The Big Traverse of the High Atlas trek is so named because it will take you 22 days to complete. More than 250 km separate the outermost points of this route, which remains one of the most beautiful treks in Morocco. Valleys, plateaus, isolated villages « home of Berber people »…

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From the beautiful valley of Ait Bouguemez (happy valley) to the highest valleys of the Atlas Tichka Pass to the most highest peak (the roof of Maghreb: Toubkal 4167m), we pass through beautiful landscapes, fascinating valleys, sheep, gorges, cliffs, plateaus, lakes at high altitudes (Tamda and Ifni) to complete by the small Chamonix Morocco (Imlil) and the splendid city of Marrakech.

Itinerary

Day One: Marrakech

Whatever your time of arrival, day or night, a member of our team is welcoming you to the Marrakesh Menara Airport.

Day Two: Marrakech – Ouzod – Azilal – Oughbar – Ait Abbes – Ait Bouguemmaz – Agouti – Azib n’Ikkis

Breakfast at 7:30, 8:30 departure by minibus or 4X4 to the valley of Ait Bouguemmaz, passing by the famous waterfalls (Ouzoud, the most beautiful and largest waterfalls in Morocco), lunch in Azilal in a local restaurant and then continuation to Tizin Oughbar collar 2200m, superb views of the peaks of the Rat-Mgoun-Igoudamène-Azourki, descent towards the valley Ait Abbes, and then up towards the valley Ait Bouguemmaz, Agouti- end of the road by car. Meet our team of mule and loading to reach the sheepfold of Arous, Azib N Ikkis while crossing the village Ait Said, Arous and finally we reach the sheepfolds Ikkis 2300m (3 hours walking)

Day Three: Azib n’Ikkis – Tarkeddit Pass – Tarkeddit Plateau

Get up at 6H, breakfast will be served at 7 am, departure 7:30, after dismantling the tents, the sun will be waiting for you to 7H because it’s daylight in summer at 5:30, we take enough water at the source, some dried fruit before midday stop, we walk to the Col de Tarkedit the top we see the Aghouri 3500 m and Tarkedit, our carriers are at work right 6H to prepare the trip, our mules will be very busy for the beginning of the hike, on a good path mule climbing by the source, 20 mns camp, and climb to the Col will be gradual, great view every time we return behind, 2 stops before the pass, then a Panoramic stop at the Col, we see from the summit of the Col de Mgoun Tarkedit then down to the plateau country of transhumant nomads. 3 hours of ascent and descent 1:30, lunch at arrival to the camp facility near the stream sources Tassaoute. Afternoon rest to prepare for the ascent to the summit the next day.

Day Four: Tarkeddit Plateau – M’goun – Tarkeddit Plateau

We leave our camp early. Breakfast at 4:30, 5:30 departure, we ravitaillons water at source because there will be no possibility of source, throughout the stage, windbreaker, bezel, polar, because often there is a wind cold on the ridge after 3700 m, a fairly long climb requiring no technical means, 5 pm rise about slowly cut by 3 to 4 stops for snacks and drinks our dried fruits, beautiful climb, we can find fossils on the ridge beyond the 3700 meters and then we walk along a ridge to the famous peak, a beautiful view of the southern peaks and valleys, Valley of Roses, Dades, picnic lunch at the top and return to the same camp (our carriers will be at rest). 3H descent. Afternoon rest.

Day Five: Tarkeddit Plateau – Tassaoute – Sdremt Pass – Tazgaiwalt – Amezri – Imin Ikkis

We are on the set of sources Tassaoute where we pass this afternoon and where to temporarily install the transhumance of Ait Atta from Saghro, the Dades Valley and Desert Oasis to find the necessary pasture to their Hundreds of sheep, goats, sheep, mules and even camels are well sheltered by cliffs and caves for 6 months on this plateau between May and late October. We cross the plateau during 1H and we climb 300m by caves to finally see the big opening of the Tassaoute, one of the great valleys of the High Atlas, nice view and we go down the Sdremt collar 3200m, stiff enough for the mules especially a passage staircase then we move toward the juniper forest that leads us to the first village in the upper Tassaoute (Tazgaiwalt. Lunch and continuation by the great village of Tassaoute Amezri, few supplies to large grocery store (we organizes the weekly market) then down, water is abundant to the fold Imin Ikkis 2100m. Camp.

Day Six: Imin Ikkis- Ichebbaken – Ait Hamza – Ait Ali n’ Itto

We are in the valley right next to a barn, we wake up at 6:30, water is certainly present to wash. Departure at 7H, we cross fields of wheat, barley, maize and gigantic walnut trees in the village of Ichebbaken, the beautiful village of Tassaoute hung on a ridge near the river that floods every big storm, continue along the Tassaoute to the village of Ait Hamza or prior to lunch at the shade of poplar or walnut, always a few meters from the river and then Tassaoute always on the verge of Ait Ali Tassaoute to Do Itto. Installation of our camp beside the Tassaoute while away ravines, because when the storms this river can be dangerous. We will follow up all day the valley with its poplar, walnut, peach, terraces.

Day Seven: Ait Ali n’ Itto – Megdaz – Tagought- Tizin Fedghat

We leave this beautiful warm valley and then we head to the south west by the Ait Affen valley, we cross the village Imziln and the beautiful village of granaries (Megdaz) and then we go straight to the 2400m pass, we will have a beautiful view of the granaries from the pass, and then we go down to the fold of Tagought, our lunch at source at the foot of a gigantic walnut centenary, and then we leave the sheep and wild landscapes, by a forest oak and juniper, then we settle near the FEDGHAT Pass. A beautiful stage, balanced.

Day Eight: Tizin Fedghat – Tamzrit – Ineghmar – Lac Tamda – Azib Anfergal

7H we leave towards the valley Tamzrit then we go back to the 2800m pass, on the ridge that goes towards the Aneghmar Summit 3600 m (ascent optional), cervical descent to Lake Tamda Ineghmar foot Summit Ineghmar 3600 m, fishing for trout then continue down 1H to camp near the spring next to the Anefergal fold.

Day Nine: Azib Anfergal – Tighza n’Ouaourikt – Tizin Telouat

We leave early because we are in the south to the altitude of 1800 m, we cross the village of Tighza and Ounila valley to head up towards the Col Telouat, lunch in full barren mountain top village Telouat the village of the famous Kasbah Telouat camp at the foot of Tizin Telouat.

Day Ten: Tizi n’Telouat – Bergeries – Titoula – Taddert

We go up early to the Taddert neck because summer is hot enough, once we are on the collar Telouat, we admire the beautiful scenery of the valley and Telouat with his great Kasbah of the Pasha Glaoui ruined then we descend to the village of TITOULA and we continue towards the village of Taddert we camp before the village is too busy, then we will take the road of the Col de Tichka to Ouarzazate which takes Camp. A special day, studded with beautiful wild landscapes and beautiful villages in the mountains.

Day Eleven: Taddert – Afra Plateau – Afra Village – Assif n’ Zat

We descend into the valley from the Tichka pass, Ghdat Valley, a little rest at the terrace of a coffee, this is the main road linking the cities of Marrakech to the great south, possibility to have lunch and refuel, then on to the plateau of Afra while climbing on a wide path that leads to the plateau and the village of Afra, we set up camp just after the village of Afra .

Day Twelve: Assif n’ Zat – Afra – Assats – Assif n Zat – Azgour

Again we find beautiful wild landscapes, we leave the large village to immerse in a valley with beautiful gorges, always on a mule track barely accessible for mules, passing through villages, forests and lunch by the river, we find abundant water all day, it is a descent of more than day climb, install our camp just before the village of Azgour near poplars.

Day Thirteen: Azgour – Ouarzast Villages – Yagour

Another beautiful day, we leave this valley, called Zat valley, to climb to the highlands of Yagour while crossing a forest of junipers and oaks, discovery of some rock engravings (sign of the existence of the Primitive), then down to the sheep of Yagour for lunch again a few streams of water on the 2,600 m plateau transhumants several families spend the three months of summer.

Day Fourteen: Yagour – Ait Iguerane – Taddert n’Aghbalou – Setti Fadma

We leave the plateau (hot summer) to go down by a beautiful pack trail through beautiful Berber villages, to the strong cities and civilization of the disaster Ourika Valley in 1995 (Summer Severe Thunderstorms) Lunch in the valley, visiting the tourist valley and continue to climb towards the last village of Ourika to camp safely. Setting up camp in Agadir N’Ait Boulemane.

Day Fifteen: Agadir ‘Ait Boulemane – Anefli – Kissaria – Azib n’likkemt

We leave first thing in the Ourika Valley, while ascending to the sources of this valley, it is necessary to take supplies of the day, picnic, before climbing the famous gorge Kissaria rarely hikers take a nice variant of 6-7 hours without mules, stones slip under the soles, be careful because they are in the shade all year, our mules will make a detour from 10H to join us at the end of post noon, think about taking what you need, we carefully cross the gorges, to the sheepfold Likkemt 2500m, 5 / 6H grooves, we arrive at the sheep, instead of transhumant Tifnoute valleys summer.

Day Sixteen: Azib n’likkemt – Tifni – Azib n Tifni – Taghbaloute

It’s beautiful, yet a rise 400/500 meters to cross the pass that takes us to the big sheepfolds Tifni where Berber Tifnoute pastures are there for their hundreds of animals, especially (goats and sheep), lunch next the Azib then continue to ride back to Taghbaloute Pass to finally see the Toubkal from the neck, down to the actual source (Taghbaloute in berbere) camp at 2700m, a beautiful spot in front of Toubkal.

Day Seventeen: Taghbaloute – Tissaldai – Amsouert – Ait Iguerane – Chez Balaid – Ifni

We descend the wild corner of the source, always at the foot of Toubkal to last Tissaldai village in the valley, it takes us to the great Tifnoute valley crossing (river) to Amsouzert, continuation by several large villages south of the Toubkal where our lunch will be prepared. The afternoon we climb 300 m to Lake Ifni, possibility of swimming, trout fishing, water 18 ° C.

Day Eighteen: Ifni – Ouanoums Pass – Toubkal

We leave early the lake, 6H to avoid the high heat of the hot hours, 5H rise to Ouanoums neck by a stony and steep terrain for our laden mules, we cross Ifri N ‘Irouzan fold then we reach the pass after walking 5H, we admire the beautiful scenery from the Ouanoums pass, descent to the foot of Tizi Ouagan lunch, it is fabulous, wonderful corners to listen to the wind sound of the river, continuing our descent to the Toubkal base camp, there are a haven of French Alpine Club. To preserve some intimacy with nature, our camp will be installed away from others.

Day Nineteen: Toubkal

We leave early at 5:30, well covered, Goretex or polar, until the sun appears in principle after 2H, the sun will come from the east to warm us, our mules are at rest, picnic lunch at the top and back, requiring a climb of breath, no technical difficulty, snow can sometimes resist until the end of June, but only a few traces on average 3H to ride and enjoy the beautiful views of the peaks, plateaus and valleys surrounding this magical mountain, large roof of Maghreb, long descent on the same path or another path, to the camp, 2H descent and ability to continue to Imlil for a good meal and a night improved the well comfortable lodging, hot shower and enjoy the fat tomorrow morning and downhill rather in Marrakech.

Day Twenty: Toubkal – Imlil – Asni – Marrakech

We descend the “Little Chamonix” at the foot of Toubkal, to Asni by large villages of Ait Misane valley. Back in Marrakech. Free afternoon.

Day Twenty One: Marrakech

Free discovery of red city, visit the monuments, gardens, souks and medinas, not forgetting of course palaces, madrasahs, museums …. Overnight at hotel in Marrakech.

Day Twenty Two: The end of your adventure

We wish you a pleasant journey back home and look forward to seeing you again.