Morocco & the Western Sahara

Planet

Some nights are spent camping or on board. We make a point of ensuring that we do not leave any permanent traces of our stay behind, making sure that we take all litter with us. The desert is a fragile environment and we take great pains to ensure that we do not disturb it.

We do everything possible to reduce our waste while traveling, using local cafes and restaurants. We also work extremely closely with our locally owned suppliers to inform and educate their staff about a range of issues, including litter and waste disposal, and the recycling of material. Clients are advised to bring their own water bottles rather than purchase plastic.

Wherever possible we use environmentally friendly local accommodation. If this is not possible we make every effort to alert the management of the accommodation in question to ways of improving their service with the environment in mind. Many of the hotels and lodges we use are in extremely remote areas and are therefore almost entirely self-sufficient, using local sources of food, labour and construction materials.

People

Our very small groups and limited departures traveling through Morocco mean that our impact – both cultural and environmental – on the areas that we visit is small and truly sustainable. We are investing in the future, in the belief that along with our local colleagues we can create sustainable social benefits. All of the guides we use are local, and most have been working with our local team in a full time role for a number of years, rather than just as seasonal jobs.

We visit the villages of several remote nomadic tribes and ethnic minorities, including the mythical Reguibat. Here, the local people still follow their ancient traditions and values. To be able to visit these remote villages, often we need permission from the tribe leader. This encourages social interaction between tourists and local people, and our clients are briefed on appropriate behaviour towards the tribe and their leader so to minimize our impact as much as possible. Meeting these remote tribes teach us about the environment and their local customs, both providing income for a remote community and helping to ensure that traditions that have been passed down through generations are maintained, as the younger generation is able to see the value in this.