High Atlas Valleys & Tinmal Mosque |
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Duration: 4 Days / 3 Nights - ref. ITCTTM16a - NO SUMMIT CLIMB |
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LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: GRADE TWO - BETWEEN EASY AND MODERATE, GOOD STURDY FOOTWEAR 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. |
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| DAY 1: AGADIR - TAROUDDANT - TIZI N'TEST - AGHBAR. | ||
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| Departure from Agadir at 8 in the morning towards the east alongside the trailing edge of the Western High Atlas range to arrive at the pre-Islamic ramparted town of Tarouddant, also known as 'Marrakech in Miniature.' Our route towards the Tizi n'Test now takes us further through the Sous Valley, accompanied by an absolutely incredible and unique panoramic view of the virgin mountains of the Tichka Plateau, from the Adrar n'Dern (2974m), Jbels Tinergwet (3551m), Awlim (3482m), Tit Oulli (3247m), Mtdadene (3366m), Moulay Ali (3349m) Aquelmoun (3251m) to Imaradene (3351m). Passing through the town of Oulad Berhil we now set out towards the north-east for the amazingly sinuous road cutting right through the heart of the Atlas mountains - the Tizi n'Test (2098m). | ||
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| Until the French blasted a road through this most spectacular of Morocco's high passes, opened to traffic in November of 1926, it had been the personal fiefdom of the Medieval Empire of the Almohads and then finally of the Goundafi (Goudoufa) Berber tribe, whose kasbahs dominate to this day these strategic heights and craggy bends. Hold on to your hats, for this is quite a ride along hairpin bends and vertical cliff faces which traverse long mountain slopes. At Tizi, we shall stop at around midday for our picnic lunch, giving us a delightful view of the Jbels Igdet (3616m) and Erdouz (3578m), of the shimmering Sous Plain and the Anti Atlas range, of Jbel Toubkal (4167m), of deep valleys and slopes dotted by cypress and juniper trees. Refreshed, we hike down for 3 hours along a winding trail through the forest of pine and juniper until we reach Agadir n'Oughbar and the Berber village of Aghbar, where we shall have a welcome dinner and set up camp for the night. This pleasant village presents us to the womenfolk weaving their multi-coloured carpets and keeping bees for their delicious honey. | ||
| DAY 2: AGHBAR - SOUQ N'OUGHBAR - OUKON. | ||
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| Breakfasted and camp struck, we hike today for some 6˝ hours further down alongside the river until we reach Souq n'Oughbar, (souq on Saturday), where we shall picnic by the river to continue on past riverside villages and groves of almond and walnut trees until we reach the little village of Oukon, where we shall have dinner and camp near the village set amidst groves of olive trees and irrigated fields. Whilst dinner is being prepared and camp set up, there's ample opportunity to stroll around the village and meet these hardy village folk and their ancient olive mills and presses. | ||
| DAY 3: OUKON - TAMDDIRT - IMIM N'OUASIF N'OUGHDEMT. | ||
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| After breakfast we now set out on our 6 hour hike further on down the river, passing by a school built like a kasbah and on through the village of Tamddirt and on to Imi n'Ilbour to picnic in a secluded spot by the riverbank. Once refreshed, we shall continue up and down easy slopes accompanied by several Berber hamlets on the opposite bank until we come to Imim Ouassif n'Oughdemt, where we shall set up camp for the night and enjoy our dinner, after which we can visit the village and surrounding slopes offering a variety of vistas. | ||
| DAY 4: OUGHDEMT - N'FISS VALLEY - TIN-MAL - IJOUJAK - AGADIR. | ||
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Once breakfast has been tucked away and camp struck we set off through small cols and down gentle slopes until we join the high valley of the Assif Nfiss, a hauntingly beautiful hidden valley with its stream of clear, cool slow-moving water full of trout, lined with hillside hamlets, orchards and ancient terraced irrigated fields. We arrive finally at the small, remote stronghold settlement of Tin-Mal high up on the opposite bank of the river, giving all the appearance of a Lhasa in Muslim miniature, set amidst brown slopes, green shrubbery and snow-capped mountains. We are here to visit the fortress of high walls and strong towers, the sole survivor of the once holy 12th century city and the only mosque in Morocco - other than the new mosque Hassan II in Casablanca - into which a non-Muslim may enter - except on Fridays. We may enter through a small, sturdy door in the corner of the main tower. Now roofless, deep shadows thrown by the surviving bas relief pisé columns and carefully restored arcades and horseshoe arches contrast with the large sunbaked wall. |
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| Intact amongst the ruins we witness the fine examples of ancient Almohad decor. But was there ever a minaret? There are three towers, which are unusual in that they are built above the actual prayer hall, yet minarets are always free-standing. Is the final restored work going to respect the original aura of austere puritanism of that once theocratic Almohad Islam? Cedar from Azrou is now used for the ceilings; a special lime has been imported from Spain; no cement or concrete is being used and the several cupolas have been restored in some areas with richly decorated stalactite plaster work. In the actual village there is a ruined kasbah, a Medersa and an old water tank which produces a regular supply of the French gastronomic delight - edible frogs. And you might buy a litre of Tin-Mal olive oil from the olive press and mill down towards the river. From here, we strike out up the river bed to the Berber village of Ijoukak, at the juncture where the Assif Agoundis flows into the Assif Nfiss and where we stop for our picnic before saying goodbye to our mountain guide and rejoining our vehicle to take us back on the long drive over peaks and plains to the port of Agadir. | ||
* Pre and post night hotel accommodation in Agadir or Taroudant, together with private round trips transfers can be reserved for you, should you so require.
 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. |
OUR PRICES INCLUDE:
Experienced, licensed, bi-lingual mountain guide throughout; igloo tents and undermats; mules and muleteers; cook; meals and accommodation as outlined in the itinerary. Private round trip transportation from and back to Agadir.
OUR PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE:
Personal medical or accident insurance. Any expenditure of a personal nature. Bottled or gaseous water (bottled water is available to buy in most villages), nor anything not specifically mentioned in the itinerary, such as laundry, drinks, telephone calls and such like.
| Meals are normally: | |
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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. |
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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. |
| 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. |
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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.
Tel: + 44 (0) 1989 730 552 (UK)
OR EMAIL US BY CLICKING HERE: 
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