We have some policies which we insist on and those relate to the use of drugs and animal cruelty. If you do not agree with us on these issues, we ask you not to book with us.
The rest are ethical travel guidelines only and are here as suggestions to help you understand what it means to travel responsibly in Morocco. How you interpret these is your choice and if you require any clarification or think we’ve missed something important, please do get in touch.
We are totally against the use of wild animals in tourism under any circumstances. In some of the wild areas of Morocco, there are wild monkeys and we are happy for you to stop in these regions to try and get a sighting but not to touch them.
Regarding domesticated animals, the use of donkeys and camels in Morocco for tourist purposes is very much part of the culture. Even if you do not ride one, you will most certainly benefit from their hard work as nothing moves in and out of the souks and medinas, without them.
As we wish to respect the local culture and bring conscious tourism into rural areas which use donkeys, mules and camels as transport for themselves as well as tourists, we strive to find a way for this to sit more comfortably with us.
In the desert we use only the camels belonging to our own guides. Most camps use one or two camel providers who have hundreds of camels who, in our opinion, are not cared for correctly. We have only a few and they are much loved, respected and well cared for by Hammid and when they are not working, they are free to roam and graze. They receive annual veterinary check ups and for worming and parasite control.
We never offer donkey rides but donkeys and mules are occasionally used to carry luggage in areas that vehicles can’t reach. We encourage and support various local initiatives to help ensure that these donkeys are in good health and well treated and if you see anything of concern, please let us know. We are strong supporters of the donkey sanctuary near Marrakech and in addition to sponsoring a donkey and contributing to ad-hoc campaigns, we also donate £10 for every booking we take. If you wish to visit the sanctuary while you are with us, we charge only the basic transport/driver rate with no mark-up on the understanding that you will probably wish to make a donation to them. They welcome visitors but are not a tourist attraction and don’t make any entrance charge, so if you like their work (and you will) please, please donate.
Horses are used in Marrakech to pull carriages (Calleche). During the covid 19 situation, it became apparent that the living conditions and level of care provided to these horses fell far short of acceptable standards. Therefore, we ask you not to book rides through this service.
Instead why not try one of the many tuk-tuks? The municipality of Marrakech has granted a licence to disabled people that are able to drive a tuk-tuk, who have the monopoly on this activity. Approx. 150 MAD for a medina tour.
For a full proposal or just to find out more, you can call, email or use the contact form. There is no obligation and we promise to respond promptly.