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Atlas village berber trail Morocco berber trail During this three day Imlil trek you’ll follow the Morocco berber trail through the Atlas Mountains to several mountain villages, accompanied by an experienced guide. At just two hours’ drive from Marrakech, it’s a completely different world. The views across the mountain range and the rugged rock formations are amazing. Hiking along mountain trails you’ll suddenly stumble upon sleepy villages, with nomads dozing in the sun and children playing in the street. You’ll pass through several small villages and river valleys and sleep in a basic mountain hut in an authentic Berber village. |
| Duration | 3 days / 2 nights |
Accommodation |
Basic mountain hut |
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Price |
£237 per person (based on 4 people) £300 per person (based on 2 people) |
Includes |
Return transport from Marrakech, 2 nights accommodation in basic mountain hut, meals as described, professional English-speaking guide, mules for carrying baggage |
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Transport |
Minibus |
Excludes |
Sleeping bag (bring your own), drinks |
Day 1: Marrakech - Imlil - Asni - Imi Oughlad - Tizi OussemTravel time: 1.5 hours from Marrakech by minibus, approx 5 hours trekkingOn the first day of your Imlil trek you’ll be picked up in Marrakech by car or minibus and met by our English-speaking mountain guide. As you leave Marrakech, you'll follow the Morocco berber trail across the vast plains you can see the rugged peaks of the Atlas Mountains looming up in the distance. After about 20 miles, the road begins to climb and if the weather’s clear you can catch your first glimpse of the Jebel Toubkal. 1½ hours later you’ll arrive the small market town of Asni. On Saturdays, the mountain people come here from far and wide to do their weekly shopping at the local market.From Asni it’s another 15 miles to the mountain village of Imi Oughlad, the departure point for your Imlil trek. The local farmers still work the land using basic tools and at harvest time the whole family helps out to gather all the crops and carry them home. This is about as authentic as you can get, and the start of your Morocco berber trail. |
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Make sure you bring plenty of water and some energy bars or nut mix to get through the morning. You won't be stopping for lunch until you’ve crossed the highest pass today. The Morocco berber trail leads mainly uphill from the valley, and as you begin to climb the views across the mountains get more impressive the higher you get. You can stop for a rest whenever you need one and enjoy the view in the cool shade of the trees. You won’t see any villages until you’ve crossed the pass. The only sign of life here are the solitary shepherds tending to their sheep and goats nibbling away at the sparse vegetation. Then, as you reach the Tizi n’Tacht pass at 6888ft you’ll see a spectacular panorama of the majestic peaks of the Atlas Mountains. Around 30 minutes later, you’ll arrive at a small spring where you can take your shoes off and rest your feet as the guide prepares a simple lunch. A helping hand is always appreciated. After lunch, it’s another 1 ½ hours walk to the village of Tizi Oussem at 5600ft overlooking the Azzedane Valley with its unusual terraced fields. In Tizi Oussem, you’ll spending night in a basic lodge with views across the valley, in a the room sleeping 4-6 people. |
Day 2: Tizi Oussem - Imlil (or Aremd)Trekking time: approx 5 hoursAfter breakfast it’s time to pull on your hiking boots as you set off on the Morocco berber trail uphill through ancient juniper trees to the M’Zig pass at 8170 ft. After 1½ hours, you’ll reach the top where you’ll be greeted by another amazing view. On one side, you'll see the snow-capped peaks of the High Atlas, and on the other side you'll see the green valleys around the small village Imlil. From here it’s all downhill to Imlil where you’ll arrive in the afternoon.You’ll stay in a basic lodge with shared rooms. You can freshen up with a nice hot shower and sit outside with a mint tea as you watch the villagers going about their business. |
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Day 3: Imlil (or Aremd) - MarrakechTravel time: approx 45 minutes on foot, 1.5 hours to Marrakech by minibusAfter breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to the village and make your way back on foot (45 minutes) to Imlil where your minibus or jeep will be waiting to take you back to the completely different world of Marrakech. Your Morocco berber trail ends in Marrakech, which means you can travel in all directions to any of our Morocco adventure tours. You might want to spend the next few days recovering from your Imlil trek on the beach with our Chilling out in Agadir or Essouaira sea breeze tours.If you want to see more of the Moroccan cities, then take a look at our Imperial Cities Morocco tour. This tour to the imperial cities of Morocco is a feast for your eyes and a treat for your tastebuds. You can wander through the narrow streets and tiny alleyways amongst mosques, bath houses and majestic archways, tanneries and sweet stalls. Click here for a map of Morocco |
Optional trail extensionIf you want to spend an extra day following the Morocco berber trail, you can extend yor stay with a day, staying in Tizi Oussem for 2 nights instead of just one. On Day 2, you'll take a day trek to the sheep folds of Tamsoult (7080 ft) with a picnic lunch at a nearby waterfall. In the evening, you'll head back to Tizi Oussem where you'll spend the night before returning to Imlil on Day 3.If you'd like to do this 4-day Imlil trek, just let us know on your quote request form. |
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