Summary
This excursion combines mountain trekking with a walk in the Valley of Roses. In berber dialect Toubkal means “the mountain of mountains”. It is the highest mountain both in Morocco and in North Africa. Together we experience the sharpest contrast that nature can offer us: at the beginning – green and wild valleys, blooming roses and dense forests. Going up, we leave all that behind and dive into the remote world of the mountains. During the multi-day hike, we get a chance to familiarize ourselves with the local berber families and their way of life when we roam in the Valley of Roses. We walk along crystal clear rivers and through giant gorges, stop in green wide valleys and small berber villages, admire old kasbahs, relax in terraced gardens, breathe in the scents coming from fields of roses, seek shelter from the sun in the shade of walnut and fig trees. Then, in the blink of an eye, we dive into another world as we trek through the Atlas. Having arrived at the peak of the Toubkal, we will be rewarded with a breathtaking and inspiring view of the Atlas Mountains, the Sahara, the Anti-Atlas and the Saghro Mountains. We will spend many nights in a tent under the bright stars. This hiking tour is accompanied by guides local to the mountain range. The cook will prepare scrumptious Moroccan meals to your palette for the duration of the tour. At the starting point there is always breakfast, lunch on the way and dinner at the destination of the day trip. Of course, the dishes are prepared in a traditional Moroccan way. To stitch together our adventures, we use Marrakech as a base stop and return there a couple of times. There you will meet Moroccan jugglers, snake charmers, storytellers, soothsayer, artists and musicians, and stroll through the colourful, magnificent souks. We explore the labyrinth of the alleys of the old town of Marrakech and for a moment dive into the time of the folk tales of the “One Thousand and One Nights”.
This trip is ideal for those who like to hike in small groups, prefer demanding trails and enjoy the rewarding sights of colossal nature in all its beauty.
Highlights of the trip
• Diverse landscapes: endless mountain ranges, fields of roses, dense forests, spectacular gorges, wide green valleys, numerous mountain passes, picturesque villages and mysterious kasbahs with typical houses of clay and stone
• Cultural exchange with indigenous berber people and their customs and traditions
• Trekking and many overnight stays in valleys and mountains under the starry night sky
• Ascent of the 4167m high Toubkal peak
• Brief plunge into the secrets of Marrakech, the “Pearl of the South”
• English-speaking tour guide
• Familiar and cordial atmosphere in our team
• Delicious meals traditionally prepared by our cook
• Accompanying team of locals, berbers, with their dromedaries.
After your arrival in Marrakech we will be waiting for you outside the airport building. According to the new legislation, only passengers are allowed to enter the airport building, so we kindly ask you to exit the terminal and look for the sign of the agency at the exit. A member of our team will then welcome you and drive you to your hotel in the city centre. No activities are planned for this day, thus you can indulge in free leisure time. Relax or explore on your own the fabulous souks of Marrakech with their lively Moroccan oriental merchants and numerous colourful stalls. Marrakech is a safe city with many banks and currency exchange stores if you would like to change money. Our staff will be happy to advise you at any time.
We explore the city on foot and visit the Bahia Palace, Saadian tombs and the exterior of the Koutoubia Mosque, the largest mosque in Southern Morocco and one of the city's landmark. Then we stroll through the countless alleys and colourful souks of Marrakech. The afternoon is at your leisure. Our hotel is located near Djemaa el Fna Square where jugglers, snake charmers, storytellers, soothsayer, artists and musicians gather. There are numerous stalls where culinary specialities of the region are offered. Overnight stay is in hotel in Marrakech.
Distance 350km, approx. 5.5 hours We cross the High Atlas, passing through majestic places and taking beautiful photographs. The landscape is decorated with white peaks, bare and rugged mountain ranges. On the plateaus we can see archaic houses, made of clay and terracotta, with only steep winding roads connecting them to the outside world. We reach the 2260-meter-high Tizi n’Tichka pass and head towards the valley basin between the towns of Tadaout and Telouat. We visit the residence and the Kasbah of Taourirt of Pasha El Glaoui, who, in those times, was one of the most powerful men in Morocco and had owned about one-eighth of the entire country. Many well-known films and series have been shot in this area, for example, "Game of Thrones", "The Gladiator", "Lawrence of Arabia" and "The Jesus Video". Our route brings us through the Skoura oasis to Kalâat M'Gouna, the capital of the Valley of Roses. The city of Kalâat M'Gouna is located at an altitude of about 1400m, on the Road of a 1000 Kasbahs, in an area of rose cultivation. During the harvest season, about 500 tons of roses are harvested and processed into rosewater. The annual Rose Festival is celebrated here at the beginning of May. The festival lasts almost the whole month and is a special experience for all. Afterwards we continue on towards the village Taberkhacht, in the center of the Valley of Roses. There we will meet the local population. Overnight stay is in a hostel in the village of Taberkhacht.
Hike approx. 6 hours Today we begin the four-day trekking tour. We meet our berber fellows and load up their mules. Then we walk along the riverbank Oued M'gouna, passing green, fresh and fragrant fields, and visit ancient mysterious kasbahs. After lunch we arrive in the village of Boutaghrar and spend the night at the home of a berber family.
Hike 5 - 6 hours We continue on along the Oued M'gouna towards the village of Agouti. There we visit a few kasbahs and dive into their intriguing history. We enjoy our lunch in a scenic location, under the fig trees on the riverbank. In front of us we can see the impressive gorge of Agouti with its high and rugged rock cliffs, through which we will walk for about an hour. Our destination is the village of Alemdoun, where we spend the night in a hostel.
Hike 5 hours We cross a striking landscape and the forest of red junipers of Tamteda and arrive in the oasis village of Ighrem Akdim. We are invited to lunch by a berber family. In the afternoon we go for a walk in the surrounding area to discover small hidden local secrets. We spend the night at a home of a local family.
Hike 6 hours We walk and slowly reach the arid and remote plateau of Ait Atta, where the nomads (non- sedentary berbers) reside. In the afternoon our route brings us to the village of Ait Youl in the Dades Valley. The river of Dades crosses bare, reddish, surreal, porous and eroded rock formations, known as Monkey Fingers, and gives life to numerous oases of palms, olives, figs and fruit trees located nearby. We spend the night at the home of a local family in Ait Youl.
Distance 285km, approx. 5 hours The route between Ouarzazate and Errachidia has become known "The Road of 1000 Kasbahs". The beautiful old clay houses, the lush green of the oases and the reddish mountains on the horizon create dreamlike visuals. After a break and a short walk in Kasbah Taourirte, we hike on through lovely scenery to the Kasbah Ait Ben Hadou, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. From the top of the Kasbah we will have a beautiful view of the Ounila Valley and the Atlas Mountains, including the magnificent M'goun and Toubkal, the two highest mountains in the country. On our way to Marrakech we cross the 2260 meter high Tiz n’Tichka pass. Overnight stay is in hotel or riad in Marrakech.
Distance 65km, approx. 1.5 hours Hike approx. 5 hours, 620m ascent, 250m descent In the morning, following a full breakfast, we leave Marrakech and travel to village of Imoughlad. There we are joined by our berber accompanying team with their mules which will take care of transporting your luggage during the tour. Already on the first hike we experience the diversity of the landscape: thick forests, clear rivers, high barren mountains on the horizon and old-fashioned houses embedded in their terraces. Our tour leads us through the red juniper forest until we gradually ascent to the 2000 meter high pass of Tracht, from which we enjoy an outstanding view over the neighbouring valley. After a short break we descend to the village of Titian, where we spend the night in traditional tents or in a hostel.
Hike approx. 6 hours, 700m ascent, 650m descent We begin our day in the enchanting morning air and hike through a gorge in the shade of walnut and juniper trees to the pass of Teouti at an altitude of 2450 meters, where we can take pleasure in another grand view. Then we descend to the southernmost river of Morocco, Assaka, and reach a wide green valley. We lunch in the cooling shade of the treetops before leaving for the village of Tizguin Tikkent, where we spend the night in traditional tents or in a hostel.
Hike approx. 6 hours, 950m ascent, 450m descent Today we start with the ascent to the pass of Tougdalt at 2700m through the most exquisite and wildest landscapes around the Toubkal. After a break with a magnificent panoramic view over the mountains, forests and valleys, the first descent takes us to our lunch location on the small riverbank in Tizi Oussem via the hidden goat paths. After walking through the valley along the river Azaden, we descent 300m into the middle of a dense forest of juniper trees and continue until we reach the cozy Tamsoult. We spend the night in traditional tents.
Hike approx. 5 hours, 200m ascent, 750m descent After an energizing breakfast, we hike to the 2500m high Mezzik Pass, from which we can look up to the grandiose mountain ranges and landscapes of the High Atlas. Next follows an enduring descent to the villages of Mezzik and Imlil. The village of Imlil is also known as "Chamonix" of Morocco. We spend the night in traditional tents.
Hike approx. 6-7 hours, ascent 1250m Prepare for a truly adventurous day ahead as we climb uphill for 12km! We walk under the walnut trees past the village of Armed, which is situated at an altitude of 1900 meters. We continue up to the holy village of Sidi Chemharouch, where the tomb of the marabout (an Islamic saint) Sidi Chemharouch, who wrote the "Book of All Miracles", can be found. Take the opportunity to have a cup of local tea here and rest before the next hike. Following this pause, we hike up to the altitude of 3200 meters to our base camp at the Neltner cabin at Toubkal. This is the time to relax and get adapted to the thin air of the high mountains.
Hike approx. 10 hours, 1000m ascent, 1600m descent We start this morning well prepared for any weather, as we head to the summit of North Africa's highest mountain. We steadily ascent until we triumph over the 4167m high Toubkal, the highest point of Morocco. We have arrived. We're away from civilization. The air is thin and cold, but the joy of what we have accomplished and the unique boundless view over the deep gorges, the vast plateaus and the piercing snow-covered peaks warms our hearts. To the south we can look out at the limitless desert. The descent takes place on the same path back to our base camp, where a rich and substantial lunch awaits as another reward for today’s grand achievement. Now we trek towards the village of Armed or Imlil, where we rest overnight.
Hike approx. 5 - 6 hours, 400m ascent, 500m descent Distance 65km, approx. 1.5 hours We hike up to the pass of Tamatert at 2280m altitude and enjoy a stunning panoramic view. The wonderful landscapes along the way let us marvel at every moment and appreciate anew the natural wonders of this planet. Then we descend to the village of Tinghrin. We lunch at the riverbank in the shade of huge walnut crowns. In the afternoon we hike through the village of Ikkis up to the pass of Aguersioul. We take our final look over the Atlas Mountains before continuing to descend. At the end of our trekking tour we say goodbye to the accompanying team and travel back to Marrakech. In the city we take a brief tour together, in order to uncover the hidden secrets of the "Pearl of the South". Overnight stay in Marrakech is in a hotel.
At the end of our adventure together, we will bring you to the airport and wish you a pleasant journey home.
