable.
•
You simply carry a day pack (25-35 litres) with water
bottle, camera, sun-screen, etc. It should have a hip
belt and chest strap. ‘Airflow’ or ‘Freeflow’ style
packs are best for allowing your back to keep cool
VISAS
•
British Citizens do not currently require a visa
to enter Morocco but your passport must be
valid for 6 months.
VACCINATIONS

Please see your GP for information about which vaccines and /or boosters you need.
The general guidance given by the NHS supported Fit For Travel website suggests the following:
Confirm primary courses and boosters are up to date as recommended for life in Britain.
Courses or boosters usually advised: tetanus; hepatitis A.
Vaccines sometimes advised (based on medical risk assessment): typhoid; diphtheria; hepatitis B;
rabies; tuberculosis.

BUT PLEASE SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE FROM YOUR GP AS THIS MAY NOT APPLY TO
YOU!
If your GP does not deal with travel health, pop into a branch of Nomad Travel and speak to one of
the travel nurses there. You will receive a 10% discount against any vaccines from Nomad with
your discount code DIFTRAV.
ANY
QUESTIONS?