EQUESTRIAN STAY IN SKOURA

These stays are tailor-made upon request and are available from September to June. The prices below are calculated for an 8-day, 7-night stay with 5 and a half days of riding. They are higher during peak seasons: French school holidays during All Saints, end-of-year, and spring breaks. Prices for these periods are available upon request.

On request, stays can be modified for more or fewer days. The program will be adapted accordingly. Please note that short stays of less than 4 nights are 15% more expensive.

PRICING REMARKS:

Starting from 744€ per person based on a 3 night stay.

• The above prices exclude flights from Ouarzazate and are based on double rooms at our guesthouse situated directly at our stables
• Groups consist of a maximum of 1 to 10 riders.
• Single room supplement: €183 for the 7 nights.
• If you book alone and we don’t have other riders to share your room, a single room surcharge will be applied. If you’re willing to share and we find a rider to share with you, this surcharge will be refunded.
• Child discounts: These discounts are valid only if the room is shared with two paying adults.
• Child under 12 sharing parents’ room: €50 discount.

WARNING

The itinerary may be modified for safety reasons, weather conditions, or unforeseen circumstances. Independent events such as road closures, floods, droughts, strikes, or local festivities may alter the planned routes. Sport Travel and its guides will always do their best to find the best solution, even if it means changing the route.

The names of accommodations are provided for information purposes. Depending on availability, they may be modified or replaced without prior notice by another property of the same category.

WHAT OUR PRICE INCLUDES:

Guides

• One French-speaking Moroccan guide.

Logistics Team

• One horse with full tack per rider for the 5.5 days of riding.

Internal Transportation

• Minibus to travel from Ouarzazate or Marrakech to Skoura.

Accommodation Mode

• 5 nights in a 3-star guesthouse in double rooms.
• 2 nights in a trekking bivouac.

Meals

• Full board from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8.
• Filtered water or bottled mineral water provided during horse riding excursions.

Various Equipment

• Collective first aid kit (first aid equipment).

OPTIONAL

Accommodation

• Single room supplement.
• Upgraded guesthouse accommodation. Please inquire for details.

Arrival

At Marrakech Airport. For other arrivals, please inquire.

OUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

Cancellation, interruption, and repatriation insurance.
Miscellaneous

Paid visits to kasbahs (such as Ameridil) and museums in Ouarzazate.
All other activities besides horseback riding.

Meals

Lunch on Day 1 and Day 8 (dependent on your flight schedules).
Drinks and personal extras.

Miscellaneous

Tips for local staff.
Possibility of private booking—please inquire.

Day 1: Ouarzazate - Skoura

Greeting at Ouarzazate airport and immediate transfer to the Skoura palm grove.
Check-in at your guesthouse in the palm grove, just a few steps from the equestrian center, or at the center's gîte. A mint tea awaits you on one of the terraces of the equestrian center.
Meet the team and the horses.
Developing your personalized program for your stay at the equestrian center.

Dinner at the guesthouse or the equestrian center, depending on your chosen accommodation.

Day 2: Discovery of the Palm Grove – 4 Hours of Riding

After breakfast.
Preparation of the horses for a saddle break and a 2-hour lesson in the riding arena to review or learn the basics of riding and assess your level. The lesson is adapted to your riding level. You can also opt for leisure rides if preferred.
Lunch at the equestrian center.
In the afternoon, explore the palm grove on horseback… A truly “biblical” ride. We are in another time, with small trails and beautiful tracks for various gaits… A wonderful discovery suitable for all rider levels.
Return to the equestrian center, debrief over a good tea.
Dinner and overnight at your accommodation.

Day 3: Desert and Canyon – 4 to 5 Hours of Riding

After breakfast.
Reunite with your horse, saddle up, and depart for a beautiful day-long ride. We leave the palm grove to climb the ridges overlooking it… then, from valleys to ridges, we pass through small oases amidst the desert! In the background, the Atlas Mountains with peaks over 4,000 meters.
Picnic lunch in the shade of some isolated palms in the desert.
In the afternoon, return to the palm grove via a large loop. Care for the horses... spiced tea, and return to your accommodation.
Dinner and overnight at your lodging.

Days 4, 5 & 6: TREKKING RIDE – 5 to 6 Hours of Riding

After breakfast.
Depart for three days of trekking, seasoned by your equestrian skills from previous days. The days will be shared between palm groves, desert, the foothills of the Central Atlas, and the lower Dadès Valley. Beautiful terrains for impressive gaits, with every step a marvel of the magnificent southern Morocco landscape.
Whether it's your first trek or you're an experienced rider, you'll enjoy the rhythm and possible gaits of this mini adventure.
Beautiful bivouac sites with stunning views.
Dinners prepared by our cook and nights under the stars or in tents during cooler periods.
Return to the equestrian center in the late afternoon of the third day (Day 6).

Day 7: Palm Grove Ride – 4/5 Hours of Riding

A scenic, architectural, and cultural horseback ride. Skoura is home to the largest concentration of traditional adobe kasbahs… We will visit the most renowned: Kasbah Ameridil.
Lunch with a local family.
Overnight stay in a guesthouse or at the center’s gîte.

Day 8: End of the stay

Transfert to Ouarzazate Airport to be arranged according to your return flight.

Stallions and geldings, Barb and Arab Barb, selected and trained by our team, hardy, lively, and obedient. They are perfectly suited to desert paths: sure-footed, brave-hearted, with lively gaits. Height at the withers: 1.45 m to 1.55 m.

Our cavalry includes horses for all levels—beginners to experienced riders. They will surprise you with their endurance and ease on sometimes challenging trails… You will come back for them!

EQUESTRIAN LEVEL AND PHYSICAL FITNESS
Minimum technical requirement

We accept all rider levels on these trips. You can come to gain experience with us. We guarantee tailored learning according to your physical abilities and a fun approach to riding to build solid basics. Riders over 90kg and taller than 1.95m should consult us before registering.
Please specify your level when registering.
We create level-based groups to ensure everyone rides at their own pace.

Gaits

Each level will have appropriate gaits. While experts prefer trotting and cantering, beginners will mostly walk outdoors until they master the gaits in the arena.

Autonomy and participation

Your riding stay is also about building a relationship with your horse… Everyone’s participation is requested for grooming, saddling, bridling, and unsaddling. You can also participate in horse care (watering and feeding) if desired.

Level and experience required

Good physical condition is always preferable for riding. Feel free to do some walking or other sports before your stay. Riding is truly a sport!

Riding equipment

Custom-made trekking saddles, very practical saddlebags are available.
Hats or helmets are not mandatory but highly recommended. We have a few helmets, but it's preferable to bring your own. Request this at registration.
Protective vests (provided) are recommended for beginners and intermediates.

Comfort

We offer several accommodations near the riding center with varying standards of comfort, thanks to partnerships to provide advantageous conditions.

Meals

Always good and hearty dinners in guesthouses, lunch picnics, or lunches at the riding center prepared by our cook, mainly Moroccan cuisine.

Climate

Very pleasant in autumn and spring. Winter can be cold (at night only), and summer hot to very hot (we are closed in summer). Skoura lies at 1200 meters altitude.

Winter (December to February):
Cold nights and pleasant days… ideal for riding outings! Bad weather periods are short. Snow is rare but possible during winter rain.

Spring (March to mid-May):
The best season to admire the sparkling nature… fields of barley and wheat sprinkled with flowers. Day temperatures rise (around 30°C), but mornings and evenings stay cool. One of the most beautiful seasons in the region.

Summer (mid-June to mid-September):
At 1200 meters altitude, but close to the desert, temperatures reach 40-45°C on hottest days. Hot hours are usually spent by the pool, and nights are mild and very pleasant. Heavy rains are rare but possible, and thunderstorms may occur periodically, providing afternoon shade without lasting long. Climate change is making standards unpredictable.

Autumn (mid-September to November):
A beautiful season when the first rains generally appear at the end of October. Days are comfortable, avoiding the intense summer heat. The landscape is illuminated beautifully, bestowing vibrant colors.

Local Guide Team

French-speaking Moroccan riding guides, assisted by grooms.

TIPS

As a token of appreciation, it’s customary to tip the local staff. Budget around €30-€40 for the entire team.

Equipment List
Head

- Riding helmet: highly recommended and often mandatory. Brands like GPA, HKM, LAS Helmets, Lamicell, Troxel, Equithème offer well-ventilated, durable, lightweight helmets suitable for all climates.
- Sun cap or hat (essential)
- Bandana, scarf, or headscarf for dust and sun protection
- High protection sunglasses
- Beanie or balaclava for early spring and late autumn

Torso

- Thermal underwear (April and October)
- Cotton T-shirts + long-sleeved shirts (for sun protection) or quick-drying technical shirts
- Light fleece or similar
- Warm fleece for evenings
- Waterproof and breathable Gore-Tex jacket

Legs

- 2 pairs of riding breeches or leather chaps
- Spare pants (hiking pants, jeans, or similar)
- Swimming suit (optional, for bathing or toiletries)
- Breathable cotton or synthetic underwear

Feet and Hands

- Lightweight walking shoes with chaps or boots with mini-chaps for riding
- Comfortable sneakers or similar shoes for evenings
- Several pairs of socks
- Sun, cold, and friction protection gloves

Riding Essentials

- Soothing cream for irritated skin areas
- Small backpack or waist bag for essentials like lip balm, sunscreen, passport, small waterproof camera, sunglasses, etc.
- Horseback backpack is