Trekking in Western High Atlas (Tichka Plateau) from Taroudant - REDISCOVER THE WORLD

TREKKING IN WESTERN HIGH ATLAS

The Mentaga Valley of the Western High Atlas

Duration: 2 Days / 1 Nights *- ref. ITCTTP03a* NICE 'N EASY TWO DAY HIKE FROM AGADIR

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: GRADE TWO - BETWEEN EASY AND MODERATE, GOOD STURDY TRAINERS OR BOOTS ESSENTIAL. YOU NEED TO BE REASONABLY CONFIDENT OF YOUR FITNESS AND ENDURANCE LEVELS, PREFERABLY HAVING HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE OF HILLSIDE HIKING OR RAMBLING AND OF VARIATIONS OF CLIMATE. FULL SUPPORT TEAM.

Departure from Agadir around 8 in the morning towards the east alongside the trailing edges of the westernmost High Atlas range to arrive around 9.15 at the pre-Islamic walled town of Tarouddant, also known as "Marrakech in Miniature." Here we change our vehicle to an open light truck - the sole method of transport, other than 4WD, which can take us up into this virgin (for hikers) region - or continue on in our 4WD, depending on the vehicle selected, for a further swaying 2½ hour drive, mainly in second gear, all the way up along the Assif Aït Oued Hajj Valley, with its stark slopes and palmeraies sprouting in the rock-strewn gullies, through to the market village of Tadoust.

Here we alight from our vehicle to stretch our limbs and meet our muleteers. We now hike up the winding valley piste for about 3 hours to the village of Afensou, where we shall stop for our picnic on the river bank, surrounded by olive trees, some prickly pear and the ever-present High Atlas peaks of the western Tichka range. Now it's a further 2 hours' easy hike past the hamlets of Assaka and Aguerd Ousguine, through the Tizi Ijarifen to the Berber village of Hadd Imoulas, a main Berber village and trailhead for the old caravan routes from Mauritania, nestling high up in the foothills of the Western High Atlas Tichka Plateau - The Rim Of A Thousand Peaks - (souq on Sunday). Should you feel up to it, there's plenty of opportunity to wander around the mule tracks whilst our tents are being set up and our dinner is prepared.

DAY 2: HADD IMOULAS - ISSOUÂL VALLEY - TANSIMT VALLEY - IGHIL - AFENSOU - TAROUDANT - AGADIR.

After breakfast and camp struck, we start out on our 3½ hour relatively gentle hike in a north-westerly direction along mule tracks up and down the pretty valley of the Oued Issouâl, with its quaint Berber villages and hamlets, ancient terraced irrigated fields, palmeraies and almond and walnut trees, the twinned peaks of Jbels Tinergwet (3551m) and Awlim (3482m) before us, passing the Berber hamlets of Melliz and Aït Mancour, to turn towards the west up and over the western Adrar Akouchtim range until we reach the Berber village of Ighil (1610m) in the upper valley of the Oued Tansimt.

Here we shall stop for a welcome picnic in awesome silence near a stream - yet another place to take photographs of the upper valleys, Jbels Tinergwet and Awlim and of the now-present Adrar n'Dern (3025m) - before striking out down for some 2½ hours piste walking down the valley through the Berber hamlets of Ifrane, Tizzirt and Witkrazen, with their terraced irrigated plots, palmeraies and groves of olive and nut trees, to turn eastwards along the Witkrazen Valley to Afensou where we rejoin our vehicle to take us back for a 1½ hour combination piste and tarmac road to Tarouddant. Here we drive through in our 4WD, or change vehicles from lorry to Grand taxi in the hustle and bustle of the market to continue back towards the west, Agadir and the Atlantic coast.

Cost for this tour:

- please call or email for a full quote - all our holidays are tailor-made and the cost of each trek is based upon the following:

* the number of people in your group (some hikes available for single travellers, one person FREE for groups of 10 or more);

* where you are starting from and to where you wish to travel at the end the hike;

* whether you are including any additional accommodation (e.g. in Taroudant or Marrakech)

* extras such as WC tent or refuge accommodation, etc.

Experienced licensed bi-lingual mountain guide throughout. 1 night under bivouac*; igloo tents and undermats; mules and muleteers; cook; 1 breakfast, 2 picnic lunches, 1 dinner. Private round trip transportation from and to Taroudant and open light truck to and from trailhead, or in 4WD all the way.

Personal medical or accident insurance outside of the vehicle(s). No insurance is carried by the camionettes - travel by this type of vehicle is a great experience but we cannot accept any liability, hence the 4WD alternative. Any expenditure of a personal nature. Bottled or gaseous water, nor anything not specifically mentioned in the itinerary.

Good trainers or walking boots; sleeping bags (3-4 seasons)*, waterproofs and fleece/duvet jackets, hats, balaclavas or ear muffs; gloves; rambler or ski pole; personal toiletries; small First Aid kit, thermal underwear (Dec-May); day pack; filled water bottle(s) and purifying tablets/drops (iodine usually); torch and batteries (LED head torches are excellent); penknife (remember not to pack in hand baggage for flight); towel, sunscreen, insect repellent, hygienic 'wipes', nibbles and/or dried fruit. Drinking chocolate if preferred. Extra toilet rolls could come in handy!

** If staying in a Berber House or gite d'etap you may wish to bring some biros or other suitable gifts for the children of the owner.

*Should you not wish to travel to Morocco with sleeping bags, we can change the night under bivouac to accommodation in a Berber family home in Hadd Imoulas. Please advise at time of reservation.

* Please be prepared for minimal ablutions - and absolutely no "tourists."


	Meals are normally:

	Breakfast - tea, coffee, milk, bread, butter, jam, cheese plus porridge in the winter and cereal in summer. Picnic lunch - fresh Moroccan salad, cheese, slicing sausage, tinned tuna fish and sardines*, bread, fruit, mint tea.

	Dinner - Tajine (chicken or mutton* with vegetables), spaghetti, cous cous (main courses rotate depending on duration of trek), bread, coffee, tea, cake, fruit. * Those vegetarians or vegans amongst us need to pre-advise at time of reservation.

NB: all our prices are for land arrangements only (starting and finishing in Taroudant or Agadir), please contact us to arrange accommodation in Agadir or Taroudant hotels as well as flights from your preferred airport if required.