We’ve compiled our trekking programme at home according to our wishes. We used a local agency to book via the online operator platform Evaneos which will collect us from the airport and take us to the hotel. But before we can be chauffeured to the hotel, we have to get through immigration passport control that takes up several hours. When we finally arrive at the hotel, we’re absolutely exhausted and go to bed straight away, looking forward to the next day and the start of our adventure.
Off on our Atlas Mountain trekking
After a relaxed breakfast by the hotel pool, we gather our trekking equipment and spend some more time enjoying the summery temperatures. The last moments of putting our feet up before our tour guide Momo comes to collect us at 2 pm. A minibus takes us on a 1.5-hour journey from Marrakech into the Atlas Mountains with last bits of shopping in very rural villages for gas bottles, vegetables, water and loo paper. Basically everything you need for tent trekking with 5 people and two mules.
The destination and starting point of our trek is the only ski resort in the region, Qukaimeden at 2,600 m. This is where we meet our support team, the two muleteers Mohamed and Darsin with their two white mules. Our luggage and equipment like tents, crockery, food, gas, cooker etc. will be carried by the two mules, meaning we’re travelling nice and light.
Our welcome trip in the Atlas Mountains
After meeting our team, we erect our two tents and have a cup of welcome tea. Tea (with a lot of sugar) as the national drink, tajine for lunch and couscous in the evening are traditional elements of Moroccan life and culture that we’re looking forward to experiencing over the coming days. The sentence “Drink tea, always drink tea” will come up repeatedly on this trip.
According to the motto “go high and sleep low”, Tina and I are going on a brief exploratory excursion.
Something you should know before we start: we purposefully decided to go trekking just the two of us so we could incorporate everything we wanted. It’s handy to know that this is not much more expensive than going with a whole group. We also decided to take many breaks for pictures so we can document our Atlas Mountains trekking tour.
At great heights (always above 2,000 m) drinking a lot is very important, to get acclimatised as well. Three to four litres are absolutely essential. But this is not something we can always cover with mineral water. Locals drink water right from the river, but we need a water filter to purify the water onsite. We specially bought a new water filter for this (available from Katadyn, for example). Water filter tablets, such as Micropur, are therefore a thing of the past.
In addition to the water filter, we also packed some trekking food and bars, for short breaks in particular. But since our guides always had a big bag of delicious dried dates, figs, nuts and almonds, our bars joined us on our way home again. Our support team was organised perfectly, which is why we would certainly recommend them. They didn’t just take care of us wonderfully but also of their animals.
Day 1: Sun, thunderstorms, green landscapes
(Cumulative elevation gain: ascent 850 – descent 1,100, walking duration 8 h)
In the early morning, the sun warmly welcomes us to this new day. Our morning ritual includes taking down our tent, packing up our sleeping bags and rolling up the mats. We’re happy and enjoy our substantial breakfast with a certain “Inshallah” (God willing).
Once our luggage is loaded onto the mules, we set off to our first mountain pass with a lightweight backpack and a lot of anticipation. The mules start a little after us but don’t take long to catch us up. We’re impressed by the surefootedness, power and speed with which the two “small” mules seemingly fly up the mountain on their four hooves. Over the coming days, we’ll keep being amazed at how nimble and clever these two mules are, finding and following their paths.
Tizi means “pass” and with the Tizi n’Ouhattar, our Atlas Mountains trekking tour exceeds the 3,000 metre mark for the first time. We then descend again where the Berber village Agounss, with its wide green terraced fields, is located in lonely splendour at the foothills of steep rocks.
After our lunch break, reinvigorated, we continue to the last mountain pass for the day. But thunder and lightning catch us just before reaching the pass, and when severe rain and hail also start, we’re forced to descend quickly. Luckily, we don’t have to sleep in our tent tonight! We managed to find modest but dry accommodation. A substantial evening meal and some sun round off the day.
Day 2: Tacheddirt Valley
(Cumulative elevation gain: ascent 900 – descent 1,100, walking duration 7 h)
The weather turned friendly again today. Beaming sun and pleasant temperatures give us hope for the day. Crossing a beautiful valley with steep rocks, we reach the pass. If we were in the Alps, I would say we’re experiencing Foehn wind. Strong winds force us to descend immediately.
After a break, we reach the remote valley of Tacheddirt at 2,300 m. The camp site we were aiming for is occupied so without much ado we make our way to a simple hotel on the edge of the village. The nice thing about travelling with a team is that you’re treated to tea and food as soon as you arrive at your destination. The day ends as it started, with a lot of sunshine and a beautiful sunset.
Day 3: A lot of altitude covered while hiking in Morocco
(Cumulative elevation gain: ascent 1,200 – descent 1,100, walking duration 8 h)
We’re up early and have to use our head torches for the first 2 hours. The mules don’t start until the sun has come up but today, too, they will overtake us before we get to the mountain pass. The trip starts with a long, steep ascent. We’re going up 1,200 m, which takes us 4.5 hours.
The Tizzi n’Likmet Pass (3,600 m) has a stunning view of Tacheddirt Valley as well as of the surrounding mountains and many summits of the Atlas Mountains. We can now see our destination in the distance for the first time, Jebel Toubkal at 4,167 m. After a break (dates, nuts and pitta bread with canned fish – I didn’t know that could be so delicious), we descend into the lovely and remote valley. Roaring streams, green meadows and a lot of time to relax round off the day. Spaghetti in tomato sauce (I love pasta, who doesn’t) are on today’s menu.
Day 4: To the mountain pass and descent to Amsourzerte
(Cumulative elevation gain: ascent 650 – descent 1,300, walking duration 8 h)
The next morning, we’re absolutely exhausted and it’s very hard to get going. After some coffee, pitta bread with butter and jam, we’re beginning to regain some strength. Great numbers of mules (big and small mules, some with riders, some with people walking next to them, fully laden and beautifully decorated) are out and about today because the pass is an important supply route for the inhabitants.
The ascent through the lonely and narrow valley is stunning and we keep following a stream. We continue ascending to Tizi Tougroudadene Pass (3,260 m). From there, we’re descending to Amsourzerte where we’re staying at a hostel with a hot shower. Coincidentally, a traditional wedding is being celebrated in Amsourzerte on our arrival, which is why everything is decorated beautifully with flowers.
We relax on the sunny patio with a cup of tea and enjoy some traditional couscous with vegetables in the evening.
Day 5: Berber breakfast, mountain lakes and sun
(Cumulative elevation gain: ascent 700 – descent 100, walking duration 5 h)
We’ve got another long and very varied day of Atlas Mountains trekking tour ahead of us. Today, Jebel Toubkal (4,167 m) and Imouzzer (4,010 m) are coming into view. After around an hour, one of our guides has a surprise for us: he leads us to a local “restaurant” for a traditional Berber breakfast outdoors. Fresh pitta, honey, salt and olive oil are a real treat for us there. It’s very hard to leave this delicious food behind and continue our journey. But our destination is Lac d’Ifni Lake.
The ice-cold Lac d’Ifni (2,500 m) is the only natural mountain lake in the western High Atlas Mountains and a remnant from the Ice Age – a great backdrop for pictures. Today, the temperature is climbing up to 35 degrees so we’re taking a very long lunch break at the lake to cool down and keep hydrated. Most groups spend the night at the lake but we prefer to camp with fewer people around so we’re continuing our trek into the valley for another hour.
To be honest, I imagined today to be a little gentler. I thought a cumulative elevation gain of 600 metres wouldn’t be so tough but the temperatures and hiking in the blazing sun were very challenging.
Challenging temperatures in the Atlas Mountains
Tomorrow is going to be another long day of our Atlas Mountains trekking tour with very high temperatures. We decide to start at 5 am on the following day because when ascending on a south easterly side of a mountain through a steep, narrow gorge, temperatures can quickly rise to 35 degrees even before noon. This is the best way to circumvent the heat. This means that we’re tucked up in our sleeping bags early with a nice cup of tea.
Something I haven’t mentioned yet: every evening, when we’re in our tent, my girlfriend reads me a bedtime story with mountaineering adventures from great heroes of our time. When was the last time someone read you a story? Try it! It’s absolutely lovely and relaxing.
Day 6: Toubkal Huts
(Cumulative elevation gain: ascent 1200 – descent 500, walking duration 7 h)
As planned, our day starts at 5 o’clock in the morning. We need our head torches to show us the way for the first 1.5 hours. The nice thing about being out and about this early is that it seems like you’re starting the day with the sun. We’re slowly entering the steep gorge that’s exposed in parts and goes all the way up 1,300 m to the sky-high Tizi Ouanamuss (3,664 m). At 3,000 m, the first rays of sun come out to greet us.
The path is a challenge for people and animals. The muleteers keep helping their animals across steep, high steps and through narrow passages. Eventually, we reach the pass after several breaks. Things actually worked out much better than expected. A stunning view of several mountains measuring more than 4,000 m is our reward. After enjoying the peace at the top of the mountain, we descend to the highly frequented Toubkal Huts (3,165 m) which will be our base camp for the coming two nights.
Atlas Mountains trekking: The huts are a popular destination
The short descent to the Toubkal Huts is surrounded by many high mountains. On our arrival at the huts, there’s a lot going on as we expected: mules coming and going as well as many trekking groups and locals because the well-known Toubkal is a popular destination for many hikers going on short trips as well as for the native people.
In addition to camp sites, there are also two huts where visitors can spend the night. We’re glad that we can set up our tent away from all the hustle and bustle.
We spend the rest of the day relaxing, eating and drinking a lot as well as sleeping. We also fit the crampons to our boots, equip our backpack for the trip to the summit, put batteries in the head torches etc.
In order to avoid the many mountaineering groups on the following day, we suggest to our guide that we could start during the night. This means we could be at the summit by sunrise. Our guide’s answer: “No problem, it’s good.” So we plan to start at 3.30 in the early morning, which is why we go to bed early, full of anticipation for the next day.
Day 7: the summit of Jebel Toubkal
(Cumulative elevation gain: ascent 1,000 – descent 1,000, walking duration 6.5 h)
The alarm goes at 2.30 am. We’re wide awake straight away because we’re very excited. Today, we’re going up to the peak of North Africa. Jebel Toubkal (4,167 m) is our goal. We’re quick to put on our trekking boots, drink some hot tea and eat a muesli bar so we can start at 3.15 am with our head torches showing us the way. Above us a cloudless sky filled with stars.
All alone in the inspiring meditative silence of the night, we’re off on our Atlas Mountains trek. The ascent crosses some blocky terrain. After about two hours, we’re putting the crampons on our boots because the snow is hard and the terrain up to Tizi n’Toubkal (3,940 m), which we need to cross to get to the summit, is very steep.
At the summit cross!
After around four hours, we reach the summit even before the sun has come up. The view from the summit is unique even in the twilight. Fortunately, the strong wind typical for Toubkal is bearable today, meaning we can enjoy some 30 minutes until sunrise. We’re watching as the first rays of sun come out over the summits, gently waking up the day. A spectacular natural display with “clouds on fire”. Wow. We’re speechless, taking countless pictures. All our efforts are being rewarded by this impressive experience that we’ll never forget.
We descend again after the sun has come up. After half our journey, we come across a lot of Alpine Trekkers, some absolutely exhausted, some wearing lightweight trainers. Some of them won’t make it or have underestimated the mountain because that’s not a climb you can do in trainers. We’re in high Alpine terrain, which means that sturdy mountaineering or trekking boots as well as a mountain guide (when ascending at night in particular) are an absolute must. Additionally, crampons are crucial at this time of the year.
After two hours, we get back safely to the tent. We celebrate by having a late, comprehensive breakfast and enjoy the feeling that we made it. We can then relax for the rest of the day in the sun.
Day 8: Waterfalls and the desire to go skiing
(Cumulative elevation gain: ascent 400 – descent 1,400, walking duration 6 h)
We spontaneously change the plan for the day because we feel like it and the experience of reaching the summit on the day before is still lingering. Instead of conquering another mountain measuring over 4,000 m, we decide to go through the valley which the “Assif n´Quonzane” runs through. It’s famous for its waterfalls and green landscapes.
Leaving Toubkal behind us, we ascend to a pass at 3,500 m. After about an hour, the mules catch us up again, showing us once more how to safely get up the mountain along the narrow tracks on four hooves.
When we arrive at the pass, the sunshine and a cloudless sky offer us an amazing panoramic view of the Atlas Mountains. Time for a break with dates, oranges and tea, joined by one of the many sheep and goat herds.
The long descent runs through a steep gully down to the valley via winding tracks. At the bottom of the gully, I look back up and I’m more than impressed. My next thought: “Wouldn’t this be an amazing descent on skis!?” I quickly take a picture to follow up on the ski tour idea later.
We continue towards the valley. It’s another hour before we come across the next natural spectacle on our journey, a high waterfall. We take a break to drink some fresh orange juice and watch the waterfall before heading for our last camp site.
Day 9: Our adventure is coming to an end
(Cumulative elevation gain: ascent 250 – descent 750, walking duration 4 h)
The last day. After a peaceful night and a very relaxed breakfast, we’re off on our last section. The journey to the last pass is easier, where we descend to Imlil Berber village (1,750 m). We look forward to a shower and a comfortable bed.
Together with our support team, we enjoy couscous with chicken in the evening. Then it’s our turn to say thank-you, leave them a good tip and gift some pieces of equipment that are more urgently required by them than by us.
A minibus takes us back to Marrakech the next morning. Two days in the royal city with its colourful markets and narrow alleys form an atmospheric end to this impressive journey.
Many sights, such as Anima Garden, Jardin Majorelle or Medina with its beautiful market place ensure an enjoyable time.
Our hotel owners gave us a recommendation where to eat, so we go to have a great meal at Al Fassia Restaurant before returning home. The restaurant is internationally famous for the finest cuisine in Marrakech and the best tajine in the city – don’t miss out on this if you’re ever in Marrakech.
What a great time in Morocco.
