Frequently Asked Questions
CAN I RAFT WITHOUT PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE?
Most of our clients have never rafted before or at the most have done a day trip somewhere else in the world. We’ll provide you with all the necessary knowledge through our thorough safety and paddle briefings from your trip leader. Rafting is a fun, team activity that all people are able to participate in.
WILL I FALL OUT OF THE BOAT?
A popular myth is that if you go rafting, you will fall out. We prefer to run the challenging lines of a rapid, but keep you in the raft. That’s not to say we don’t have the occasional swimmer, however it remains the exception rather than the rule. In the event you do fall out, you’ll be rescued by one of our safety kayakers or safety cataraft who sit poised in the middle of the rapids.
WHO WILL BE LOOKING AFTER ME?
We are confident our guides will give you the best trip you have ever had! These river professionals are energetic individuals driven by their love of the river and their lifestyle (that you are supporting!) They’ll guide you down the world’s best white water by day, and in the evening they turn into drinks waiters, fantastic chefs and storytellers to boot.
WHAT DO I WEAR ON AND OFF THE RIVER?
Morocco in the Spring is a warm destination, the key is sun protection! We recommend long sleeved shirts to keep the sun off but it can be quite cool at times so a longsleeved polypropolene top is recommended. Around camp dress is very casual but it can get cooler in the evenings. A full list of what is required for your adventure is sent out prior to your departure and is also available on your chosen activitiy/s page on this website.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I GET SICK OR HURT?
Due to the nature of a river journey, you are often in remote locations and we want to make you feel comfortable in your new environment. Our river teams are qualified professionals who are trained in Wilderness First Aid and CPR as well as Swift-water Rescue Technicians. In the highly unlikely event of an accident your trip medic has the experience to deal with a huge variety of ailments and medical situations. We carry a satellite telephone on all of our trips and have the ability to evacuate you if necessary.
WHAT IS THE FOOD LIKE?
As many of our guides live in the outdoors for a vast proportion of the year, they cunjure up gourmet dishes for you to feast on after your days rafting. Typically for breakfast you might have fruit and cereals or a cooked breakfast, lunches are generally subway style sandwiches or fresh salads and for evening meals, you’ll start with hors d’ouvres, followed by a sumptuous main meal with dessert to finish off. Don’t plan on losing weight on our trips!
DO YOU HAVE OPTIONS FOR VEGETARIANS OR PEOPLE WITH ALLERGYS?
We cater for all dietary preferences. Our vegetarian clients are constantly amazed at the variety and options we have for them. With other food allergies or preferences, we recommend you contact our UK, French, Moroccan or US offices with specific questions, as some of our destinations will not have a vast variety of gluten, wheat or dairy free options, in which case we suggest you bring a few of your favorite foods from home.
I HAVE NEVER CAMPED BEFORE?
We believe that camping should be civillised. This means, even if you are not a regular “outdoor person” you’ll find our small touches on the trips will make you feel right at home. Spend the night in our spacious tents sleeping on thick comfortable thermorest air mattresses, that conveniently turn into seats for around the campfire. On our trips we also bring a shower for you to wash down by the river.
WHAT IS THE MINIMUM/MAXIMUM AGE?
Our trips cater for people of all ages. Our typical groups have guests aged between 25 and 40 years old. On most of our trips the minimum age is 16 years and we have no upper age limit, providing we get a Doctors certificate if you are over 70. In Morocco, we will take children from 8 years of age.
WHAT IF I CAN’T SWIM?
Although swimming is not a pre-requisite for all of our departures, we recommend on our more challenging trips that you can swim. You’ll be wearing a high – float life jacket, so in the event of you making a premature exit from the raft, you’ll be rescued by one of our safety kayakers.
IS IT DANGEROUS?
Like all adventure sports rafting does have an inherent risk. With all our years of experience, our professional guides and the best in white water equipment, we do our best to minimize risk. Without exception, we take safety kayakers on all trips to ensure added safety for you, our guests.
HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN I EXPECT ON MY TRIP AND WHAT ARE THEY LIKE?
In order to reduce our impact on the environment we have a maximum of 24 clients per trip. We feel this also gives clients and guides the opportunity to get to know each other better. Many of our clients forge lasting friendships on our trips, meeting up on subsequent river journeys. We have a mixture of nationalities such as British, American, New Zealand, Swiss, Germans, Australians and South Africans. This makes for an interesting cocktail of cross country conversations, stories and jokes around the campfire and on the raft.
CAN I TRAVEL BY MYSELF?
People join our trips in all sorts of capacities. People on their own adventure, couples and groups of friends. By its very nature a raft trip is very social, you will meet interesting people and make plenty of new friends along the way.
HOW MANY HOURS PER DAY WILL WE BE RAFTING?
Lets not forget this is a holiday! A typical day will see you rafting for 2 hours in the morning and another 1-2 hours in the afternoon. This might be punctuated by a pleasant walk to a village, waterfall or to view an incredible piece of history. You’ll reach camp in time to enjoy a sundowner drink, read your favorite book or chat with one of your fellow rafters about the days’ adventures.
WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE?
It's hot and sunny for most of the year in Morocco. During the peak summer months it gets uncomfortably hot especially in Marrakech, Fes and southwest Morocco, towards the desert. Casablanca, Rabat and Essaouira are a bit more comfortable in the peak of summer because they benefit from a cooler ocean breeze.
DO I NEED TO BRING ANYTHING SPECIAL?
We find most of our clients have in their possession most of the items needed for a river journey. You will require a personal drinking bottle, a sunhat, a long sleeved shirt to keep the sun off during the day (or a thermal insulating base layer for our cooler destinations) and some warmer clothing for the evening. A full list of what is required will be sent to you well before you leave for your adventure.
WHERE DO MY CLOTHES GO WHEN I AM RAFTING?
Each of our clients receives a waterproof drybag for their own personal clothing during the trip. These are then packed onto the rafts and tied on securely. All the heavy and bulky items we take on the trip are rowed down the river on our gear raft.
I HAVE A CAMERA, CAN I TAKE THAT? WHAT ABOUT PHOTOS OF MY TRIP?
On most of our trips, we provide a waterproof pelican case for your use. This is waterproof and can go near you on your raft for those opportune “action” shots. We also recommend you pick up a waterproof camera that can be fastened to the collar of your life jacket which take excellent on raft shots in rapids. We will also have a photographer who will take images of your trip and these will be given to you on a CD before you leave.
WHERE DO I STAY BEFORE AND AFTER THE RIVER TRIP?
Most of our trips require a night in a hotel before and after your river journey. We choose comfortable and authentic accommodation close to points of interest. Marrakech is an amazing place and your riad will be situated near the centre of the city.
CAN I ARRIVE EARLY OR STAY LATER THAN MY TRIP? WHAT CAN I DO?
If you feel like you want a few extra days to relax pre or post trip, then let us know. We can book extra hotel nights for you and give you advise and book extra activities for you whether it’s a few days in the Sahara, quad biking, hot air balooning or relaxing at the beautiful town of Essaouira. Our teams in the office have all the knowledge you will need about the areas you are traveling to.
WHAT ABOUT SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS?
Our rooming arrangements both on and off the river are on a twin share basis. Families can request rooms together and we are happy to accommodate couples. If you request a single room or tent for the trip you will have to pay an additional surcharge however if this occurs due to odd numbers on a trip you will not be required to pay anything extra.
HOW FIT DO I HAVE TO BE?
Forget the gym membership! There are no super human fitness requirements for a river journey. However, the fitter you are, the more you will get from your adventure. There are plentiful opportunities for side hikes up canyons and to nearby points of interest on your trip. Alternatively if you’d prefer to sit in camp and enjoy a glass of wine or beer and read your book or listen to your favorite music, that’s perfect. It is your holiday after all.
WILL YOU TAILOR-MAKE A TRIP FOR ME?
If you have a group of friends, a scout or school group or fancy a team building event with a difference for your company, we’ll happily design your perfect trip to meet your requirements. We have extensive experience in this area.
I LOVE SHOPPING! WILL I HAVE TIME TO PICK UP SOUVENIRS?
If retail therapy is your thing, we’ll give you the ultimate shopping experience. Shopping in Marrakech is incredible. You’ll get lost in the spicy smells of the souqs and love exploring the labyrinth of alleyways and unique shops. Our guides will be happy to show you around.
CAN I DO A CONBINATION OF YOUR MOROCCAN ADVENTURES?
Absolutely, we can put together any mix and match combination for you to get the exact trip you are looking for. Combine a helicopter flight with a hot air baloon flight, or even try a kayak trip. Contact us for details.See you on the river!
