SAHARAN ULTRA CHALLENGE

11-16 October 2023

.. Extra Day & NEW 50KM Ultra Option

Push yourself further – take on The Saharan Challenge! It’s 2 marathon distances over 2 days, with a 50km Ultra option on day 2 if you’re up for it! A fantastic route through the Draa Valley down to sun baked dunes on the desert edge, with rugged mountain scenery, and a Bedouin style basecamp. This 6 day trip has it all – a tough challenge, stunning scenery, luxury camping, camaraderie, full support, and 2 nights in magical Marrakech either side of the challenge. An unforgettable Moroccan adventure – and some welcome autumn sunshine!

The Adventure

The UNESCO World Heritage Draa Valley provides a dramatic backdrop for our double marathon distance challenge, across baked rocky trails, through red clay Berber villages, and palmeries, down to the sandy dunes of the mighty Sahara – with a 50km Ultra option on day 2. After a tough day under the Moroccan sun, relax in our private Bedouin style campsite with hot showers, dining tents, a bar with cold drinks, entertainment, and luscious local food.

2023 is a great for an adventure – join us and do something special!

We fly from London to Marrakech on Wednesday  (‘land only’ optional also available) – and have a night in a good Marrakech hotel. Early Thursday we transfer across the Atlas Mountains to our Basecamp near Zagora.  3  unforgettable nights at our Bedouin style camp – with 2 tough marathons in between – and a 50km option on the final leg for those who are ‘up’ for it! Then back to Marrakech for a welcome  hotel room and a bit of a celebration!

Home for 3 memorable nights – and the ‘home-comforts’ may surprise you! There’s proper plumed in toilets, hot showers, single occupancy tents, a massive dining area, entertainment, a well stocked bar, medical tent, and fantastic freshly prepared food by our local chefs.

A 42 km marathon distance challenge at your pace on each of the 2 days – with a 50 km option instead on the final day for those who want it! Early starts on the both days – with Friday a good warm up through varied scenery and villages. On Saturday we set off from Basecamp and head down to the dunes on the edge of the Sahara, where a big cheer, a medal, and a cold drink await – whether you’ve done a marathon or the 50 km ultra. If we have the energy – there’s plenty of time for a celebration meal & beer back at camp!

It’s your challenge, and our support is geared up to handle leisurely walkers, seasoned Ultra runners, and all in between! The route is fully signed, our fully stocked rest stops will keep you going, and we have pace walkers & runners out on the course to team up with.

Just like our UK Ultra Challenges – you’ll find our support is second to none:

  • Rest stops (am & pm)  with snacks, drinks, toilets, medics
  • Lunch stop at half way – cold buffet
  • UK trip leader and core staff & medics
  • Signed route & local guides
  • Showers & evening medical surgery + podiatrists
  • Vehicle support all the way
  • Medal & T-shirt 
  • Challenge App & training material

The Wednesday stay in a  Marrakech hotel will give  a relaxed start to the Challenge – time for a briefing – and plenty of time to travel to basecamp. On the Sunday morning it’s an early transfer back to Marrakesh where a comfortable hotel bed awaits! There’s time to explore some of the highlights of this magical medieval city, or to just relax & recover in the sun by the hotel’s swimming pool.

The challenge is fine for all levels of athletic ability – and you can join as an individual and meet up with others, or as a team of friends or work colleagues and make it a group adventure to remember. You can self fund – just like a holiday – or support a charity of your choice. There’s a ‘land only’ option if you want to organise your flight or maybe to stay in Morocco for extra days.

We will be offering a range of optional trip extension packages which you can book on to.

  • Extra Day in Marrakech  – including  City Tour and visit to a Hammam Spa
  • Head to the Coast– new for 2023, spend a few days in Agadir!
  • Return flights (full package)
  • Transfers (on flights inc package)
  • 3 nights camping 
  • Camping – single tent & mattress
  • 2 nights in Marrakech hotel
  • 2 days tough trekking / running
  • Most meals, snacks & drinks (lunch on arrival day at own expense)
  • Celebratory dinner at Camp
  • Cold beer / drink & medal at the finish
  • Regular rest stops
  • Guided & mapped route
  • Medics
  • Challenge App
  • Kit List & Training Plans
  • FREE place on a 2023 50 km Ultra Challenge
  • Saharan Challenge T Shirt
  • Transfers to camp for ‘Land Only’ participants (£40 extra if you are able to join our group bus transfer from the Marrakech hotel – or £275 for private 4×4 transfer)
  • Personal kit & equipment
  • Travel insurance
  • Lunch on arrival day
  • Alcoholic & fizzy drinks from camp bar / hotel 
  • Tips for local camp crew (we recommend Euro 25 / participant) 

Day 1: Wed 11 Oct  – Arrive Morocco 

  • Depart London for Marrakech
  • Night & dinner in nice hotel

 

Day 2: Thur 12 Oct  Basecamp

  • Transfer to camp via minibus  ~7 hours 

 

Day 3: Fri  13 Oct – 42 km & overnight camp

  • 45 min transfer to start from basecamp
  • Rest stops & lunch en-route
  • Finish back at basecamp

 

Day 4: Sat 14 Oct – 42 or 50 km Ultra & overnight camp

  • Early start from our basecamp
  • Rest stops & lunch en-route
  • Finish line medals & cold beer!
  • Celebratory dinner & party @ basecamp!

 

Day 5: Sun 15 Oct – Marrakech & hotel

  • Transfer to Marrakech ~7 hrs
  • Lunch en-route
  • Group meal @ hotel –  or free evening in Marrakech
  • Hotel overnight

 

Day 6: Mon 16 Oct – Return to UK

  • Depart Marrakech for London

 

NOTE : We will be offering an optional extra day extension package (eg City Tour / Hammam Spa)

The Details

If you’ve done one of our UK Ultra Challenges – you’ll love this unique adventure! There’s the same first class support & hospitality, combined with a great feeling of camaraderie from a group of 130 or so like-minded adventures who are all up for a challenge. Whether you’re a keen walker, or even a would-be ‘Marathon des Sables’ runner, you can join as an individual, with a friend, or as a group, and take the marathons on at your pace. It’s a great value ‘all inclusive’ package – for an unforgettable 2023 Moroccan adventure!

Sign Up Online

Do it for yourself – or support a charity of your choice – sign up online and pay an initial deposit to secure your place. Flights inclusive package – or Land Only option. All participants get a free place on a 50 km Ultra Challenge of their choice to use as a ‘warm up’.

Self Funding - for You

Pay for your event place in full, with no fundraising required.

Sponsorship for Charity

Pay a small registration fee & commit to fundraise for a charity of your choice.

Mixed Funding for Charity

Pay half your place, & fundraise a smaller target for your chosen charity.

Your financial protection: The packages & flights shown are ATOL protected by the CAA in the UK – ATOL number 6296. See booking conditions for more information.

Corporate Team Packages

Are you looking for a new Challenge and a fantastic way to reward & bond a group? Perhaps you have a charity of the year you’d also love to support?

If so, a Saharan Challenge could be perfect for your Team – to re-energise, get fit, and to enjoy an unforgettable adventure together! We provide flexible payment & fundraising options. Push yourselves further in 2023.

Ready to sign up now?

Check Itinerary & Route

Our Charity Partners

or fundraise for over 300+ others

SELF FUNDING

Pay for your place, no fundraising target

Flights Included

£1,470 total – £325 deposit & £1,145 balance

Land Only

£995 total – £250 deposit & £745 balance

SPONSORSHIP FOR CHARITY

Pay a small registration fee & fundraise for charity

Flights Included

£325 deposit & £2,300 fundraising target

Land Only

£250 deposit & £1500 fundraising target

MIXED FUNDING

Pay half of your place & fundraise a smaller target

Flights Included

£325 deposit & £1345 fundraising target & £475 balance

Land Only

£250 deposit & £995 fundraising target & £250 balance

You can fundraise for over
300 different charities...

Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
Blue Cross
Borneo Orangutan Survival UK
Cats Protection
Compassion in World Farming
Dogs For Good
Dogs Trust
Ferne Animal Sanctuary
Foal Farm Animal Rescue (Friends of Animals League)
Helping Rhinos
IAPWA (International Aid for Protection & Welfare of Animals)
LionAid Ltd.
Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare
RSPCA
RSPCA Isle of Wight
Senior Staffy Club
Shark Trust
The Mare and Foal Sanctuary
Viva!
Wadars Animal Rescue
Whale and Dolphin Conservation
Wildlife Vets International
World Land Trust
WWF

Abby’s Heroes
Action Bladder Cancer UK
Action Kidney Cancer
Against Breast Cancer
Anthony Nolan
Blood Cancer UK
Bone Cancer Research Trust
Bowel Cancer UK
Brain Tumour Research
Breast Cancer Now
Cancer Research UK
Children with Cancer UK
Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group
Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust
Follicular Lymphoma Foundation
Future Dreams Breast Cancer Charity
Guy’s Cancer Charity
HASAG Asbestos Disease Support
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust
Kidney Cancer UK
Leukaemia Care
Leukaemia UK
Lingen Davies Cancer Fund
Look Good Feel Better
Lymphoma Action
Macmillan Cancer Support
Marie Curie
Mesothelioma UK CIO
Myeloma UK
Ovacome
Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund
Pancreatic Cancer UK
Paul Strickland Scanner Centre
Prostate Cancer Research
Prostate Cancer UK
Rowan Tree Cancer Care
Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation
Sarcoma UK
Shine Cancer Support
Team Verrico
Teenage Cancer Trust
Teens Unite Fighting Cancer
The Bowel Movement
The Brain Tumour Charity
The Christie Charity
The Eve Appeal
The Fitness Support Network
The Jay C Trust
The Prostate Project
The Robin Cancer Trust
The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
The Urology Foundation
Trekstock
Walk the Walk
Willow Foundation
World Cancer Research Fund

A-T Society
ACCT UK
Amy Winehouse Foundation
bibic
Bidwell Brook Special School
Bliss
Buttle UK
Cardiac Risk in the Young
Cardinal Hume Centre
Challengers
Child Bereavement UK
Childfirst(UK)
Children’s Burns Trust
CHUMS Charity
Claire House Children’s Hospice
Costa Foundation
Daisy’s Dream
Diamond Kite Foundation
Diverse Abilities
Dreamflight
Dreams Come True
EPIC FOUNDATION UK
Evelina Children’s Heart Organisation Limited (ECHO Charity)
Evelina London Children’s Charity
Family Action
Family Holiday Charity
Friends and Families
Friends Association of Barford School (FABS)
Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity
Harry’s Rainbow Charitable Trust
Home-Start Elmbridge
Home-Start UK
Home-Start Watford and Three Rivers
It’s Never You
Jamie’s Farm
Jigsaw4u
John Thornton Young Achievers Foundation
Just4Children
KEEN London
Knight Foundation
Make-a-Wish
Momentum Children’s Charity
Morehall Primary School PTFA
Mosaic – Supporting Bereaved Children
MYTIME Young Carers
National Deaf Children’s Society
Neuroblastoma UK
NSPCC
Open Arms Malawi
Pied Piper Appeal
Place2Be
Playskill
Railway Children
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity
Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People
Rockinghorse Children’s Charity
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Safe Families for Children
Sebastian’s Action Trust
Shooting Star Children’s Hospices
Skylarks Charity
Small Steps
Starlight Children’s Foundation
The Atlas Foundation
The Billington Foundation
The Brompton Fountain
The Childhood Trust
The Children’s Society
The Forest of Dean Children’s Opportunity Centre
The Grand Appeal
The Lexi May Trust
The Mulberry Bush
The Ruth Strauss Foundation
The Sandcastle Trust
Tiny Tickers
Tree of Hope
War Child UK
WeSeeHope
When You Wish Upon a Star
White Lodge
Winston’s Wish
Wishes 4 Kids
Young Epilepsy
Young Lives vs Cancer

British Dyslexia Association
Cotswold Riding for the Disabled
Down Syndrome UK
Friends of the Caribbean
Inspire
Maddys Mark
Nexus Institute of Creative Arts
Sussex Cricket Foundation
Teach First
The Fortune Centre Of Riding Therapy
Tz Rising
UKSA
WAM Youth

Brake the road safety charity
Just One Ocean

Acorns Children’s Hospice
Arthur Rank Hospice Charity
Ashgate Hospice
Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice
Children’s Hospice South West
Cornwall Hospice Care
Cynthia Spencer Hospice
Demelza Hospice Care
East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices
Farleigh Hospice
Forest Holme Hospice Charity
Francis House Children’s Hospice
Haven House Children’s Hospice
Havens Hospices
Helen & Douglas House
Hospice UK
Hospiscare
Isabel Hospice
Jessie May
Julia’s House
Katharine House Hospice – Banbury, Oxfordshire
Keech Hospice Care
Lewis-Manning Hospice Care
LOROS
Michael Sobell Hospice Charity
Naomi House & Jacksplace
Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care
Pilgrims Hospices
Rowans Hospice
Royal Trinity Hospice
Salisbury Hospice Charity
St Barnabas House
St Christopher’s Hospice
St Helena Hospice
St Luke’s Hospice (Harrow and Brent)
St Lukes Hospice (Basildon & Thurrock)
St Peter & St James Hospice
St Peter’s Hospice
St Raphael’s Hospice
St Wilfrid’s Hospice (Eastbourne)
Thames Hospice
The Hospice of St Francis
The Myton Hospices
Weldmar Hospicecare
Willen Hospice
Winchester Hospice
Woking & Sam Beare Hospices

Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust
Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity
Birmingham Women’s Hospital Charity
Brighter Futures GWH
Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity
Countess of Brecknock Hospice Trust
Friends of Danetre Hospital
Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity
Imperial Health Charity
Oxford Health Charity
Oxford Hospitals Charity
RNOH Charity – The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
Royal Free Charity
Southampton Hospital Charity
Spread a Smile
St Georges Hospital Charity
St Marks Hospital Foundation

Action for M.E.
Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis
Action Medical Research
Air Ambulance – Kent Surrey Sussex
Alcohol Change UK
Allergy UK
Alzheimer’s Research UK
Alzheimer’s Society
Asthma + Lung UK
Ataxia UK
Bowel Research UK
Brain Tumour Support
British Heart Foundation
British Liver Trust
British Skin Foundation
Burning Nights CRPS Support
Cardiomyopathy UK
Cavernoma Alliance UK
Centre for ADHD & Autism Support
Certitude Support
Cianna’s Smile
CLEFT
Coeliac UK
Crohn’s & Colitis UK
Darby Rimmer MND Foundation
DEBRA
Dementia UK
Different Strokes
Down’s Syndrome Association
Duchenne UK
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust Charitable Funds
Encephalitis Society
Endometriosis UK
Epilepsy Action
Epilepsy Research UK
Epilepsy Society
Facial Palsy UK
Fight for Sight
Friends of Breathe Arts Health Research
Group B Strep Support
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance
Hampshire Medical Fund
Harrow Shopmobility
Harry’s Hydrocephalus Awareness Trust
HeadwayUK
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
HEART UK
Hertfordshire Independent Living Service (HILS)
Huntington’s Disease Association
Ichthyosis Support Group
JDRF
Kidney Care UK
Kidney Research UK
Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance
London’s Air Ambulance
LUPUS UK
Macular Society
Magpas Air Ambulance
Melanoma Focus
Mencap
Meningitis Now
Moorfields Eye Charity
Motor Neurone Disease Association
MPS Society
MS Society
MS Trust
Multiple System Atrophy Trust
Muscular Dystrophy UK
National Autistic Society
National Kidney Federation
National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society
Nephrotic Syndrome Trust (NeST)
Northamptonshire Health Charity
Nystagmus Network
Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis
PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide
Parkinson’s UK
PKD Charity
Play2Give
Pregnancy Sickness Support
PSP Association
Retina UK
Reverse Rett
RNIB
Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability
Sands, Stillbirth & Neonatal Death Charity
Scannappeal
Scleroderma & Raynaud’s UK
Smile4Wessex
Stroke Association
Terrence Higgins Trust
The Brain Charity
The Cure Parkinson’s Trust
The Haemophilia Society
The Lily Foundation
The Lullaby Trust
The Meath Epilepsy Charity
The National Brain Appeal
The Sickle Cell Society
The UK Mastocytosis Support Group
Thrombosis UK
Thyroid UK
TSA (Tuberous Sclerosis Association)
UK Infantile Spasms Trust
UK Sepsis Trust
University of Birmingham
Versus Arthritis
Wellbeing of Women

Amy Winehouse Foundation
Beat
BHT Sussex
Buckinghamshire Mind
CALM – Campaign Against Living Miserably
Charlie’s Star Charity
ClimbFree
CPSL Mind
Dorset Mind
DrugFAM
Eden’s Trust
Edward’s Trust
Kaleidoscope Plus Group
Lambeth and Southwark Mind
MAX WINDLE MEMORIAL TRUST
Mental Health Foundation
Mental Health Research UK
Mental Health UK
MIND
Mosaic Clubhouse
MQ Mental Health Research
Music for my Mind
Newton Community Centre
PACT for Autism
PANDAS Foundation
PTSD Resolution
PTSD UK
Rethink Mental Illness
RIPPLE SUICIDE PREVENTION
Samaritans
SANE
Seed – Eating Disorder Support Service
South East and Central Essex Mind
Suicide&Co
The Cares Family
The Healing Hubs
The Lashes Foundation
The Link Visiting Scheme
The Lucy Rayner Foundation
The Survivors Trust
Transform Housing & Support
Vetlife
West Sussex Mind
YoungMinds

ABF The Soldier’s Charity (South West)
Blesma, The Limbless Veterans
Care for Veterans
Combat Stress
Head Up Charity
RBLI – Royal British Legion Industries
Royal Air Forces Association
Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity
Scotty’s Little Soldiers
SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity
Taxi Charity for Military Veterans
The Block Armed forces community advice and crisis support cic

1001fontaines UK
Able Child Africa
ActionAid UK
African Adventures Foundation
CAFOD
Dig Deep
Farm Africa
Frank Water
Medecins Sans Frontieres UK
New Futures Nepal
Refugee Action
Refugee Support Europe
Release International
SALVE International
Tearfund
The Boo Charity
WaterAid

4Louis
Age UK Medway
Amnesty International UK
Ben – Motor & Allied Trades Benevolent Fund
Care of Police Survivors (COPS)
Centre for Women’s Justice
Centrepoint
Christians Against Poverty
Crisis UK
Essex & Herts Air Ambulance
Family Fund
Friends of Essex and London Homeless
Glass Door Homeless Charity
Hope For Food
Humankind Charity
Hyde Charitable Trust
Independent Age
Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity
London City Mission
Refuge
Shelter
Solace Women’s Aid
SPEAR
St Mungo’s
Sue Ryder
Thames Valley Air Ambulance
The Ehlers-Danlos Support UK
The Fire Fighters Charity
The Lockton Charitable Association
Ukraine to Chilterns
WAY Widowed and Young
Women’s Aid Federation of England