A Walk in The High Atlas Valleys
Setti Fadma to Imlil Hike
Duration: 3 Days / 2 Nights   - ref. ITCTTM02am - NO SUMMIT CLIMB This hike may begin in reverse order - ITCTTM02m
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: GRADE ONE TO TWO - BETWEEN EASY AND MODERATE. BOOTS RECOMMENDED. YOU NEED TO BE REASONABLY CONFIDENT OF YOUR FITNESS, PREFERABLY HAVING HAD SOME PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE OF TREKKING.

DAY 1: MARRAKECH – OURIKA VALLEY – SETTI FADMA – AGADIR N’AÏT BOULMANE – ISHOUARNE - TIMICHCHI.

Departure from Marrakech at 8 in the morning for a pleasant and exhilarating 2-hour drive south towards the beautiful, sinuous Ourika Valley, passing through Souq Tnine de L’Ourika with its Monday souq, on past a picturesque zaouia, a ruined caudal kasbah and alongside the Oued Ourika, passing through a series of hamlets, lush terraced fields, steep-sided gorges, palmeraies, groves of apple, orange, olive and peach trees towards the little riverside village of Setti Fadma, nestling at the end of this valley, dominated by the stark, overwhelming Jbels of Tidili (3844m) and n’Tarourt (4001m). Here we alight from our vehicle to meet up with our mountain guide and muleteers to strike out upon the far side of the river, through 100-year-old walnut trees for some 30 minutes to visit the six, sometimes seven cascades. Returning via the first of these waterfalls, we swing back via Setti Fadma’s twin village of Zaouia Mohammed to take our picnic in the village. Suitably refreshed, we now start the serious part of our hike of between 5 and 6 hours towards the west along the western branch of the valley, the Adrar n’Oukaïmeden and Jbel Angour in front of us, drawing us like a magnet past streams flowing from the upper slopes, through the tiny hillside villages of Isghouarne, Agadir n’Aït Boulmane, Tadrart, Tiourdiou and Izouggaghene with their cornfields, terraced irrigated plots and groves of orange and olive trees, to finally arrive at the village of Timichchi, set amongst ancient walnut trees, where we shall have our Berber dinner and accommodation for the night in the home of a Berber family.

DAY 2: TIMICHCHI – IAABASSENE - TACHEDDIRT.

After an early breakfast we start our morning’s superb 2 hour hike towards the west along well-defined mule trails in the lush upper valley to the Berber village of Iaabassene (2030m), set beside a spring. From here we traverse the rocky lower levels of the Tizi n’Tacheddirt (3200m) of mighty Jbel Angour range (3616m), the stunning panorama of Adrar n’Ineghmar (3892m), Jbels Bou Iguenouane (3882m) and Aksouâl (3842m) in all their immense glory before us. We’ll stop for our field picnic after some 2½ hours incredible hiking before setting out once more for a further 2 hours down to the terraced village of pisé homes called Tacheddirt (2291m), set amongst terraced, irrigated fields clawed out over the centuries from the surrounding mountainside. Tacheddirt is easily the oldest and quaintest of all the Berber villages in the Toubkal Massif. Tonight we’ll relax and enjoy our dinner and accommodation in a Berber Gîte d’étape set amidst some awesome countryside.

DAY 3: TACHEDDIRT – IMENANE VALLEY – IMLIL - MARRAKECH.

After breakfast we set out at around 9 o’clock for our final stage of an unforgettable hike, this time of only 4 hours ever westwards along the upper valley slopes first to the hamlet of Amghedoul (2130m), then Ouaneskra (2040m) to continue down through pine and juniper woods, with the Adrar n’Oukaïmeden (3268m) to our right, Jbel Aksouâl, Azrou n’Tamadôt (3644m), Tichki (3773m) and Toubkal (4167m) to our left, to pass through the village of Tamatert (1810m). From here, through fields of corn and barley and orchards of cherry, apricot, walnut and apple trees, we make our final easy ascent to the Tizi n’Tamatert (2272m) which gives us tremendous vista of the Imlil and Imenane Valleys.

From here it’s an easy hike down a piste to Morocco’s “Little Chamonix” – the trailhead village of Imlil (1740m) where we’ll have stay for one hour to have our light meal in the Gîte d’étape of our senior guide – Mohammed Aït Idar – before joining our vehicle at 2pm to take us back to Marrakech. For those staying this night in the Kasbah du Toubkal we shall take you directly from Imlil up to the Kasbah, your return trip to Marrakech to be reserved for a later date.

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 Imlil or Marrakech)

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

OUR PRICES INCLUDE:

Experienced, licensed, bi-lingual mountain guide throughout. Round trip transportation to trailheads from and to Marrakech. Tents and undermats, cook; meals and accommodation as detailed; pack animals and muleteers.

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.

IT IS RECOMMENDED YOU BRING:

Stout walking boots; sleeping bag (3 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 to tea and coffee, camping mug (otherwise it is small Moroccan tea glasses for everything), energy sweets and 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 house.

	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 Marrakech), please contact us to arrange accommodation in Marrakech hotels or riads 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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