This summer trek spans 10 days and covers 3 mountain peaks in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.
Upon arrival in Marrakech you will soon notice that you have entered a completely different culture and you can enjoy the special atmosphere around the always busy Djemaa el Fna square. In the medina, the walled old city, you will find old palaces, mausoleums and you can wander through the many alleys of the ‘souks’. We stay in a simple hotel near the square. The next day we leave for the mountains. Our trek begins in the mountain village of Imi oughlad, during which we cross a large part of the southern High Atlas in 10 days with a local guide, cook and mules. We climb higher and higher passes to reach the next valley. The mountains seem to have a different color everywhere due to the many minerals. As well as the villages that cling to the slopes. Around the villages you will find terraced fields and fragrant juniper bushes on the higher slopes. Sometimes we sleep in a Berber house, where we can enjoy the proverbial Berber hospitality. We usually spend the night in the wild and camp in tents. About halfway through the tour we actually climb the highest peak, Toubkal. From our bivouac at the Neltner refuge (3200 m) we get up early for our climb to the top (4167 m). The climb is not difficult, but it is tough. There can be snow until May. The climb and the views are breathtaking. The descent is partly on a gravel slope, especially difficult when there is no more snow. Another high pass and a long descent bring us to a beautiful deep lake where you can even catch a trout. After two last passes of 3100 and 3600 meters high, through rough and dry terrain, we end with a pleasant run through green valleys with beautiful villages of compactly built houses.
Marrakech (Google Map)
07:00 am
concerning Atlas mountains Trekking you need to prepare as you would for walking in any mountain region; it can be warm and sunny during the day but the weather in the mountains can quickly change from sunshine to snow and cold winds (autumn through late spring).
NB/ if you need anything to rent here ,please drop us an email
Transfer from Marrakech to Imi Ouglad village (1300m). This will be about an hour and 20 min drive from Marrakech. There you will meet your mule and muleteers. First you will walk to Tizi l’bour (1500m). Then on to Imsker village (1300m). Then you walk up to Ousertik valley. Here you will spend the night in a local village gite (2200m).About 5 to 6 hours walking.
Today you will walk from Gliz village to Oukaimeden (premier resort of ski 2500m). Then its on to Tizi ‘n Addi (3000m) and to Tacheddirt (2300m) village where you will spend the night.Tacheddirt is the highest village in the Atlas Mountains. About 5 hours walking.
We immediately begin a long, slow ascent to the pass at Tizi Likemt (3555m). At the top we enjoy our first fine view of the Toubkal Massif before a long downhill descent to the village of Azib Likemt (2200m), where we set up our camp for the night. About. 5 hours walking.
This day is going to be a long but quite easy day, passing many different landscapes. From Tizi ‘n Ouraine (3120m) we enjoy further views of the Toubkal Massif, including the summit, the east face and the Ifni Dome (3876m). The trail leads on towards Amsouzert (1700m), one of the most striking villages in the region, where we spend the night in a local guest house or in a camp. The local guest house is very basic accommodation. About. 6 hours walking
Leaving Amsouzart we climb steadily through this green and pleasant valley. Above the village of Ait Igrane the path begins to climb more steeply and after a long series of zig-zags over moraine boulders we are confronted by the breathtaking sight of Lake Ifni, the biggest lake in the central part of the Atlas. We take a path which traverses high above the north side of the lake to reach its western end where we take our lunch. Above the lake, we follow the upper valley of the Assif a Moursaine climbing steeply through the mouth of a gorge to reach crude tent platforms at a stream confluence around 2700 m.
After breakfast we start walking again to one of the most spectacular pass crossings in the Atlas, the Tizi-n-Ouanoums at 3650m.This is a long climb of 3 to 4 hours to reach this rocky col, situated between the two highest peaks in the Atlas: Toubkal and Ouanoukrim. We turn west below the pass and traverse across scree slopes to reach the Tizi Ouagane from where we start the climb to Ouanoukrim at 4088m. On this ascent there are some our descent to the refuge at 3206m where we will spend the night camping.
Early in the morning we make our attempt on the summit of Jebel Toukbal, the highest peak in Northern Africa. Our route takes us up the south cirque, crossing the stream above the refuge. The walking is relatively straightforward, but the scree and the altitude will make the going quite difficult in parts. The views along the way make the journey more than worthwhile. When you reach the the summit you will see that the vistas across the surrounding landscape are quite breathtaking. From here there are unrestricted views in every direction, from the Marrakesh Plain to the High Atlas in the north and as far south as the Anti-Atlas and the Sahara. We will retrace our steps when we return down the mountain and spend the night at the camp nearby the refuge again.
Today we start with an ascent to Tizi Aguelzim at 3650m where we get a superb view of yesterday’s route on Toubkal,and the small village of chamharouch then From the col of the Tizi aguelzim we descend first to the Tazaghart refuge and then follow the assif* (Valley) Melloul down to our last camp at Tamsoulte at 2300m.
The final climb of this mountain odyssey takes us across the Tizi Mzik covered in Junipers with the reward of a magnificent view across to the summit of Ouanoukrim and over the beautiful valley of Imlil. We descend on a good trail to reach Imlil from where you will transfer back to Marrakech.
Transfer back to Marrakech Airport and fly back home.
