Trekking tours in High Atlas region
Akabar - Sahara Treks also offers hiking tours from 3 to 8 days in the Atlas mountains. Our hiking areas are described below:
As is the case with the desert walks, our principle is as good as possible - with the exception of the ascent of mount Toubkal - off the beaten track and with the involvement of the villagers of the respective trekking areas. Our treks are guided by experienced guides and companions with donkeys or mules.
Season: April to October, Toubkal and M'goun June until the end of September
As with our desert tours we are flexible in the design of your wish tour. Contact us!
Our partners of Ait Bougoumez valley and subsequent areas, both experienced guides and cooks; they accompany the hikes with their mules.
Trekking with mules in Atlas mountains in the region between Azilal and Kelaa M'Gouna
Hidden treasures of the Atlas Mountains
- 4-day tour in the Ait Bougoume Valley: Hike to the mountains, after ascent to the mountains and overnight at a lake near to nomadic families, hike through the river plains, through old Berber villages and visit the dinosaur footprints, visit of an authentic weekly and/or animal market (souk) as well as the agadir Sidi Moussa. Overnight in tents or Gite d'Etappes.
- 5-day tour in the Zaouit Ahansal Valley: Tour from the Zaouit Ahansal valley over mountains, through old Berber villages and gardens, visit the Assam souk and further to the wide spread Ait Bougoumez valley, hike to Larrousse gorge. Overnight in tents or Gite d'Etappes.
- 5-day tour to mountain range of M'Ngoun (4071m): From Ikiss Laarouse, the tour continues over the plateau of Tarkdyet to the summit of the M'Goun and continues through Amsker Boutghnaz and impressive gorges and Berber villages to Rose Valley- Kelaa M'gouna. Overnight in tents or Gite d'Etappes.
- 7-day trip from the Ait Bougoume Valley to Kelaa M'Gouna in the Dadestal or vice versa: Hike along river valleys, through the Rose Valley; we see kasbahs, gorges, rivers and the mountains.
Market days:
Zaouit Ahansal: Monday
Assam Souk: Tuesday
Tabant: Saturday and Sunday
Mule trekking and mountaineering in the Mount Toubkal region
Akabar - Sahara Treks, in collaboration with its partners from the Toubkal region - Hassan Baghaze, Mohamed and Mohamed Baghaze, 2 cousins - offers various hikes in the High Atlas:
from the Toubkal ascension in 3 days to several days of trekking tours through the mountain landscapes of the High Atlas.
From Marrakech it is only 1.5 to 2.5 hours to the Toubkal region, where the guides wait with their mules. You can stay overnight in the tent or in one of the many Gite d 'Etappes. In the villages there is always the possibility to buy mineral water and food.
Trekking in this region requires both a very good endurance as well as tread safety. The ascent per day can be 1000 meters. At the Toubkal Base Camp you can sleep in the CAF Alpine Club Lodge (http://www.refugedutoubkal.com/), in the Mouflon Lodge (www.refugetoubkal.com) or use the Mouflon Lodge campsite. In the area of Imlil, where many treks begin, there are Gite d 'Etappes, smaller hotels or even apartments.
Hafid Benyachou and his partners are happy to plan a suitable tour for you.
Please contact us!
Information on trekking areas in the Atlas mountain range:
The Atlas is a high mountain range in the north-west of the African continent, stretching over 2300 kilometers from Morocco, Algeria to Tunisia. The highest peak is the Toubkal with 4167 meters of altitude. The Atlas forms a distinctive shear line between the relatively humid climate in the extreme north of Morocco and the Sahara.
The Atlas Mountains include the following mountain ranges: High Atlas in the center of Morocco, in the south-west of the country the Anti-Atlas, the Jebel Siroua south of the High Atlas and the Saghro Massif in south-east Morocco.
The Toubkal Massif in the High Atlas is about 60 kilometers south of Marrakech (about 1.5 hours driving time) and developped during Palaeozoikum. The Toubkal (4167 m) is the highest mountain in Morocco and North Africa. The Toubkal massif extends between Tizi-n-Test pass in the west to the Tichka pass in the east and consists of many valleys along the northern and southern slopes. The Toubkal National Park was founded in 1942 as the country's first national park and is 380 km² in size. The climate in the national park is determined by its altitude, the Atlantic and the Sahara. About 15% of the national park area is covered with forest. The northern, more humid flanks are covered with forest of trees like holm oak, Aleppo pine and juniper. In the higher altitudes one finds mainly juniper, which passes into alpine meadows, followed by steppes-like vegetation and gravel. The alpine zone occupies about 20% of the national park area. Here, daffodils, bell-flowers, broom, rub-thistlesand dwarf eye-rust can be found. The southern slopes of the massif are drier than the northern ones, so they are also less wooded. Here dominates the juniper. The numerous river valleys enable a rich flora which is dominated by oleanders, willows, black and silver poplar, holm osk, Portuguese oak, and whitethorn. In the are of the National Park, there are about 16 mammalian species, e.g. Berber monkey, atlantic grain, mane jumper, common porcupine, and striped hyena. Among the approximately 50 bird species, we find birds such as bearded vulture, falcons and eagles.