Horseback Riding in Morocco

Tata-Akka

Overview

This ride starts from the desert town of Tata in the south of Morocco. You spend a full two weeks exploring this area, riding in a southwestern loop from Tata to the town of Akka back to the starting point for a rest day half way through the adventure. In the second half of your journey you’ll ride west to end in Foum Zguid. You can fully adapt to the rhythm of camp life, riding through beautiful desert dunes and palm tree oases each day. On the edge of the Sahara the region is rich in history, from Stone Age inhabitants to the Berber expansion across Northern Africa millennia before the Arab conquests of the seventh and eighth centuries. Ride through the desert valleys and mountains on strong Arab mounts and be truly immersed in the endless landscapes.

The first and last nights are spent at a hotel in Agadir, nights 6 and 7 in a hotel in Tata, and night 13 in a hotel in Foum Zguid. The other nights are spent camping. While camping, accommodations are in 2 person dome tents.

Meals are taken in a large dining tent while on the trek and are a sampling of the Moroccan cuisine. The cook will prepare dishes such as tagines and couscous. Tagines are stewed or steamed dishes traditionally cooked over a small charcoal brazier with olive oil or butter, liquids and spiced meat to which vegetables are added. The picnic lunches feature prepared salads. Breakfast is simple, continental style.

  • Overview:
    As is the custom in Morocco, the horses are Arab / Barb mares and stallions, 14.2 - 15.2hh. They are strong, calm and well trained for trekking. The horses are accustomed to traveling together, however, riders must be aware of the stallions and not allow them to come too close to each other. On Day 2, time is spent matching each rider with a suitable mount. There is some walking on foot, leading the horses. English saddles and snaffle bits are used.
  • Horse Breeds:
    Arab / Barb stallions and mares
  • Trip Pace:
    moderate to fast
  • Tack:
    English
  • Weight limit:
    185 lbs (85 kg)

This is not a recommended choice for non-riders.

Ouarzazate

Trip Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive in Ouarzazate, dinner and overnight accommodation in the hotel.

Day 2

Transfer by car to Tata, approx. 4 h. The horses wait for us in the palm gardens of Tata. In the afternoon start the first stage of the journey during a 2-3 hours ride to familiarize you with your horse. Ride along the Kasbah villages and enjoy long gallops across the white sand. A black mountain range rises before you, almost disappearing under the Sahara sand. At a river course under palms, oleander and tamarisk trees set up camp for the night.

Day 3

A white sand plain stretches before you and invites long gallops. Later the white sand changes to fine black stones. Isolated acacia trees grow here and you arrive into a broad valley framed by black, serrated mountains. At noon, enjoy a picnic under a group of palms. Follow the valley in the afternoon, dotted with lonely palm trees. Ride along the mountains towards pale plains. Long gallops lead you to the only well in the desert. Here the camp lies under a group of palms.

Day 4

Riding toward Akka, the path becomes rockier. Enter the town through its extended palm gardens. If there’s space to tie the horses, have lunch at a restaurant. Akka is a newer town, with an important military presence.
Camp next to the river Adaka that runs through the palm tree gardens.

Day 5

Ride a short way along the edge of the palm tree gardens. Behind them lies a more yellowish plain, completely eroded, and riddled with thousand small ravines and valleys. Riding here is like riding in a maze, but soon you can gallop again through a flat, sandy desert valley. Climb over a stony pass with beautiful views into the infinite valleys beyond. Picnic by the roadside. Towards evening ride along a brown mountain range before camping near the village of Imitek.

Day 6

Cross the village of  Imitek, then ride on donkey paths to skirt a mountain range that reflects the sunlight in many different colors from pink to ocher, brown or yellow , depending on the position of the sun. Behind it granite mountains rise high. Hidden in a valley close to the village Agoulouz, find a small romantic waterfall. Here there will be a short picnic, because the afternoon ride promises to be a long one. Narrow mule paths lead across the mountain range. Finally you reach the edge of Tata. A last long canter brings you to the hotel in Tata. Dinner and overnight accommodation in the hotel.

Day 7

Today the horses have time to rest and you can explore this beautiful desert oasis town. Tata is the largest of the Bani oases. The population is very friendly and the place is calm. Dinner and overnight accommodation in the hotel.

Day 8

Today rejoin the horses and ride over a large plain where acacia trees grow. The ground is covered partly with stones, partly with fine flints and you will advance through a long valley framed by slanted, black-brown mountains. Midday rest is in the middle of green slate mountains. In the afternoon you’ll pass between the mountains to come into the valley of Akka Iguern. Today the camp lies in an empty riverbed in the proximity of the village.

Day 9

Ride over a stony, black plain to pale brown pyramid-shaped mountains. Ride through valleys and over hills until you reach the midday camp. In the afternoon cross a last mountain range and finally reach an endless sand plain. Long canters bring the group to the green palm gardens of Kasbah. Camp under the palms.

Day 10

Today you will gallop over the wide white sands to isolated palms and reach a caved-in black mountain range. Later ride over a plateau with thousands of small eroded canyons. Your guide will lead you out of this maze onto the white high plain. After a long gallop descend down to the river valley where palm trees grow. Follow the river course, it has clear, blue water. By a ravine we reach the waterfalls of Atiq. At the large natural pool with clear bluish green water have your midday rest. Here it is even possible to bathe. The water is slightly salty and very cool. In the afternoon continue the ride in the palm gardens of Tissint. Suddenly a large, white sand plain framed by black rock stretches before you. After, long canters await. Soon you will reach the river course again, with bushes and isolated palms. The salty river continues, its water can be drunk by the animals. Over a black plateau you ride to the palm gardens of Mghirima, where the camp is.

Day 11

Today you will ride through a dry artificial lake that now almost never holds water. Cpntinue following the drained river course. Despite the absence of flowing water shrubs and bushes still grow here. Soon many small sand dunes accumulate, and you will have a lot of fun riding over them! In the background black, folded mountains half sunk in red sand stretch away. Now a black pebbled plain extends itself before you. Isolated acacias grow here, between them rise small mountains, which are nearly covered with red Sahara sand. Here you’ll find a place to picnic. In the afternoon ride far in the direction of a tajine-shaped mountain. Towards the evening we enter the broad valley that leads to nomads’ land. The ground here is ideally suited to long gallops. In the distance a line of mountains rise like shark fins. Camp is at a lonely palm oasis with springs.

Day 12

Ride over the large plain towards the shark fin mountains. Other strange mountain forms developed here, like teeth, skake-head or the tajine mountain. Ride between them and have a picnic at a desert spring with isolated palms, at the foot of the Tajine mountain. The nomads bring their camels here to drink. In the afternoon gallops over big sandy plains brings you back to the camp.

Day 13

The last riding day leads you across a sandy plain with small bushes. More and more acacia trees grow here. Stony surfaces alternate with sandy oueds. Finally we reach the palm garden of Foum Zguid. The horses are stabled next to the hotel and everyone can enjoy a good shower. Overnight accommodation in the hotel.

Day 14

Today you can sleep in. After a leisurely breakfast discover the little town Foum Zguid, the gate to the desert. But except for some small cafés, there is hardly anything to see. In the afternoon return to Ouarzazate. Dinner and overnight accommodation in the hotel.

Day 15

Transfer independently to the Ouarzazate airport or continue onward travel.

Itinerary Addendum

This itinerary is flexible and may be changed at the guide's discretion due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

Trip Map

Trip Dates & Pricing

Additional Pricing Information:
Age limit: 11 yrs. for experienced rider traveling with an adult. Prices are based on the dollar/euro exchange rate and are subject to change. Ride price is set, guaranteed, and final at the time the deposit is paid.


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Contact Megan Barrett

The riding was expert level, riding a dream horse. Some of the fittest horses I have ever seen, rugged terrain, great for physical fitness and would love to do it again. After six days of riding not a single horse was lame, just fantastic! The horse-rider match was impeccable.

Jose Monsivais, 2010