Atlas Trekking

[die Tourbeschreibung ist momentan nur auf Englisch verfügbar]

Day 1
Marrakech

Marrakech, one of Morocco's favourite cities, is known as the country's ‘pearl of the south' and is surrounded by the spectacular peaks of the Atlas Mountains. Explore the maze of bazaars and spice markets, and indulge in a traditional mint tea or thick Moroccan coffee. In the evening you can visit Djemma el-Fna, the city's huge open air square that comes alive with fire-eaters, snake charmers, jugglers and musicians. You also have the option to visit the famous Ait Benhaddou, one of the most exotic and well-preserved Kasbahs in the Atlas region.

Day 2 to 6
Atlas Trek

We now begin our 5 day trek into the Atlas Mountains. The Atlas Mountains is the greatest mountain range of North Africa, and it is a beautiful, intriguing region to discover. With a remoteness retained until only recently, the region contains villages where the way of life has changed little for centuries. All meals will be included during the trek. For information about what you need to bring please refer to the notes at the bottom of this dossier.

Day 2: Marrakech – Aremd
Upon arrival in Imlil we commence our trek. We begin with an afternoon of easy hiking in the valley area, visiting the Berber village of Aremd where we will stay overnight (1950m). Acclimatising gradually, we will have time to admire the beautiful scenery made up of rugged Atlas peaks and wild expanse. We return to Aremd for our overnight in the Gite (traditional rural retreat).

Day 3: Tizi n Tamatert – Ouansekra – Tachadirt
We will wander through the wilds further off the beaten track. Our mountain guide will point out the local fauna and interests of the surrounding area. Reaching the Tizi n Tamatert pass (2297m) on our way towards Tachadirt, we pass villages of the Massif Nimnane. You will also gain an insight into the agricultural traditions of the Mountain Berbers, the irrigated terraces reaching up high along the banks of the valley. We trek back to Armed and stay at the same Gite overnight (this allows us to leave excessive luggage in the morning while we trek today).

Day 4: Amsakrou – Aguersioual – Taddert
Today you will see that these areas are simply a wonder to trek though. We will wind along at a slow pace passing traditional mountain huts and watching the scenery change before our very eyes. We trek back to Aremd to stay our final night here.

Day 5: Sidi Chamarouche – Neltner Refuge
We leave Aremd behind and trek to the beautiful area of Sidi Chamarouch. This is a quaint Berber village set beside a waterfall and small stream. You can view the impressive Jbel Toubkal, at 4167m the highest peak in the Maghreb. We then set off to the Neltner Refuge where we stay in dormitory accommodation beneath a sparkling night sky.

Day 6: Toubkal
We have an early morning departure to hike to the summit of Toubkal, the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains at 4,167m. The ascent is not too difficult but you may encounter some steep, slippery scree slopes. The panoramic view from the summit makes the hard work worthwhile! We will then return to the campsite for our last night in the Moroccan wilderness.

Day 7 to 8
Imlil - Marrakech

We descend to Imlil where we leave behind the trails of Morocco, meet our transport, and head back to Marrakech. We then have one last chance to trawl the markets buying our final souvenirs and observe the snake charmers and voodoo medicine men. Our adventure finishes in the morning after breakfast on day 8.