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: 1 Day *- ref. ITCTTP03a*

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: GRADE ONE - WALKING MOSTLY ON PATHS AT LOWER LEVELS, SOMETIMES ROCKY, SELDOM FLAT FOR ABOUT 6 HOURS EACH DAY. GOOD TRAINERS WOULD DO, BUT TAKE BOOTS IF YOU ARE USED TO THEM. FOR ANYONE WHO LEADS A REASONABLY ACTIVE LIFE. HIKING ALWAYS INVOLVES SOME EFFORT.


TAROUDANT - TADOUST - AFENSOU - HADD IMOULAS - ISSOUÂL VALLEY - TANSIMT VALLEY - IGHIL - AFENSOU - TAROUDANT



We depart 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 local transport which can take us up into this virgin (for hikers) region - or continue on in our 4WD, for a further swaying 1½ hour drive,all the way up along the Assif Aït Oued Hajj Valley, with its stark slopes and palmeraies sprouting in the rock-strewn gullies, through the market village of Tadoust and up the winding valley road to the village of Afensou, where we shall alight from our vehicle and meet our muleteer.



Now it’s a 1 ½ 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). We continue for around 15 minutes in a north-westerly direction along mule tracks up and down the pretty valley of the Oued Issouâl to the village of Sidi Brahim Abdallah where we will have our field picnic.



Refreshed, we start out on our 3½ hour relatively gentle hike, 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. 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 drive to Tarouddant where we change vehicles and return 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.

An experienced, licensed, bi-lingual mountain guide throughout; mules and muleteer; 1 picnic lunch. Private round trip transportation from and to Taroudant and local transport 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; 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); towel, sunscreen, insect repellent, hygienic wipes, nibbles and/or dried fruit. Drinking chocolate if preferred. Extra toilet rolls could come in handy!

NB: A MINIMUM OF 48 HOURS’ PRIOR NOTICE IS REQUIRED TO RESERVE THIS ITINERARY.


BBC world weather forecast - MARRAKECH		We also have a range of treks in the stunningly beautiful and unspoilt region of Zagori in north west Greece.
Trekking photo Gallery		Trekking in Greece

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.