Name: Switzerland Walking & Hiking Tour
Brand: Backroads
SKU: N/A
Price: 4498 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.8 (1 reviews)

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National Geographic Best Trips for 2017

Read 62 traveler reviews on tours to National Geographic Best Trips for 2017.Compare trips from over 9 companies. Pick your perfect trip with...

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Unforgettable - the chance of a lifetime!

G Adventures

China Family Adventure

Had an amazing time, saw a wonderfully different country and made new friends

Exodus Adventure Travels

Trafalgar

Explore!

Intrepid Travel

Topdeck

ROW Adventures

Backroads

Myths and Mountains

Although there was a lot of travel in the week, it meant we saw, and 
experienced much more of Morocco - a special country. It was such an 
enjoyable holiday, and I truly relaxed! The itinerary was well planned so 
that we did not get caught up in the big tour groups at busy times of day.
The highlights were the camel ride and camp in the desert, and the stay in 
the gite/hostel in the mountains (including the hammam!). The scenery was 
beautiful and peaceful.


Abdelhadi was a fantastic group leader - very knowledge and enthusiastic. He 
developed a great rapport with the group, which made the trip so enjoyable.  
I travelled on my own and the group dynamic to which he contributed, made me 
feel welcome, and never alone.


In Marrakesh, visit the Jardin Majorelle - but arrive before 9 am to miss the 
crowds.  Don't miss the Berber museum there  - it was a real gem!


Thank you Exodus!

An unforgettable trip to a great country - Morocco - I will return!

Marrakech & the Sahara

This was a great trip as a taster for what Morocco offers. There was a lot of 
travelling in the minibus but it was worth it for the variety of experiences 
we had.
Difficult to say really but the camel ride and the night in the nomad camp in 
the desert was really special. Some of  us slept outside under the stars 
which was amazing. It was mid April but it was not cold although I kept many 
clothes on and slept in my 4 season sleeping bag. A 4 season bag was not 
suggested or necessary but it was my only one. Some even took just a sleeping 
bag inner which was fine on this occasion as blankets and pillows were 
available and the temperature didn’t drop too low. Didn’t meet any 
beasties or scorpions.


Our leader Abdul was excellent and very knowledgeable and great fun although 
his idea of “just next door” or “it’s an hour’s walk” didn’t 
always match ours!
He shared a lot about himself and his life in Morocco and enjoyed learning 
about ours without being intrusive. It all added to the enjoyment of the 
trip.


Towel and shampoo essential for the hammam visit, and a sense of humour and 
adventure will also help!
The optional morning trek from the gite was significantly longer than 
advertised. Check the exact itinerary and time before you set off. Our 3-4 
hour walk was 5 1/2 hours. Good walkers only should tackle this one. It 
appeared much harder than suggested in the trip notes. An optional 1 1/2 hour 
walk around the village took 2 hours. However, time that day was relaxed and 
everyone who did the walks enjoyed them. I was in a small group who took the 
third option of staying put and relaxing on the balcony of the gite!


Despite the long drives, this was well worth the travelling to get down into 
the Sahara for the nomad camp site visit. The scenery along the route was 
simply stunning, from the High Atlas Mountains to the sandy Sahara.

An enjoyable adventure with a friendly group of fellow rptravellers of 
different ages and backgrounds, ably looked after by our guide and driver.
A camel ride into the Sahara, followed by a camp meal, after-supper 
entertainment from the locals and the unforgettable highlight of sleeping 
under a sky lit up by a million stars.


An engaging and welcoming young man who looked after the needs of his 
travelling guests and shared his enthusiasm and knowledge for his country and 
its people.


Don't expect gourmet cuisine, the food en route can be quite bland and quite 
limited, but it is a travel adventure, not a gastronomic trip.

It is an adventurous trip which offers an interesting overview of the 
country.  The tour was generally well organised and ran smoothly, the driving 
was safe, the only criticise is about the comfort of the vehicle: the group 
of 16 people tried to be fitted in the small van, and one of tourists had to 
share the seat between driver and the guide in the front…
The group leader Lahcen Hamyouy was very knowledgeable guide, friendly and 
responsible person.
The best day of the journey was camel riding through Sahara desert and star 
gazing in bedouin camp. Also the Atlas mountains scenery was magnificent 
while driving and walking as well. One of the highlights was visiting kasbah 
&nbsp;Ait-Ben-Haddou, in Ouarzazate province, after seeing this ghost town you 
understand why this place has attracted a lot of directors and writers of 
various film industries to shoot movies such as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, 
‘The Mummy’, ‘Gladiator’ etc.
Tour organisers should consider to spend more time in this beautiful place 
rather than wasting it in the remote village in Atlas mountains in freezing 
prison cell-like plain rooms. That guest house was very uncomfortable to stay 
in and needs a lot of improvements (little mobile heaters can make big 
difference).
The food was good overall BUT hygiene and sanitation was very poor I am 
afraid (most of places with non-working flush toilets, missing toilets paper 
and open rubbish bins).
The last part of the trip - visiting Marrakesh - was not that much exciting 
than others. Central square with its chaotic market is really dangerous place 
to walk because of annoying street hasslers and pickpocketers. One Italian 
restaurant “Portofino” recommended by the group leader was very decent 
place to have a meal…
star gazing in Bedouin camp, riding camels through Sahara desert


The group leader Lahcen Hamyouy was very knowledgeable guide, friendly and 
responsible person.

Spent a memorable Christmas in a beautiful country with some wonderful 
people. The trip give you a great taste of what this wonderful has to offer
There were so many highlights of this trip but waking up in the desert on 
Christmas Day was perfection.


Our guide Omar was was excellent. He managed to pass on enough information 
about the county and trip without making us feel that we were being 
controlled.


If you are travelling in winter take warm clothes for the evenings as some 
places are really cold. There is no need to take a sleeping bag with you as 
there are plenty of extra blankets available in the Gite and at the Bedouin 
camp if you need them. Walking boots or good walking shoes are needed if you 
want to experience the trek without risking twisting an ankle.


This trip is worth taking and I’m sure I’ll visit wonderful Morocco 
again.

The holiday was fantastic from start to finish. We started from Marrakech and 
headed to Ait Ben Haddou, a fantastic historic city used as the backdrop to 
loads of famous films. The following day we picked up our camels and headed 
out into the Sahara dessert, staying in a bedouin camp. This was the 
highlight of the trip, the camels were placid and, although the rocking 
motion takes a little getting used to, it was a generally comfortable ride.
This was followed by a night in a gite up in a village in the mountains, the 
Hamaam was a great bonding experience and the village women were really 
friendly.
Marrakech itself was interesting and steeped in history. The tombs and palace 
buildings were beautiful and the souks were vibrant and fun for trying to 
grab a bargain!
The food throughout was excellent, although it is slightly repetitive. Tagine 
is on most menus, the meat was always lovely and tender with an array of veg. 
Other favourite was the chicken pastilla. Whoever combined shredded chicken 
and almonds with filo pastry, icing sugar and cinnamon is a genius!
The trip had variety in its hotels and stops. Sometimes it felt like we were 
on the minibus for agaes, but the destinations were always worth it!
Sharing a Hamaam with 10 women I'd only met 2 days previously. I'm usually 
very self concious, but it was a great and funny bonding experience for the 
group.
The camel ride was amazing, the peace in the desert and the shapes created by 
the winds in the dunes are hynotic.


Abdellah was a great leader, he was informative with a good sense of humour. 
He was well organised and always happy to help answer questions.


We didn't need the water purification tablets recommended as there was plenty 
of bottled water.

Take your good walking shoes, not just your sandals.

Don't pick this trip if you like a drink every night, alcohol is largely 
unavailable. But mint tea and fruit juices are great!

National Geographic Best Trips for 2017 Tour & Trip Reviews

Unforgettable the chance of a lifetime

Had an amazing time, saw a wonderfully different country and made new friends