Short & low level treks in High Atlas (no.4), Toubkal region of Morocco - REDISCOVER THE WORLD


THE MOROCCAN WESTERN HIGH ATLAS RANGES

High Atlas Hiking Below 2500m

Duration: 4 Days / 3 Nights *- ref. ITCTTM13m* - NO SUMMIT CLIMB

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.

Early morning departure from Marrakech for a pleasant drive south winding our way up through the Tizi n'Techt to arrive at the higher foothills of the Western High Atlas mountains at our trailhead of Imi Ourghlad (1340m) at around 9 o'clock, with the Jbels Toubkal, at 4167m the highest peak in the Maghreb, Aguelzim (3948m) and Aksouâl (3847m) looming before us.

Here we alight from our vehicle and meet up with our Berber muleteer crew, always a fun part of any of our treks. We set off up in a north-westerly direction for a 2hour acclimatisation hike up switchback mule tracks, passing by cornfields woods of pine and juniper to the Tizi n'Tacht (2000m), where we shall stop to look back down on the Imlil and n'Aït Ouissadene Valleys before carrying on for another ½ an hour to Imi n'Ifri and our picnic amidst surrounding valleys and stark, high peaks. Thence a slow hike for about 3 hours south-west down along a dirt track to the Assif n'Aït Ouissadene and the red clay village of Tizziane (1730m) for our dinner and accommodation in a gîte d'étape.

After breakfast we now set off on our hike up along the Assif n'Ouissadene Valley, passing through almond groves and several Berber villages, up to the Tizi n'Tkhrhkhourte (1995m) and through to a rare almost flat stretch to arrive at the Assaka Spring, where we'll stop for our picnic amidst an awesome silence after some 2½ hours' relatively easy walking.

Our afternoon's hike takes us down along the edges of the forest until we reach the Berber village of D'Knt (1870m) where we'll have our dinner and spend the night in a Berber family's home.

A hearty breakfast and we're now to set off on our morning's 3hour hike up through groves of almond and walnut trees, fields of corn and barley to greet the many sheep and goatherders - and women and children bent over with 20kg loads of faggots and dried herbs. We traverse the Tizi Taghdalt (1998m) to descend amongst juniper and pine trees till we come to a small spring set amongst the trees, where we'll stop for our picnic.

Once refreshed, we're off down winding tracks of the upper slopes for some 3 hours to come to a small river at the beginning of the Valley of the Assif Ouissadene. From here we enter the village of Tissi Oussem (1850m) for our dinner and overnight accommodation in a mountain Refuge.

Once breakfast is over we strike out up through pine and juniper trees to traverse the Tizi M'Zik and descend slowly to the foot of the col just before the hamlet of M'Zik (1806m) where we stop for our picnic amidst orchards of cherry, apple and nut trees and the surrounding peaks.

This afternoon, we set off down to the Berber trailhead village of Imlil, Morocco's 'Little Chamonix,' where we may take a welcome hot shower in the gîte d'étape of our senior guide, Mohamed Aït Idar, and a glass - or three - of mint tea prior to rejoining our vehicle to take us to Marrakech back via passes and alongside gorges by around 7 in the evening.

Please ensure, at time of reservation, you advise us of your choice between bivouac site or Berber family home accommodation.

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.

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.

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.

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.