Toubkal, valles y cimaA unos cuantos kilómetros de Marrakech se encuentra el Toubkal. Con sus 4167m, es el techo de Marruecos y del África Septentrional. Llamada por los beréberes “la montaña de las montañas” (Adrar n’ dern), además de una cumbre, el Toubkal es un macizo montañoso lleno de sorpresas.

ItinerarioDía 1 :: Llegada a Marrakech
Te estaremos esperando en el aeropuerto de Marrakech, da igual la hora a la que llegues. De ahí nos trasladamos al hotel en el centro de la ciudad. Mientras llegan todos los participantes, puedes pasar la tarde visitando el centro de Marrakech.

Día 2 :: Marrakech – Tiziane
Salimos de Marrakech por la mañana en nuestro minibús privado. Después de admirar el paisaje de Marruecos un rato, llegamos al punto en el que empieza nuestro trek, donde nos encontramos con las mulas y el cocinero que nos harán estos días la vida mucho más fácil. Cruzamos el pueblo de Imioughlad y empezamos el ascenso hacia el primer collado de esta aventura. Desde el collado, a 2000 metros de altura, tenemos unas preciosas vistas de las regiones de Tigouga, Taroudant, y de las montañas Angour al norte. Por la tarde llegamos al pueblecito de Tiziane. Tiempo de marcha: 4h30

Día 3 :: Tiziane – Tizgi
Nos levantamos pronto para hacer parte de la subida del día en sombra. Pasamos el collado de Teouti, a 2400m, y después bajada hacia el pueblo de Assaka. Aquí comemos. Después nos toca subir de nuevo para llegar a Tizgi, donde montamos el campamento. Tiempo de marcha: 6h

Día 4 :: Tizgi – Azib Tamsoult
Esta etapa se desarrolla en los paisajes más bonitos y salvajes del macizo del Toubkal. Hoy encontraremos rebaños de ganado con sus pastores beréberes. Después de la subida mañanera, bajamos hasta el cauce del río Azaden, donde comemos. Con las fuerzas renovadas, por la tarde subimos hasta el campamento de Azib Tamsoult, a 2250m. Tiempo de marcha: 6h

Día 5 :: Azib Tamsoult – Campo base del Toubkal
Hoy es un día intenso, en el que aumentamos significativamente la altura media del trek. Tenemos enfrente nuestro la exigente subida al collado de Aguelzim, a 3450 m. La subida es larga pero progresiva. Una vez en el collado podemos admirar la cima del Toubkal, cada vez más cerca. Luego descenso hasta el campo base del Jbel Toubkal, a 3200 m. Tiempo de marcha: 6h30

Día 6 :: Ascensión del Jbel Toubkal
Llegó el gran día. Con 4 días de marcha a nuestras espaldas, las posibilidades de coronar la cima del Toubkal son muy grandes. Empezamos el día muy pronto, de madrugada, para evitar lo más posible el sol en la subida. Después de 3 horas de empinada subida, llegamos a la cima del Toubkal, la montaña más alta del Norte de África. Todo el esfuerzo se ve recompensado por las impresionantes vistas que tenemos ante nosotros. Después de saborear intensamente este momento, iniciamos el descenso al campo base. Ahí comemos y luego continuamos el descenso hasta el pueblo de Imlil, donde pasamos la noche. El descanso de hoy nos lo hemos merecido, ya que tenemos 3500 m de desnivel acumulado en nuestras piernas. Tiempo de marcha: 7h30

Día 7 :: Senderismo por pueblos beréberes
Hoy tenemos una etapa “relajada” a lo largo de varios pueblos beréberes. Subimos a un collado y luego caminamos por el bonito valle de Imenane. Por la tarde nos trasladamos a nuestro hotel en Marrakech. Tiempo de marcha: 5h

Día 8
Traslado al aeropuerto de Marrakech y despedida hasta la próxima aventura juntos.

Camel Trekking in MoroccoFor many visitors in a foreign country, dealing with tour operators gives them peace of mind, knowing that their accommodation, travel and activities while on vacation are taken care of. Tour operators not only provide guided tours, but are able to offer visitors a variety of attractions and fascinating activities to enjoy. One adventure that visitors are recommended to look in to is camel trekking across the deserts and dunes of Morocco. It is an experience that is unique and exciting, and will be a memorable time for tourists of all ages.



Camel trekking is not only a fun activity for tourists, but is a part of the tradition of the country as nomads have used camels as a form of transport for centuries. Following in their footsteps is an unforgettable experience, and visitors will have a few options to choose from. The most popular camel trekking adventure is an excursion into the Sahara Desert. Traveling by camel on the ridge of a dune in the late afternoon with nothing around you but sand, tranquility and open blue sky, must be experienced and cannot be explained. Finding the ideal camping area for the evening, and sitting on the dunes watching a breathtaking sunset is one of the most picturesque experiences and one that visitors will never forget. Clear skies filled with bright stars and the silence of the desert surrounding you is what travelers can anticipate on a camel trekking experience. There are different day treks that visitors can go on, ranging from one day adventures to eight days, the journey depends completely on the visitors’ preferences.

There are two main regions, Erg Chebbi by Merzouga and Erg Chigaga (or Chegaga) by Mhamid:

Morocco desert tours to Erg Chebbi are very popular with tourists. These sand dunes are promoted in many guide books, Morocco tour packages and hotels. It is due to the fact, that there are many Auberge built right in the desert, trying to attract guests. Here you can go dip yourself in the swimming pool or sip a cold drink atop a terrace to view the desert. You can even safely wander in the immediate dunes without needing a guide. Or you can have your morocco tour of these sand dunes arrange with a camel trek and overnight in the Nomad tent. There is also a possibility to overnight in very luxurious tents where you have your own private bathroom facilities and comfortable bed just like in 5 star hotel. These sand dunes are described as the highest sand dunes of Morocco. Erg Chebbi dunes are 22 km long and 5 km wide with the tallest sand dune reaching only 150m, while the tallest sand of Erg Chigaga is 300m tall. Erg Chigaga, home to semi nomadic Berbers Ait Atta, spreads over 40 kms and the tallest sand dune Lahbidia is 300m high. These sand dunes contrary to Erg Chebbi are not easy to reach. You can travel to them only by camel (about 3 days) or by 4×4 wheel drive from Mhamid or Forum Zquid (65kms off road through desert landscape). The best way is to organize a Morocco desert tour to Erg Chigaga is with Morocco tour operator. There are no auberges in Erg Chigaga, the only type of accommodations is Nomad tent without luxury.
As someone said If Erg Chebbi was nice then Chigaga was awesome, mindblowingly beautiful. A lot less tourists and one can really experience the solitude of the desert there. Its something you cannot describe to someone who hasnt seen it with his own eyes.

Camel trekking along the coastline is also available, but usually takes between five to eight days to complete. Guides are able to share countless stories with visitors, and provide valuable information in regard to the camels, the history of camel trekking and knowledge about the desert that they have gained through experience. Whether it is a one day excursion or multi-day adventure, camel trekking is an activity in Morocco that should be explored by all visitors to the country.

3 to 4 days Camel trek to Erg Chebbi

3 to 4 days camel trek to Erg Chigaga

2 days trip to Zagora and draa valley

In Morocco’s mountainsThere’s solitude high up in the Atlas Mountains – only your guide, your mule and a few excited locals will know you’re there



Anthony Sattin
The back of beyond used to be easy to find. It was a village called Imlil, a 90-minute drive out of Marrakesh. From there, you trekked up Jebel Toubkal, North Africa’s highest mountain, to see something of the great unknown. Sleeping options were simple, too: either bring your own sleeping bag or throw down Berber blankets.

Cheap flights and Marrakesh’s racing popularity have changed things. Villages that could not be reached by road in the 1990s are now accessible by car and studded with television antennae. Richard Branson owns a kasbah in the shadow of the mountain. Toubkal has become the great known.

So, where to go without fear of bumping into your neighbour? People told me I should look up a mountain called M’Goun.

At 13,356ft, just 309ft short of Jebel Toubkal, M’Goun still feels remote. It’s not much more than 100 miles from Marrakesh, but it can take the best part of a day to get there – especially if, like us, you linger over breakfast in your riad and stop for lunch at the Cascades d’Ouzoud, memorable for the daring of the Barbary apes and the beauty of the waterfalls.

By the time we wound up towards the M’Goun peak, late sun was bronzing the foothills of the Atlas. Below was a vision of such extraordinary calm and beauty that we stopped to stare: an enchanted valley hemmed in by precipitous mountains, its green floor embroidered with a broad, meandering thread of gold.

“Welcome to the happy valley,” said our guide, Mohamed Aztat, when we stepped out into this Arcadian landscape next morning. We were two families – two couples and four children aged from 7 to 14 – and ahead of us was a four-day walk up the valley and over the shoulder of M’Goun’s lower slopes. Families Worldwide, which runs this trip, rates it as a medium challenge – there are some long walks, but no sheer climbs.There are places where the notion of trekking with children is a nightmare, but Morocco shouldn’t be one of them. No country I know is so well set up for family adventures. The secret lies in the simplicity of the arrangements – and the availability of mules.In the mountains here, these beasts are the only viable way to carry loads, so the more remote you are, the easier it is to find four-legged transport. What’s more, muleteers find lugging camping gear for walkers a good earner, and a break from the drudgery of carting supplies for locals. Our muleteers were especially happy, as we’d arranged for their mules to be lightly loaded so they could also carry tired children.We spent the night in Agouti, the sort of village where nothing stirs between sundown and sunrise. Our gîte was basic but manageable. As in the old Toubkal days, we slept on mattresses on the floor.Next morning, while the mules were loaded, we walked ahead along a track that followed the Ait Bougmez river. The valley was hemmed in by sheer rocks, but ascents were gentle and our trickiest challenge was to cross the river as it swung across the plain. Hopping over stepping stones kept the kids amused, and the sure-footed Mohamed Aztat ensured they made it without mishap.By mid-morning the sun had warmed the valley, and the younger children were beginning to tire. Right on cue, the mules caught up and the kids climbed on. There were no saddles, but our mattresses, laid over the mules’ wicker baskets, made for a cushy ride, and the children’s spirits revived as they moved ahead of us.A couple of hours later, we found them throwing sticks into the river, the mules unloaded, mattresses spread, and the cook preparing a lunch of salads, eggs, tuna and bread. We were less than 48 hours from home, yet already in remote, mountainous Morocco. The landscape changed repeatedly during our walk that afternoon. At times, we clambered through narrow gorges with barely space for a path between the river and the rock walls that contained it. At others, we spread out across broad, green fields, beneath trees that Mohamed identified as walnut and juniper.

As the sun dipped soft and low, we began a steep final pull up to Rougoult, and the children’s weariness disappeared as they realised that this village had no gîte – we would be camping. No camp site, either, so we pitched the tents in an idyllic, tree-trimmed spot near the river. Local kids came to watch, and the various children eyed each other while Mohamed unveiled the first of his surprises, a large mess tent. It could rain at any time up here, and he knew from experience that nothing made foreign walkers more miserable than ending a long day with a damp dinner. After we’d eaten, he revealed the second neat touch, the “bathroom” – a small, man-sized tent with a toilet seat and a long drop.

There was something unexpectedly satisfying about walking up out of the Ait Bougmez valley the next day. I had been prepared for the beauty, the wildness, the challenge of climbing long slopes on city legs. But I hadn’t anticipated the fundamental joy you get from following a river through tight gorges, winding gullies and sharp ravines to its source – which in this case turned out to be on the lower slopes of Jebel M’Goun.

The source was a slit on a slope at about 9,000ft, from which water seeped down towards the valley. We reached it in time for lunch, to find our chef had got ahead of us and put up the mess tent to keep us warm – there was ice at this height. I couldn’t resist putting my head down for a postlunch nap.

However grand the Ait Bougmez had been, the panorama beyond the pass, down the Tessaout valley, was even more dramatic – a vast, primordial landscape that looked as if it was still being formed. Such immensity, we all agreed, tends to put life, its problems and obsessions into perspective. We walked down towards the first village with a sensation of overwhelming joy.

The Ait Atta, the tribe who live here, have responded to the grandeur of their valley by studding its slopes with remarkable houses, animal pens and fortified granaries, all built using materials found within walking distance, and therefore in perfect harmony with their surroundings.

This architecture is so pure, so exceptional, that in one village we came across a professor of architecture from Rabat university, bringing his students to observe construction techniques that haven’t changed in centuries. He said they were only to be found here and in remote parts of Yemen and Afghanistan.

The rogue colours in this world of blacks, beiges and greens were occasional clumps of irises and the multi-patterned clothes of the young girls who ran ahead to alert their families of our coming, or walked alongside holding our hands, beaming at this simple contact.

All the way, Mohamed interpreted for us – not just the Berber dialect, but so much else: the region’s geology, the properties of plants, the best way for our children to catch frogs, how corn is ground . . . and a thousand other differences in the life and thinking of the lucky people who live in the happy valleys that slope down towards what now seemed a more comfortable but much less extraordinary world.

On our final night, we shared a larger gîte with another group of foreigners, and had electricity for at least some of the evening. By then, the children were sufficiently familiar with their new environment to run around with the village kids. They came from different worlds, shared no language in common, but that didn’t stop them playing tag through the village, running between houses and leaping over rocks as though they’d lived there all their lives.

We had experienced four days of remarkable landscapes, of walking up one river and down another, of seeing no other trekkers. The M’Goun had more than lived up to its reputation for being remote and rewarding. But for how long? Mohamed has had more people asking about walking here. And, as we saw when we finally reached tarmac the next day – our legs heavy, our hearts more so – the Moroccan government is encouraging visitors by improving the little-used road over the Atlas.

Before long, no doubt, coach parties will pop over from Marrakesh for lunch, Richard Branson will buy a kasbah, there will be beds in the gîtes and it will be impossible to walk far without bumping into your neighbour. For now, though, this is where to find the back of beyond.

Anthony Sattin travelled as a guest of Families Worldwide and Guided by Mohamed Aztat

Travel details:  Mohamed Aztat runs treks in the M’Goun and elsewhere in Morocco (00 212 6 68 76 01 65,www.atlastrekshop.com ).

Tours in the Mgoun Massif :

6 Day Mgoun circuit

5 Day Mgoun Traverse

AtlasTrekShop’s treks vary from day hikes in the beautiful lower areas of the High Atlas to much longer and strenuous treks through the Toubkal Massif, Tichka Plateau and other regions within Morocco’s fabulous mountains. Each trek can be pre-booked to start on any date, subject to sufficient notice, to suit your own holiday arrangements and for any number of people. Whether you wish to take a gentle hike in the Immouzer area (Paradise Valley) or a fully-guided trek to the summit of Mount Toubkal (North Africa’s highest peak) we can arrange everything.

Schedule your holiday – get to know the Moroccan public holidays 2013. Useful information whether shops and banks are open on holidays in Morocco.


Below are the public holidays in Morocco. As Muslim festivals are timed according to the various phases of the moon, dates may possibly vary. Exact dates in the lunar calendar are almost impossible to predict – they are actually set by the Islamic authorities in Fes depending on when the new moon is sighted.

The longest and perhaps most important festival in Morocco is Ramadan. Muslims fast during the day and feast at night during this period. Tourists may find that some businesses and restaurants are closed during this time, until the end of Aïd al-Fitr. Aïd al-Fitr and Aïd al-Adha.

Public Holidays Morocco

• January 1st – New Year’s Day
• January 11th – Manifesto of Independence
• January 24th – Prophet’s birthday ( Aïd al-Mawlid)
• May 1st – Labour Day
• July 30th – Feast of the Throne
• Agust 9th – Aïd al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
• August 14th – Fête Oued Eddahab (Oued Eddahab Allegiance Day)
• August 20th – Anniversary of the King and the People’s Revolution
• November 6th – Marche Verte (Anniversary of the Green March)
• October 16th – Aïd al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)
• November  5th – Muslim New Year
• November 18th – Fête de l’Indépendance (Independence Day)

During Ramadan, restaurants tend to open an hour after sundown so as to allow their staff and family to eat first. Alcohol is very difficult to come by during the Ramadan period. Bear in mind that the locals may be offended by tourists who eat and drink in public during daylight hours.

Holidays are best avoided if possible, as all banks, post offices and most shops close on the main holidays, as do many restaurants. Public transport can also be affected,

Moroccan Festival Dates

Once again, it is difficult to pinpoint exact dates, because the Islamic calendar differs from the Western calendar. The following festivals take place during the year, some of them are well worth travelling specifically to Morocco to see.

March

• Beni Mellal – Cotton harvest festival

May

• Berkane – Harvest festival of clementines
• El Kelia des Mgouna – Rose festival to celebrate the new crops
• Ben Aissa Moussem – a large festival to the saints, which includes amazing displays of fantasia , glass swallowing and other displays

June

• Music Festival – Held in Fez. Musicians from all around the world join in this festival
• Goulimine – traditionally a fair for camel traders
• Tan Tan – Guedra dance may be performed at this festival.
• Gnaoua Festival – Music Festival

July

• Marrakesh Popular Arts Festival – Traditional Moroccan folklore
• Tetouan – Moussem of Moulay Abdessalem which is celebrated very religiously in great splendor and ceremony.
• Sefrou – Festival of the cherry harvest
• Al Hoceima – festival of the sea harvest

August

• Asilah Arts Festival – Exposure for local artists
• El Jadida – Moussem of Moulay Abdallah. It features fantasias.
• Tiznit – Moussem of Sidi Ahmed ou Moussa. This is principally a religious festival.
• Immouzer du Kandar – a fete for the harvesting apples and pears.
• Immouzer des Ida Outanane – a honey festival which last about a week.

September

• Festival of the patron saint of Fez, which is a large religious festival
• Imilchil – a marriage festival in the Atlas mountains (see marriage customs) which also showcases traditional costumes and culture

October

• The Date Festival – Held in Erfoud

November

• Erfoud – a harvest festival

December

• Rafsae – olive harvest festival

Knowing when festivals and public holidays take place in Morocco can enhance a holiday and also make one aware of customs and the Moroccan culture.