Trek Undiscovered Atlas

Day 1 Marrakech:   Early evening meet with your guide to share essential trip information, and so that your passport and insurance details can be collected.

Note: we leave early tomorrow for the start of our adventure, so you may want arrive a day earlier (or stay a day later) so that you can explore this unique city. After the meeting, perhaps head to the city’s main square – Djemaa El-Fna – for dinner.

Day 2 Jebel Sirwa region - walking to Tislit:   Our journey to the Jebel Sirwa region takes us along one of Morocco's most spectacular roads and across the Atlas by way of the Tizi n'Test Pass (2130m). We drive through valley of Asni, with its red-earth buildings and pretty fields of wheat. Beyond the striking village of Ouirgane the road climbs to the top of the pass by a dramatic zig-zag. Next we drop into the Taliouine region famed for its argon oil. This region is nestled between the Anti-Atlas and the plain of Souss which extend towards the Atlantic coast. After stopping for lunch at a local restaurant in Aoulouz, we turn off the tarmac and head towards the village of Tazount. Here, we will meet our trek crew and set off on a short afternoon of walking through cultivated fields and a splendid gorge. Our hike ends in a pretty valley which shelters a number of small settlements. Tonight we camp below the village of Tislit.

Trek time - 2 hours.

Day 3 Tizgui:   This morning after breakfast we start walking towards the greener valley of Assif n'Ait Oubyal, dotted with fields of barley, wheat and saffron. As we approach the villages of Ait Esine, Ait Marouf and Ait Amrane we can expect a warm welcome as the local Berbers see only a small number of visitors. After lunch our trail ascends and we reach an ancient agadir, or shared grain store, an impressive building which offers some fantastic photo opportunities. Life in the valley is very simple, and we will get a real taste of local life. Towards the end of the day our path zig-zags up to Tizgui and into a high valley with stone-built shelters and terraced fields where we will make camp.

Trek time - 6-7 hours.

Day 4 Guiliz Peak (2900m) to Tagragra (2600m):   We start out today with some easy walking for a couple of hours alongside a stream dotted with vegetation on its banks before we climb to the summit of Guiliz (2900m). We are rewarded with excellent views across the Jebel Sirwa region and can clearly see the route that we've followed over the last two days. After enjoying the panorama and taking the all-important summit photos, we'll drop back down into the valley and continue along our way. On reaching the valley we hike towards a number of superb shepherds' huts. The Berbers come here in spring to work the land sowing barley which they will harvest at the end of summer. Finally we set up camp near the caves at Tagragra (2600m), which are inhabited by shepherds from the tribe of Beni M'Zguid.

Trek time – 5 hours.

Day 5 Jebel Sirwa (3305m) to Tissouitine (2450m):   After breakfast we set off walking through picturesque gorges and wild rock formations. After a couple of hours we reach the start of the ridge which leads to the summit of Jebel Sirwa. The majority of the trail is relatively easy going, then we reach the first of two rocky outcrops and work our way around the lower of these and then tackle the 30m scramble up to the true summit. (Please note that the summit is optional and you can wait on the trail if you prefer not to scramble as the views are still amazing.) The spectacular views extend across the High Atlas, the Ouarzazate Plain across to the Anti- Atlas. Our descent takes us from rocky outcrops down into green fields and terraces of corn and saffron. Tonight we set up camp next to an attractive collection of shepherds' houses and sheep folds at Tissouitine (2450m).

Trek Time 6-7 hours.

Day 6 Tomahakout:   Today we start with a short descent into the Assif n'Izine, a beautiful valley with a stream. Clever irrigation channels provide water for the villagers' crops and there are lots of well-made houses and sheepfolds. These clever structures are built against large boulders in genuine 'alpine' hamlets. The houses are split into two, with one part being used for the family and the adjoining stable areas used for sheep and goats. Next we ascend to a col on the north side of the valley and look back to the rounded peak of Tisfeldat and towards the peaks of the High Atlas. Our trail then descends and winds through a gorge and into another saffron-growing area above the villages of Ait Ighmour and Idoughagh. Here we are shaded by huge walnut trees as we hike through a wadi. Today is a really lovely day as we are initially surrounded by steep and rugged valley sides which gradually give way to a landscape covered with scrub vegetation and red flowering oleander. Finally we arrive on the outskirts of the village of Tomahakout and set up our final camp at the foot of a number of rocky peaks.

Trek time – 5-6 hours.

Day 7 Tamazight to Marrakech:   We end our adventure with two hours of pleasant walking with views back to the summit of Jebel Sirwa. Our trail takes us down to the village of Tamazight and it is here that we meet our vehicles and say goodbye to our trek team. We drive back via the Atlas and over the Tizi n'Tichka (2260m) Morocco's highest road pass, and end in Marrakech. We can take you to the airport or to a riad or hotel in if you would like to extend your stay.