Morocco Gateway by outdoor sports in Morocco specialist Charlie Shepherd.
Morocco’s mountains and deserts offer exceptional beauty, high drama and intriguing cultural encounters in equal measure, making it an increasingly popular and appealing destination for trekking, be it a challenging summit climb, a multi-day camping trek through untouched wilderness, or a casual day walk to experience a way of life which has hardly changed in centuries .In fact choosing what trek to do in Morocco, and where, can prove a stiff challenge in itself.
So, what are the options and most important considerations to bear in mind when planning your trek in Morocco? As with all types of holiday you’ll have to consider whether to join an organised tour (either on a group or private basis), or whether you intend to organise your trip on a more independent basis. In the case of trekking, both approaches are possible. The following information is geared more towards the independent traveller, although the merits of booking through an experienced operator should not be overlooked.
For the independently-minded and adventurous individual, treks in Morocco can be successfully organised “on-the-spot”, provided certain key guidelines are followed. Most importantly, you are never recommended to trek (for anything more than a casual mountain stroll) without a qualified mountain guide to lead you. Ait Bougmez Valley, the most beautiful valley in Morocco’s High Atlas mountains, is home to Africa’s only mountain guide training college and all certified guides have passed a six-month mountain leadership course here.
Sourcing qualified guides is normally relatively straightforward and any prospective guide should be asked to show you their official mountain guide identity card. The Hotel Ali (just off the Jemaa-el-Fna main square) in Marrakech is a good starting point as many guides tend to congregate here. Asking at reception will normally yield quick results. They also have a stock of 1:100 000 maps which will be useful in your planning.
If you have already researched your trekking region (more on this later) then in some cases you will be able to source a guide at the trailhead. The villages of Imlil, Tabant, Setti Fatma (High Atlas), Tafraoute (Anti-Atlas), Nkob (Jebel Saghro) and Taliouine (Jebel Sirwa) are good places to find local guides, as are their local hotels and guest houses. Guide services cost around 400dh (about €30-35) per day, and, depending on the nature of your proposed hike, you may want to enlist the services of a mule and handler to carry your bags/food/camping gear etc. Mule services cost around 100dh per day (about €8-10) and are recommended for long treks where food and camping equipment needs to be carried. On organised treks with tour companies you will also be provided with a cook to prepare lunches and hot meals in the evenings. All guides know of a cook who can accompany you, should you require one – count on about 200dh (around €15-20) per day.
Another essential consideration prior to settling on any trek is weather and climate. Morocco is predominantly a dry country but severe weather conditions are common in the mountains, even in summertime. Research this well, be prepared with adequate clothing, including multiple layers, good quality waterproof and windproof garments, sturdy hiking boots with ankle support, and always heed the advice of guides who will know local conditions far better than you will. There is no single ideal season to trek in the mountains of Morocco, as each range has its own climatic nuances, although you can count on late spring and autumn as being generally good times to hike. Winter hiking in all but the extreme south and the desert often requires specialist equipment for snow conditions, and summer is only recommended for very high altitude treks where the air is cooler.
So, where to go?
The most popular range of mountains in which to trek is the High Atlas. The highest and most extensive range in North Africa, the High Atlas rise to over 4000m above sea level and boasts Africa’s highest peak, Jebel Toubkal, at a height of 4,167m pr 13,671ft. Toubkal is, by some distance, the most trekked peak in Morocco, and represents an easily-accessible but challenging two or three day hike from the busy trailhead village of Imlil. Imlil has a “Bureau des Guides” where you can get information on the region and source guides, mules and cooks.
The trail up the mountain is a well-trodden one, and two well-equipped refuges at the foot of the steepest part of the climb provide dormitory accommodation and hot meals. The trek is physically-challenging but doesn’t prevent too many technical difficulties for regular hikers, and you’ll normally find the mountain snow covered (sometimes all the way from Imlil up) from December to April, when crampons and ice axes are required.
If your focus includes experiencing a taste of Moroccan rural culture, there are plenty of easily-accessible options from Imlil or Setti Fatma (at the top of the Ourika Valley). For instance a three-day hike through brightly-cultivated valleys and over one high pass, links the two valleys, with your nights spent under canvas, or, somewhat more conveniently, staying in mountain gites, basic village houses licensed to put up passing walkers for the night. The cultural aspect to such treks, or other similar hikes at lower altitudes, makes this a popular choice among visitors.
If you have longer than a week available to you, you might cast your eye further afield. The Toubkal National Park in the High Atlas mountain range, 70 kilometres from Marrakech, has few rivals for convenience, but other parts of Morocco offer comparable beauty and interest for those prepared to invest travelling time to access more distant mountain areas.
The Ait Bougmez valley in the High Atlas Mountains five hours to the east of Marrakech, is one of Morocco’s most absorbing and picturesque trailheads, and one which offers trekking services (guides, mules, cooks, provisions) plus hikes to suit all levels of physical ability. Jebel M’Goun is the country’s third highest peak and is scalable by fit individuals as part of a five day circuit starting and finishing in Bougmez. For more leisurely strolls, the valley itself, with its gite accommodation, fairytale landscape and hospitable folk, will keep you occupied and entertained for three or four days.
Heading southward from this region over the rugged spine of the High Atlas, treks into the Mgoun Gorges lead towards the desert south of the country. The Jebel Saghro, an intruiging landscape of contorted rock formations, table top mountains and bright oases, is a popular winter trekking range and is accessible from the agreeable town of N’Kob. Four to five days will allow you to traverse the range from south to north, finishing on the plains around the town of Boumalne Dades. Beware that trekking in the Saghro requires a high degree of organisation as trails are indistinct, water can be scarce and temperatures ferocious, even in spring and autumn.
The road from the Draa Valley to N’Kob continues to the tallest desert sand dunes in Morocco, close to the community of Merzouga. The Erg Chebbi dunes rise some 300m out of the surrounding flat plains of the “Hamada” stone desert, and their popularity can make them crowded in high season. However, with a bit of effort you can escape the crowds with a good guide and the essentials for overnight stays in the dunes. There are a number of well-equipped, permanent tent camps in the dunes but if solitude is what you are after then you’ll have to be prepared to pitch your own camp. Here camel dromedaries carry the gear (as opposed to mules) and, if you bargain hard, you can hire one for around 200dh (€15-20) per day. Some choose to ride, others prefer to walk - either is possible.
Additionally, here are some other trekking area suggestions together with their corresponding trailheads:
Jebel Sirwa: accessible from Taliouine
Anti-Atlas Mountains: accessible from Tafraoute
Middle Atlas Mountains: accessible from Azrou
Rif Mountains: accessible from Chefchaouen
