Walking in Morocco with Paxtours
This itinerary offers a tough, yet
incredibly rewarding trek combining unforgettable mountain scenery with the
splendour and colour of Morocco and its traditional people, the Berbers.
Morocco is a diverse and spectacular land. It is where Europe meets Africa.
In the midst
of it all lies the majestic High Atlas mountain range, home to Jebel Toubkal
one of the tallest peaks of North Africa, standing at 4,167m. Reaching the
summit of this awesome mountain is the culmination of your week-long
challenging trek across this barren yet mesmerising mountain range.
For seven days, you will be climbing and scrambling over
North Africa’s greatest mountain range, dominated by daunting
peaks and scattered with remote Berber villages. Goatherds and
their flocks will cross your paths as you make your way through lush green
valleys up into the mountains. From here you will navigate
your way over huge, obstructive boulders, loose rock and scree.
You will cross over to the green pastures of the Azaden Valley, winding your
way over summit after summit until arriving at Tizin’ Mzik peak before
making your ascent up and over seemingly endless scree fields. Finally, you
will get the chance to climb Jebel Toubkal, the highest point in the Atlas
range, with breathtaking views from the summit.
Trekking will be for 5—6hrs each day (8hrs for the Toubkal summit climb) and
will be strenuous yet incredibly rewarding. A good degree of fitness will be
required for this trip, however there is no technical climbing involved.
The challenge ends in the vibrant city of Marrakesh, where the southern
tribesmen and Berber villagers bring their goods to sell. There are a
multitude of open-air stalls, snake charmers, acrobats and magicians
providing plenty of excitement. You’ll also have a last chance to enjoy some
relaxation and last minute shopping before returning home.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Depart Sydney
Your Challenge Team will fly with Thai International Airlines from Sydney to
Rome with a connection to Casablanca and Marrakech.
Day 2: Arrive Marrakech
The flight to Marrakech arrives in the afternoon and you will be greeted and
transferred to a comfortable hotel for a relaxing dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Marrakech to the Atlas
Mountains
You will need to wake early for a tasty French breakfast before setting off
to the Atlas village of Imlil. The two-hour drive to the starting point for
your challenge takes you alongside the colourful fields and tree-lined
avenues surrounding Marrakech until the road gradually ascends into the
foothills of the High Atlas range. Eventually you will reach the village of
Imlil nestling at 2,000m at the heart of the Atlas Mountains. You will spend
the afternoon and evening learning about the land, meeting the guides and
muleteers, acclimatising and preparing for the days ahead. You will have
dinner and stay overnight at the Atlas Gite (hostel) in Imlil. Over the next
seven days, you will be climbing and rambling over North Africa‚s greatest
mountain range dominated by daunting peaks and scattered with remote Berber
villages. As you twist your way over the rugged ranges, you will be visiting
and staying in the vicinity of local villages of the traditional, colourful
and incredibly hospitable Berber people. The scenery will be ever changing
and dramatic. Great vistas from each summit reveal the enormous contrasts
from the stark barren mountain landscapes to the luscious green oases of the
lowland pastures. Shepherds and their goats will cross your paths and tawny
eagles and buzzards will circle overhead. Each day, you will head off early
in the morning, trek for a few hours and then have a lunchtime rest while
enjoying shade from the burning midday sun. After lunch you will set off
again and trek for another 3-4 hours before helping to set up camp with the
local guides and settle down underneath the stars for a good night‚s sleep.
Day 4: Imlil to Ouaneskra
Village
After an early breakfast, you will depart with mountain guides and mules
heading for the peak of TahaTert. Lunch will be taken along the way, and the
night will be spent at the Berber village of Ouaneskra. (Approx. 5 hours
trekking and ascent of 700m.
Day 5: Ouaneskra to Arg Imi Ourhlad
After breakfast, you will set off for the Assif Nimenene Valley, stopping
for lunch at the Ikkis Village. You will then continue to the Auskere & Arg
Imi Ourhlad peaks, stopping at Arg Imi Ourhlad village for dinner and
overnight stay. (Approx. 5 hours walking, descent of 300m, ascent of 400m).
Day 6: Arg Imi Ourhlad to Ait Aissa
After breakfast, you will depart for the Tizn'Techt peak. Lunch will be
taken along the way in the Azaden Valley, with dinner and the night spent in
a gite at Ait Aissa village. (Approx. 5 hours trekking, ascent of 600m,
descent of 400m).
Day 7: Ait Aissa to Imlil
Today you will depart for the Berber village of Tizi Oussem, and continue to
Tiznin‚ Mzik peak, descending to Imlil where you will stay for the night.
(Approx. 6 hours walking, ascent of 700m, descent of 700m).
Day 8: Imlil to Neltner
After breakfast, you will leave the gite at Imlil for Neltner, stopping for
lunch en route. The night will be spent at a gite in Neltner. (Approx. 5
hours walking, and an ascent of 1,400m).
Day 9: Neltner to Toubkal and
back to Imlil
After breakfast, you will leave for your final challenge, the summit of
Mount Toubkal! Your descent will take you via the village of Aghrem. The
night will be spent at the gite in Imlil. (Approx. 8 hours trekking, an
ascent of 900m, and a descent of 2,300m).
Day 10: Imlil to Marrakech
After breakfast, you will return to Marrakech by road, passing by fields of
green rushes surrounding the luscious orchards of the local villages. Lunch
will be taken in Marrakech. That evening after a celebratory dinner, the
night is free to explore the bustling and colourful city.
Day 11: Depart for Home (or
other parts of Europe)
A short time to explore Marrakech further before being transferred to the
airport for the flight to Rome to connect with the return flight to
Australia via Bangkok with Thai Airways.
Day 12: Arrive back in Sydney
The arrangements terminate on arrival back at Sydney Airport.
N.B. The itinerary is there as a guide and may change due to unusual weather
patterns, wildlife movements, the strength of the group and so on. In all
circumstances, the Team Leader will have the final say.
