TREKKING IN MOROCCAN ATLAS
Join us on this private, guided tour to discover the highlights of the Atlas Mountains, located in the Moroccan highlands.
We’ll meet in Marrakech and drive to Imi Oughlad on day 2 and start hiking. The journey takes you through the deep gorges and quaint villages of the Azzaden Valley to Tizi Tagrhourt, from where you can enjoy incredible views of the valley. Take pictures of the waterfalls in Toubkal National Park and continue your journey up the Ait Mizane Valley via Tizi Mzik, located at an elevation of 2,500m.
Discover the lifestyle of the Berbers (also known as the Amazigh), whose presence in this region predates the arrival of the Arabs and Islam. Learn their secrets to a long life as you dive into their culture. Make sure that you take in the towering cliffs of the Atlas Mountains en route to Imlil. This journey comes to an end in Marrakech.
This tour is fully guided and includes meals, a cook and a mule for carrying.
Highlights
- Trek through the rugged Atlas Mountains
- Stay with local families and learn more about the people and culture
- Discover Moroccan highlands
- Take photos of the waterfalls and gorgeous scenery in Toubkal National Park
Itinerary
Arrive in Marrakech and meet our representatives. Then transfer to your accommodation located in the city’s medina.
Your journey starts from Marrakech. Travel to Imi Oughlad and meet your guide, cook, and mule. Then strap on your hiking boots and hike through huge forests of juniper, pine, and oak trees as you head towards Tinzert, which offers beautiful views of the Ouirgane Valley. Today you will spend around six hours hiking.
Travel through the Azzaden Valley while enjoying views of deep gorges and quaint villages. Your day comes to an end on reaching the village of Tizian where you will stay in a local house. You will spend around five hours hiking today.
Leave the Azzaden Valley and hike through forests of walnut trees. Stop by on reaching Tizi Tagrhourt to see the incredible spectacle of the Azzaden Valley from 1,990m. You will then travel to Tizgui village, where you can spend the night in a local house. It should take approximately seven hours to complete today’s hike.
Your day starts very early in the morning. This is when Berbers start to work the land, milk their cows and make bread. Hike through a trail while enjoying spectacular views of the Azzaden Valley. Your day comes to an end on reaching Tizi Ousseum. The journey takes around seven hours from start to finish.
The route today takes you past some large waterfalls in Toubkal National Park. Continue your journey up the Ait Mizane Valley via Tizi Mzik, located at an elevation of 2,500m. See towering cliffs of the Atlas Mountains en route to Imlil.
Enjoy a short trek today along Tidli and have your lunch above the valley while enjoying picturesque views of the whole area. Then get back to Imlil and drive back to Marrakech. Spend the night in a riad located in the city.
We will transfer you to the airport for your flight home. We hope you had a wonderful journey with us.
Services
Includes
- Airport transfers and transport as per the itinerary
- Accommodation in Marrakech and local houses in villages during the trek
- An experienced, English-speaking Mountain guide
- Meals as per the itinerary. A cook to prepare meals during trek
- Mules to carry your baggage and food and for riding if needed
Important Notes
Check-in after 2:00 pm & Check-out before 12:00 pm. Early check-in or late check-out is subject to room availability and may generate additional full-day room charges. * In some remote or protected areas in Africa, such as Uganda, solar power is the main source of energy which is not suitable for using Air Conditioners at their lodges, and they will provide fans in the room, and in fact, air-cons are not necessary in these National Parks or Reserves.
In case of snowing during November and February in the High Atlas Mountains, we would drive slower than usual to ensure safety. In this case, you may reach Erfoud later than expected. If snow blocks the road, we will stay in Midelt for the night, and head further south the following day. Though mostly clear days, winds are unpredictable in the desert area. And even luxurious tents are not totally sanding-proof on windy days. If you would like to return to the Erfoud hotel for the night, we could arrange it upon the availability of hotel rooms.
Your passport should be valid for a certain period beyond your intended stay in the destination country. The required validity can vary. Six months beyond your planned departure date from the destination country is a common requirement. And ensure you have at least 2 blank pages for visa stamps. Visa requirements vary from country to country; please consult your travel consultant for more details if you are unsure whether a visa is required for your trip.
Pick ups in each city or area via private air-conditioned vehicle as listed in the itinerary. Appropriate size vehicles will be used according to the number of your group to ensure you have enough leg room and luggage space. Please be aware that the arrival or departure transfer is based on all members arriving or departing on the same flight, additional cost will be charged when arriving or departing on different flights and separate transfers.
Spring (March – May) and autumn (September – October). Coastal areas such as Essaouira remain pleasantly warm and not too hot in summer (June – August). The Mediterranean north is pleasant in spring and summer.
We arrange an English-speaking driver for the entire trip. Whilst you tour at Fez and Marrakech, we will arrange private English-speaking guides on sites, and your driver will be in charge of driving you from site to site and city to city, of course, your driver is also able to give you general information on Morocco. On your request, we are also able to arrange a private tour guide throughout the entire Morocco trip with a supplement.
Ramadan is an annual month-long festival, during which travel can be a rewarding cultural experience, however some regular services may not be available during the day, such as restaurants or cafes, and occasionally travel can be disrupted by events. Your leader will adjust the itinerary accordingly, but please consider this when selecting your travel dates. You’ll find dates and further information in the ‘Climate and seasonal information’ section of the Essential Trip Information.
There are a couple of long travel days on this trip, particularly the day travelling to the Sahara Desert. Rest stops will be made on the way and you’ll be rewarded with great views on the drive itself.
