Wild Morocco Atlas Mini- Traverse Trek
Challenge yourself in an East west 4day mini-traverse of the western high Atlas, during which you will be engaged in superb canyons carved in granitic rocks (ourika valley gorges), visit the beatiful and remote village of amenzal and meet in lucky days a monkeys colonies feeding on walnut trees. Get high in the adrar n dern and meet the local shepherds before you go again higher above the Tizi n Likemt to joing the green valley of Imnane and drive back to Marrakech
Itinerary
Day1 : Marrakech - Setti fadma - agadir n Ait Boulemenae -- trek to Assak 2100 m :
After breakfast we board our transport for the 1 ½ hour drive to the trailhead. For 45 minutes, the road south crosses the empty plains, the outline of the High Atlas becoming gradually more apparent. After another 15 minutes there is a turn off to Oukaimeden, Morocco’s largest ski area, and then it is half an hour through the increasingly lush Ourika valley to Setti Fatma. This trailhead at the eastern end of the High Atlas has always been popular with the Moroccans but foreign tourists traditionally have centred around the increasingly busy town of Imlil. The fertility of the valley is immediately apparent with stores selling boxes of apricots, plums, melons, cherries, oranges and apples. Restaurants on the far side of the river, accessible over precarious bridges, arrange their plastic seating in the shade of the fruit trees.
You will probably go on another km to end of the track at Agadir n-Ait Boulmane (1,498m/4,915ft) to pick up the mules. This is a more attractive Berber village, busy with women returning from the fields laden with bundles of long grass for the cattle. From here it is about a five hour walk to our first camp.
The valley from here to camp at Assaka is along what the locals refer to as "the gorges". Whilst they are not by any means vertical sided, they are geologically unusual in the Atlas mountains, and in the spring the valley bottom becomes an intricate maze of irrigation channels making every possible square inch cultivable. The locals are happy to wander along the valley bottom enjoying the shade of the trees, the running water and the socialising. Of course this means a lot of walking along the sides of irrigation channels, hoping from boulder to boulder, and crossing bridges made of little more than sticks and rocks (and they can do this with their eyes shut). For us, the mule path is a better option, climbing well up out of the gorges and giving us our first views of the surrounding landscape.
After 1¼ hours the valley splits with the right hand branch heading off towards Timichchi and Oukaimeden. We go left and soon after the mule track climbs high up on the left hand side of the valley. The berber village of Tamatert (1,655m/5,430ft) is reached after another hour or so, and by now the path is very much in the heat of the sun on the open hillside. The route up to the Tizi n’Tamatert is now very apparent and looks deceptively hard! A long hour, winding up through increasing numbers of Juniper trees, brings us to a pass on a rocky ridge with fine scrambly viewpoints. From here, the short trek back down into the valley is clear, as is tomorrow's climb back up and over the Tizi (col) n’Amenzil. It is only half an hour down to camp where the muleteers will be set up, and ready to greet you with a glass of berber mint tea! About 5 hours walking.
Overnight camping.
NB : after lunch, another possibilité is available which walk up to gorges all day till they get to the camp , for this wearing good sandals or trainers will be need to walk on the water
NB : on lucky days, its possible to see colonies of monkeys feeding on walnuts.
Day2 : Assaka – Amenzal – Amshishka 2600m :
It is an hour 1/2 up to Tizi Amenzal, climbing quickly through juniper trees, whilst the view of yesterday's walk opens up. The first col isn’t quite the top, that comes five minutes later with a fine view of the village of Amenzal just a few minutes away, and a long green terraced valley stretching out beyond. Up on the peak to the right is a tiny weather station designed to warn Setti Fatma of potential flash flooding down the gorges. Amenzal is rarely visited by tourists, and we may be invited into one of the houses to share mint tea, walnuts and bread dipped in olive oil. In the winter months snow reaches down this far making life especially difficult.
Beyond the village the path climbs steadily up the right hand side of the valley for 45 minutes, following the irrigation channels that come down from the mountains. The fields are full of women working and further up the teenagers will be out herding goats. The valley becomes more barren after the end of the cultivation, and we stop at a small azib (summer goat herders' huts) for lunch and relaxing evning below the col at the head of the valley. 5hours walking
Overnight camping.
Day3 :Amshishka - Tizi n Amshishka – Azib n Likemet 2500m :
After breakfast we start ou ascent zigzagging up (not as bad as it looks) to the dusty Tizi n’Imchichki, with 15 minutes on the level before the decent starts. It is almost 600m/1,969ft down to the riverside at Azib Tifnoute, It is a classic Moroccan descent, dry and loose, on which you can descend very quickly if you enjoy scree, or very slowly if you don’t!! after lunch by the river It’ll be somewhere between around 2 hours up the valley of Tinzert before you emerge through the summer villages Azib n Likemet and out to camp by the riverside. 6hours walking
Overnight camping.
Day 4 :Azib n Likemet – Tizi n Likemt 3555m – Tachdirth – Imlil –Marrakech :
Early morning after breakfast, we cross the river then start our walk through fields of barley and small cabane for animals, after an 1hours on lush green slppes our trail become more steep and slow ascent to the pass at Tizi Likemt (3,555m). The going is quite tough as there is a considerable amount of loose scree on the ground. At the top we enjoy amazing and fine view of the Toubkal massif before a long downhill descent to the village of Tachdirth where lunch will be served prior to say goodbye to your berber team and drive back to Marrakech.
Note : Itinerary is just a guideline and subject to change to suit local condition
After breakfast we board our transport for the 1 ½ hour drive to the trailhead. For 45 minutes, the road south crosses the empty plains, the outline of the High Atlas becoming gradually more apparent. After another 15 minutes there is a turn off to Oukaimeden, Morocco’s largest ski area, and then it is half an hour through the increasingly lush Ourika valley to Setti Fatma. This trailhead at the eastern end of the High Atlas has always been popular with the Moroccans but foreign tourists traditionally have centred around the increasingly busy town of Imlil. The fertility of the valley is immediately apparent with stores selling boxes of apricots, plums, melons, cherries, oranges and apples. Restaurants on the far side of the river, accessible over precarious bridges, arrange their plastic seating in the shade of the fruit trees.
You will probably go on another km to end of the track at Agadir n-Ait Boulmane (1,498m/4,915ft) to pick up the mules. This is a more attractive Berber village, busy with women returning from the fields laden with bundles of long grass for the cattle. From here it is about a five hour walk to our first camp.
The valley from here to camp at Assaka is along what the locals refer to as "the gorges". Whilst they are not by any means vertical sided, they are geologically unusual in the Atlas mountains, and in the spring the valley bottom becomes an intricate maze of irrigation channels making every possible square inch cultivable. The locals are happy to wander along the valley bottom enjoying the shade of the trees, the running water and the socialising. Of course this means a lot of walking along the sides of irrigation channels, hoping from boulder to boulder, and crossing bridges made of little more than sticks and rocks (and they can do this with their eyes shut). For us, the mule path is a better option, climbing well up out of the gorges and giving us our first views of the surrounding landscape.
After 1¼ hours the valley splits with the right hand branch heading off towards Timichchi and Oukaimeden. We go left and soon after the mule track climbs high up on the left hand side of the valley. The berber village of Tamatert (1,655m/5,430ft) is reached after another hour or so, and by now the path is very much in the heat of the sun on the open hillside. The route up to the Tizi n’Tamatert is now very apparent and looks deceptively hard! A long hour, winding up through increasing numbers of Juniper trees, brings us to a pass on a rocky ridge with fine scrambly viewpoints. From here, the short trek back down into the valley is clear, as is tomorrow's climb back up and over the Tizi (col) n’Amenzil. It is only half an hour down to camp where the muleteers will be set up, and ready to greet you with a glass of berber mint tea! About 5 hours walking.
Overnight camping.
NB : after lunch, another possibilité is available which walk up to gorges all day till they get to the camp , for this wearing good sandals or trainers will be need to walk on the water
NB : on lucky days, its possible to see colonies of monkeys feeding on walnuts.
Day2 : Assaka – Amenzal – Amshishka 2600m :
It is an hour 1/2 up to Tizi Amenzal, climbing quickly through juniper trees, whilst the view of yesterday's walk opens up. The first col isn’t quite the top, that comes five minutes later with a fine view of the village of Amenzal just a few minutes away, and a long green terraced valley stretching out beyond. Up on the peak to the right is a tiny weather station designed to warn Setti Fatma of potential flash flooding down the gorges. Amenzal is rarely visited by tourists, and we may be invited into one of the houses to share mint tea, walnuts and bread dipped in olive oil. In the winter months snow reaches down this far making life especially difficult.
Beyond the village the path climbs steadily up the right hand side of the valley for 45 minutes, following the irrigation channels that come down from the mountains. The fields are full of women working and further up the teenagers will be out herding goats. The valley becomes more barren after the end of the cultivation, and we stop at a small azib (summer goat herders' huts) for lunch and relaxing evning below the col at the head of the valley. 5hours walking
Overnight camping.
Day3 :Amshishka - Tizi n Amshishka – Azib n Likemet 2500m :
After breakfast we start ou ascent zigzagging up (not as bad as it looks) to the dusty Tizi n’Imchichki, with 15 minutes on the level before the decent starts. It is almost 600m/1,969ft down to the riverside at Azib Tifnoute, It is a classic Moroccan descent, dry and loose, on which you can descend very quickly if you enjoy scree, or very slowly if you don’t!! after lunch by the river It’ll be somewhere between around 2 hours up the valley of Tinzert before you emerge through the summer villages Azib n Likemet and out to camp by the riverside. 6hours walking
Overnight camping.
Day 4 :Azib n Likemet – Tizi n Likemt 3555m – Tachdirth – Imlil –Marrakech :
Early morning after breakfast, we cross the river then start our walk through fields of barley and small cabane for animals, after an 1hours on lush green slppes our trail become more steep and slow ascent to the pass at Tizi Likemt (3,555m). The going is quite tough as there is a considerable amount of loose scree on the ground. At the top we enjoy amazing and fine view of the Toubkal massif before a long downhill descent to the village of Tachdirth where lunch will be served prior to say goodbye to your berber team and drive back to Marrakech.
Note : Itinerary is just a guideline and subject to change to suit local condition
Trek & Tour Informations
Trek & Tour Prices
- Group 1 person : 490€
- Group 2 - 3 people : 315€/person
- Group 4 - 7 people : 275€/person
- Group 8 - 12 people : 210€/person
pRICES INCLUDE & pRICES DOES NOT Include
Include :
Does not include :
- Expert, Berber, English-speaking mountain guides
- Mules and muleteers to carry your luggage
- Berber Cook
- All meals on the hike
- Accommodation in a Berber village (gite)
- Round-trip Transportation between the trek and your accommodation in Marrakech .
- Camping Materiels ( Tents & Mattress)
Does not include :
- Travel insurance.
- Soft/alcoholic drinks
- Tips and personal expanses
Availability & dates
This trek runs from June to October and can depart at any date of your preference. We usually have several treks departing each week that you may join , please get in Touch!!
This trek is available to be booked independently (including transfers from Marrakech) or we can put together a full itinerary and quote to combine your trek with any of Marrakech, Essaouira, The Atlantic Coast and Sahara Desert
This trek is available to be booked independently (including transfers from Marrakech) or we can put together a full itinerary and quote to combine your trek with any of Marrakech, Essaouira, The Atlantic Coast and Sahara Desert
Accommodation
The accommodation will be camping, so this trek is only available from May to October.
NB : If accommodation is required in the Atlas Mountains either before or after the trek, we can always book you at our Guesthouse Dar Adrar in Imlil
NB : If accommodation is required in the Atlas Mountains either before or after the trek, we can always book you at our Guesthouse Dar Adrar in Imlil
Accommodation Example During a Trek in the High atlas
Camping
Essential Equipment / Kit hire
- Good walking boots and socks / good trainers for valley treks
- Personnel First aid Kit
- light Sleeping bag ( Summer)
- Lightweight waterproof over-trousers / rain-pants
- Water bottle or camel back (recommended)
- Soft-sided bag (50-80 litres)
- Lightweight daypack
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Torch and batteries
- Towel & all personal toiletries
Most of those equipment can be rented locally from our equipment shop in Imlil:
- Crampons : 5 €/ Day/pair
- Ice Axe : 3 €/day
- Walking boots : 5 €/day
- Sleeping bags : 2.5 €/day
- Rain Jackets : 3 €/day
- Walking Poles : 3 €/day/pair
- Back packs : 3€/day
- Stoves : 2€/day
Start Point ? Finish Point?
- You will be picked up from your accommodation in Marrakech city, many riads does not have access by car so the driver will park nearby and come to get you.
- You will be droped off at the nearest point to your riad/hotel , our driver can call your riad to meet you if needed.
How do you book & pay?
Find the trek you are interested in then contact us via E-mail to discuss your trek and check availability. Once the details of your trek (duration, route and number of people) have been agreed, we will make a provisional booking, giving the dates and cost.
To confirm your booking we ask you to pay a 20% deposit. This can be in Euros, pounds sterling or US dollars online via bank account. The balance is paid in Morocco by cash – again in Euros, sterling or dollars – at the beginning of the trek.
NB: if you can't carry cash, you can always pay again the balance online by bank few days before departure.
To confirm your booking we ask you to pay a 20% deposit. This can be in Euros, pounds sterling or US dollars online via bank account. The balance is paid in Morocco by cash – again in Euros, sterling or dollars – at the beginning of the trek.
NB: if you can't carry cash, you can always pay again the balance online by bank few days before departure.
What is appropriate to wear in Morocco’s smaller villages and in the Sahara Desert?
Morocco is a conservative and religious country, which means you always need to be mindful of your clothing choices. This is especially true in the country’s more rural areas, which include the Sahara Desert and its surrounding villages. As a general rule of thumb, you should always attempt to cover body parts considered “private”. For women, this means covering the arms (or at least the shoulders) and the knees up. For men, it requires covering up the shoulders and above the knee.
food on the trek
Meals on the trek are cooked by the Berber muleteers. The food is fresh and healthy. Example meals:
Absolutely. Just let us know about your catering preferences when you confirm your booking to ensure any dietary requirements are met.
Please remind as well your guide and cook on first day of the trek.
- Breakfast: Jam, bread, cookies, fruit, juice, butter, coffee, milk
- Lunch: salad, tomatoes, carrots, lentils, beans, rice or pasta, fish (sardines, tuna), seasonal fruit
- Dinner: Soup, classic Morooccan tajine, couscous, olives, nuts, fruit
Absolutely. Just let us know about your catering preferences when you confirm your booking to ensure any dietary requirements are met.
Please remind as well your guide and cook on first day of the trek.
What's about the luggages during the trek ?
Personal baggage, cooking equipment and food are carried by the mules, leaving you to carry only a rucksack with whatever you need close at hand for the day.
NB : Left luggages or unnecessary luggages can be left safely in our storage in Imlil till you come back from the trek.
NB : Left luggages or unnecessary luggages can be left safely in our storage in Imlil till you come back from the trek.
Extend your stay in Morocco’s Sahara Desert, Atlantic Coast or cities
All of our Mountain treks ca be combined with some other tours either to the sahara desert, Imperial cities or to the Atlantic coast, below are some options :
Lastest Reviews
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Every little thing was taken care of. My partner and I are very impressed with the amazing guides who got the balance between explanation and privacy right and their kind hearts. We will never forget this trip. I sincerely booking via this company. I was a bit worried paying the deposit via PayPal because I thought: what if it’s not as good as every review on trip advisor says it is? But honestly, don’t doubt. Most amazing company and guides.
Experience of a lifetime. Hiking and tour of southern Morocco
Mrs
/ Nora
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Aztat Treks made our trekking a great experience! Two friends from the Netherlands, accompanied by a friendly guide and skillful chef (and not to forget a strong mule) discovered the beauty of the Atlas Mountains during a 7 day-trekking. Overall we are happy with the arrangements by Aztat Treks.The company is flexible, reliable, customer-oriented and everything else that is needed to make your stay in Morocco a big success!
Perfect 2 Day Tour of the High Atlas
Mr
/ Boudewijn
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Contact US
We are always delighted to hear from past, current and future clients so whether you have a booking enquiry, want a conditions report, or some mountaineering advice please do get in touch :
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