Morocco

An eleven-day delight in North Africa covering the birdlife of desert, mountain, coast and wetlands, plus the spectacle of spring migration from Africa to Europe.

Morocco has specialities and near-endemics only found in the south of the Western Palearctic, and the country could have been designed purely for birding! The variety of habitats includes stony deserts (hammada), sand dunes, lakes, rivers, estuaries and the immense Atlas Mountains, where we drive to around 2600m to go birding, giving it extremely interesting avifauna.

The birdlife is complemented by amazing polychromatic rocky landscapes which makes driving a picturesque sequence of endless pleasure. Morocco still has a rural style of life lost in most European countries, which has helped birdlife for centuries.

In late March passerines are migrating to Europe and the beautiful Moroccan landscape explodes into bloom, helping birds such as Nightingale, warblers and buntings on northward migration, adding an extra dimension to the tour. By fully exploring all these habitats we should find a mouth-watering list of species.    

 

Enjoy your complimentary pre-flight overnight hotel before your holiday begins. Full details from our office! Read more about our Pre-flight Service here!

Day 1:  Marrakesh
After relaxing in our complimentary VIP Airport Lounge, we fly from London to Marrakesh, where White Stork, Pallid and Little Swift and it’s even possible that we’ll see the first House Buntings before leaving the airport building! Before dinner we take a short walk around the nearby gardens, with interesting birdwatching possible, including Maghreb Magpie, African Blue Tit and Common Bulbul, in addition to a range of migrants Overnight in Marrakesh.

Day 2:  The Atlas Mountains
This morning we drive up early into the High Atlas Mountains and visit the ski resort of Oukaimeden. We aim to reach the resort as early as possible and while we can take our time to admire the stunning scenery near the snowline, we immediately commence our search for the handsome African Crimson-winged Finch. Other species of particular note to look for here include Alpine Accentor, Rock Sparrow, Water Pipit, Seebohm’s Wheatear –the distinctive Atlas equivalent of Northern Wheatear–, Red-billed and Alpine Choughs and the lovely endemic atlas Shore Lark. Raptors to keep an eye out for include Long-legged Buzzard and possible Golden Eagle.

Returning down, we pass through rocky slopes and past huge cliffs where we will search for Barbary Partridge, Blue Rock Thrush and the stunning Moussier's Redstart, while further down in the mature trees of the Ourika Valley we will spend time to find the lovely endemic Levaillant's Woodpecker and have our first chance of the colourful Tristram’s Warbler as well as a range of more familiar woodland species. We continue towards our overnight stay in the scenic Ourika Valley. Arriving late afternoon, we will try outside before and after dinner to listen for Maghreb Owl. Overnight in Oukaïmeden.

Day 3:  From Marrakesh to Boumalne.
After an early look around our hotel for the local birds, occasional stops en route will allow us to look for a good mix of resident and migrant species of the middle mountains such as Woodchat Shrike, Common Crossbill, Hawfinch and Rock and Cirl Buntings, amongst others. We will drive through the High Atlas Mountains where snowy peaks visible from miles away decorate the landscape through an unexpected series of different habitats. Searching the blue Moroccan skies as we go for resident and migrant birds including ‘Barbary Falcon’, Lesser Kestrel, Black Kite, Long-legged Buzzard and Short-toed and Booted Eagles, we will make any stops as necessary. The modern road through the mountains is now faster, allowing us to stop at a few convenient locations for exciting birds such as Levaillant´s Woodpecker and African Chaffinch, with our first Black Wheatears also likely as we descend. We continue on our journey through stony desert habitats where with time we’ll explore the Amerzgane area for White-crowned Wheatear, Desert Lark and Trumpeter Finch, as well as plenty of possible migrants, before continuing on to our accommodation. (6hr transfer) We stay for two nights in Boumalne.

Day 4:  The Tagdilt Track
After a good night's sleep, we take an early walk into the small fields close to the hotel to look for migrant songbirds, which may include Tree Pipit, Common Nightingale, and both Western and Eastern Subalpine warblers. The rest of the morning is taken up with a visit to the famous Tagdilt Track area. Despite the nearby rubbish tip, this is still an excellent area for some very special birds and careful searching could reveal Cream-coloured Courser, Thick-billed, Bar-tailed, Desert and Temminck's Horned Larks, in addition to Red-rumped and Desert Wheatears and Trumpeter Finch. With great luck we might just see either Black-bellied or Crowned Sandgrouse! We also search overhead for Lanner, Long-legged Buzzard, Booted Eagle, Montagu's Harrier and other migrants. Another dry valley nearby is great for a walk, with roosting Pharaoh’s Eagle-owl and nesting Long-legged Buzzard, plus our best chances for Lanner and the dazzling Maghreb Wheatear. Finally, we will work our way up the lovely Dades Gorge, looking out for Laughing and European Turtle Doves, Black Wheatear, Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Bunting and Bonelli’s Eagle as we go, and nearer the pass we have our best chances of the lovely North-west African endemic, Tristram's Warbler.

Day 5: From Boumalne to Merzouga.
After perhaps a last quick look at the Tagdilt Track desert again, we drive on towards our secluded auberge at Merzouga, situated right on the edge of the Sahara. The drive east will first be punctuated with a look at the spectacular Todra Gorge, where the towering pink rock walls are home to Eurasian Crag Martin, Alpine Swift, Blue Rock Thrush, Barbary Partridge, Rock Bunting and Bonelli's Eagle. Special stops in the desert areas will be made to check out a couple of the wadis and palm-fringed oases for Streaked Scrub Warbler and Fulvous Chatterer, in addition to migrants such as Western Subalpine Warbler and European Bee-eater amongst others. (4hr transfer) We stay for two nights in Merzouga.

Days 6 and 7:  Merzouga
Our desert accommodation is set in attractive gardens with surrounding tamarisk trees which attract a good variety of migrants, and the immediate area is worth checking at every opportunity for species such as Isabelline and Eastern Olivaceous Warblers, Woodchat Shrike, Eurasian Wryneck, or Common Nightingale.

With the help of a local guide and using 4x4 vehicles, we will spend a full day checking various sites in the desert around the edge of the golden sand dunes of the Erg Chebbi - the largest dune system in Morocco. Commencing with a visit to a trickle of water in the desert, we hope to see flocks of Spotted and Crowned Sandgrouse coming in to drink, while the day’s major prize, the rare and elusive Desert Sparrow, should be found around one of the nomad settlements that are dotted about the landscape. Other species typical of the desert include Greater Hoopoe-Lark, the scarce African Desert Warbler and Brown-necked Raven. Occasionally, there are seasonal lakes, which attract numerous wildfowl and waders - an amazing sight out here in the desert! It is also worth scanning the skies for migration, and as the day warms up it is possible to see good numbers of storks and raptors rising on the thermals and heading north towards their breeding grounds. We also cross the desert to see roosting Egyptian Nightjar in one of the wadis as they should just be arriving back. Other characteristic species in this area include Greater Short-toed and Bar-tailed Desert Larks, Fulvous Chatterer, Desert, White-crowned and Western Black-eared Wheatears, any late wintering Tristram’s plus Spectacled Warblers, Trumpeter Finch and Great Grey Shrike.

Day 8:  From Merzouga to Ouarzazate
We drive back west via Alnif. Roadside birding will produce migrants and lots of wheatears, and perhaps Bonelli’s Eagle, while one spot might have the elusive Rock Martin. With sufficient water levels we walk down towards the Al-Mansour reservoir beside Ouarzazate, where a tremendous selection of birds is possible in the surroundings, including Maghreb Lark, Moussier’s Redstart, Western Bonelli´s, Western Orphean, Western Subalpine and both Western and Eastern Olivaceous Warblers, Desert, Northern and Western Black-eared Wheatears, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and other migrants. Birding at the reservoir itself gives chances of water birds such as Osprey, Black Stork, Black-crowned Night Heron, Little and Cattle Egrets, Ruddy Shelduck, Black-winged Stilt and Little Ringed Plover, as well as the Moroccan subpersonata race of White Wagtail and regular migrants here include waders plus Red-throated Pipit and Bluethroat. (5hr transfer) Overnight in Ouarzazate.

Day 9: From Ouarzazate to Agadir
After breakfast we start the long drive towards Agadir on the Atlantic coast. We stop to enjoy the famous medieval Kasbah of Aït Benhaddou, where the birding can include local specialities such as Desert Lark, Moroccan White Wagtail and Trumpeter Finch as well as possible raptors passing over and perhaps even sandgrouse drinking in the river. We then head through the Anti-Atlas, the second Moroccan mountain range in importance; a series of rocky hills, cliffs and deep gorges of volcanic geological formation. A short riverside stop will give us our first option for Black-crowned Tchagra amongst a variety of commoner resident and migrant species, before we continue along the fertile Sous Valley, through scrub thickets and citrus groves where we could find European Roller, Black-shouldered Kite and Western Orphean Warbler. We could find anything from Black Kite migrating overhead, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater resting on roadside wires, to skulking Western Subalpine Warblers or a Lanner in a roadside promontory. We stop if we see interesting birds which may include migrant passerines, raptors, waders and storks. Should we arrive early, we may make a quick trip out to the bird-rich Oued Massa estuary on arrival. (5hr transfer) Two nights in Agadir.

Day 10:  Sous Massa National Park
An early start sees us heading down the Atlantic coast where we spend the morning exploring a series of sites in the Sous Massa National Park. The main goal is to see the critically endangered Northern Bald Ibis, one of the rarest birds in the planet, with an important population here, but along the rivers we also search the vegetation for skulking Squacco Heron and Little Bittern, whilst the distinctive call of Black-crowned Tchagra rings out from dense cover. More easily observed birds may include Marbled Duck, Western Marsh Harrier, Osprey, Black-winged Kite, Glossy Ibis, Purple Heron, Ruddy Shelduck and the dainty Brown-throated Martin. Other possibilities include Savi's, Western Olivaceous and Moustached Warblers, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Pallid Swift, Red-rumped Swallow, Common Bulbul and Spotless Starling. Later in the afternoon we will visit the Oued Sous - a delightful area very good for waders, terns and large flocks of roosting gulls, including regular Slender-billed, Audouin's and Mediterranean. Other species here include Greater Flamingo, Zitting Cisticola and Sardinian Warbler.

Day 11: Marrakesh
Time permitting, we head to Tamri, to look again for Bald Ibis. We may also see Audouin's Gull, Zitting Cisticola, Barbary Partridge, Moussier's Redstart and Sardinian Warbler, before returning to the airport in Marrakesh for our flight to London.

Please note: This is a flexible itinerary which may be adjusted to allow for changes in arrival and departure times, weather conditions and other related factors.

What's included in your holiday price:

• Scheduled return flights between London and Marrakech, airport taxes.
• Accommodation in en-suite rooms, Meals included in your holiday price are lunch on the day of arrival, to breakfast on the day of departure inclusive.
• Entrance fees
• Ground transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle
• The services of your leaders and local guides.
• The Heatherlea Pre-Flight Service offers everything you need at the airport, including hotels, car parking, airport lounges, regional flights, and upgrades. Let Heatherlea take the strain! Pre-flight airport hotel and lounge included subject to terms and conditions. Read more...

What's not included in your holiday price:

• Personal insurance.
• Drinks/water with meals and other personal expenses.
• optional tips to driver, and any other costs not specified as 'included'.
• Field Guide. The 'Collins Bird Guide to Britain and Europe' covers Morocco, and we consider this the most suitable for this holiday. 

More holiday information:

Accommodation We stay in a selection of comfortable hotels, all rooms are ensuite.
Food All hotels provide international breakfast. In the Merzouga Desert we will have a simple breakfast typical of Morocco, consisting of fresh bread, butter, honey and jam. Fruit juice and tea or coffee is also available. For lunch we stop en-route in local restaurants where we will order a variety of simple but good fresh local produce and soft drinks. Some days we will have picnic lunches when out in the field. Evening meals will be a mixture of local and international dishes. Please note that during certain years our tour may fall during the holy month of Ramadan. This may impact on our daily start and finish times and at some hotels alcohol may not be served.
Walking The holiday is not strenuous. Leisurely walking, very occasionally over moderately rough terrain, is the only physical requirement on most days. Most birding is done close to our vehicle, though we will need to walk to see high mountain species, and some exertion will be required in mountain environments. There will be the option to stay close to the minibus, should anyone wish to go back.
Travel: Please note that there are some longer drives on this tour – these are necessary to make the most of our time in the country and access key birding sites. Although many of the road have improved, some are untarmacked and bumpy with vehicles often restricted to 60kmph. We offer regular stops on longer transfers. 
Weather Typical temperatures will be around 20 - 25°C. Changeable and sometimes cold, windy or wet weather is very possible on the Atlantic coast and the Atlas Mountains, so bring a warm jacket, gloves, warm layers and adequate rainwear.
Insects There are biting insects, precautions are advised.
Group size is restricted to 12 clients maximum.
Flights are by scheduled airline, from London. We may be able to offer flight arrangements from another airport and/or or quote without flights so you can make your own arrangements. If you wish to add an extension either before or after your holiday, please contact us and we will be happy to arrange this for you.

Your Leaders

John Muddeman 
John has lived in the mountains near Madrid since 1997, and has led numerous birding tours throughout Spain and particularly in Extremadura throughout the seasons. A very experienced Leader with over 300 group tours worldwide to his name, John also has a keen interest in the field identification and conservation of reptiles and amphibians, dragonflies, butterflies and moths, mammals and flora.  We are delighted to welcome him to this tour! John will be joined by expert local guides and a driver.

John Muddeman