Short & low level treks in High Atlas (no.5), Toubkal region of Morocco - REDISCOVER THE WORLD


THE MOROCCAN WESTERN HIGH ATLAS RANGES

Toubkal Massif, Oukaimeden and Western Ourika Valley

Duration: 6 Days / 5 Nights *- ref. ITCTTM21m* - NO SUMMIT CLIMB

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: GRADE ONE - WALKING MOSTLY ON PATHS AT LOWER LEVELS, SOMETIMES ROCKY, SELDOM FLAT, FOR ABOUT4-6 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.WEEN MODERATE TO STRENUOUS, GOOD BOOTS ESSENTIAL. YOU NEED TO BE REASONABLY CONFIDENT OF YOUR FITNESS AND ENDURANCE LEVELS, PREFERABLY HAVING HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE OF TREKKING AT ALTITUDE AND VARIATIONS OF CLIMATE. FULL SUPPORT TEAM.

Departure by car from Marrakech around 9 in the morning for an exhilarating 2hour drive south up the Moulay Brahim Gorges and the high valleys– so hold on to your hats - to the Berber town of Imlil (1740m), known as Morocco’s ‘Little Chamonix’, set in the upper level foothills of the Western High Atlas mountains, a main trailhead with streams and paths branching out in all directions.

Here we shall leave our vehicle to take a welcome glass of mint tea in our gîte d’étape prior to setting out for some 4km towards the south to the Berber village of Aroumd (Aremd) (1843m), passing the hamlets of Taourirt, Targa, and Imoula, up and down the stark slopes, the jagged Western High Atlas peaks of the Toubkal Massif before us - Jbels Aguelzim (3547m), Aksouâl (3847m) and the Adrar Adj (3122m) watching us all the way. We shall stop at Aroumd to visit this rather singular village in the Assif Aït Mizane Valley, built seemingly house upon house on a large moraine spur, overlooking ancient irrigated terraced fields of barley, corn and vegetables and always surrounded by almond and walnut trees. We thence carry on for another 8km.to the equally-quaint village of Sidi Chamharouch , a Berber village set beside a waterfall and small stream, again with its pisé homes seemingly built somewhat chaotically one into another. This village is a place of pilgrimage for devout Moslems and it is where there we’ll find a marabout shrine – forbidden for non-Moslems to enter - said to be a relic of a pre-Islamic religious and naturalist cult. We take a break for a field picnic, within full view of Jbel Toubkal, at 4167m the highest peak in the Maghreb, prior to setting off back down the other side of the valley back to Imlil and our dinner and overnight in our Berber Gîte d’étape.

After an early breakfast, we set out from this base in the Western High Atlas ranges and upper-foothill trailhead Berber town of Imlil (1740m) to set out on our 6 hour trek up via long, winding switchback mule tracks westwards to the Tizi M’Zik (2664m). Our short stop here lets us respect the awesome panorama of the Imlil Valley and of the ever-present High Atlas mountains in the Toubkal Massif.

We descend southwards to the Âazib Tamsoult (2145m) where we shall take our field picnic by a spring. Refreshed, we turn now east-wards up alongside the towering Jbel Aguelzim (3547m) through the col of Tizi n’Tizikert (2360m) in the Adrar Adj (3129m) to stroll steadily down to our overnight accommodation in our Gîte d’étape and dinner.

After breakfast, we take one of the trails branching out all around to set out along a piste for a 1 hour and 45 minutes hike towards the east up through the Tizi n’Tamatert (2272m), on through fields of wheat and orchards of walnut, apple and cherry trees until we reach the village of Tamatert (1810m).

Once through the village we shall take a path which leads us up though pine and juniper woods we stop at the Tizi to admire the Imlil and Imenane Valleys, this latter with its many Berber villages tucked precariously onto the slopes stretching around us, with Jbel Oukaïmeden (3268m) - in the area known locally as “Ouka” - and almost as high as the Rockies, on the near horizon. We carry on along the upper valley slopes for another hour or so to the villages of first Ouaneskraand then Amghedoul(2130m) set amidst terraced plots of land carved from the hard slopes where we shall stop for our field picnic on the plateau used, in summer, as a favoured bivouac site. Our afternoon will be spent hiking for some 3 hours up through the valley along mule trails until we reach the pretty – and the oldest - Berber village in the Toubkal Massif – Tacheddirt (2291m), set amongst terraced plots clawed from the surrounding craggy slopes, where we’ll overnight in a Gîte d’étape in the neighbouring village of Ouaneskra. Whilst dinner is being prepared, there’s ample opportunity to visit the village and the always-welcoming hardy Berber villagers.

After breakfast we set out for a superb day’s walk along the green and vegetated valley up along mule tracks worn from the rough and craggy mountain slopes to arrive at the Tizin’Tacheddirt (3616m), where we shall picnic in a setting which gives us spectacular views of the surrounding peaks and valleys. We start our descent through green terraced irrigated plots for a further three hours until we reach the Berber village of Tacheddirt.

From here we set out northwards to Tizi n’Eddi (2928m), thence to follow the ridge down the Oukaïmeden trail, the Jbel Angour ridge (3616m) off to our east, arriving, some three easy hours later at Refuge * on Tizi n’OuaättarOukaïmeden ( 3000m) and a welcome dinner. A long day, but certainly well worth the effort.

After breakfast, we set out today for a 2hour hike up along a winding piste until we reach an Âazib, from where we shall take a narrow, zigzagging path up to the Tizi n’Ouaättar (3250m), passing by some strange basalt rock formations and on down to the western branch of the Ourika Valley.

Here we shall picnic near the hamlet of Timoummar (2200m). This afternoon we spend some serious hiking down a circuitous path, passing through the villages of Anemiter and Timguisst, surrounded by vegetable plots and groves of plum and nut trees until, after some 4 hours of moderate-level hiking, we reach the terraced Berber village of Timichchi and accommodation in a Berber family’s home (or bivouac during spring and summer months) and dinner for the night.

DAY 6: TIMICHCHI - ISGHOUARNE - AGADIR n’AÏT BOULMANE - SETTI FADMA – MARRAKECH

After breakfast we set out for a 4 to 5-hour hike eastwards down along the valley full of cornfields and orange groves, with many streams flowing down from the upper slopes, passing through the villages of Isghouarne and Agadir n’Aït Boulmane in the western Ourika Valley to arrive at the end of the beautiful Ourika Valley proper and the renowned Berber village of Setti Fadma, with its ancient nut trees and waterfalls. We shall stop for our field picnic just outside of the village, before hiking on for a further half an hour where a welcome hot shower and a glass or two of mint tea awaits us in the gîte d'étape of our senior guide, prior to rejoining our vehicle to take us back to Marrakech.

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

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.