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Morocco,
Sport & Activities
Morocco’s varied landscapes, which range from a 3500km- (2170 mile-) coastline to the forests, rivers and mountains of the Middle and High Atlas and the Sahara Desert, offer a wide choice of sports and leisure activities.
Golf: This is very popular in Morocco, partly because King Hassan II was an internationally ranked practitioner of the game. Some of the best-known of the country’s 16 golf courses are located at the Royal Dar es Salaam Golf Club in Rabat, which has three courses and annually hosts the internationally renowned Hassan II Trophy. Agadir has three courses: the Agadir Royal Golf Club is a par 36 while the beautiful Dunes Golf Club has three 9-hole par 36 courses (designed by a disciple of Robert Trent Jones). The third course, set around lakes, palm trees and eucalyptus, is the 5-star Golf du Soleil, which is a 27-hole par 72. The Marrakech Royal Golf Club is an 18-hole par 72 course located at the foot of the Atlas mountains. Marrakech has two other 18-hole courses: the Palmeraie Golf Club, designed by Robert Trent Jones in a setting with views of the Atlas mountains as well as easy access to the Atlantic beaches nearby; and the Amelkis Golf Club. Other 18-hole courses include Ben Slimane and El Jadida (both near the Atlantic coast), Mohammedia Royal Golf Club (near Casablanca) and the Tangier Royal Golf. Apart from the Hassan II Trophy (see above), the Moroccan Open and Hassan II Challenge are noteworthy tournaments. The Mohammed VI Golf Trophy is held at Dar es-Salaam Royal Golf Course in Rabat at the end of March.
Altogether, there are approximately 30 golf courses in the country, including several new ones. A useful golf brochure and information on golfing holidays can be obtained from the Moroccan National Tourist Board (see Contact Addresses section).
Hiking and trekking: With its four distinct mountain ranges – the Rif, the Middle Atlas, the High Atlas and the Anti-Atlas – Morocco offers outstanding opportunities for hiking and trekking. Various trekking tours can be organised through the Moroccan National Tourist Office (see Contact Addresses section). Specialist tour operators offer a variety of treks including guided horse trekking in the mountains, and camping trips. One of the most popular treks in the High Atlas is the ascent of Jebel Toubkal (4167m/6668ft), North Africa’s highest peak. The Toubkal area is about a one hour drive from Marrakech and the usual starting point for this trek is the picturesque village of Imlil. Official mountain guides with mules are recommended for trips lasting longer than one day; guides are widely available in Imlil. Accommodation is provided in refuges, gîtes (resting places) and small hotels along popular trails. Trekking is possible all year round, but the best time is from April to October. The canyons and gorges are best tackled from June to October (in summer, storms can make the gorges impassable).
Watersports: Sandy beaches offer safe swimming, although the Atlantic can be cold even in summer. Mohammedia, Agadir, El Jadida, Oualidia, Safi and Essaouira are all good bathing resorts. The Mediterranean coast in the north, opposite Spain, is being developed, and resorts such as Cabonegro (14km/23 miles from Tetouan) offer superb swimming and diving. Other dive sites can be found at Agadir and Essaouira. The rivers in the High and Middle Atlas ranges, particularly the Oum-er-Rbia, offer whitewater rafting throughout the year (visitors are strongly advised to use experienced guides). Fishing permits are necessary for trout streams, lakes and pike lakes, and are issued by the Waters and Forests Department or local clubs. Several ports are equipped for deep-sea fishing, such as Dakhla in the Sahara and Mohammedia near Casablanca.
Skiing: This is possible for several months each year. Ifrane in the Middle Atlas and Oukaïden in the High Atlas (70km/44 miles from Marrakech) offer skiing facilities. Other ski resorts include Mischliffen in the Middle Atlas, on the doorstep of Fès and Meknes. Mount Tidiquin in the Ketama district and Djebel Bou Volane in the Middle Atlas are popular areas for expedition-type skiing and walking trips (with few amenities).
Riding: There are horse riding clubs in all major towns, notably Agadir, Casablanca, Fès, Marrakech and Rabat. Several clubs organise pony treks in the Middle Atlas. The combination of travelling by mule and skiing (known as mule-skiing) is characteristic to the High Atlas and can be carried out from February to April. A useful brochure, The Great Trek through the Moroccan Atlas, is available from the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism or the Moroccan National Tourist Office (see Contact Addresses section). Camel riding (méharrées) is also available, both in the Atlas mountains and around the Sahara Desert area in the southwest.
Other: Also available throughout Morocco are 4-wheel-drives, incorporating visits to natural and cultural sights such as the 300m- (984ft-) deep Gorge of Todra, the massive sand dunes of Merzouga and the Berber region of Ouarzazate. Most of these tours feature typical Moroccan feasts and barbecues. The famous Paris-Dakar motor rally passes through Morocco every year.
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