My Berber Friend Trek
Living in the Toubkal National Park, the indigenous Berber people have been there for centuries. They predate the arrival of the Arabs and Islam and the title 'Berber' is interchangeable with 'Amazigh'. There are many Amazigh tribes throughout the High Atlas.
Highlights
- Experience the Berber cuisine
- Live with the indigenous Berber people
- Cross the 4 valleys of the Toubkal National park
The Berber diet has developed along with them and their culture high in the passes and plateaux of their home land. Their cuisine is extremely healthy (some Berbers live well into their 90's) and features many different breads, soups and dishes that include barley and couscous. Some say that you can only get Berber food in Berber villages - that it is impossible to make anywhere else.
The typical Berber home is made from pise, a combination of stone and mud, that has served them and their mountain lives well over the centuries. The Berbers often have large families in their dwelling places.
The Berber's have many festivals and know how to have a good time. For example, if you are lucky enough to be there at the same time as a wedding is taking place, it is not unheard of for the celebrations to last for 7 days and invitations to be extended to villagers from miles around.
There are many colonial influences in Berber culture, particularly in their language. You can find French, Spanish and English words in every day usage. For example, pise, written above, is of French origin. On your adventure, you may well find French spellings and pronunciations of various words used often.
All treks can be altered to accommodate you and your needs. Simply contact Brahim and Mohamed for more details.
This trek can be combined with desert trek.
What to expect?
Day One: Marrakech - Imi Oughlad - Tinzert
The day will take 5-6 hours and will start from Marrakech. You will journey from there to Imi Oughlad (340m) where you will meet your guide, cook and mule. When you negin the trek, you will pass huge forests of juniper, pine and oak as you head toward Tinzert. Tinzert has a beautiful view of the Ouirgan Valley. You will spend the night in gites here.
Day Two: Tinzert – Tizian
After spending the night in the village, your guide will take you along the Azzaden Valley, with its beautiful gorges and villages, in order to arrive at the Tizian villages, where you will stay in a local house. The day should take around 5 hours.
Day Three: Tizian – Tizi Taghrhourt – Dkent
As you leave the Azzenden Valley, through its walnut forests, to the Dkent Valley, you will stop at Tizi Taghrhourt and view the incredible spectacle of the Azzenden Valley from 1990m. You will then travel to Tizgui village, where you can spend the night in a local house. This day should take approximately 7 hours to complete.
Day Four: Dkent – Tizi Taghdalt – Tizi Oussem
To join in on the daily life of the Berber people, your day will start very early in the morning. This is when the Berber’s start to work the land, milk the cows, make bread amongst various other activities that make Berber life what it is. The trek will start by Oussol before picking up the trail that leads to the top of the amazing Azzenden Valley. Tizi Oussem is then your destination, where you can use the local steam bath (hamam) and stay in a local house. The day is perhaps 7 hours from start to finish.
Day Five: Tizi Oussem – Ighoulden – Tizi Mzzik - Imlil
The last day is around 5-7 hours of walking and takes you and your party via the largest waterfalls in the Toubkal National Park. After visiting the falls, you will join the path that takes you up the Ait Mizan Valley via Tizi Mzzik, which is at 2500m and gives you the opportunity to view the villages of Imlil and the Atlas mountain range. The final leg of the journey will then be to meet your driver and head back to Marrakech.
Further discounts are available for group sizes over 10 people.
You can pay in €/$/£ or Moroccan Dirhams.
All year Around
This trek has no confirmed dates. Please make an enquiry to arrange a booking.
- Transport to and from Marrakech
- Local Mountain Guide
- Mules to carry the baggage and food
- Accommodation in local houses .
- All food during the trek
- Cook to prepare all meals
- Personal insurance
- Tip
- Drinks