Walking in Atlas Mountains, Morocco
| country: | Morocco |
| location: | Atlas Mountains, Mount Toubkal |
| trip type: | Moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | 2010: 14 May, 28 May, 11 Jun, 18 Jun, 25 Jun, 23 Jul, 6 Aug, 27 Aug, 3 Sep, 10 Sep, 24 Sep 2011: 13 May, 27 May, 10 Jun, 17 Jun, 24 Jun, 22 Jul, 5 Aug, 26 Aug, 2 Sep, 9 Sep, 23 Sep |
| price: | From £599 - £679 (8 days) including flights from the UK. From £299 - £349 excluding flights. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Walking in Atlas Mountains, Morocco
A short walking trip in the superb Atlas Mountains
Marrakech to the Atlas
The red-walled city of Marrakech is a vibrant mix of sight, sound and smell - with its colourful maze-like souks and narrow shaded alleyways in the medina. A short drive, but a million miles from the hectic city, the Atlas Mountains are a haven of peace. There are numerous trails and villages to discover as you explore the area on foot.
Mt. Toubkal Ascent
Trek up the steep, narrow, zig-zagging route to the summit of North Africa’s highest peak – Mt. Toubkal (4167m). The trek takes two days, with an overnight stop at Neltner. The views from the top are spectacular, often stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Sahara Desert!
Marrakech to the Atlas
The red-walled city of Marrakech is a vibrant mix of sight, sound and smell - with its colourful maze-like souks and narrow shaded alleyways in the medina. A short drive, but a million miles from the hectic city, the Atlas Mountains are a haven of peace. There are numerous trails and villages to discover as you explore the area on foot.
Mt. Toubkal Ascent
Trek up the steep, narrow, zig-zagging route to the summit of North Africa’s highest peak – Mt. Toubkal (4167m). The trek takes two days, with an overnight stop at Neltner. The views from the top are spectacular, often stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Sahara Desert!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly to Marrakech Fly to Marrakech. On arrival in the late evening you transfer directly to your hotel. Even today, the name Marrakech conjures up images of scenes from The Arabian Nights with its busy souks (markets) and twisting alleyways. This remarkable city, dating from the 11th century, never fails to satisfy the curiosity of adventurous travellers. It has everything from the graceful architecture of the Koutoubia Minaret, which dominates the skyline, to the throbbing atmosphere of a medieval fair in the great open square, the Djemaa el-Fna, in the heart of the medina. Hotel - 2 nights The hotel is located just outside the city walls around the old Medina. It is about a 25 minute walk to the main square Djemaa el Fna but close to local shops and restaurants |
| Day 2: | Marrakech; city tour This morning you wake early to an unfamiliar sound - the muezzins calling the faithful to prayer in the various city mosques - your first contact with Islam. After breakfast you’ll have a walking tour of the city centre with a local guide. This takes in the main sights but the most exciting part is when you enter the sprawling souk. Here individual trades and crafts are concentrated together in a single street or area, so all the shoemakers are next to each other, as are the jewellers, the potters, the weavers, etc. This is the best place in Morocco to sharpen your bargaining skills and you’re almost certain to be tempted by some of the extraordinary variety of merchandise on display - even if it's only a trinket or a packet of exotic spices. In the afternoon you have time to wander and make your own discoveries. You could visit the Palais de la Bahia, built at the end of the 19th century for Si’ Ahmed ben Musa, the Grand Vizier of Soultan Moulay al Hassan. Only part of the palace is open, as the royal family still makes use of a fair proportion of the building. The beautiful courtyards and splendid living quarters provide a picture of a grand bygone lifestyle. Another possibility is Dar Si Said, housing the Museum of Moroccan Arts. This former royal townhouse now contains beautiful art and craftwork from all corners of the country. If you’d like to experience the relaxation of a traditional bath, your Group Leader can advise where to find the nearest hammam; for just a few dirhams, you’ll be steamed and scrubbed until you shine! (B) |
| Day 3: | Aremd; orientation walk This morning you leave Marrakech and drive across the plains towards Tahanaoute, an ancient marketplace on the edge of the mountains. The landscape changes as the plains gradually give way to mountains, with the impressive snow-covered peaks of the High Atlas looming in front of you. Following the road right to its end you arrive in the village of Imlil (1790m above sea level). From here it is about a 50 minute walk to your mountain base, a typical Berber house in the village of Aremd with views up the valley towards Toubkal. This afternoon you’ll stretch your legs with an orientation walk. Gite d’étape – 2 nights (BD) A gite d’étape consists of a village house with simple dormitory rooms each with space for approximately 8 people. Each room is generally furnished in traditional Berber style with low couches (which can be used as beds), tables, carpets and cushions. On warm nights it’s generally possible to sleep out on a terrace under the stars. Communal facilities usually consist of a couple of showers and toilets. Gites are generally found in villages on walking routes. Showers (sometimes hot ones!) may be available in gites but these will be offered at an additional cost of around 70p to £1. |
| Day 4: | Aremd; Atlas Mountains You’ll explore your surroundings with morning and afternoon walks in the mountains (total walking time approximately 6½ hours plus the option to do more). The High Atlas region is a mix of fertile valleys and soaring, barren snow-capped peaks. Flat-roofed Berber houses constructed with local materials huddle together to create fortress-like villages which blend almost seamlessly into the mountainside. The many trails and tracks which criss-cross the area provide numerous opportunities for walkers and the ideal way to make the most of this stunning area is on foot. (BLD) |
| Day 5: | Neltner Refuge; trek on Mt Toubkal Today you embark on the first day of your ascent of Mt. Toubkal. This is normally only possible during the summer (June to September) as there is too much snow on the high slopes at other times of year. It’s a demanding two-day walk that should only be considered by anyone who is fit and has plenty of mountain-walking experience. From Aremd the trail leads past orchards up the floodplain of the Mizane Valley before climbing steeply, as it zigzags up the mountainside. All baggage and provisions are carried by mule - the multi-purpose all-terrain vehicles of the mountains. Used to plough fields, carry loads from valley to valley (often up incredibly steep and narrow tracks), turn threshing machines and even act as taxis ferrying people between the villages! Mules are an indispensable part of Berber life in the mountains. Along the way you reach Sidi Chamarouch, a place of pilgrimage for Moroccans who come to the tomb of the local marabout (Muslim holy man). You can only see the shrine from across the gorge, as it’s forbidden for non-Muslims to cross the bridge to the other side. Beyond Sidi Chamarouch the trail climbs steeply through a series of switchbacks, traverses the flank of the valley high above the river and brings you to the Toubkal Base Camp at Neltner (3207m). Approximately 5 hours walk. Camp - 2 nights (BLD) |
| Day 6: | Neltner; summit Mt. Toubkal Early this morning you set off for North Africa’s highest peak, Jebel Toubkal (4167m); the goal of many mountain walkers who visit the High Atlas. There is a steep final climb that can involve some scrambling, but the effort is rewarded by superb views from the summit of the entire Atlas range. On a clear day it’s even possible to make out the hazy outline of the Atlantic coast to the west and the sands of the Sahara Desert to the east. After resting on the summit, you make your way back to Neltner where you rest for the night. All in all it’s a long but rewarding day - approximately 8 hours walking (including rest stops). (BLD) |
| Day 7: | Marrakech; descend from Neltner You pack up camp and descend back down to Imlil (approx. 3 hours) where you meet your vehicle to drive across the plains back to Marrakech. As it is only about a 1½ hour drive you have almost a full day to explore the fantastic city of Marrakech, to sample the delights of this exotic city, visit some of the impressive sites or do some last-minute shopping. Hotel – 1 night (B) |
| Day 8: | Fly to London The trip ends in Marrakech for Land Only clients. Those on group flights to the UK transfer to the airport and fly to London. (B) |
B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
traveller reviews for Walking in Atlas Mountains, Morocco
The most memorable part was undoubtedly approaching the summit of Toubkal. After an arduous climb the views opened up across the Atlas range magnificently and suddenly the extra energy was found to push to the top. (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. how this holiday makes a difference
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On this trip: Our policy of staying in locally owned accommodation, having local guides and group leaders and using transport owned and operated by local people wherever possible is continued in Morocco. Our small groups (maximum of 16 people) have a minimal impact on the fragile environment as we explore. All tour guides are responsible for ensuring that the guests understand the nature of the environment that they are in and minimise the impact that they may have. We purify all drinking water instead of using bottled water, and use responsible cooking fuels (kerosene) instead of wood. There is real local contact during our stay in a typical Berber village house up in the mountains.
We have joined forces with Kasbah du Toubkal and Room to Read to assist in providing educational books for schools in Morocco. If you would like to offer your support to the project, please bring with you any educational books that will appeal to students from ages 5-18. Books can be in any range of subjects: children's story books, basic literacy and numeracy, geography, history, Tin Tin.... English/French dictionaries or any other educational equipment, pens, pencils, calculators, writing pads etc would also be gladly received. Please bear in mind when making your choice of books that Morocco is an Islamic country. Your group leader will take your contribution from you on arrival and happily tell you more about the project. For further details see www.roomtoread.org Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us. Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with Plan International. Plan works with some of the world’s poorest communities where three out of four children die before the age of five. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems. Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with Climate Care to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate – with set amounts from £5. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel in full. Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support, financially or otherwise, and now you can, too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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