Horseback treks in Morocco

By: Nestor Imberti Posted: 27/03/2020

Today, we will explore Morocco, an exotic African country where you can enjoy horseback trips in the desert dunes or in the high Atlas Mountains.

Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, Morocco is known as the "Gateway to Africa".

Due to its proximity to Europe, Morocco has many influences from that continent and a unique combination of Berber, Arabian and African traditions.

On our horseback tours, we will discover many places of cultural interest, ancient ruins and modern tourist centres, where you can appreciate its amazing cultural diversity.

Alternatives to discover Morocco on horseback

Doubtlessly, the best way to explore this fabulous country – Morocco – is on horseback. The mountains, the exuberant valleys, the highlands and the sandy deserts with their oasis, alternate with exciting, ancient cities along each riding tour or trail that you choose.

From the Sahara sands to the mountains of the High Atlas, Morocco offers a wide range of landscapes. The Atlas Mountain Range crosses the centre of the country. Among the high and arid peaks rising over 4,000 m, there are forests of cedar, oak and pine trees, open grasslands and small lakes.

It’s a micro world with its distinctive features that invite us to discover them from the back of a good horse, which the suppliers of this country will put at your disposition so you can live a challenging and rewarding experience, very different from others you can find in the rest of Africa.

Who are the equestrian tourism suppliers you can find in Morocco and what do they offer?

In order to give you a general idea of the options you can find in Morocco for your Horseback Riding Vacations, we have listed some of the most relevant ones.

Equi Evasion

Since 2005, Equi Evasion has offered horse and dromedary treks and trails in Morocco. Their rides vary from a couple of hours to full day and week trips through dunes, beaches, and forests for riding experiences in harmony with nature, in idyllic surroundings.

It’s a good way to know the best and most authentic ranches in morocco with them. Riders decide the length of their horseback trip and, according to that, they can choose the number of treks to include.

If you stay a week, you can discover the Argan tree forests, small Berber villages, endless beaches, dunes, etc. which allow you to experience the truly authentic Morocco.

Equi Evasion’s office is located in the town of Diabat, (behind the mosque), Essaouira, Morocco.

The Equi Evasion Team

Their team of professionals will supervise and guide you throughout your visit. Jawad, the manager. His team is comprised of Hassan, the driver and logistics man for the multi-day tours, and three bilingual equestrian guides in each tour. All their staff have an intimate knowledge of the local area and are passionate about sharing their experience of riding, their passion and love for horses.

How about their horses?

There are Barbs (Berber) and Arab-Barbs. They are tough, hardy, keen and friendly, and very easy to love. They can accommodate all levels of rider, from beginners to advanced, to offer you the best possible ride. The horses are very fit and well trained to provide safety and ensure you have an unforgettable experience.

Equi Evasion’s Short Rides

The day rides offer experiences with horses, dromedaries and donkeys.

Interesting and valid options that are from one hour to a full day among dunes, beaches and forests. Prices are per person and include your transfer to and from your hotel in Essaouira town as well as riding helmets.

Equi Evasion’s Horse Treks

If you are looking for horse treks of more than one day, they also have something to offer. Their horse treks are from 2 to 6 days riding on the Atlantic coast, in trails in total harmony with nature, in a dream natural environment. Don’t forget your camera, you’ll have many opportunities to use it!

These packages include pick-up from the airport, first and last night in a double room at a hotel, complete days on horseback, the supervision of an experienced guide, full board, and nights in a bivouac camp during the trek and your transfers to the ranch. A real equestrian “all-inclusive”.

You can contact them for tailor-made treks and special events.

All treks are accompanied by at least 1 guide, a camp chef, 4×4 back-up vehicle and a mobile kitchen.

Of all their tours, we have selected one to describe, the longest and most challenging one. This is what it offers.

Desert Trek, Drâa Valley

A trek across the Drâa Valley, the gate to the Sahara Desert. The Drâa Valley stretches over 100 km to the south and ends in the Sahara Desert. It’s a real miracle of life in an area that would be dead if not for the Dràa River.

The Kasbahs, mud castles, and the ksur, plural of ksar, fortified city, can be seen all along the trek.

The total duration is 8 days, 6 of which riding, six hours each day on average. This tour is suitable for intermediate level or advanced. Only available from October to March.

First day: The trek starts in the city of Ouarzazate, you arrive by plane. From there your transfer to Zagora, a 3 hours’ drive by car. After a meeting with the team, dinner and overnight at the hotel.

The second day: you continue to the stables to meet your horse, according to your riding skills and the guide’s criterion. An hour later, the route for the trek follows the Oued Drâa, along palm groves and irrigation canals. You will come across typical villages and the Kasbah and Ksar of the area. At the end of the day, you arrive at the camp site for dinner and overnight in bivouac.

Third day: Departing after breakfast, you will trek through the gorges of the river Oued Drâa. With its breath- taking landscapes. You picnic near the ruins of an ancient Ksar before descending to Ait Isfoul and its lush palm groves. The day ends with dinner and bivouac at night.

Fourth day: In the morning, you will continue through the palm groves, then you cross the Foum Larjam pass from where there are stunning views of the dunes surrounding M’hamid, it is a great time for a beautiful gallop across the plateaux which leads towards Ouled Driss. At the end of the day: dinner and overnight in bivouac.

Fifth day: The sand dunes, with the Sahara desert visible on the horizon, before arriving in the middle of nowhere, an oasis in the area where you bivouac at night.

Sixth day: The desert is the only thing around you. The sand tracks intertwine, in search of the less demanding slope, and they take you to the small range of Joel Bani. At the end of the day, bivouac on the Feija Plateau.

Seventh day: Depart early in the morning to return to Zagora. A great chance to enjoy your last trots and gallops through the palm trees. Enjoy your last night at the hotel. Farewell dinner with the team, which were “your hosts and guides until yesterday, and now they are your friends”.

Eighth day: Transfer back to Ouarzazate airport.

Find more information about this and other tours on their web site: https://www.equievasion.com/

Cheval Agadir Ranch Acienda

They are located in Agadir, a charming town on the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a picturesque ranch with log cabins. They offer different rides. Some of them are half-day or full-day rides, but they also offer horseback riding vacations of one week.

What follows is a summary of this type of options, which they offer. All of them of six days or more, combining beach and mountains.

1 Week Horse Trek, Paradise Valley

In the Atlas Mountain Range with the coast of the Great South Desert.

A magnificent and well-designed trek in Paradise Valley, with trails in the mountains and the desert coastline of Morocco’s great south, we are referring to the beaches of Chtouka.

Sand trails, mountains, oases, small villages, dunes and beaches, with Noura, the only female guide, an expert in horses and riding tours in Morocco, and Brahim.

A challenging 6 day trek on horseback and 7 days of accommodation in an authentic Touareg camp. This program is all-inclusive – accommodation, transfers, breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner.

1 week in Ranch Acienda

One week in a genuine Moroccan working ranch.

Your days here are spent in a beautiful wooden room a few meters from the horses. Every day, Noura, your riding guide, will prepare your breakfast, sandwich midi or barbecue picnic, Moroccan pastries.

You can go riding every day if you wish, no matter the hour, the choice is yours. At sunset or very early in the morning.

Backcountry, mountains or in the vast beaches of the magnificent Atlantic Ocean. Noura will be your guide for the week.

The rest of the time you can enjoy the beach, which is only 200 m away, or just relax over a coffee cup at the local bars.

You will live very near the horses and be a part of the ranch daily routine. You can groom and feed the horses, always with the help of their staff.

A wonderful way of spending your horseback riding holidays, in gorgeous natural surroundings, close to your favourite animals, horses!

Everything here is close at hand, you’ll be at 300 metres from the town, 200 metres from the beach and 11 kilometres from Agadir.

This option is suitable for all levels of riding experience: beginner, intermediate and advanced.

Their Berber Horses

Their horses are Arab Berbers. Selected for their beauty, their kindness and their endurance. They train them from an early age to European riding. The Berber is a docile horse, endearing and not shy. They go everywhere, mountains and deserts – their natural habitats where they can manage perfectly.

The origin of the Berber horse breed is in northern Africa and it owes its name to the Berbers from Maghreb, who they are closely related to.

Little is known about its origin, but there are many theories, and they all agree that it is one of the oldest breeds in the world.

Do you want to know more about them?

Some theories assert that this breed is descended from a group of feral horses that managed to survive the Glacial Period.

Today, these theories cannot be confirmed. Nevertheless, some palaeontological discoveries prove that, most probably, the Berber breed is descended from a wild horse that lived in northern Africa over several tens of thousands of years ago.

Some Roman documents of over 2,000 years ago make mention of “the horses of Barbary”.

Discover more about them and the comments from other guests that visited Morocco with them on their web site: https://chevalagadir.jimdofree.com/

Amazir Cheval

Amazir Cheval SARL was founded in 2015 by Brahim and Manon, a young couple from Belgium and Morocco. These friendly hosts and equestrian guides are passionate about horses, nature, travels, meeting people and horseback treks.

Brahim is responsible for the equestrian logistics of Amazir Cheval. He is a field coordinator (horse trainer), head guide and cook in many of his tours.

Brahim speaks French, English, Berber and Arab fluently, and knows basic Italian and German.

Manon is Belgian, fascinated by horses since she was 6. She started specialising in outdoor riding and behavioural horsemanship when she was a teenager. She is also very sensitive to cultural wealth and community harmony, and transmits that to those riders that visit them.

After having worked a few years as a children animator, she got her degree to become a school teacher. She is currently working on her Master’s degree in Education Sciences while living in Morocco. She loves working with local children.

Manon is co-responsible for Amazir Cheval. She manages web communication, and she is a trainer and a guide with some groups.

Manon hopes to one day promote intercultural projects between young people from Morocco and Belgium. She speaks fluent French, and basic English, Dutch and Berber.

Let’s talk about their Tours and Trails

In their tours, you will discover a real, traditional and sometimes wild Morocco.

The scenery is varied: you will go through either argan or eucalyptus tree forests, Berber or fishermen villages, see rivers, waterfalls, fields, hills, mountainous regions or huge sand dunes where you will feel in the middle of a desert, and huge beaches for galloping. All this in one ride!

Your saddle, of course, will be a beautiful Arab Berber one, matching your riding level and especially designed for trekking.

The guide will tell you stories about the region, his culture and will give you precious advices about the horses to make the most of you ride.

In the morning, at noon and in the evening, the cook will prepare you delicious and various traditional dishes. The camel driver will carry your luggage on camelback till each bivouac where your Berber tent will be set up for the night.

What is a day in their horseback treks and trails like?

They will match your horse with your riding skills, character, size and weight.

In the morning, they will put you in the saddle for 2-3 hours. Then, you have a picnic and you can leave your horse tied to a tree and prepare to have lunch. After that, there is a little break, under a tree. With a short nap you will recover your energy.

Once you have finished that, you can enjoy the views, sunbathe, get ready for some delicious food and have a good time with the other people in the group, the guides and the logistic staff of the tour.

You will have a solar shower and a portable toilet.

At night, don’t forget to look at the beautiful star-filled sky, surrounded by the Moroccan wilderness – a moment you will never forget!

On their web site, you can find more details about their tours and programs, and more information about their horses and their staff: https://www.amazircheval.com/

/ Photos: www.equievasion.com, https://chevalagadir.jimdo.com and www.amazircheval.com /

Are you also passionate about the idea of travelling Africa on horseback?

Horseback riding in Africa is simply spectacular. Its natural light, its colours, its landscapes, everything invites you to discover its magic and we encourage you to travel this land on horseback.

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