Hiker's equipment. Mountain and Desert

A backpack for the day containing the effects necessary for the stage (approximately 35 l) and a bag intended for the portage containing the necessary for the duration of the trekking. This bag will be transported by animals (sometimes by vehicles). Writing your details on it using a marker pen is more effective than the labels that are sometimes torn off.

List of necessary things below.

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Clothing
The clothes must be adapted according to the season and the chosen route: in June at the top of the M’goun, gloves and hat are sometimes necessary.
It is often hot in Morocco, while the trekking routes pass through villages where the inhabitants live in a traditional way. Avoid taking short shorts, T-shirts with provocative necklines, you will be as uncomfortable as the population. Prefer long Bermuda shorts, short pants. In addition, clothes protect better from the sun than any sunscreen.
For 5 to 6 days of trekking in the right season (Saghro in winter, M’goun between June and September, etc.) I recommend:

  • 1 sun hat or cap
  • 1 scarf 
  • 3 T-shirts or shirts. People who fear the sun will prefer long sleeves.
  • 1 summer pullover
  • 1 fleece jacket
  • 1 long Bermuda shorts or short pants
  • 1 pair of walking pants
  • 1 comfortable tracksuit type outfit for the evening
  • 1 mountain windbreaker jacket.
  • 1 swimsuit (for hammam and baths)
  • Underwear
  • 3 pairs of walking socks. Do not bet on cotton tennis socks to avoid blisters.
  • It can rain, it is rare but it does happen, some prefer the umbrella, others the rain cape. A pair of fleece or woolen gloves may be useful; the scarf can be used as a hat.
  • The idea is that you can wash a little bit of laundry on the way, but you have to give it time to dry, that's why the number 3 returns (one piece in the wash, one that dries and one on the beast).
  • The most chilly can bring, depending on the season, a sleeveless down or synthetic fiber jacket.
Shoes, very important. Avoid getting new hiking shoes on board, better to have tested them before. The too old ones are also to be prescribed, there is more and more detachment of the soles on old shoes, even when they are in good apparent condition (the manufacturers stick and do not sew any more, when the glue drops, we can no longer do nothing). 
 
  1. 1 pair of light walking shoes holding the ankle well, not too rigid. For large sports treks, the Vibram soles are better for hanging.
  2. 1 pair of light hiking sandals with which it is possible to walk in the water.
  3. 1 pair of light relaxation shoes for the evening.
 Equipment
  1. 1 pair of good quality sunglasses. If possible a spare pair, experience has shown that this can be very useful.
  2. 2 water bottles, it is useful to have 2 when one is in the process of chemical treatment.
  3. 1 flashlight or headlamp. The headlamp is only essential for altitude routes requiring a night departure. Provide bulbs and spare batteries.
  4. 1 folding pocket knife.
  5. 1 small waterproof pouch.
  6. 1 light toiletry (think of biodegradable products preferably)
  7. 1 towel that dries quickly (a tip is to buy microfiber cloths, much cheaper than towels for mountain dwellers) • Liquid soap without rinsing and some wet wipes, *
  8. Toilet paper and a lighter to burn it,
  9. Bags to hold litter that can be brought back
  10. A small sewing kit is often useful,
  11. The toilet is done near water points when there is enough, on some (rare) days this is not possible. Containers are used to move away from water sources and not to pollute torrents or rivers.
  12. A sleeping bag.

I give some indications depending on our climate. Your experience counts too, at the same temperature some people need a warmer sleeping bag than others.

Desert :
It is colder there between November and February than from March to April. Lots of sand… Prefer a sarcophagus, some add a sleeping bag (but beware of condensation). During the coldest period (November-February), a bag recommended for a comfort temperature of 0 ° C to -5 ° C generally satisfies trekkers. In March and April a comfort temperature of 0 ° C to + 5 ° C is generally recommended.
High Atlas
From mid-May to mid-June, and from mid-September to mid-October: a partitioned sleeping bag, normal use from -10 ° C to 0 ° C.
In summer: a partitioned sleeping bag, normal use from -5 ° C to 0 ° C.
Saghro
October-November-February-March-April: a partitioned sleeping bag, normal use from -10 ° C to 0 ° C.
December-January: a slightly warmer bag if sleeping in a tent.

Atlas foothills (M’goun gorges / rose valley and other routes at similar altitudes)

December-January: a partitioned sleeping bag, normal use from -10 ° C to 0 ° C.
November-February-March-April: a bag recommended for a comfort temperature of 0 ° C to -5 ° C
October and May: a comfort temperature of 0 ° C to + 5 ° C is generally recommended.

Personal pharmacy to be provided by each participant. 

  • Sunscreen and lipstick,
  • A way to disinfect water by filtration or chemical, the tests I have read show that filter pumps and chlorine, hydroclonazone / aquatab products, which are cheaper than other solutions, are the safest means of disinfecting water. http://www.chu-stlouis.fr/voyage/eau.htm
  • Pain reliever: Paracetamol or aspirin.
  • Light Nurofen anti-inflammatory.
  • Your usual treatment and the treatments that you have already used when traveling (some are more constipated, others need Anti-diarrhea).
  • A broad spectrum antibiotic (under prescription), allow 8 days of treatment.
  • «Double skin» treatment for blisters.
  • Elastoplast band or equivalent, the only ones that allow you to hold a bandage while trekking, in addition to being able to support a slightly injured joint.
  • Disinfectant solution for wounds (Betadine type for those who are not allergic to iodine,)
  • Dressings and compresses,
  • Lots of sand: eye cleansing solutions (those found for babies) are a plus. And antibiotic eye cream
  • Zovirax or equivalent for those who are prone to Herpes,
  • An anti-inflammatory ointment,
  • An effective mosquito repellant (an aspi-venom very effectively supplements repellents),
  • A treatment for sore throat,
  • A soothing Biafine cream,
  • Arnica products (homeopathy or energy tablets) improve comfort in the event of muscle strain or fatigue,

Note that pharmacies in Morocco propose the medicine necessary for a stay or trekking in the country. For high-altitude routes (M’goun, Toubkal), be aware that dental pain wakes up as you climb, remember to go to the dentist before departure if necessary.

ANTI-THEFT POCKET AND DOCUMENTS

  • Passport (or identity card).
  • Visa depending on the country.
  • Book of vaccinations and medical indications.
  • Currency, credit card.
  • Assistance and insurance contract.
  • Personal papers.

Tips:

Keep a photocopy of your passport with you to facilitate administrative procedures in cas of loss (not to be kept with the passport).