The Anti Atlas Mountains are somewhere to visit if you, like me, have a yearning for real and intoxicating wilderness. The harsh but beautiful terrain in this region, with it's scattered villages clinging like patches of lichen to the unforgiving landscape, brings to mind the Old Testament, and the area is characterised by dramatic valleys, harsh red rock desserts, craggy mountain ridges and distant peaks fading into the desert haze.
This is a truly awesome, remote area hike and Exodus and their ground crew in Morocco present it beautifully to their clients. It is a strenuous hike with most days being around 8 hours walking. It's rocky, very rocky indeed, with lots of steep up and downs -walking poles are almost essential. According to our guide it was unseasonably hot for our trek towards the end of October, with most days being over 30 degrees ( one almost 40!) there isn't any shade protection so high factor sunscreen and appropriate light clothing are important. And plenty of water!
Our guide was Abdullah, a wonderful, caring gentleman who had grown up in Berber villages. He was very well supported by his crew - cook, camp and mule men. Meals were nothing short of spectacular and each day we'd arrive into to our lunch camp to find an amazing spread of hot and cold dishes, salads and fresh fruit. I was the only one in our group of 16 to fall ill with a stomach bug but I'm absolutely certain it had nothing to do with the quality of the food. ( on that note, make sure you have more than enough tissues, toilet paper etc to get you through a couple of days 'on the run' just in case!!).
Camping gear was good quality and I was thrilled to see thick foam mattresses in our tents. Being classed a wild camp, there were no toilet facilities other than our toilet tent - which was the discussion of much humorous laughter almost daily. Water for washing is also scarce (a bowl at the end if each day) so bring plenty of wet wipes.
Really good trip that was thoroughly enjoyed however the price for this trip in 2022 was twice the price as the same trip that was initially booked for 2020 which was cancelled due to the pandemic
From beginning to end, our 5-day journey was an incredible experience. The high point? The hot air balloon ride, camel ride, and quad riding were definitely highlights. An adventure seeker's dream comes true when they can ride a quad bike across desert dunes, swing softly on a camel's back, or fly above stunning vistas in a hot air balloon! A smooth and remarkable trip was guaranteed by the informed and kind guides. I heartily recommend this tour company to anyone who is itching for a real Moroccan experience!