Atlantic Coast Trek

Arrival at Marrakech or Essaouira airport, welcome and transfer to Essaouira, where you'll have a briefing with the equestrian trek leader. Dinner and overnight at a hotel.

The Atlantic Ocean trek takes you through eucalyptus and mimosa forests to the beautiful, deserted beaches along the southern coast. Narrow trails intersect, passing small Berber villages, sand dunes, and waterfalls. After scaling cliffs and passing through fishing villages, you ascend inland to encounter isolated villages and plateaus dotted with argan trees.

The Atlantic Coast program is a succession of deserted beaches, cliffs, and trails that crisscross the arid, rocky interior. Each evening, you'll experience the life of Berber nomads in a bivouac, where you'll discover a Moroccan meal prepared by our chef, before enjoying a good night's sleep in a Berber tent.

The excursion concludes with a half-day horseback ride along the coast, crossing a valley of palm trees and a river that irrigates all the local vegetation. Here, the Atlantic Ocean opens up before your eyes. Arrival is relatively early, allowing time to drive back to Essaouira and do some last-minute shopping before departing. Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Essaouira.

Transfer to Marrakech or Essaouira airport.

This route can be undertaken from south to north or vice versa, without changing the direction of the itinerary. The organization will decide where to begin before departure.

Maximum weight allowed: 90kg (the organization reserves the right to deny admission to the trek if undeclared weight exceeds this limit, and no refunds will be given. The health of the horses is a top priority).

Please book a flight arriving at Marrakech airport by 2:00 PM on the day of arrival so that other participants don't have to wait too long. If your flight arrives after 2:00 PM, you will be charged a small supplement for the additional transportation to Essaouira, which will be by bus instead of a taxi. If the bus schedule doesn't work, you can take advantage of a private taxi for €80 to share with those arriving late.

For your departure, please book a flight from Marrakech departing after 12:00 PM. Those who need to fly earlier can use a private taxi for €80 to share with those departing early. Please allow 6 hours from your flight's departure time, including 3 hours for the drive from Essaouira to Marrakech and 3 hours to get to the airport on time.

The travel insurance we require must include cancellation coverage if the customer withdraws before the trip for their own reasons. If the customer does not wish to take out this insurance, they may do so, being responsible for the cancellation and the resulting non-refund of travel expenses.

We also require medical coverage during the trip, which is mandatory for trekking bookings. Medical insurance must cover any illness or accident during the trip and include horseback riding as a non-competitive activity.

We can recommend what our customers tell us after many years of trekking. Heymondo offers a single insurance policy that covers both cancellation and accidents, and horseback riding can be included. Our recommendation is based on positive customer reviews. If you have had good experiences with other insurance policies, please let us know.

Please note: insurance must be purchased at the same time as purchasing the horse trekking.

Ranch De Diabat has its own insurance, however each customer is required to have their own.

To participate in our treks, you must be comfortable with the three gaits and be accustomed to the outdoors. It's best if you've already done a full day of horseback riding. If you'd like, you can visit us a few days before the trek to take lessons and assess your riding level. Different riding levels will be managed with multiple guides to ensure every rider, from beginners to advanced riders, has fun.

Accommodations for the first and last nights are in a hotel. For solo travelers: if we can't find anyone for a double or triple room (men with men and women with women), we must charge a supplement of €30 per night and person for a single room. The same supplement applies to those who require a single room.

Accommodation during the trek will be in 6-person collective tents, or if you wish, in a 2-person igloo tent.

Your bivouac is equipped with a shower with warm water.

Your meals are prepared by our chef, who will introduce you to the richness of Moroccan cuisine. The menu takes into account participants' dietary needs or allergies, as indicated on the registration form. We also welcome guests with celiac disease. We kindly ask them to bring a packet of pasta and bread for the trek.

It is customary to leave a tip at the end of the trip to the staff who took care of you during the experience, which can vary from 7 to 10% of the value of the trip.

Soft, not rigid, suitcase.

Bring a few t-shirts, some cotton clothes, a long-sleeved shirt to protect against the sun, a fleece to protect against the wind, two or three pairs of riding trousers, and a waterproof poncho.

Jodhpur boots or light hiking shoes (keep in mind that you may have to walk a bit, so the shoes need to be comfortable (not English riding boots), but also non-slip), a pair of gaiters or chaps, your helmet or cap and gloves if you want them.

Don't forget your sleeping bag, flashlight, tissues, underwear, towel, personal hygiene items, and medication to prevent intestinal infections.

Water bottle, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen.

Regarding charging your cell phones and cameras, we recommend bringing a good, fully charged power bank, as charging via the truck won't be available every day.

Each horse is equipped with a trekking saddle and saddlebags to carry your lunch and any personal items you may need for your day's riding. Sensitive riders are advised to wear a sheepskin (not provided by us!) for protection on their saddle. These are readily available at local equestrian shops.