Winter Toubkal

Reaching the summit of Mt Toubkal and calling my family from under the triangular summit point was an emotional moment for me, knowing that they are home watching tv and you are surrounded by the magnificent atlas range is simply breath taking.

The dorm rooms at net er base camp need a little work. With so many people in one room the walls become dripping wet and I have yet to speak to anyone who has not been I'll after leaving. Also the toilet and shower facility's could greatly be improved, the showers did not even have shower heads just a flimsy tube lol

The trip itinery itself was fantastic.

Khalid was a star, so much so that I still talk to him via email. Really nice guy. I'm pleased I had the opportunity to meet him.

Mr H - Travelled in March 2012

Aziz was a wonderful guide who helped me greatly when I was ill with a stomach bug and went well above and beyond what I would have expected from a tour guide - he is a real asset and very god at his job.

No great sleeping conditions at the refuge - but I was prepared for this.

The hotel in Marrakech was great, the refuge (where we were mainly) was extremely basic, but this was expected. 

As i said earlier Aziz was a fantastic leader and really helped me when I was very ill and went above and beyond what I would have expected and was very good at his job. 

Miss H - Travelled in March 2012

The whole trip was an amazing experience. Our guide, Mohammad was very helpful, informative and accomodating. He put himself out to make sure our trip was enjoyable and we had everything we needed. The main highlights for me where seeing the amazing views from high up in the snowy Atlas mountains and visiting the unique culture in the Berber villages. The whole trip was excellent and i will remember and recall it for years to come.

[Least enjoyed] The included excursions where we where taken around by another guide. He was knowledgable but we where taken to many places that they expected us to buy produce and felt pressured, which i did my enjoy.

The hotel in Marrakesh was satisfactory. There was not much hot water for showers in our room, but it was a beaufiful place. The Gite and refuge at neltner where as i expected and where well equiped.

Our group leader was excellent, i could not fault him in any way. His knowledge was far more than i expected, he was very helpful, even lending me equipment of his own when i lost mine. He would always come and sit and chat to us at rest times and would sit with us as meal times and even serve our food and drinks. Very accomodating. Even carrying my bag into the airport on the way home. He would give advice on anything we required and i would definitely go on another trip where he was the guide.

Mr F - Travelled in February 2012

walking, eating and sharing transport with the guides both on and off the mountain gave us all a great experience of the mountains, city, culture and customs

we would have preferred to have the option to stay in the mountains for an extra day rather than return to Marrakesch

both the lead and assistant guide were great company throughout the trip

Mr M - Travelled in February 2012

Reaching the peak of mount Toubkal was the highlight, but the views and other walks around the base camp were also beautiful and inspiring, particularly the trek to the other pass between the mountains. The time there was one of those things which is almost better in hindsight, when you have the images in your head that will last forever and the satisfaction of knowing you did it when at the time it felt quite tough. 

Sometimes it felt like we had too much time, for example when spending another night in Aremd before returning to Marrakech when lots of other trips seemed to make the trip down in just a day. Although I enjoyed seeing a different place there wasn't a lot to do in the evenings in the mountains so perhaps returning to Marrakech (or staying there an extra day first) and doing more activities there might have been better.

[Mohamed] He was lovely; very interesting and looked after us well. 

Miss S - Travelled in January 2012

Walking up the mountains

the showers in Hotel du Maroc were terrible, in my room - I heard others were happy with theirs.

Rashid & Sayeed were top class.

Miss B - Travelled in December 2011

The whole trip was excellent and whilst more challenging than perhaps anticipated it was really a fantastic trip. Probably the highlight was our excellent local guide, Rachid, who was organised, patient, set a perfect pace and had a brilliant sense of humour!  I would absolutely recommend this trip but it's certainly not for the faint hearted or those who don't like the cold!

Our guide changed the order of the climbs we did which was really a great decision.  Whilst climbing Toubkal is a challenge it is not the hardest climb so doing this first allows everyone to do it.  I think if it had been done as the second peak there is a chance people would have opted out or struggled with it.

It is hard to be critical of the accommodation as we stayed in very different places.  The hotel in Marakkech was fine, the Berber house was lovely and the mountain hut was as you'd expect!  Overall accommodation was exactly as I expected.

The group leader Rachid was absolutely one of the very best guides I have had the pleasure of travelling with and I have done numerous trekking holidays.  He was attentive without being intrusive, helpful with any request, set a perfect pace for the trip and had the most unbelievable sense of humour which really gelled the group and made for a really fun trip.  I would absolutely recommend him to anyone thinking of doing this trip and would be delighted to travel with him again. 

Miss G - Travelled in December 2011

I thoroughly enjoyed the ascent of Ounoukrim though others found this challenging and we therefore had to return to those who abandoned the ascent at the rock scramble or at 4000m, and we were not able to ascent both peaks which was disappointing.  I was prepared for such a challenge after reading the trip notes but I suspect that other guests were not!  Our guides were excellent.

Mohammed was an excellent group leader and he was very ably assisted by Aziz.  They were both extremely helpful, friendly and sociable.  Excellent - well done to both!

Dr S - Travelled in December 2011

Great guides and a fantastic cook.

[Least enjoyed] Toilets and showers at the refuge.

Would have preferred old-style accommodation closer to the main square in Marrakesh.

Advice was to bring water purification tablets to reduce consumption of plastic bottles. This approach wasn't promoted in practice on the trip - would either ditch the advice in the brochure to save people buying tablets they don't use or actively support it during the trip.

Mohamed was a truly excellent group leader. V knowledgeable and unfailingly helpful and cheerful.

Miss A - Travelled in December 2011