Shorts walks around Imlil -  half day/full day  or 2 days

IMLIL - TIZI M'ZIK - TIZI OUSSEM - TAMSOULT WATERFALL - TIZI M'ZIK - IMLIL.

 With the mighty Jbel Toubkal - at 4167m the highest peak in the Maghreb – and her sisters Aguelzim (3547m) and Aksouâl (3847m) almost within touching distance, we set off on our private, guided hike towards the west up through almond, walnut and apple groves to a panoramic vista of the beautiful valley of Imlil and of the Berber hamlets of Tanghourt, Fimlil and of M’Zik, with its red ochre minaret in front of us, all seeming to cling precariously to the mountain slopes. The majority of the villages we shall see on our hike are built of pisé, dug from the earth of the surrounding slopes.
  
  Our piste takes us through a couloir of red and bluish rocks until we reach the Tizi M’Zik (2664m) where we shall stop to admire the Jbel Oukaïmeden range, the high plateau of Tazaghârt and of the beginning of the renowned Valley of the Assif Aït n’Ouissedene with its numerous palmeraies. It has taken us some 2 ½ hours to reach this point and we now start our descent for a further 1½ hours through woods of juniper and pine of the valley created by the Jbel Tasghimout (2664m) and the Adrar Adj (3729m) to the Tamsoult Cascade (2204m), also known as the Irhoulidene Cascade, where we stop for our field picnic lunch (bring your swimsuit with you during the late spring to early autumn).
  When you feel up to it, we’ll stroll back via the same route, but by different paths via the Tizi M’Zik and on to our welcoming return to  Douar A chayn for a shower and our excellent dinner before retiring for the night.
  

IMLIL - TIZI n'TAMATERT - TINERHOURHINE - IKISS - AMSSAKROU - TIZI N'AGUERSSIOUAL - AGUERSSIOUAL - TADDART  - IMLIL.

  With the mighty Jbel Toubkal - at 4167m the highest peak in the Maghreb - and her sisters Aguelzim (3547m) and Aksouâl (3847m) almost within touching distance, we set off on our private, guided hike towards the east along the Tamatert Valley to turn north after some 50 minutes up into and through the Tizi n’Tamatert (229m) of the Aourirt N’Ouassif (2274m) and down via the Berber village of Tinerhourhine into the Valley of the Oued Imenane.
  
  We follow this Valley north, with the Jbel Oukaïmeden (3268m) to our right, along winding mule trails through almond, walnut and apple groves and terraced Berber hamlets, all seeming to cling precariously to the mountain slopes. The majority of the villages we shall see on our hike are built of pisé, dug from the earth of the surrounding slopes. Our piste takes us on to the village of Ikiss and up to the village of Amssakrou where, after some 3 hours hiking, we’ll stop for our field picnic surrounded by the mountains of the Jbel Oukaïmeden, Tizi n’Ou Arg (2258m) and the Tizi n’Tiratene (2268m).

2 days trek : Ascent of Montain Toubkal 4167m
  
  DAY 1: Imlil  - AROUMD - SIDI CHAMHAROUCH - TOUBKAL REFUGE.
  Setting out after breakfast from this delightfully decorated and comfortable Berber ‘Douar’ overlooking the main trailhead Berber town of Imlil (1740m), Morocco’s ‘Little Chamonix’, set in the upper level foothills of the Western High Atlas Mountain’s Jbel Toubkal National Park, we shall strike out towards the east for half an hour before turning south for some 4 km up to the Berber village of Aroumd (Aremd) (1843m) alongside the mountainside hamlets of Taourirt, Targa, and Imoula, up and down the stark slopes, the magnificent Western High Atlas peaks of the Toubkal Massif immediately before us. We shall stop at Aroumd to visit this rather singular village in the Assif Aït Mizane Valley , built seemingly house upon house on a large moraine spur, overlooking ancient irrigated terraced fields of fruit trees and vegetables. We thence carry on for a further 8 km . to the equally-quaint village of Sidi Chamharouch , a Berber village set beside a waterfall and small stream,
 again with its pisé homes seemingly built somewhat chaotically one into another. This village is a place of pilgrimage for devout Moslems and it is where there is a marabout shrine – forbidden to non-Moslems and said to be a relic of a pre-Islamic religious cult. We take a break for a picnic, within full view of mighty Jbel Toubkal, at 4167m the highest peak in the Maghreb, prior to setting off up to the Toubkal Refuge for our dinner, and overnight accommodation in the Refuge.
  
  DAY 2: TOUBKAL REFUGE - SUMMIT JBEL TOUBKAL - SIDI CHAMHAROUCH - AROUMD – Imlil
  A very early breakfast to set out at the crack of dawn to witness a spectacular sunrise and attain, after a three hour non-technical but steep climb, the highest peak in the Maghreb (4167m). The panorama from here is simply stunning. This remarkable climb and view is what you have come so far for. The first recorded climb of this peak, in 1923, was made by the French mountaineers V. Berger, M. Doubleau and the Marquis de Segonzae; many serious trekkers since then have made the highly rewardable effort. Whenever you are ready, we shall take the Ikkhibi Sud or South Cirque for a straightforward – with your guide - 2 to 3 hour descent back to the Refuge for our picnic. We shall now set off towards the north along steeply descending, zigzagging trails of the higher slopes of the Valley of the Assifn’Isouhouanem n’Ouagounss towards the Berber village of Sidi Chamharouch (3106m). Before entering the village, we shall notice a tree, sacred to the local Berbers, on which they

hang strips of coloured cloth and pile up stones around the trunk. We descend high above the valley of the Assif Aït Mizane, down zigzagging trails around granite and basalt grey rocks for about 8 km . to the remarkable village of Aroumd (Aremd) (1840m), commanding one of the more fertile valleys of the High Atlas mountains with terraced, irrigated plots and fields of maize, onions and fruit trees on all sides. Here we shall stop for our picnic prior to continuing on along the floor of the valley, thence up a well-defined mule track zigzagging above the river for some 4 km . to arrive, at around 4 in the evening, after a long day’s activity, back at the Berber hamlet of Achayn and the jewel of the High Atlas Mountains, the Dar adrar

Overnight stqy in berber villqge : 2days/night :

   Day1 : imlil – Tizi n’tamaterte – wanskra   : after breakfast  we set  out today towards the east ; up winding mule tracks to the tizi n’ tamaterte (2279m) to enjoy the amazing panorama of the surrounding atlas  mountain range  peaks and valleys on our way to our picnic spot on the tizi n’tamaterte , overlooking jbel oukaimeden  and the beautiful encircled plateau. After lunch set of following the path down to imnane valley  intill our gite d’etape  in wanskra village . 5 to 6 hours walking.
   Day2 :  wanskra – ikkis – tizi n’aguersiwal – aguersiwal – imlil : after breakfast , we set off down the assif  imnane valley , passing throught several berber  hamlets and thence  up to the tizi n’ageursiwal (2000m).once through the col we shall now go down  more winding  mule tracks leading to the  village of aguersiwal (lunch spot ) set off in river bed of imlil , allow another hour to get up the valley to imlil  .  6 hours walking.