the moroccan western high atlas ranges - Olive Branch Tours

THE MOROCCAN WESTERN HIGH ATLAS RANGESMOUNTAIN COUNTRY AND VALLEY HIKESANY DAY DEPARTURESThis ‘lost world’ - an almost virgin territory for experienced climbers and mountain walkers is something definitely not to be missed.A tough hike over shattered rock leading to spectacular views and a true sense of isolation on a verdant plateau in an otherwisestark landscape.LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY:- GRADE TWO TO THREE HIKING MOSTLY ON UPPER LEVEL PISTES, GOAT TRACKS AND MULETRAILS, OFT-TIMES ROCKY, SELDOM FLAT, FOR ABOUT 6 HOURS EACH DAY. SUMMIT CLIMBS ARE STRENUOUS. BOOTS ESSENTIAL.YOU NEED TO BE CONFIDENT OF YOUR FITNESS AND ENDURANCE LEVELS, PREFERABLY HAVING HAD EXPERIENCE OF HIKING ATALTITUDE AND VARIATIONS ON CLIMATE. FULL SUPPORT TEAM. CLEARLY THERE ARE MANY DIFFERING FACTORS THATCONTRIBUTE TO THE DIFFICULTY OF A PARTICULAR HIKE, INCLUDING LENGTH OF DAY, TERRAIN, ALTITUDE AND WEATHERCONDITIONS. SINCE THESE FACTORS ARE NECESSARILY VARIABLE, ANY SYSTEM OF GRADES CAN ONLY PROVIDE A GENERALINDICATION. WE HAVE TRIED TO MAKE OUR SYSTEM AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT CANNOT ACCOUNT FOR PERSONAL ABILITIESOR EXPERIENCE.7DAYS/6NIGHTS OBTTP03aTWO SUMMITS ASCENTSDAY 1: AGADIR - TAROUDDANT - AFENSOU - HADD IMOULAS - SIDI BRAHIM ABDALLAH. We set out early from Agadir todrive eastwards for some 70 minutes alongside the trailing edge of the Western High Atlas, whichstretches from Agadir to Tunis, in Tunisia, to the outskirts of the pre Islamic era Berber town ofTarouddant, known also as ‘Marrakech in Miniature. Here, at Tafdachte, we change our vehicle toan open light truck – the sole method of transport, other than 4WD, which can take us into thisvirgin (for hikers) region – or continue on in our 4WD, depending on the vehicle selected, to drivealong a tortuous dirt road for more than 3 hours up into the upper foothills of the Tichka Plateaurange, until we reach the Berber market village market of Afensou. From here we continue up thevalley up through the remarkable Aït Oued Hajj Valley, with its stark slopes, sudden palmeraiesand terraced irrigated fields, past the hamlets of Assaka and Tajjacht to the Berber market villageof Hadd Imoulas. We alight from our vehicle to picnic in the surrounding area prior to taking an easy short hike towards the northwestup the Issouâl valley to the village of Sidi Brahim Abdallah, set amongst terraced fields, almond trees and date palms, wherewe shall set up camp and dine this night under the watchful eyes of the ever-present jagged twinned peaks of the Jbels Tinergwet(3551m) and Awlim (3482m). LD.DAY 2: SIDI BRAHIM ABDALLAH - KALALT - JBEL TINERGWET SUMMIT - SIDI BRAHIM ABDALLAH. An early breakfastand we set out today for a 4 hour hike up along the valley’s upper slopes, past the hamlets ofMelliz, Aït Mançour and Tinighas until we reach the last inhabited village in this delightful valley –Kalalt. From here it is a steady but hard hike up via faint winding tracks, with a break at 2745m,before scrambling up to the summit of the highest peak in this area - Jbel Tinergwet alongsideher sister the Awlim, where we shall take our welcome picnic on the top of a lost world of hiddenvalleys, stark peaks, as yet unclimbed cliffs and high altitude cols, the Plateau of a 1000 Peaksstretching out towards the east. We then set off back down the slopes of the Akouchtim hillsidesback down to Sidi Brahim Abdallah to our campsite and dinner. BLD.DAY 3: SIDI BRAHIM ABDALLAH - TIKFELT - TAGADIRT - TIGUENZOUINE. After breakfast and camp stuck we set out for our5½ hours’ moderate hike towards the east up along the winding barely-used mule tracks in theoued of the Cheif n’Tilliline, to traverse the Tizi n’Tikfelt (1785m) and on up to the Berber hamletof Tikfelt (2022m), where we shall stop for our picnic overlooking the remote Boutrid Valley andthe Igui (roof) Lbou range, then to continue down into the valley and on up the Azega slopes tothe Berber hamlet of Tagadirt. From here we hike up to our campsite near the hamlet ofTiguenzouine in the Aït Tament Valley to a welcome dinner. BLD.DAY 4: TIGUENZOUINE - ALAGJANE - TAGMOUT. Breakfasted, camp struck we now set off for about 5 hours up a windingpiste towards the upper reaches of the surprising n’Aït Tament Valley, which few hikers toMorocco have ever seen, on to Berber hamlet of Alagjane, set between the Igui Lbou andTazgoukht hills and the beginning of the hidden Agounsane Valley to continue up to our picnicspot in the Berber village of Tazoudot at the beginning of the beautiful valley of the AssifMedlawa. From here, we strike out further up the valley for about 1 hour along winding, pebblypiste until we reach the peaceful village of Tagmout and our dinner and overnight accommodationnearby in a bivouac. BLD.

DAY 5: TAGMOUT - AWSAGHMELT - TIZI N’TARGA. A long zigzagging mule track takes us up this delightful valley between theAssawl Mqqorn (2361m) and Igourramene (1991m) ranges up to the tiny hamlet of Awsaghmelt,the last inhabited place in the Medlawa valley, where we shall stop for our picnic near a littlewaterfall and, depending on the season, soak in the clear pools or just stretch out on the rocks,with Ras Moulay Ali (2846m), Jbel Aquelmoun (3254m) and Jbel Asqwan (3078m) at thebeginning of the virginal Tichka Plateau surrounding us. Now we set out up along a multitude ofzigzagging bends up through the Tizi n’Targa (3005m) and to our campsite in an âazib on the rimof the Tichka Plateau and dinner for the night, after some 6 hours’ hiking, amidst an awesomearray of peaks and valleys seen by very few outsiders. BLD.DAY 6: ÄAZIB TARGA - JBEL IMARADENE SUMMIT - ÄAZIB TARGA. Today’s 5 hour hike is spent on the Tichka Plateau,when we strike out towards the north across meadowland to climb to the summit of Imaradene(3351m) and picnic surrounded by Moulay Ali (3349m), Wajir Oudadene (3351m) and TamguerdLma’dene (3258m), the Tichka Plains and the Assif Goarioun and Samba Valleys in all theirimpressive beauty. When ready, we set off back down to our âazib, our dinner and campsite forthe night under the myriad stars. BLD.DAY 7: ÂAZIB TARGA - SOUQ TNINE TIGOUGA - AOUERD OURIG - TAROUDDANT - AGADIR. An early breakfast and arelatively trek of some 4 hours awaits us down to the beginning of the Assif Tigouga Valley andsteep, corkscrewing piste and sheep and goat tracks through to the hamlets of Tissal andTichka, to arrive at the market village of Souq Tnine Tigouga (Monday Market Tigouga) wherewe shall stop for our picnic. We thence strike on down the winding piste, passing the hamlets ofMegdoul, Immerguene and Guerayyt, built into the hillsides of some still - officially - unnamedhills, until we reach the village of Aouerd Ourig, where we rejoin our Grand Taxi or 4WD which isto take us to Tarouddant and on to Agadir, arriving around 6 in the evening. BL.Be prepared for some minimal ablutions – and absolutely no “tourists.”OUR PRICES WILL INCLUDE: Private round trip transportation from Agadir to Tarouddant and to and from trailhead byCamionette or 4x4. An experienced licensed bi-lingual mountain guide throughout. 5 nights’ accommodation in bivouac; 1 nightBerber House. All meals as shown; igloo tents and undermats; cook; pack animals and support team. Medical and AccidentInsurance. Clients are always requested to check their own personal travel insurance to see if any adrenaline activities areprecluded.OUR PRICES WILL NOT INCLUDE: Accommodation pre & post, nor transfers from/to Agadir’s’ airport. Gratuities to guide/muleteers.Any expenditure of a personal nature. Bottled or gaseous water, nor anything not specifically mentioned in the itinerary.To choose you hotel or ryad, please close this page and go to Find a Hotel or Find a RyadIT IS RECOMMENDED YOU BRING WITH YOU: Stout walking boots (boots which take crampons Nov-Apr 15); changes of socks;sleeping bag (3-4 seasons); windcheaters or duvet jackets (seasonal), slickers, hats, ski hats, balaclavas or ear muffs, gloves(seasonal); rambler pole; personal toiletries and towels; small First Aid kit, thermal underwear (Dec-May); headlamp or torch withbatteries; day pack; filled water bottle; sunscreen, nibbles and/or dried fruit. Drinking chocolate if preferred. Camera, trowel andextra toilet rolls could come in handy!N.B: Meals are normally:-Breakfast - tea, coffee, milk, bread, butter, jam, cheese, cereal.Picnic lunch - fresh Moroccan salad, cheese, tinned tuna fish *, bread, fruit, mint tea.Dinner - Tagine (chicken or mutton *), couscous or spaghetti rotated according to the duration of the trek; bread, coffee, mint tea,cake, fruit. * Those vegetarians or vegans amongst us need to pre-advise at time of reservation.