Jebel Toubkal (Morocco)

FAQ's

Here are a list of questions clients frequently ask about our Morocco expeditions.  We hope you’ll find the info you need but, if there’s something you want to know that we haven’t covered, please call or email us and we’ll be more than happy to help.  In fact, if you’ve thought of it then the chances are other people have too – so we’ll add it to the list!

What is Morocco like?
Morocco is an amazing country that will provide any visitor with an unforgettable experience – it may only be a short flight away from the UK and yet it feels like a different world.  It is certainly special because of its superb mountain geography, but visitors will also be awed by the sleepy mountain villages, the warm welcome from locals, the lush figs and tasty tagines, the blue skies and the vibrancy of night time Marrakech.

Location – Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa.  It has been ruled by several countries over the years but regained its independence in 1956.  Rabat is the capital and the country has a population of over 36 million.

Geography – We arrive into the city of Marrakech and, although we soon leave to head to the mountains, the team will have some time back in Marrakech at the end.

Morocco is a country of contrasts with coastal areas, desert areas and, of course, mountains.  The Atlas mountains effectively carve Morocco in two and is home to the stunning Todra and Dades gorges, the palmeries of Tinehir and the Berber city of Ouarzazate.  Jebel Toubkal is only one of many peaks in the range but, at 4,167 metres, it is the highest in the country and actually the highest peak in North Africa.

Marrakech itself is a vibrant city founded way back in 1062.  It has had a turbulent history with attacks and occupancy from various European countries, but since the country gained independence it has been a peaceful venue much loved by the travellers that are its main economy.

The Mediterranean climate of Morocco can be compared to that of Southern California.  The weather varies quite widely across the country but the Atlas Mountains certainly enjoy mostly sunny days and chilly nights (although, just like all mountain areas, the weather can be variable at times).

People – The people of Morocco are largely divided into Arabs and Berbers.  The Arabs came to Morocco way back in the 8th century and make up the majority of the population.  Berbers come from one of 4 main groups (Soussi, Ruffians, The High Atlas and Chleuhs) and each group has its own dialect and way of life.  Most of of trip will be spent in the Atlas Mountains and you will soon be immersed in the rich culture of the Berber people who are known to be the longest established inhabitants of Morocco.

What is the currency of Morocco and how much money will I need?
The currency of Morocco is the Dirham and they are easy to obtain once in country. We will send advice on how much to bring for each itinerary with your Joining Instructions but generally about £100 should be plenty for this trip – this will cover a few meals, drinks tips for local staff and other minor expenses such as and toiletries.  Of course, if you want to buy a number of souvenirs you may need more.  We suggest bringing this as euros or a mixture of euros and pounds sterling.

What equipment is provided and do I have to pay to use it?
We supply any technical equipment and all camping equipment is provided except sleeping bags.  You will simply need to supply suitable clothing, a rucksack and sleeping bag but detailed information on exactly what you will need is available on the kit list which will be sent with your Joining Instructions.

We are always keen to minimise your expenditure wherever possible and often there are cheaper options to some of the more expensive items needed.  Please don’t let the cost of equipment be a barrier to you coming along.

Who is looking after me?
Most of our overseas trips are led by Peak Mountaineering director Paul Lewis and he will be leading our 2021 Jebel Toubkal expedition.  Paul is a holder of the Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor Award (WMCI) which is the highest mountain instructing qualification available under the UK qualifications framework. Paul also has extensive experience of guiding overseas altitude expeditions and he has visited Morocco many times.  Paul will be supported on the trip by local guides and our in-country agent.

How safe are these trips?
Any trip carries risk.  Add to this the additional hazards of travelling in a developing country and journeying into mountainous terrain and the risks obviously multiply.  So, it would be impossible and irresponsible for us to claim that any of our expeditions can ever be completely safe.  Infact, we’d argue that an element of risk is an integral part of any adventure – our job is to try and minimise and control the risk with careful planning and ongoing risk management.

Peak Mountaineering has an unblemished safety record and we make client safety our top priority. As well as using the best guides and in-country support we also run a UK based incident management system during all overseas expeditions. This means we can always seek help if needed and we also engage a third party crisis management company who can help if needed.

Our team will also carry a comprehensive medical kit and Paul is a holder of the Wilderness Medical Training Advanced Medicine Certificate. Our Morocco teams carry a satellite messaging system and mobile signal is available in several parts of the range.  Team members are also welcome to attend one of our scheduled Outdoor First Aid courses for only 50% of the full course fee (we’ll send you the dates and further details when you book).  As well as making you a qualified first aider you’ll also feel better prepared for the unexpected.

What standard of living will I experience?
Our expeditions are competitively priced but we also want you to have a good standard of living during your expedition.  In Imlil we stay in a comfortable mountain lodge with all facilities and for our last nigh in Marrakech we stay in a very good standard Riad (traditional small hotel).

During our trekking phase we will be camping in simple mountain tents and conditions are basic. We will be accompanied by a cook team and have access to a mess tent and food will again be simple but plentiful. Overall, you will certainly be well looked after but do have to be prepared for very simple facilities and a back to basics lifestyle.

Do I need insurance?
We have professional indemnity insurance but it is essential for you to purchase specialist rescue, medical and repatriation insurance and details of your insurance policy must be sent to us before departure.  The following companies provide appropriate insurance:

British Mountaineering Council www.thebmc.co.uk 0870 010 4878
Snowcard Insurance Services www.snowcard.co.uk 01327 262 805

What age do you need to be?
We can only offer this trip to anyone over 18 but we don’t specify an upper age limit – anyone over 18 who can cope with both the physical aspects of the trip and the basic living conditions is welcome to join us.  Please contact us to discuss if you aren’t sure.

Will you give my details to other people?
All information supplied to us remains completely confidential and we will never pass it on to third parties.

How big will the group be?
We always have to work out the minimum number of people needed to make a trip viable and for this trip the minimum required is 5 people.  We also cap the trip numbers at a maximum of 12 as we believe groups over this size are more difficult to manage and also lose their sense of cohesion.  As a guide, we usually end up with group numbers of around 8-10 on most of our trips.

What happens if I become sick and I’m unable to continue with the trip, can’t make the summit or there is an incident requiring emergency assistance?
We try to take as many steps to keep team members healthy (such as careful preparation of food and ensuring all consumed water is purified) but unfortunately there is always the risk that you may be come unwell. Similarly, even with a good acclimatisation profile some people do struggle to adapt to the altitude. Your expedition leader will be constantly assessing the health of team members and if someone does become unwell they will discuss options with you.

Sometimes the situation can be managed and the team member is able to simply wait at a lower altitude or rest until their condition has improved sufficiently to continue. Sometimes the only option is evacuation. If a participant does have to descend or leave the group they will be accompanied by a local staff member. As this falls outside the itinerary the costs for this would need to be met by the individual.

In some cases it may not be possible for a team member to walk themselves out of the mountains and we might then need to consider other means of evacuation. The availability of helicopters can be limited but maybe available. Sometimes an alternative is to use a mule to carry a team member to safety.  Again, any costs for evacuation would fall to the individual and so it is essential that any insurance policy covers helicopter evacuation (please do be aware that some insurance companies do charge an excess for helicopter evacuation).

Medical facilities in the mountains are very limited and so the team do carry equipment and a range of medicines to try and help team members with medical problems or medical emergencies. These measures may all help, but we do always want to be clear again that travel in remote areas and at altitude can never be risk free.

What if I need to cancel a course booking?
If you cancel over 26 weeks in advance of a course start date we refund all the money you have paid us so far.  If you cancel within 26 weeks of a course start date, you forfeit the deposit, but we refund any other money you may have paid.  If you cancel within 8 weeks of the course start date you forfeit the full amount unless we are able to resell your place. Please do check our Terms and Conditions page for more detailed information.  To cover this eventuality we recommend you take out an insurance policy that includes cancellation of your trip or holiday.

How do I book?
All our courses can be booked online or we are always available to deal with your booking via phone or email if preferred. If you’d like to arrange a private guided option please contact us directly and we’ll be able to help.

Can you guarantee good weather?
Unfortunately, we can’t control the weather. However, we do always try to plan areas and routes that should be appropriate for the activity and offer the best conditions. Of course the mountains are the mountains and conditions do very year to year and so we do aim to follow our itinerary as closely as possible but reserve the right to change it for safety reasons if required.

Can you cater for specific dietary requirements?
Certainly.  Please let us know beforehand and we will be able to help.

Will I have to carry a heavy rucksack?
Our Morocco expeditions are fully supported and so your main luggage will be carried by a mule. This is a great help as it means all you have to carry each day is a rucksack containing the essentials for that day of trekking. Typically this pack will need to contain similar items to those you’d take on a hill walk in the UK and you’ll be given full information on this prior to departure. Sometimes you might also be asked to carry an item on the team’s emergency equipment but this won’t be more than the size of something like a sandwich box and weighing no more than a kilo.

Is the water safe to drink?
It isn’t safe to drink untreated water anywhere in Morocco. We issue our team members with water purification solution and will teach each team member how to manage the treatment of their drinking water. This is an easy process and soon becomes a part of the everyday routine. In some places purified water is available and bottled water is also an option sometimes – we do try to discourage the overuse of bottled water wherever possible though to help minimise plastic waste.

How do you try to reduce your environmental impact?
We are passionate about protecting the natural environment.  Please take the time to read our Environment Page to discover more about our ethos.

Do you need to know about medical conditions?
It is essential that you let us know about any medical condition or injury when booking and you will also be asked to complete a detailed Medical Questionaire in the lead up to the trip.  The information provided will remain completely confidential but it is essential that we have a full picture of each team members health to ensure the safety of yourself and to protect other group members.  Depending on the information given we may ask for additional details or may ask that you consult your doctor to get their permission to join the trip.  We try to be as inclusive as possible but hope you understand why this is so important.