Toubkal, Atlantic and Sahara Morocco

We arrive in Morocco in the evening and go straight to the hotel. We leave our things there and head to the city. The first day of our trip will begin with a meeting of all participants and dinner in Marrakech. Marrakech is the heart and soul of Moroccan culture and the most colorful city in Morocco. We will see everything with our own eyes, smell the aromas of street food, and hear the rhythm of life in the medina, the old part of the city.

There will be too many emotions and impressions, and the degree of emotion will only increase until the last day of the trip.

In the morning, we will start our journey across the Sahara, with the first stop being the city of Ait Ben Haddou. Being here is already a great joy, at least for fans of the Game of Thrones series, because scenes from Meereen were filmed here. The settlement itself is very different from other cities and towns. Ait Ben Haddou was built to serve as a fortress in the middle of the desert and looks like one. There is even an auction where you can buy camels.

We will spend the whole day walking through the narrow streets and getting to know the locals. Most of the city's residents are actors, so there is a chance to meet some of the characters from your favorite movies. We can also find cool souvenirs here - ancient compasses and various antiques. There are plenty of such things. In the evening, we will watch the sunset from the highest part of the village.

Our day promises to be busy and will start with a transfer to the city of Ouarzazate, where we will visit one of the largest film studios in the world - Atlas Film Studio, where such films as: “Kingdom of Heaven, Game of Thrones, The Mummy, Aladdin, Gladiator, Prince of Persia, and many others. We will walk through the filming locations and see how movies are made.

In Ouarzazate, they cook delicious tagines, a Moroccan national dish, so that we can taste them. In the afternoon, we will go to the village of Mhamid, the last settlement where you can still hear a slight noise before the complete nirvana of the Sahara. We will arrive in the town at night, where our friend Jamal will meet and take us to the Berber campsite.

In the morning, we set off into the depths of the Moroccan Sahara, going to Chigaga, where the highest dunes are located. They are so high that you can descend from them on a board, and there is also quiet there. To give you an idea, Chigaga has the highest dune in the region, which is why this place was named. This region of the Sahara is home to the Berbers, the indigenous inhabitants of the desert, who are amiable people. If someone wants to, they can arrange a camel ride.

The evening will also be special: first, we will look at the sunset, and then at the starry sky - you have never seen so many stars. This is the most beautiful starry sky we have ever seen compared to other places. We will have dinner in the company of Berbers and listen to exciting stories while sitting around the campfire. We almost forgot the road to Chigaga, a continuous sandy off-road, so we have to drive a two-hour jeep ride.

We've already seen the dunes, so it's time to go back, but there's still the village of Mhamid ahead. It is located on the border with Algeria which is the beginning of the Sahara. We will have half a day to walk the streets of the village. There, we will look at the life of the locals and their houses as they look in the movie Aladdin. We will walk along a dried-up river bed and pick dates from the palm trees. After that, we will meet the sunset on one of the dunes.

We will spend this night in the Berber camp, where we will once again listen to the silence of the Sahara and look at this fabulous starry sky.

Today is our relocation day: we have to transfer for 500 kilometers. We will drive through everything we have seen in recent days and observe it from the window: Mhamid, Ouarzazate, Ait Ben Haddou. In the afternoon, we will arrive in Marrakech.

It's not an easy day of traveling, so we recommend relaxing and going to a local hammam. A hot, relaxing steam bath will be a great end to this day because tomorrow, we will head to the mountains.

The hiking part of the trip begins. We will climb Mount Toubkal (4167m), the highest peak in Morocco. The route begins at Imlil, a village at the foot of the High Atlas ridge.

According to the plan, today, we must climb to a high mountain shelter at an altitude of 3207 meters. The road will be long but gentle and not difficult, and the altitude gain will be gradual. Along the route, we will make stops to rest, drink fresh orange juice, and listen to stories about the Jinn who lives in the mountains. In the evening, we will come to the shelter, where we will have a delicious dinner, a warm place by the stove, and hot mint tea.

The goal of our trip is to climb Toubkal, 4167 m, the highest point in Morocco and the Atlas Mountains. The mountain's name means “the one who looks down on the earth.” The views there are incredible, so this expression describes Toubkal very accurately. The climb is not easy, but it's not mountaineering; it's trekking. Of course, if it snows, we'll wear crampons for safety; no other equipment is required.

On the day of the climb, we will have an early rise and breakfast and go out on the route with flashlights. The ascent will take about five hours, and the descent will take up to 3 hours. Along the way, we will have stops for rest and selfies. At the top, we will take a group photo with the flag of Ukraine and admire the high mountains of the Atlas.

After descending from the summit, we will spend another night in the mountain shelter Refuge du Toubkal to rest and regain strength.

We go down to the village of Imlil. Today's route is very simple: We have to reach the foot of the ridge. From there, we go to the village and then to Marrakech.

Later, we will walk around the evening city and the main square of the Medina, Jamaa El Fna. We will try the national dish of couscous for dinner. If you want, you can have your own free program.

We are going to one special town on the Atlantic coast with a unique flavor and Moroccan atmosphere.

You will have three days to try everything Essaouira is famous for. We will start with a local fish restaurant, where we will be served a variety of seafood of our choice. Then we can try riding the waves; surfing is something special. And then everyone can plan their own unique program and get to know this city from different sides. If anyone is interested, we will show you some more secrets of Essaouira.

On the 12th day, in the afternoon, we will leave Essaouira and go to Marrakech. In the evening, we will recall the trip's best moments, make friends on Facebook, and share the best photos. And, of course, we will agree on the following trip.

Today is the last day of our trip. We say goodbye, take a group photo, and go to the airport. We will surely meet again somewhere, climb new peaks together, maybe even Kilimanjaro, or go to Pakistan. The world is big and worth seeing.