Expeditions

Arrivals and Departures
Tangier:
An arrival transfer is included on day 1 of the tour from either Tangier airport where you will be met by an on the go/Nomadic expeditions representative, or from the Marco Polo Travel Agency which is located close to the ferry port for those catching the ferry. Directions from the ferry port will be provided on your voucher.

Marrakech:
An arrival transfer is included on day 1 of the tour from Marrakech airport to your hotel - an on the go/Nomadic Expeditions representative will be at the airport to meet you.

All expeditions in Morocco end after breakfast on the final day.

Our crew
Our crew possess a passion for overland travelling. They are chosen for their extensive travel experience in these regions. The expedition is equipped with a team of 1/2 (comprising a driver/mechanic and trip leader). Our team will help you get the most out of your trip. Your trip leader’s role is to ensure that all aspects of the overland expedition run smoothly and as ‘crease-free’ as possible. Our Moroccan trip leader’s are not trained historians or archaeologists, however he/she will keep you abreast during the trip of what’s going on and will happily provide local information such as where to eat and where to exchange money.

Pre-departure meeting
At 6:00pm on day 1 there is a pre departure meeting, where you will meet your trip leader and the rest of your group. At this meeting, your trip leader will collect your local payment and provide information about the tour.

Cashed up
How much you spend depends largely on individual tastes and often how much you eat, drink or shop. We currently recommend an average of USD$20-30 per day on top of optional excursions. Please note that you’ll need to pay the local payment in Euros, cash. Entrance fees for both group tours and tailor made holidays, are included in the holiday cost.

Euro, US Dollars and other major currencies can be exchanged into Moroccan Dirhams before or on arrival. Exchange facilities are available at various bureaux de changes and banks in major towns have ATMs. Credit cards are virtually useless outside main cities. Travellers Cheques are very difficult to change.
Note: You will need to bring Euros cash for the local payment on day 1 of the tour.

Optional Activities
We like to give you free time to explore independently or simply relax but if you prefer to be kept active at all times, there are optional activities such as quad biking, horse riding and rock climbing available to book and pay for locally. Please see the Go Guide for details of which activities are available, the approximate costs and then you can budget accordingly. There are no optional activities available on our trekking expeditions.

Be aware that certain activities such as rock climbing and quad biking are often not covered as standard by travel insurance. Please check your policy details carefully and add the additional cover necessary if you plan to undertake any optional excursions, as it is essential that you are comprehensively insured for all activities.

Luggage
We recommend that you pack all your gear in a rucksack/backpack for our Morocco group trips, rather than a suitcase. This is essential if you are trekking or on the Camels Souks & Kasbahs camping expedition.
Your rucksack/backpack must not have an exterior frame if you are trekking, only the soft, flexible variety is permitted. You will also need a daypack/bag, to keep personal items such as your money, camera and
water bottle to hand.

What to pack & bring
Don’t overdo it. Luggage allowance is limited to 20 kilograms.

Clothing:
Morocco is very hot in the summer months (June to August), but can become much colder in the winter (November to March), in the desert and throughout the year up in the Atlas Mountains, so please pack suitable clothing for these occasions.

In the winter and up in the High Atlas Mountains you will need plenty of warm clothing including hat, gloves, scarf and a warm jacket. In the summer lightweight clothing will be fine but we recommend you bring a jacket/sweater and trousers for the evenings and for the night in the desert.

The weather can be unpredictable in the winter months, so we recommend you check the five day weather forecast online before packing to get an accurate idea of the temperature at each of the destinations you will be visiting.

ESSENTIAL items

• Rucksack • Towel

• Day pack rucksack

• Wash bag and toiletries

• Personal water bottle

• Torch & batteries

• Personal medical kit • DEET based insect repellent

• Sleeping bag • High factor sunscreen & lip balm

Flight departures
When booking your onward flight you should allow time at the end of the expedition for any unexpected delays. It is suggested you reserve your onward flights no earlier than the afternoon on the last day of your expedition.

Camping
Spacious, easily-erectible 2 person A-frame or dome tents with sewn in ground sheets and fly sheet, as well as camp beds are provided on our camping expeditions. We stay at a combination of hotels, campsites and
bush or desert camps. Campsites range from well established camps with an array of facilities that sometimes include a bar, minimart or even a pool to more basic camps with few facilities and cold showers. When there is no permanent campsite in the vicinity, at times we will bush camp, this is real back to basics camping, with no facilities.

Please note that on some of our trekking expeditions such as Migration of the Berbers and Sarhro & Sahara Trek, there are no camp sites with facilities en route, so bush camps will be used throughout. The guides
and trekking crew will set up camp each night and there will be a cook to prepare the food. With regards to ablutions, you will use of a drop toilet (hole in the ground!) and there will be buckets of water for you to use to wash yourself, but no showers. This is a truly authentic experience, that offers a great insight into the nomadic Berber way of life!

On our Camels Souks & Kasbahs camping expedition everyone is expected to partake in the day to day running of the camp, including; setting up and packing away camp, assisting with preparation of group
meals, shopping for provisions, lighting the fire, fetching water and cleaning on a roster basis. These shared and often fun experiences generally bring the group closer together and allows everyone to get more out of their experience in Morocco, whilst keeping costs down.

Responsible camping

• Always try to leave everything as you find it, i.e. camps, parks, hotels etc.

• Absolutely no rubbish to be thrown out of the truck.

• We have provided different methods of cooking i.e. gas, petrol, so asnot to be solely dependent on scarce wood and charcoal supplies.

• We carry a lot of purified water so no need to buy bottled water.

• Please get into the habit of not wasting water. Under some circumstances we may ration water for washing, but drink as much as you want.

• Any other drinks should ideally be in returnable bottles.

• At local wells or pumps, make sure to ask permission first before you take any water.

• Be careful with washing up in rivers or lakes. You may pollute the local population’s water source.

• You can have a nice fire without it being excessive.

• Always extinguish fire well before breaking camp.

• Please dispose of your cigarettes ends carefully, as this may be the start of the next bush fire.

Hotels
The hotels on our group trips are simple, clean, comfortable and centrally located. We try to use traditional hotels and guesthouses with plenty of character wherever possible. On occasions we may stay in Riads, these are charming, traditional Moroccan houses with an interior garden or courtyard. Hotels and guesthouses in Morocco do not always provide towels so you must bring your own. In smaller towns, the choice of accommodation may be limited but we will always book the best accommodation available for our groups. Moroccan hotels do not always have heating, especially in more remote locations such as Todra Gorge and Gorge du Dades. Todra Gorge does not have a mains electricity supply, therefore all hotels in the area use generators, which are turned off through the night so it’s back to basics and candlelight!

Please be aware that hotels in Morocco are not of the same standard as Western hotels or of hotels in some neighbouring destinations such as Egypt and Jordan and facilities are often basic.

On the go is a specialist operator of group tours, organised treks and overland adventure expeditions by truck in the Kingdom of Morocco. Fun, adventure-fuelled tours and camping expeditions with frequent departures from both Marrakech and Tangier at realistic prices include highlights such as the imperial cities of Fes, Meknes and Marrakech including Djemaa El-Fna, Roman Volubilis, Gorge du Ziz, Merzouga including Sahara Desert camel safaris, Todra Gorge and the High Atlas, Ait-Benhaddou, coastal Essaouira, Chefchaouen and Rif Mountain. We also offer tailor-made holidays to Morocco as well as trips of special interest such as following the Berber migration.