The Atlas mountains form one of the world’s great trekking ranges. Here one finds diversity and challenge, beauty and adventure. But the route you decide to pursue will depend on a number of factors: the season and your level of fitness will affect your choice; so, too, will your particular reasons for visiting the Atlas. If you want to reach the roof of North Africa, make for Toubkal; if you want to drink tea in an ancient Berber village go to M’goun. Trekkers hoping to find solitude will meet few other travellers on the ascent to Jbel Sirwa while the Sahro region offers striking landscapes and isolated communities.
Planning your route
Decide what you hope to get from your Atlas trek and plan a route accordingly. Don't try to pack in too much; the most memorable treks are those taken slowly enough to enjoy fully the environment through which one is walking. You will need to leave time to get from Marrakesh or Ouarzazate to the trailhead; details are included in the relevant sections but be aware that patience is often required when using Moroccan public transport and it makes sense to leave ample time to get down from the mountains. You might also plan to leave two or three days to explore Marrakesh which is itself one of the highlights of travelling to the Atlas mountains.
JBEL TOUBKAL
This well-known section of the High Atlas range is by far the most popular part of the Atlas mountains because of Jbel Toubkal (4167m/13,667ft), the highest peak in North Africa. You have the choice between bagging the summit in two or three days from Imlil or completing an extended circuit over six or seven days.
Circuit
To get to Jbel Toubkal one needs to travel from Marrakesh to Asni and then on to Imlil. From Imlil there is a trail to the Neltner Refuge, which sits at 3207m/10,518ft, and then up to the summit. The extended circuit covers remote and dramatic terrain, the stunning Lac d’Ifni, several Berber villages and a number of high-altitude passes.
Pros and cons – No one should trek in the Atlas without conquering its greatest mountain. And the views from this high-altitude circuit are breathtaking. You will also meet more fellow trekkers on this route which can add to the enjoyment though, for some, the presence of other trekkers might detract from the pleasure of the trek.
Toubkal is a harsh and unforgiving landscape which, though beautiful, surprises those visitors who expect a relatively easy time and there are great changes in altitude and long, dry periods during which water is scarce.
M’GOUN MASSIF
The M’goun massif in the High Atlas range is a more lush and friendly area than Toubkal; the landscape is very different and, accordingly, offers a very different experience. The highest peak, M’goun, stands at 4068m/13,343ft and is the tallest outside the Toubkal area. There are bright, densely-populated valleys around M’goun and deeply-carved gorges along the higher sections of the trek, parts of which are quite isolated. The trailhead for these treks is Tabant; to get there from Marrakesh travel to Azilal and then on to Tabant.
Circuit
The six- or seven-day circuit described in this guide leads from Tabant to the vast Tarkeddid plateau (2900m/9512ft), then up to the summit (4068m/13,343ft) before running alongside the Ouililimt river to a series of charming Berber villages. From there the trail crosses a 2905m/9528ft-high col to descend back to Tabant in the Aït Bou Guemez valley.
Pros and cons – Few could argue that the views from this trek are among the finest in Morocco. The trek itself is diverse with long stretches at high altitude and periods of isolation combined with village visits and popular routes on which one is bound to pass other trekkers.
Traverse
This low-altitude six-day traverse is relatively easy both to trek and navigate. It gives walkers a chance to spend time in High Atlas villages including that of Megdaz, perhaps the most attractive in the range. From Tabant the trail leads through the villages of Abachkou, Ifira, Amerzi, Aït Ali n’Ito, Megdaz and Aït Tamlil. Transport is available from Aït Tamlil to Demnate and Azilal.
Pros and cons – Trekkers in search of a physical challenge might find this stage too easy, though others might find the relatively benign terrain a blessed relief after the demands of Jbel Toubkal or the M’goun summit. Perhaps the most obvious advantage to this route is the chance it offers to spend time in Berber villages. Berber hospitality is deservedly famous and meeting local people is an essential ingredient in a great Atlas trek.
JBEL SIRWA
The Sirwa region bridges the Anti and High Atlas ranges. It is a vast, harsh and magnificent expanse of weird rock formations, isolated communities and volcanic peaks. Trekking Sirwa is exciting, challenging and unforgettable. However, it can be difficult to navigate across this at times intimidating moonscape and less experienced trekkers should employ the help of a local guide. The route notes given in this book for Sirwa are particularly detailed because of the indistinct nature of the trail. Taliouine is the place to start a Sirwa adventure.
Circuit
The trailhead is at Taliouine but the circuit proper starts from Akhfamane. From there, the trail climbs steeply past Ti n’Iddr to reach Jbel Sirwa (3305m/10,840ft) after two or three days’ trekking. After the summit, the route snakes down through several tiny, remote communities, including Tizgui, Tagouyam, Tinfat and Miggarn, to whom trekkers are a rarity.
Pros and cons – This is a fairly difficult trek. Intense heat can make things harder and navigation is tricky. Sometimes water is scarce and trekkers have to be fairly self-sufficient; read the route notes before setting off in order to plan what you need to take with you. Nevertheless, trekking Sirwa is a wonderfully rewarding experience; while much of Morocco is growing tame in order to attract tourists, Sirwa remains completely wild.
JBEL SAHRO
Like Sirwa, Sahro is more remote than Toubkal and M’goun. While the trekking is lower and, perhaps, easier, navigating here can be difficult. The striking landscape of Sahro is punctuated by bright oases, twisted peaks and abandoned kasbahs (self-contained, fortified communities). In fact, Sahro is like the surface of another planet and trekkers will be amazed by the strange beauty of the place. As with Sirwa, it is important that you read the route notes before setting off. Again, the route notes given in this guide are very detailed since there are no obvious reference points or tracks for orientation. Head to N’Kob for the Jbel Sahro traverse or Tassouit, the end-point for the traverse, for the circular trek.
Traverse
N’Kob (sometimes Nekob) is the trailhead for this traverse although the trek proper starts from Tifdassine. The six- or seven-day route meanders across an at times barren wilderness which is framed by weird peaks and scarred by sheer gorges. Head from Tifdassine through Boilouz, over Tizi n’Ouarg (2592m/8501ft) to Tagdilt and on to Tassouit.
Pros and cons – This is a hard but rewarding trek across vast tracts of the Sahro region. There are few communities and no supplies so trekkers will need to be able to look after themselves. A guide might be needed since the trail is hard to follow. On the more positive side, there is no other area quite like Sahro which offers some of the most remarkable trekking in Africa. This is a challenge worth accepting.
Circuit
The circuit starts from Tassouit, where the traverse ends, and takes about six days. From Tassiout the circuit leads past Assaka n’Aït Ouzzine, over Tizi n’Tagmout and Tizi n’Tmirchct (2378m/7799ft) to Boumalne du Dadès, just a short distance from Tassiout and Qalaa’t M’gouna. Frequent transport links both to Ouarzazate.
Pros and cons – There are fewer trekkers here than one might expect to meet around Toubkal or M’goun which means the trails across Sahro can be hard to follow and the local communities have few facilities. This is a slightly easier trek than the traverse but equally representative of the great diversity Sahro has to offer with its long ascents and descents, glimpses of nomads, remote Berber hamlets and local architecture.
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