Responsible walking in Morocco

Education provision in Morocco is pretty good, with primary education compulsory and readily available to both boys and girls between the ages of seven and 14. However, it is unusual for girls in the High Atlas Mountains, where so many walking vacations take place, to continue their education beyond primary level. There are several reasons for this. Often, the nearest secondary school is over 20km away, so traveling to it each day is impractical. In addition, many families don’t have the financial resources to support their daughters through secondary education or, if they do, don’t have family near a secondary school who can take care of their daughter while she attends.

Girls from these remote mountain communities deserve the opportunity to continue their education, and the charity Education for All Morocco (EfAM) was established in 2006 to help this happen, with the belief that if you educate a girl, you begin to educate the next generation. Set up by Discover Limited (the British owners of the Kasbah du Toubkal) and other friends in Marrakech, it builds boarding houses near to secondary schools, so girls from remote communities in the High Atlas have safe accommodation and can continue their education through the Moroccan state system. Through fundraising, community work and projects, as of early 2018 the charity has already built three boarding houses that accommodate over 100 girls.

Watching out for waste

Morocco has a waste disposal problem, and it’s most noticeable in the inhabited Toubkal National Park where rubbish, particularly plastic rubbish that does not decompose, is one of the main culprits. If you’re here on a walking vacation, you’ll also need to stay hydrated, but enjoying clean water while not producing mountains of plastic bottle waste is a challenge all visitors to Morocco should engage with.

What you can do:
Some treks give you the option to purchase bottled water at the start of the trip, with the guiding team carrying it for you, but Morocco doesn’t have established systems for recycling plastic waste, so the far better solution is to bring your own bottle and refill this throughout a trek. Some springs might be clean enough to drink from, and locals certainly do, but travelers are recommended to use water purification systems. At Responsible Travel, we’re big fans of the LifeStraw range of bottles and water bags that make contaminated water safe, plus the company’s Give Back programme means your purchase helps a child in need receive safe water for an entire school year.

Travel with respect. Morocco is incredibly welcoming to travelers and a very moderate country when it comes to Islam. Local people understand that visitors aren’t bound by the same religious rules as they are, but any effort to be respectful is appreciated, noted and respected. With that in mind, save hugging and kissing for behind closed doors; even holding hands can be read as distasteful. Dress for the trail not the beach. No matter how hot it is, stripping down to shorts and a vest top is not appropriate up in the mountains. Here, Berber people dress conservatively, and it’s rare to even see men in shorts. By covering to below the elbows and knees, you’re earning respect as well as giving it. Be mindful of your hands and feet. The right hand is the hand to use for all transactions, especially eating. The left hand is seen as unclean, so don’t use it to receive a gift, offer money or in greeting – this is offensive. The feet are also seen as unclean, so don’t ever step over anyone and be careful not to point them at anyone while sitting down. Don’t flash the cash. Not because of the risk of theft, but because this can lead to tension between you and local hosts and people. Haggling over a few dirhams in a shop while showing off a phone that clearly cost thousands can breed jealousy, resentment and frustration. Don’t get snap happy. It’s really disrespectful to take pictures of people without gaining their permission first, especially women. Ask your guide to ask local people for permission, but don’t take a blanket “it’s OK, take photos” as an answer from him. If in doubt, ask yourself. “Ya tsouira?” (yah tuh swee ruh) means “one photo?”. Keep showers short. There may not be hot water available in simple, remote mountain lodges in the mountains, but if there is, it’s often heated by solar power, which can make supply patchy. Be considerate and take showers on the short side. Leave no trace. This is the mantra for any walking vacation, anywhere in the world. Take out what you brought in and leave the natural environment exactly as you found it. Even small items such as chewing gum or a banana skin are detrimental to the environment, or at the very least take a long time to biodegrade.