Hiking

Explore Africa’s majestic Atlas Mountains on this guided, full-day hiking and riding tour from Marrakesh. On this small-group tour, visit varied landscapes …

National Park of Toubkal

Hamish Brown The Mountains Look on Marrakesh Morocco has been an abiding passion of mine for more years than I care to remember. This walk took place in 1995, when I walked across the Atlas Mountains from end to end. It was around 900 miles and took 96 days – and it was absolute heaven! Usually people go walking to break from the routine, but after a trip lasting 3 months it’s the walking that becomes the routine! Reasons you need to know Toubkal is the best:  We started up in the north-east at a place called Taza, and finished on the Atlantic coast down at Tamri. Charles and I were both celebrating our 60th birthdays, but the most important man in the quartet was this man Ali. He’s good with animals, he cooks and he makes bread. He’s a Berber rather than an Arab, as are the other people living around the Atlas mountains. He speaks both those languages and English as well. And we needed someone else, so Ali chose Hussein, who only spoke Berber. We had two mules, which we called Taza and Tamri. Like any expedition, a lot of hard work goes on that you don’t see. Here’s a picture of me in my hotel room in Marrakesh on the evening before we started, with the provisions for the trip spread out on the bed, so I had to get them packed up before I could get some sleep. Once we were above 2000m, we hardly went below that height during the expedition. You can see how cold it was from the frost on the tent. The daily routine was that the mules were loaded in the morning after we had set off, they walked twice as fast and passed us, and the tent would be pitched ready by the time we reached the next camp site. We were walking through ever-changing landscapes, and climbing some of the mountains was a bonus. There are these incredible cedar forests, which is one of Morocco’s best-kept secrets. And there are these Barbary apes. The expedition started in March and finished in early July. In the first few weeks we had some appalling weather. The route was supposed to cross a high plateau cut into by some deep gorges, but at first the tracks were impassable with snow so we had to go down lower. This was good because it meant we visited new places. We were taken in by families, they were so hospitable, they made us meals and baked bread every day, but they wouldn’t take any payment. We had to get round this in some way, for example by giving something for the children. This is the only place with pitched roofs in the country, and there’s plenty of timber. They had a lot of snow while we were there – they dislike it as it lies on the roof and can leak through. At one point we were desperately going through the tall oleander bushes, ankle deep in water, trying to find a dry spot for the tent. You have to take the risk of spate seriously – a rush of water can come down a valley like an express train and could have swept us away, so we had to take care where to pitch a tent. After another diversion we eventually came out of the Middle Atlas onto a wide plain, which took us two days to cross to reach the High Atlas. We came to Imilchil, known as the “Lhasa of Morocco”, which is a town high up in the mountains with some of the old architecture. We were there for souk day, which is a weekly market, really it’s their supermarket [colourful photos of goods on sale]. Once two people shake hands on a deal, that’s it. There’s a lot of recycling goes on, with things made from scrap – old oil cans, coffee tins, tyres, all turned into something useful. The Central Atlas is a popular area with Jebel Azourki the highest mountain [9th highest in Morocco at 3677m]. It was still under snow and we were diverted, but saw other mountains. For example we saw the “Cathedral” – and decided to come back another time to climb it. There’s a big valley, the Zaoui Ahancal valley, with the town of Ahancal with fine old buildings and a remarkable gorge. We had a spare day here so it was a chance for Charles to try riding a mule – he said never again! This area is called the Chamonix of Morocco – it has the gorge and cliffs twice as high as Ben Nevis. The people count their wealth in sheep and goats. We tried to climb Azourki, but didn’t get up because of the snow, requiring ice axes, crampons etc.  It was the only failure of the 30 summits we took in on the trip. Then we reached this upland valley, called “la Vallee Heureuse” – it once had a lake here so the ground is very fertile and produces good crops. We spent three days there and from then on we were joined by small groups of friends who joined us for stints of a fortnight each.   No two door designs are the same. The mules needed servicing [someone working on the hooves of one of them]. No mules had been asked before to walk 96 days, so they couldn’t grow the horny bits fast enough. At the end, Ali and Hussein got the mules rather than payment. There’s a lot of bare strata in the mountains, unlike in Scotland, where everything is grown over. We went through a pass, the Tizi Tighfist, with wonderful prehistoric art from about 4000 BC, and you can clearly see that they show shields and hyenas. We were there for an important Islamic sheep festival and had to buy one.  We had mutton for a week! There’s a huge block of a mountain, Jebel Rhat, that you can just see from Marrakesh – it would take about a week to walk round it and we wanted to include it. We got marvellous food prepared for us,

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Top 10 Treks in Morocco

The Amazing 10 Treks in Morocco Morocco is undoubtedly the most interesting trekking land in the Maghreb, the most varied also alternating high desert mountains, green valleys, dry canyons, oases, and dunes. In the hollow of the valleys, the Berber villages welcome hikers with their legendary hospitality. A great opportunity to discuss and discover Berber traditions still alive. After 8 trips to Morocco, here are my top 10 treks in Morocco. I have almost all done them. Toubkal Ascent The best known and also the most popular of all routes in Morocco, the Toubkal trek is nevertheless a great classic that I have not done. According to many friends who have climbed it on a 2, 6 or 12 day trek, it is splendid. Depending on the duration of the trek, we start from Imlil (2-day version), Ouakaimedem or Aguersioual (1-week version) but other options are possible and for the longest trek, there are even more variants Mgoun Ascent This is the first trek I have done in Morocco, it was in 2003 if I remember correctly. Before the days of I-Trekkings. And what a trek! Departing from the valley of Aït Bougmez, we reached the summit of M’Goun before moving onto the southern slope of the massif through the gorges of M’Goun and ending with the valley of Roses at El Kelaâ M’Gouna. 11 days of walking. My first experience was with a local agency as well and with Moroccan hospitality. A trek that somehow contributed to my desire to create Trekking holidays in Morocco. Alas, I no longer have the story. Some silver photos remain in an old photo album. Eastern High Atlas The best known and also the most popular of all routes in Morocco, the Toubkal trek is nevertheless a great classic that I have not done. According to many friends who have climbed it on a 2, 6 or 12 day trek, it is splendid. Depending on the duration of the trek, we start from Imlil (2-day version), Ouakaimedem or Aguersioual (1-week version) but other options are possible and for the longest trek, there are even more variants Aït Bougmez valley Softer, the Aït Bougmez valley, the “happy valley”, lends itself to pretty walks through fields and villages. It’s not really a trek or it has to be joined to a larger route like on my ascent of M’Goun or in the Eastern High Atlas.I even stayed there for a week on one of my trips to Morocco. Leaving from an ecolodge, I explored across and across the valley and even a little beyond: the Aït Boulli valley or the Izourar plateau. Great crossing of the High Atlas This is the trek that I would like to do. In the catalog of major French trekking agencies, the route begins in Iskattafen on the heights of Aït Bougmez.In 17 days of walking, heading towards Imlil. Along the way, ascent of M’Goun, Anghomar and Toubkal (at the end) and passage through the Tessaout valley. A major route. The Saghro mountains We take the southern route for the following 5 treks. Starting with Jebel Sargho, sometimes nicknamed the Moroccan Hoggar. It is a pre-Saharan massif that will appeal to minerality lovers: tabular plateaus, basalt columns and dry wadis make up the landscape.It is not uncommon depending on the season to meet Aït Atta nomads. Jebel Siroua Another massif in the Anti-Atlas, the Jebel Siroua trek is an itinerary that has excited me. Not many people are going to walk there, it is incomprehensible, especially since it is the only region of Morocco to cultivate saffron.The 5-day trek starts from the village of Tamazight and ends in Ifrane. The massif is inhabited in its northern and southern parts, where you cross beautiful villages in mud houses surrounded by almond trees. In the center, it is the silence of the mountain that accompanies hikers. A real favorite! The Anti-Atlas around Tafraoute The Tafraoute mountains are the 3rd massif which constitutes the Anti-Atlas. But unlike Siroua and Saghro, the Tafraoute sector is wetter because it is closer to the Atlantic Ocean. Depending on the recent rainfall, the landscapes are more or less green, which offers a striking contrast between the green of the valleys and the pink of the rocks. Again, few hikers in this magnificent sector. Dunes and oasis of Draa Let’s finish these top 10 treks in Morocco with two desert routes. Departing from the Draa oasis, we discover the abundant life of this string of adobe villages and then step into the desert. The week ends in the heart of the dunes of Erg Houidi before reaching the Ksar de Bouno and the palm grove of Oulad Idriss. Camel trek in the Moroccan Sahara This time starting from Oulad Idriss, this itinerary in the Moroccan Sahara explores the western part of the dunes of the palm grove located between Wadi Draa and Jebel Bani. 6 days of walking on a very beautiful itinerary alternating ergs and regs, all the ways of the Moroccan desert in one trip. I highly recommend. Home to some of the most beautiful mountains in the world, Morocco lends itself to hiking all year round. In summer, you can climb Jebel Toubkal, the highest point in North Africa, while in winter, when the snow makes the High Atlas impassable, Jebel Sarhro remains accessible. The Rif chain is ideal for mid-season.

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