Now a whole section on mule trekking may seem a bit excessive but it is fabulous day or couple of days out and more importantly, it gives us a chance to show off our "Mule Matrix" developed after thousands of manhours to enable us to offer our clients the perfect trip into the mountains.

MULE TREKKING WITHOUT MULES?

But first of all a few myths to dispel. Mule trekking is generally trekking with mules rather trekking on mules. It is perfectly possible to have a mule for each member of the party and go on a riding trek as you would a pony trek but it isn't generally the main point and indeed is considered a bit excessive by the locals.. The mules are there mainly to carry and bags (or children!) and clothes or tents if you are going over-night. They are certainly very useful if you want to rest your legs but the terrain is often uneven and it is not comfortable to ride for long periods. In fact it is perfectly possible to have a great day out and dispense with mules altogether.

SO WHAT IS THE POINT?

The reason to go up to the mountains is to see a completely different side of Morocco - it is so close yet completely different to Marrakech an hour or so away. There is a friendly, more relaxed atmosphere and watching the people go about their daily lives is fascinating. It is absolutely vital you have a guide to get the best out of the trip both to steer you in the right direction but most important explain what it is you are seeing. There will no set spiels but to be able to chat to the guide about mountain life will be the highlight of the trip. He will get you out of the tourist trap zone where most people start (and often don't get any further) and into the farms and villages for a relaxing and enjoyable day.

A DAY TRIP

First of all decide whether you go for a day trip or overnight. The overnight trip is sleeping roughish in a gite (which is a basic Moroccan guesthouse) and about 4-5 hours walking each day. The day trips have the trekking in the morning and followed by lunch in the traditional Moroccan house and then a leisurely return to your vehicle. We do 2 versions of the day trek, one with an early start (8am from Marrakech) and about 4 hours walking or a later start with just 2 or 3 hours in the hills before lunch. You choose the amount of time but whichever you choose the pace is also up to you - go as fast or slow as you like. The advantage of the longer trek is you get to go a bit further and get better views.

Whilst mules aren't essential we recommend about one mule for every 3-4 people - bear in mind that they are sturdy beasts and an adult and child can easily ride one together as and when the need arises - also great for carrying a bag with jackets or jumpers and sunscreen. The day trek is highly recommended for kids of any age and having the mule enables them to do a real adult expedition.

OVERNIGHT TREKKING

Whilst the day trip can be done by anyone the overnight trips are a bit more of an adventure. You don't have to be particularly fit to do a 2 day/1 night trek but it will be tiring and the accommodation won't be up to the standard of your luxury riad in Marrakech. Beyond one night we start to recommend 'A to B' treks where you start in one place and end in another so seeing as much as possible. Another popular 3 day trek is to go up Jebel Toubkal, highest mountain in North Africa - contact us for specific details

THE MULE MATRIX

Given the number of options we have developed a simple table (OK, so it wasn't really thousands of manhours) to enable you to work out the price for a trip so do have a quick look at this but better still give us a quick call (0207 112 0019) for a chat about the options

Day Trip (either early or late start) Add up the total then add £35 for the guide and £10 per mule**

Number of People	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Transport	£75*	£95	£95	£115	£115	£130	£130
Lunch	£10	£20	£30	£40	£50	£60	£70

Overnight trip Add up the total then add £65 for the guide and £20 per mule**

Number of People	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Transport	£130*	£150	£150	£170	£170	£190	£190
Food and Accommodation***	£40	£80	£120	£160	£200	£240	£280

* All vehicles are air-conditioned except the option for 1 person

** Mules come complete with muleteer to lead and look after it - 1 mule per 3-4 people is good guide

*** Includes 2 lunches dinner and breakfast. We usually recommend bringing a sleeping bag.