THE MOROCCAN HIGH ATLAS RANGES
A Stroll Around the High Atlas 'Happy Valley'
Duration: 6 Days / 5 Nights   - ref. ITCTBG01m
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: GRADE ONE - WALKING MOSTLY ON PATHS AT LOWER LEVELS, MOST TIMES 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.
A hike in these Central High Atlas valleys is to enjoy the almost silent, yet beautiful world of streams, waterfalls, gorges, lush vegetation, ancient terraced irrigated fields, orchards of apple, peach, cherry and apricot and the isolated villages and hamlets of pisé homes belonging, since pre-Islamic times, to the hardy Amazigh peoples with whom we shall chat and take tea, perhaps to milk their cows and goats, perhaps to bake some bread.
This hike is best undertaken from early spring to late autumn; certain passes, cols or Tizis may be closed during January and February due to heavy snowfalls.

DAY 1: MARRAKECH-CASCADES D’OUZZOUD-AZILAL-HAPPY VALLEY-IMELGHAS.

		Setting out from our hotel in Marrakech at 7:30 for our 6 hour day, we first drive towards the east for about 1½ hours alongside fields of barley, corn and potato to the foothills of the Middle Atlas range of mountains until we reach the impressive waterfalls of Ouzzoud. We stop here for around 2 hours for a meal and a stroll of the impressive surrounds, or a seasonal swim in one of the natural pools, with a sighting of the occasional Barbary ape - as are also found on the Rock of Gibraltar - plus a visit of the small, ancient water mills. We now drive firstly south and then south-east, bypassing some kasbahs to arrive at the Imazighen town of Azilal (1600m), where dinosaur fossils have been found. The Amazigh tribes here, known collectively as Imazighen, reject the Western name of ‘Berber’, for this title, to the people of this area, is regarded as an insult. To this day they are taught to write in the pre-Islamic script of Fifinagh. Passing through this, the last of the bigger towns of the region, we continue towards the south for another 2½ hours up to the Tizi n’Oughrbar (2400m), which offers us a magnificent panoramic view of the Ihrir M’Goun Massif, at 4068m, the second highest mountain, after Jbel Toubkal, in all of North Africa. Now we cross the Aït Abbass Valley (1400m), a lush valley full of pines and oak trees, groves of pomegranate and fig, apple and olive, to arrive shortly at La Vallée Heureuse, the Valley of Aït Bou Guemès , some say by far the prettiest of Morocco ’s many valleys. We carry on through this valley up through Agouti (1700m), a trailhead to the Irhil M’Goun range of mountains, to the village of Imelghas (1980m) for an hour’s walk around the village to stretch our legs before our hot shower, dinner and overnight accommodation in a Gîte d’étape.

DAY 2: IMELGHAS-TABANT-IBAQELLIOUINE-R’BAT AKOURBI-AÏT IMI-TABANT-IMELGHAS.

		An early breakfast and the start of our hiking tour - an easy morning’s hike of some 3½ hours, followed by an afternoon’s 2½ hour stroll through some splendid countryside. We set out at around 8 o’clock along mule tracks beside fields of barley and corn with the stark mountains with peaks of some 3000m around us until we reach the village of Tabant , where the mountain people tend to congregate. We shall stop here in this trailhead village to the M’Goun Massif for an hour a glass, or two, of mint tea and the opportunity to watch cheese being made – or help/learn to milk a cow. Now we set out past orchards of apricot, apple, cherry and nut trees until we arrive at the hamlet of Ibaqelliouine (1878m). Here we may see vestiges of the Age of Dinosaurs and of ostrich frozen in time in plates of basalt. If we’re lucky, we’ll see white storks nesting on village roof tops. On we go to the hamlet of R’Bat Akourbi (1908m), where we stop for our field picnic in the shade of some old nut trees. An hour later we’re on our way back to Imelghas, this time alongside a mountain slope past the col of the Tizi n’Aït Imit (2900m) to the village of Aït Imit (1980m). This charming, fortified village was once an important stop on the caravan trails, the Tizi being the sole access north or south in the region. We stop to visit some ancient water mills, surrounded by some impressive escarpments. Onwards back towards the trailhead village of Tabant and on to our shower, dinner and overnight accommodation in our Gîte d’étape at Imelghas.

DAY 3: IMELGHAS-ISKATAFEN-IMELGHAS.

After breakfast, today’s looping hike of 3 hours’ duration takes us first along flat mule trails, seldom used by even the occasional lone hiker, up some 200m of gradual slopes to summer pastures (2100m) for a panoramic view of the mountains dominating this valley. We then take an easy path down through woods of juniper, pine and holm-oak to arrive at some isolated pisé homes in the hamlet of Ahebak (1900m), then on for 10 minutes to the shade of some walnut trees where we’ll stop for our field picnic on the banks of a stream near the Berber hamlet of Iskatafen. At around 2 o’clock we take our 2 hour return path to Imelghas via the inhabited yet wild valley to the hamlet of Ikhrf n’Igher, later to reach fields of corn, groves of fruit trees and the pisé homes of several other hamlets, for our dinner and overnight accommodation in our Gîte d’étape. There is always the opportunity here in Imelghas and during the hike to help in the fields, share work on building homes, help bake bread, herd sheep or cattle, help children with their homework and so on.

DAY 4: IMELGHAS-SIDI MOUSSA-TIMIT-TAKHIDA-AGOUTI-IMELGHAS.

An early breakfast before setting out on today’s hike of some 30 minutes to the ancient agadir (collective granary) at Sidi Moussa, perched on top of a steepish 150m slope overlooking a large part of the valley of Bou Guemès . A visit of this agadir, converted from time to time into a marabout, where sterile women go in the hope that…. An easy descent follows through the hamlets of Timit, Aït Ziri, Itoukaln and Aguerd n’Ouzrou (1900m) until we reach the village of Takhida after 2½ hours walk, where we’ll stop for our field picnic in the shade of walnut trees by the banks of a stream. From here we set out on our afternoon’s 2½ hour ramble down across the plateau to the village of Agouti (1760m) and on to the surrounding yawning gorges, hiking alongside, or in, the waters for some 45 minutes before swinging back to Agouti, from where we’ll take our transport back to Imelghas for our shower, dinner and overnight accommodation in our Gîte d’étape.

DAY 5: IMELGHAS-IKISS CASCADES-IMELGHAS.

Another early-ish Berber breakfast before taking a 20 minute ride to the village of Tameghrit from whence we set out on a sedate walk along mule trails for about 3 hours up to visit some 6000-year old cliff face troglodyte homes in the Arous Valley . From here we walk on up through stands of holm-oak and small gorges for some 3 hours to the little Cascades at Ikiss (2300m), where we stop for our field picnic in the shade of a cliff dominating the limestone gorge. It is here that we may see some of the migratory choughs and swifts, rock sparrows and larks as they chase insects on a clear day. This is also a Geode Zone where for eons the villagers have been mining these beautiful crystals. At around 2 o’clock, we hike back for 2½ hours via the same picturesque route to Tameghrit, possibly lending a hand en route to the Berber farmers to rejoin our vehicle for our transfer back to our dinner and overnight accommodation in our Gîte d’étape.

DAY 6: IMELGHAS-AGOUTI-AZILAL-MARRAKECH.

		Breakfast tucked away, we’re off at around 8 o’clock, with our last sight of the Irhil M’Goun (4071m), to pass back through this beautiful “Happy Valley” alongside forestry lookout posts, marabouts, and small pisé kasbahs, stopping on the way back to Marrakech for lunch at Azilal, the provincial capital with its garrison and Thursday souq, to arrive in Marrakech around 2pm.

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:

OUR PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE:

Personal medical or accident insurance; personal gear; bottled or gaseous waters, any expenditure of a personal nature, 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.