CAVALIERS OF THE OASIS

*2024 prices from 3 pers.

Price details

• Price per person and excluding flights.
• Groups are composed of a minimum of 3 international riders and a maximum of 12 riders.
• Please note: the ride will also confirm for 2 riders on payment of a supplement of c. €250 per person. Once the group has reached 3 people, we will remove this supplement from your invoice and refund you if you have already paid it.
• Single supplement room/tent : 140€

Please note

The itinerary may be modified at anytime for security reasons, meteorological or events beyond our control such as blocked roads, rivers in flood, drought, strikes and local holidays. Equus Journeys, our local partners and their local guides will always strive to find the best solution and will alter the itinerary as needed.
The names of the hotels and accommodation are given for information only and depending on availability, they may be modified without notice and replaced by another of a similar standard.

OUR PRICE INCLUDES

Accompanying persons

1 French-speaking and/or English-speaking Moroccan guide following the group and 01 groom (on horseback) beyond 5 riders.

Logistic team

• 1 vehicle and driver
• 1 cook
• 1 horse equipped with saddle and bridle per rider

Inland Transportation

• Minibus or 4x4 to reach the start of the hike from Ouarzazate.
• Reception & airport transfers to and from the airport.

Type of accommodation

• Camping/bivouacs: 3-seater tents for 2 people and foam mattresses
• Hotel 3*** based on 2 persons per room in Ouarzazate.

Meals

• Full board from diner D01 to breakfast D08.
• Filtered water or in case mineral water served during the hike.

Miscellaneous equipment

Group pharmacy (first aid)

OPTION

Hosting

Single room and tent supplement on request.

Arrival

Pick up at the airport of Ouarzazate.
On request, pick up from another airport or another city.

OUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

Cancellation, Interruption and Repatriation Insurance.

Miscellaneous

• Visits of Marrakech or Ouarzazate in case.
• All museum entries and other during the trip.

Meals

• Lunch on D1 and D8 (depending on your flight schedule)
• Drinks and personal extras.

Miscellaneous

• Supplement for groups of 2 participants: 250€ per person.
• Tips for local teams.
• Possibility of privatization. Quote on request.

Day 1 : Arrival in Ouarzazate airport

Accommodation : 3 star hotel in Ouarzazate

Meet & greet at airport

Overnight in hotel in Ouarzazate

Day 2 : Ouarzazate -Skoura – Tisgui : 5 hours riding

Accommodation : Mountain camp

Transfer to the palm grove of Skoura (40km) to our equestrian center.

Evaluation of the level of each one and attribution of the horses accordingly, then immediate departure for our equestrian itinerary.. We ride across Skoura palm grove & stop by the Dades River for the picnic. In the afternoon, we will take an easy trail up to Mount Saghro.

Bivouac on Maoust plateau

Skoura altitude 1200 m / Maoust altitude 1700 m

Day 3 : Maoust – Tisgui : 6 hours riding

Accommodation : Mountain camp

We will trot across Maoust Plateau, off the beaten tracks. By the end of the plateau, we will climb down a small path & will have our picnic break in Irf n Chat. No car will be able to assist us & we will have our picnic carried long on our horses.

In the afternoon, we will climb down the Saghro Mountains to reach the magnificent Draa Valley.

Maoust 1700 m/Tisgui 1200 m

Day 4 : Tsgui – Kzagha : 5 ½ hours riding

Accommodation : Mountain camp

This morning, we will ride along the Draa River until we reach our picnic site. A wonderful valley, one of the most beautiful in the country, with its villages & its plantations will invite us to ride through its palm groves, its villages & to cross the river sometimes…an excellent moment for our horses!

After lunch, we will leave the Draa River in direction of Djbel (Mount) Kissane. We will gallop along some good trails until we reach our bivouac site in Kzagha.

Tisgui 1200m / Kzagha 1 400m

Day 5 : Kzagha - Bouskour : 6 ½ hours riding

Accommodation : Mountain camp

This will be a long beautiful day in the heart of Saghro Mountain along narrow rocky paths. Once we will reach the top, we will admire the Sahara desert lying at our feet. No assistance car will follow us today & we will carry our picnic lunch along with us. Beautiful gallops in the afternoon on Azaghar n Ourial plateau before we head to our bivouac site in Bouskour.

Kzagha 1 400m / Tizi Rohia Youssef 2 200m / Bouskour 1500m

Day 6 : Bouskour - Sidi Flah : 5 hours riding

Accommodation : Mountain camp

Today, we will leave the mountains to ride across plateaus. The whole afternoon will be spent paddling in the Dades River & we will arrive, after a nice gallop, all wet & happy at our bivouac camp, next to the beautiful village of Sidi Flah.

Bouskour 1500 m / Sidi Flah 1350 m

Day 7 : Sidi Flah - Skoura – Ouarzazate : 4 ½ hours riding

Accommodation : 3 star hotel in Ouarzazate

We will leave the Dades River to ride across some hills which will lead us to Skoura palm grove. We will enjoy our last picnic in the shade of palm trees before we reach the equestrian center in the middle of the afternoon. Last care of the horses, then road to Ouarzazate (40km)

Dinner in a superb small restaurant and night at the hotel.

Sidi Flah 1350m / Skoura 1200m

Day 8 : Ouarzazate - Airport

Breakfast and transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule.

Bearded stallion horses and bearded Arabs, selected and trained by our team, enduring, lively and docile. They are admirably adapted to the paths of the High Atlas: small sure-footed and big-hearted, their gaits are raised. Height at the withers: 1.45 m to 1.55 m.

They will amaze you on this hike by their resistance on sometimes the most difficult paths... You will come back for them!

THE HORSES AND LEVEL

Minimum technical requirements

Perfect mastery of the 3 gaits in outdoor and open terrain: trotting with the trotters off, galloping in balance and in groups, keeping control of the horse (distance, direction) at brisk paces with a light hand. Minimum academic equivalent of gallop 4.
Riders over 90kg and over 1m95 must consult us before registration. Good physical conditions required.

Paces

The basic pace in hiking is the step. Good regular trots and gallops every half day: from the small collected canter to unbridled gallops when the terrain allows it.Note that the gallops are done in line, especially at the beginning of the ride, because of the temperament of the stallions.

Autonomy and participation

Everyone is required to dress, saddle, bridle and unhook his horse. They are also expected to participate in camp tasks, including the setting up and dismantling of tents. You can participate according to your wishes in the care of the horses (distribution of water and food).

Level and experience required

Good physical condition and good endurance on horseback. Expect cold evenings in December & January.
A multi-day horseback riding experience is a plus, but is not mandatory. Riders who don't ride regularly must get back in the saddle before the ride.
Encountering different cultures and mentalities implies an acceptance of these differences and respect for them.

Equestrian Equipment

Tailor-made hiking saddles, very practical saddlebags are available.
Bombs or helmets are not mandatory but strongly recommended. Our partner has a few bombs, but preferably bring your own equipment. In case of request, please do so when you register.

Comfort

In camp: Tents for two people with mattresses, Moroccan caïdal tent for meals, shower tent with hot water morning / evening, toilet tent.
In Ouarzazate : Hotel 3 stars in double room.

Meals

Copious dinners, cold at noon and hot in the evening at the bivouac.
The cook takes care of everything.
In order to avoid plastic bottles, please provide micro-pure tablets or we provide filtered water (catadyn ceramic filter). We advise you to take with you one or two metal cans... to avoid plastic.

Climate

In the south of Morocco the rains are rare but not non-existent. Since a few years very important rainy events have been affecting the south of the country.
From October to November and from February to April the temperatures remain pleasant see warm 35°/20° (October and April) 25°/12° (November, February, March).
In the heart of winter, mornings and evenings are cool to cold (up to -5° at the end of December). At noon, temperatures reach 18°/20°C to decline fairly quickly in the evening. In summer, the climate is torrid (around 45°C) and riding is not organized.

Local Team Guide

French / English-speaking Moroccan equestrian guides assisted by grooms.

TIPS

It is customary, as a sign of thanks, to give a tip to the local teams. You can foresee about 30€ / 40€ for the whole team.

Packing List

Head

• A riding helmet: it is seriously recommended and often mandatory. Manufacturers (GPA, HKM, LAS Helmets, Lamicell, Troxel, Equithème...) offer today ventilated, solid and light riding helmets, pleasant under all latitudes. There are also protective shells to put under your hat (Ranch & Rider, Lexington Safety Products) or western helmets (Troxel).
• Cap or hat for the sun (essential)
• A bandana, scarf or chèche to protect the neck or face from dust and sunlight
• A pair of high protection sunglasses
• A hat or hood in winter (December and January)

Bust

• Thermal underwear (December and January).
• Cotton T-shirts + long-sleeved shirts (for protection against the sun) or T-shirts made of quick-drying technical materials.
• 1 light fleece or equivalent
• 1 warm fleece or equivalent (From November to mid-Februar).
• 1 warm Goretex-type jacket (waterproof and breathable) (From December to mid-February) .

Legs

• 2 riding breeches or long leather chaps
• 1 spare pair of pants (hiking or jeans or equivalent)
• 1 swimsuit may be useful (swimming, toilet)
• Cotton or non-irritating synthetic underwear

Feet and Hands

• 1 pair of light walking shoes (essential for the ascent of the pass) with chaps or boots with specific mini-chaps for riding
• 1 pair of sneakers or equivalent light shoes for the evening.
• Several pairs of socks
• 1 pair of gloves to protect yourself from the sun, cold and rubbin

Little tricks on horseback

• Soothing cream very useful in the corners of your intimacy irritated by long hours on horseback.
• Nothing on your back, everything in your jacket or a banana on your belly: lipstick,sunscreen, passport, small camera or mini camera (waterproof), cords, glasses... more accessible than fonts.
• Riding backpacks are not allowed

Sleep

• Sleeping bag warm comfort 2 °/-5 ° (October to November and from February to April) and -5° or -8° (December and January).
• We also advise you to double this one with a meat bag which will be very useful on hot nights.

Miscellaneous

• Soft travel bag/case
• 2 metal cans of 1 liter or equivalent
• Headlamp, batteries and spare bulbs
• Toilet kit (biodegradable wipes to replace water, micropur...)
• Toilet paper + lighter to burn it after use
• A Swiss Army knife or equivalent (in the hold!!)
• Small paper bags to throw in the trash can
• Earplugs can be useful for those who would have light sleep as a roommate.
• Camera (with a spare battery)
• A pair of binoculars possiblyt

Pharmacy
As a precaution, list your drug allergies in your pharmacy.

• Personal medications
• 1 Broad-spectrum antibiotic
• Aspirin or paracetamol
• Anti Diarrhea
• Vitamin C
• Highly protective sun cream for lips and skin
• Eye drops
• Moisturizing cream for after sun.
• A roll of plaster
• A 10 cm wide adhesive elastic band
• A box of bandages is
• Ready-to-use disinfectant pouches
• Micropur or Hydroclonazone tablets to disinfect water
• An anti-mosquito cream and spray