THE MARRAKECH EXPRESS Morocco Expedition 2008 Introduction by Franz Opitz & Report by Jade Cawthorne Leaders: Main Leader - Franz Opitz Assistant Leaders - Joanne Morris and David Clough Members: Camilla Martin, Jack Soden, Helen Radley, Liz Wells, Jessica Benson, Gabriel Crossley, Sarah-Lindsay Jones, Sara Ann Barsley, Eloise Howells, Jade Cawthorne (all UK), Mohammed Mekouar and Mostapha El-Cadi (from Morocco) Moroccan Staff: Hassan (guide) and Hamid (cook) Ait-Chajaa plus all their families (4 generations in all) and assorted muleteers Further Characters Starring: Assorted scorpions and chameleons, lizards and Bosh, the limping dog, at Ait-Oudinar Dates: 20 July to 10 August 2008 Aims & Objectives: To offer a challenging high altitude trek (8 days) as remote as possible from the usual tourist routes with a final ascent of Mt. Toubkal at night To provide an attractive cultural experience by living and working with a Berber family, using their house and facilities and exploring the Berber villages of Armed and Imlil To conduct a gorge trek (5 days) in the Dades region of the southern Atlas To visit the famous sites of Ait-Benhaddou and Marrakech city To introduce members to remote trekking, camp craft and personal care in a remote environment To meet the conditions of the achievement of the John Muir Award by an extensive litter clearing of the Toubkal plateau with associated briefings
Morocco Expedition 2008
Introduction by Franz Opitz & Report by Jade Cawthorne
Leaders:
Main Leader - Franz Opitz
Assistant Leaders - Joanne Morris and David Clough
Members:
Camilla Martin, Jack Soden, Helen Radley, Liz Wells, Jessica Benson, Gabriel Crossley, Sarah-Lindsay Jones, Sara Ann Barsley, Eloise Howells, Jade Cawthorne (all UK), Mohammed Mekouar and Mostapha El-Cadi (from Morocco)
Moroccan Staff:
Hassan (guide) and Hamid (cook) Ait-Chajaa plus all their families (4 generations in all) and assorted muleteers
Further Characters Starring:
Assorted scorpions and chameleons, lizards and Bosh, the limping dog, at Ait-Oudinar
Dates: 20 July to 10 August 2008
Aims & Objectives:
The Report: The adventure began on an early Sunday morning as we all gathered, bright eyed and bushy tailed, at Luton airport. We were introduced to the Ait-Chajaa family and Moroccan extensions of our team in the awesome heat of the Marrakech mid-morning sun and, after some welcome hugs, we had our first taste of sweet mint tea. Adjusting to the high altitude, we stayed with the family at their Armed house for three days before embarking upon our challenging Toubkal trek, the highest of the Atlas Mountains. During this time we helped the family with tasks around their home, clearing spaces for them to plant walnut trees and peeling carrots ready for one of mamma’s traditional tagine suppers, yum! Having packed the mules with our supplies for the next eight days (poor mules!), we left the comfort of the family home for the daunting mountain ranges. Singing classics from the nineties kept us climbing through the ache of our muscles as we moved towards the fierce midday sun, smothered in sun cream. The higher we got the more astounding the views became. Photo stops were essential and we marked our first 3,300 meter ascent with a team formation of the numbers after reaching Tizi Lekimt.
The Report:
The adventure began on an early Sunday morning as we all gathered, bright eyed and bushy tailed, at Luton airport. We were introduced to the Ait-Chajaa family and Moroccan extensions of our team in the awesome heat of the Marrakech mid-morning sun and, after some welcome hugs, we had our first taste of sweet mint tea.
Adjusting to the high altitude, we stayed with the family at their Armed house for three days before embarking upon our challenging Toubkal trek, the highest of the Atlas Mountains. During this time we helped the family with tasks around their home, clearing spaces for them to plant walnut trees and peeling carrots ready for one of mamma’s traditional tagine suppers, yum!
Having packed the mules with our supplies for the next eight days (poor mules!), we left the comfort of the family home for the daunting mountain ranges. Singing classics from the nineties kept us climbing through the ache of our muscles as we moved towards the fierce midday sun, smothered in sun cream. The higher we got the more astounding the views became. Photo stops were essential and we marked our first 3,300 meter ascent with a team formation of the numbers after reaching Tizi Lekimt.
Each day we trekked both up and down; the steep descents were equally as challenging as we tried our best not to slide down, following the loose rocks over the mountain’s edge. A helping hand was always available, however, either from one of the amazing Brathay team or from Hassan, our trusted Moroccan guide. Each day’s trekking came to end when we met up with our mules on a rocky clearing, ready to pull out the rug for lunch and erect our tents. As the heat reached human melting point, lunch was followed by a team wander down to a nearby stream to wash ourselves and clothes in the cool, refreshing waters. Card games held an important part in camp life and we put our French skills to very good use teaching the Moroccan boys how to play. Reaching Toubkal base camp was a very exciting moment as we all hyped ourselves up for the night ascent. It was certainly tea, teeth and bed early that evening! We climbed Toubkal in the dark of the night, lighting the way with our head torches. It was, at first, terrifying and terribly hard work to adjust to the altitude changes and fight your body to stay awake. With good old Lucozade tablets at hand, however, we shot up the mountain in a record time of 2 hours 50 minutes, covering 1000 altitude meters in steep and poor terrain. After lots of hugging and screaming the sun rose and snow fell, ready for us to clear rubbish from the plateau for our John Muir award. A little scree running took place as we reluctantly made our way down the mountain for breakfast.
Each day we trekked both up and down; the steep descents were equally as challenging as we tried our best not to slide down, following the loose rocks over the mountain’s edge. A helping hand was always available, however, either from one of the amazing Brathay team or from Hassan, our trusted Moroccan guide.
Each day’s trekking came to end when we met up with our mules on a rocky clearing, ready to pull out the rug for lunch and erect our tents. As the heat reached human melting point, lunch was followed by a team wander down to a nearby stream to wash ourselves and clothes in the cool, refreshing waters. Card games held an important part in camp life and we put our French skills to very good use teaching the Moroccan boys how to play.
Following Toubkal, a well-earned rest was had back at the family home. This time we explored Imlil, the nearby town, with a treasure hunt set by the Brathay leaders. We put our navigation skills, French skills, team work and bartering prowess all to the test as we raced round in search of items from shop signs to Berber whiskey (mint tea!). Best of all this gave us the chance to talk to the local people and experience for ourselves how kind natured and helpful they are.
Before departing for a five day Indiana Jones style gorge trek in the Dades region, we said our last goodbyes to the Ait-Chajaas and captured their big, cheeky smiles on camera. We then faced a ten-hour bus ride along winding mountain passes, into the blistering heat of the desert. There was no escaping from the driver’s favourite piece of Arabic music, which was played repeatedly for the whole journey! We arrived at a hotel in Ait-Oudinar where we spent a night in relative luxury before returning to our tents the next day. We set off early in the morning to beat the heat, however, had a rather unproductive first days trek due to the mules, who refused to carry our stuff up the steep rocks of the gorge. Who can blame them really? We set up camp in the rocky wilderness, alongside scorpions and lizards, until the next morning when our adventure resumed.
Finished in the gorges we had another ten hour slog back to the city of Marrakech, but not without making a stop at Ait-Benhaddou, the Gladiator film set. Like true fans we came prepared with home made swords and shields (from recycled materials!) to re-enact the battle, no other tourists joined in!
Marrakech was the perfect end to the perfect expedition. The city is vibrant and exciting with lots of different sights and sounds going off at the same time. This was our first opportunity to visit the infamous Souks and put our well-practiced bartering skills into action. Following a two-day shopping spree of leather bags, brightly coloured silk scarves, Tagine pots, spices, rugs, henna, beautiful Berber jewellery and more, we faced the task of re-cramming our rucksacks.
After breakfast on the last day we said a very reluctant good-bye to our Moroccan team-mates and headed for the airport to jet back to rainy England.
From all of the team another big thank you to the Brathay leaders, Franz, Jo and David for making this trip such a special and unforgettable experience, all of your hard work to put it together really paid off.