Lake Ifni - Toubkal Summit

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 – Imhilne – Lake Ifni

This is a shorter day than the previous two. We pass through several small Berber villages on our way to Lake Ifni (2295m) where we will stop for lunch and where we will camp for the night. In the afternoon there is time to relax, explore the area or swim in the cool waters of the lake.

Day 5: Lake Ifni – Tizi n’Ounoums – Toubkal Refuge

Today’s walking is about 6 hours, climbing up first to the Ounoums Pass (3600m) with more spectacular views over the Toubkal Massif. After our picnic we continue gently downhill to the Toubkal Refuge (3207m) where we will spend the night either camping or in the refuge.

Day 6: Toubkal Refuge – Toubkal Summit – Toubkal Refuge

To appreciate the views from the summit (4167m) we set out early – around 5 am – for the 3 hour climb up to the summit, the highest point in North Africa. It is a steep climb with the possibility of snow still early in the season. The views from the summit are stunning, with views in all directions, to the Sahara in the south and looking down on the passes and peaks we have seen during our trek. We finally leave the summit and return to the refuge – a descent of about two hours. After our picnic lunch there is time to relax or explore the area while our evening meal is prepared.

Day 7: Toubkal Refuge – Sidi Chamarouch – Aroumd – Imlil

After breakfast we start the long descent back to Imlil. As usual we follow the old mule trails as they wend their way down the valley. At about lunchtime we arrive at Sidi Chamarouch (2310m) where there is a shrine set into a large white-painted rock and which attracts pilgrims from all over Morocco. The shrine is forbidden to non-Muslims but there are souvenir shops and cafes open to all! We continue down to Aroumd, an attractive village built on a rocky outcrop and surrounded by terraces with a rich variety of crops and fruit trees. Finally we arrive back in Imlil where we say goodbye to our mules and muleteers and where we transfer back to Marrakech.