Itinerary

Day 1

Day 1. Drive from Marrakech to Imlil and trek to Toubkal Refuge via Aremd & the Mizane Valley
Leaving the city behind we drive south today, towards the craggy peaks and
plunging valleys of the Toubkal Massif. Crossing the Haouz Plain we pass through
the tiny town of Asni, from where our road begins to climb towards the foothills
of the Massif. Below us the valley of the Oued Rhirhaia stretches out into the
distance and small villages cling to the sides of the steep hills as we meander
our way towards the village of Imlil. Here we leave our vehicle and, in the
company of our mountain guide, begin our trek, heading along the Mizane Valley,
first towards the village of Aremd and then onto the shrine of Sidi Chamarouch.
Built on a moraine spur overlooking the valley floor, Aremd is the largest
village in the valley and provides an interesting mix of traditional terraced
farming, gites and streets that seem to be permanently gridlocked by goats and
cattle. For generations the local Berber villagers have worked these lands,
producing corn, potatoes and walnuts from the harsh landscape. Continuing east
and crossing the flood plain our route takes us along mule tracks and up into
the high rocky cliffs above the valley. Crossing the river we eventually come to
the pastoral shrine of Sidi Chamarouch, which attracts tourists and pilgrims
alike (although only Muslims are allowed to cross the stone bridge to visit the
marabout shrine itself). The village sits besides a small waterfall, a jumbled
cluster of houses that seem to melt together into an anarchic mass. From here
the trail continues to climb steadily, snaking and zigzagging its way up to the
snowline and the Toukbal Refuge (3206m), our stop for the night. Approx 4-5hrs
walking.

Day 2

Trek to summit of Jebel Toubkal(4165m); return to Imlil
Early this morning we make our attempt on the summit of Jebel Toukbal, the
highest peak in Northern Africa. Our route takes us up the south cirque,
crossing the stream above the refuge and then heading across one of the
mountains numerous scree fields, where we will have to negotiable a seemingly
endless carpet of boulders and rocks. The walking is relatively straightforward,
but the scree and the altitude will make the going quite difficult in parts,
however, the views along the way make the journey more than worthwhile. Cresting
the ridgeline we find ourselves on the plateau, from where it is a short walk to
the summit and the vistas out across the surrounding landscape are quite
breathtaking. From here there are unrestricted views in every direction, from
the Marrakesh Plain to the High Atlas in the north and as far south as the
Anti-Atlas and the Sahara. Pliny, the great Roman scholar, once described the
High Atlas Mountains as "the most fabulous mountains in all of Africa" and from
our vantage point high above the valley it is easy to understand why. Retracing
our steps we then return down the mountain and head back towards Imlil where we will spend the night amongst the Berbers, staying in a traditional village
house.

General Information

Duration:

2 Days

Location Start:

Imlil

Location Finish:

Imlil

Payment Types:

Credit/Debit Cards, Paypal, Cheque, Travellers Cheque, Payment Transfer

We Speak:

Spanish, French, English

Extra Information

Inclusions -

diner

Extras -

I (Mohamed) offers a wide range of private treks for all abilities for those planning a trip to Morocco, from basic one day guided walks to full package treks, including transfers to the starting points of the trek, accommodation, food, guide, mules, tents, kitchen materiels and much more. I'm able to suggest itineraries to meet the requirements of visitors based on the number of days available, number of group members, from solo traveller to large groupe, etc.. I hope this is helpful, please feel free to visit my website and do not hesitate to write me for further details; Tel : 00212 68 76 01 65