Rafting Expedition – Ahansal River (Mar-June) Every Year
A short adventure holiday to magical Morocco to see parts the majority of tourists will never see! This short break can be extended to include other adventures like trekking or canyoning or just to spend more time in the markets and souks of Marrakech.
River Ahansal Whitewater Rafting
Our Short Break whitewater rafting trip begins in Marrakech and heads to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and runs during March, April and May each year. You can do this trip in four days from the UK or you can extend it and enjoy some of the other attractions Morocco has to offer.
Day 1 – Lunch and Dinner
You will be met at your hotel or riad around 10am by your guides and whisked away from the madness of Marrakech to begin your three day adventure into the heart of Morocco. A lunch stop in the small village of Ouzoud will allow you to stretch your legs and and meander along the various souqs stalls, making your way down to the picturesque restaurants, where you’ll be served a traditional Moroccan lunch of tajines, brochettes and couscous with the backdrop of the breath-taking 110 metre Cascades D’Ouzoud. After lunch a quick walk to the bottom of the cascades to take in the grandeur of the setting and watch as the Barbary Apes, a species of tailless monkeys, entertainingly jump and swing from tree to tree or sit in the spray of the cascasdes, as curious about you as you are them.
From Ouzoud you will drive further into the Atlas Mountains and it’s hidden secrets. Up and over the crest of one of the many hills reveals the panoramic view of Bin El Ouidane, a spectacular crystal blue lake framed by the majestic red mountains of Morocco. Get your cameras out for this stop! It’s the perfect photo opportunity. A drive around the lake and over the engineering feat of the El Ouidane dam, will put you in the town of Ourouizarte. Here you will make a brief stop to pick up and organize the final few items before heading into the heart of the river and your first evening in a Berber camp.
Once you arrive at the camp, you will have time to relax, go for a wander along the river, sit and read a book or chat to one of our friendly guides. The afternoon is yours. As evening approaches a sumptuous dinner is prepared for you by your guides. Finish your night around the bonfire and gaze up at the thousands of stars and let the sound of the river lull you off to a relaxed and harmonious sleep.
Day 2 – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Wake up at your leisure to the sun shining, birds singing and freshly brewed coffee. Breakfast of fresh fruit, yoghurt, cereal, granola and toast is served shortly thereafter. A leisurely pack of camp and loading the rafts follows breakfast then a rafting safety brief. We will take the time to explain the equipment and the fundamentals of rafting. The briefing finished, we begin our adventure down the river. Lunch is served about 3 hours downstream. Enjoy fresh sandwiches, cold drinks and biscuits as you lounge on the rocks bask in the afternoon sun.
After lunch, you immediately paddle into the next section of this fast-flowing river and make your way to the the first rapid of the afternoon. You’ll continue to cruise by some spectacular scenery and through rollercoaster wave trains arriving at our camp mid to late afternoon with time to sit back and read a book or explore the area.
A delicious dinner is served once again by your very talented guides and again you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the nature that surrounds you by firelight.
As the sun hits camp, awaken to the smell of freshly brewed coffee once again. It’s an earlier start to the day with camp packed and on the river for 9am. ‘Morning Surprise’, the first rapid of the day greets you around the corner from camp and from there you cruise down the river, through magnificent gorges and incredible rock formations, the real hidden treasures of Morocco. On this section of river you will truly feel you’re in the middle of nowhere. It’s almost impossible for anyone to venture into this part of the country except by river, unless of course you’re a wild monkey. Look up high for them, they’re watching you paddle by from above. You will be amazed and astounded by the beauty surrounding you. The final leg of the journey is not for the faint paddler. It’s time to really hone your skills and dig deep. In order to get to the pristine waters of Bin El Ouidane you will need to first navigate through ‘The Soup’. The confluence of where the river meets the lake is home to a very large and thick amount of debris. This is where the dead wood ends up so buckle down and paddle hard. Once you’re through it, you’re home free and the crystal clear waters of the lake are a welcome sight and our pontoon boat is a rafters reward. Hop on the boat and let it do the work as it tows your raft to the take-out while you lie in the warm afternoon sun and sample an exquiste ‘floating lunch’.
Take in the views of this extensive lake and reflect on the past days adventure. We arrive at our vehicle where you can continue to sit back and relax and probably fall asleep, as we take you back to Marrakech to your hotel and riad.
Three full days where you’ll have experienced the beauty of Morocco which very few people will ever see!
Check out more of our photos at our Photo Gallery
Two trips per week March-June every year. Huge demand so Book Now for 2017
Trip dates for the 2017 are here – (however, if these don’t quite fit your plans, let us know and we’ll try to accommodate you)
– March –
– 3rd-5th – 7th-9th – 10th-12th – 14th-16th – 17th-19th – 21st-23rd – 24th-26th – 28th-30th – 31st-2nd(April)
– April –
– 4th-6th – 7th-9th – 11th-13th – 14th-16th – 18th-20th – 21st-23rd – 25th-27th – 28th-30th
– May –
– 2nd-4th – 5th-7th – 9th-11th – 12th-14th – 16th-18th – 19th-21st – 23rd-25th – 27th-29th
Your stay can be extended our you can have a week of adventure combining rafting with canyoning, trekking, desert quads, etc…
Two nights in Marrakesh and 2 nights on the river cost £499pp
Trip only without Marrakech accommodation 425GBPpp
If you’d like to book more than 48 hours in advance, feel free to – 
