Trekking in Toubkal Morocco

Day 1: Marrakech - Imlil - Sidi Chamharouch - Toubkal Refuge You will be picked up from your hotel in Marrakech at 0800h (08:00 am). You will travel in a private car accompanied by an English-speaking guide. Drive through the Moulay Brahim Gorges and the Upper valleys to reach the Berber trailhead village of Imlil (1740m), known as Morocco’s ‘Little Chamonix’, with streams and paths branching out in all directions. Here, with Jbels Toubkal, Aguelzim (3547m) and Aksouâl (3847m) looming over us, we shall leave our vehicle to take a welcome glass of mint tea in our gite d’étape. Following this we start our hike. 4 kilometers will bring us to the Assif n’Aït Mizane Valley and the Berber villages of Aroumd (Aremd) (1843m), whose pisé terraced housing perches on a moraine spur. Continue through Taourirt, Targa and Imoula to the equally-quaint sacred village of Sidi Chamharouch, set beside a waterfall and small stream. A further 8km through beautiful countryside brings us to a stop for our welcome picnic prior. Once refreshed we will follow steep mule tracks for some 3 hours to the Toubkal (ex Neltner). Here we will find the refuge where we stay for the night. Day 2: Toubkal Refuge - Jbel Toubkal Summit - Tizi n’Ounoums - Toubkal Refuge A very early breakfast to set out at around 5 in the morning to witness a spectacular sunrise and attain, after a 3hour steep climb, the highest peak in the Maghreb (4167m). The panorama from the summit is simply stunning. This remarkable climb and view is really worth the effort. The first recorded climb of this peak (in 1923) was made by the French mountaineers V. Berger, M. Doubleau and the intrepid Marquis de Segonzae. Whenever you are ready, we shall descend via the Ikkhibi Sud – or South Circuit – for a straightforward (with your guide) 2 to 3 hour descent back to the Refuge and our picnic. This afternoon, we shall take a gentle hike south-eastwards up for a couple of hours to the head of the Assif Aït Mizane Valley and Tizi n’Ounoums (3664m) which, from this high point, gives us a tremendous view of the trail we’ve covered and of the distant cobalt green outline of Lake Ifni. When ready, we return to the Toubkal Refuge for our welcome dinner and overnight accommodation in the Refuge. Day 3: Toubkal Refuge - Tizi n’Aguelzim - Tissi Oussem Another early breakfast and we set off towards the north-west up, down and along the stark slopes via winding mule tracks to the Tizi n’Aguelzim (3560m) affording us yet another spectacular view of jagged peaks and verdant valleys. From here we trek down for some 3 hours via some 72 hairpin, zigzagging tracks to the âazib Tamsoult (2145m), where we shall picnic by a stream. In the afternoon we shall visit the Tamsoult (also known as Irhoulidene) Cascade (2200m). We shall then proceed to our dinner and accommodation, which tonight will be in a gîte d’étape. Day 4: Tissi Oussem - Tizi M’Zik - Imlil - Marrakech After breakfast, and with the remarkable Jbel Toubkal overlooking us, we set off northwards along winding mule tracks worn into the stark slopes up to the Tizi M’Zik (2664m). We shall stop for our picnic near the Berber village of M’Zik with the beautiful Imlil Valley and the Adrars Algouli and El Hajj around us. Starting our homeward journey we follow mule tracks to the village Imir. Here our vehicle will be waiting for us to take us back to Marrakech.