Imlil – Amsouzarte – Tifni – Sidi Chamarouch – Toubkal
This trek follows the same route as the Lake Ifni – Toubkal trek (Trek B) as far as Amsouzarte (Day 3). The route then heads north, avoiding Lake Ifni, into remoter areas of the Toubkal Massif. This is a more demanding and less frequented route and could appeal particularly to experienced trekkers who want to get off the beaten track for a while.
Trek Itinerary
Day 1: Marrakech – Imlil – Tacheddirt
We leave Marrakech after breakfast for the 11/2 hour drive to Imlil, which at 1740m is the main starting point for treks into the High Atlas. Here we meet our mule team and set out on a two hour uphill hike to the Tamerte Pass (2279). On the way we will see typical flat-roofed Berber villages surrounded by small terraced plots of land. We continue to climb gently until we reach the large village of Tacheddirt (2291m) where we stop for the night, in a village guest house or in tents outside the village.
Day 2: Tacheddirt – Wanskra – Likemet
After an early breakfast we set off for a long day’s walking, starting with a steep climb up to the Likemet Pass (3550m), offering spectacular views across the Toubkal Massif and the Tacheddirt valley. From here we start to descend and after a picnic lunch continue down to our comp site beside the Aouri River at Azib n’Likemet.
Day 3: Azib n’Likemet – Aouri Pass - Amsouzarte
We leave camp early following the Aouri River and climb gradually up to the Aouri Pass (3109m). On the way we will picnic and then in the afternoon we descend passing through the Berber village of Tagnite before reaching the village of Amsouzarte (1740m) where we will have dinner and stay the night in a Berber house.
Day 4 Amsouarte – Tissaldau – Imagha Pass – Tifni
The route from Amsouarte to Tissaldau climbs gently along the valley of the Tifnou. Once through Tissaldau the trail becomes more difficult as we climb up to the Imagha Pass (3426m) before heading on to Tifni (2820) where we camp for the night.
Day 5 Tifni – Sidi Chamarouch
The day starts with a climb up to the Tagharra Pass(3442m) followed by a long and steep descent (including lunch stop) to Sidi Chamarouch (2310 m) where we camp by the river with its welcome rock pools.
Day 6 : Sidi Chamarouch – Toubkal Refuge
This a relatively easy morning walk along the Mizane River up to the Toubkal
refuge where we either stay in the refuge or camp. Here we picnic and have
time in the afternoon to explore the area and prepare for the next day’s climb
to the summit.
Day 7 : Toubkal Refuge – Toubkal summit – Toubkal refuge – Imlil
This is a long day – about 10 hours walking -with an early start! From the refuge we climb steeply for 2 to 3hours to reach the Toubkal summit (4167m) and enjoy the magnificent views across the Atlas range and the Marrakech plains and the Sahara desert to the south. We then return to the refuge for a quick lunch and then descend, following our path of yesterday as far as Sidi
Chamarouch. From here we continue our rapid descent back to Imlil where we arrive late in the afternoon and where we stay the night in a gite.
Day 8 : Imlil – Marrakech
After breakfast and the chance to look around Imlil, transfer back to Marrakech.
It is possible to combine Days 7 and 8 – though it is exhausting! – and return to Marrakech at the end of Day 7, arriving late evening in Marrakech.
About The Toubkal Region
This is the most popular area with trekkers : easily accessible from Marrakech, it is an area of stunning scenery, high mountains (including Toubkal, the highest mountain in north Africa at 4167m) and typical Berber villages.
The area is criss-crossed by mule tracks that cross high passes and descend into deep valleys, passing summer pastures and terraces of maize, potatoes and other crops and orchards of walnut, apple and cherry. Imlil is the main trailhead for the area.