THE REPTILES OF MOROCCO TOUR

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01 August 2024

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Price: £1315/person

Date: 3rd - 13th October 2024

Your Herpetologist Guide: Max Benito Smeele

Chance to see 40+ reptiles & Amphibians

Herping in the Sahara Desert

Looking for Cerastes vipera, Cerastes Cerastes, Daboia mauritanica, Naja haje and Bitis arietans

Rescue reptiles from the old water cisterns

Explore the hidden gems of South Morocco

Great photography opportunities

Tour Summary

On this holiday we will discover South Morocco and northern part of Western Sahara. It is a small group with a maximum of 6 guests, led by biologist Max Benito Smeele. The main activates will be looking for reptiles in the desert, rescuing reptiles and amphibians from wells and water cisterns and we will be road cruising at night looking for nocturnal reptiles. Vipers and the Egyptian Cobra will be our biggest targets, but we will also look for lizards, skinks, geckos and many more.

Day 1: Arrive in Marrakesh

Arrive anytime, however we plan to go out for a welcome dinner together in the bustling Marrakesh.

Overnight in Marrakesh.

Meals included: None

Cerastes cerastes in Morocco

Day 2 -3: Travel to Sidi Ifni

After breakfast, we leave Marrakech and will head towards the coastal town of Sidi Ifni. We will spend the next two days in the area, looking for an impressive snake, the mighty Puff adder (Bitis arietans). We will also be searching for trapped animals in the water cisterns and wells, focusing on the Egyptian cobra and the Moorish viper. At night, during road cruising we will have a good chance seeing Tarentola chazaliae, Stenodactylus mauritanicus and Boaedon fuliginosus.

Overnight in Sidi Ifni.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Helmethead gecko from Morocco

Day 4 – 5: Herping around Guelmim

For the next two days we will move towards the inland, deeper in the desert looking for some really unique reptiles like, the Uromastyx nigriventris, Chamaeleo chamaeleon, Spalerosophis dolichospilus, M. monspessulanus saharatlanticus, Myriopholis algeriensis etc. It should also be a great pace to find Egyptian cobras.

Overnight near Guelmim.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Egyptian Cobra from Morocco

Day 6: in-search of reptiles near Assa

We spend the day deep inside the Sahara Desert looking for another desired snake species, the White-bellied carpet viper (Echis leucogaster) and get our first chance for Varanus griseus and Cerastes cerastes.

Overnight in Assa.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Carpet viper from Assa

Day 7: Herping in Western Sahara

We continue our journey and cross into Western Sahara. We will be looking for geckos, vipers, and a unique, large lizard for desert monitors. There will be also chance to see the Sudanese dob (Uromastyx dispar flavifasciata) in their habitat. And at night geckos will take over the place. (Tarentola annularis, Tarentola hoggarensis, Stenodactylus petrii).

Overnight in TanTan Plage.

Meals included: Breakfast

Desert Monitor from Smara

Day 8 : Herping near the Atlantic coast

We will get back to the humid Atlantic Coast and spend our last full day at and around Khenifiss National Park. We will take a walk on the sand dunes to look for the coastal morph of the Sahara sand viper (Cerastes vipera). We will also look for the beautiful Tarentola chazaliae with the unicolor pattern typical of this area.

Overnight in Tantan Plage.

Meals included: Breakfast

Cerastes vipera from Morocco

Day 9: Travel to Tiznit

Today we head back North again, towards the Souss Valley, to spend the rest of the day fully focused to try to get our main snake target for the trip, the Moorish viper. The Agadir region is one of the best places to find them. Another interesting reptile of the area is the Eumeces algeriensis that we hope to also find.

 Overnight in Tiznit

Meals included: Breakfast

Skin from Morocco

Day 10: Travel back to Marrakesh

We leave Tiznit head back to Agadir and then to Marrakech in the late evening.

Overnight in Marrakesh.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Worm lizard from Morocco

Day 11: Departure Day

After breakfast, free time and individual departure from Marrakesh.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Gecko on reptile tour Morocco

Throughout the holiday we will be staying at simple hotels and Berber guesthouses. Most accommodation will be en-suite.

Prices & Inclusions

Date: 3 -13 October 2024

Holiday Price:

£1315/person

Single Supplement £120/person

Inclusions

  • Accommodation at mentioned hotels or similar for 10 nights on a twin share basis
  • Daily breakfasts
  • Transportation as per the itinerary
  • Local Herpetologist expert throughout the holiday
  • Guided daily walks as per the itinerary
  • Full financial protection by Protected Trust Services

 

Exclusions

  • International flights
  • Airport transfers
  • Meals (lunches and dinners)
  • Drinks
  • Tips
  • Travel Insurance
Your
Next Holiday

Morocco: Morocco is one of the closest exotic destination to Europe. It offers great hospitality, historic towns and beautiful landscapes. The country is also an excellent destination for herpetology-lovers as it has a very unique and diverse herpetofauna. Most of the species have perfectly adapted for the arid landscape and the endless sand dunes of the Sahara Desert.

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