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The Atlas Mountains, from December to April, provide a great opportunity to put your winter walking skills to the test while climbing two magnificent snow-covered Moroccan peaks in a unique environment.
Mount Toubkal, known locally as Jebel Toubkal, stands at 4167m above sea level and commands superb views of the High Atlas Mountains. Our approach trek passes through remote villages that offer insight into the life of the Berbers, a culture that has hardly changed for centuries.
Our Mount Toubkal in Winter Trek follows a programme of acclimatisation, where we aim to make an ascent of Ouankerim (4088m), Morocco’s third-highest summit, and Toubkal (4167m), the highest mountain in North Africa. The views across Jebel Siroua and towards the Sahara are well worth the effort. Reports say, "What a great trip! You get the full experience of everything in Morocco; hustlers, markets, wacky spices, beautiful mountains, great food, and really friendly people make it a trip to be remembered for a long time.”
As the initial slope on the ascent of Toubkal is fairly steep and in icy conditions, a fall could have serious consequences. We do insist that participants have previous experience walking with crampons and know how to perform an ice axe arrest.
This trip will operate with a minimum of 2 participants using a local leader, and a UK leader will accompany groups of 6 or more.
* A deposit of £200 will be required at checkout.
Day 1 | Fly to Marrakech and take a taxi to the hotel. In the evening you might like to watch the antics in the main square, the Jemma El-Fnaa. Rendezvous with your Moroccan guide at 9pm. |
Day 2 | After breakfast we drive for an hour and a half up into the mountains to Oukaimeden, Morocco's 'premiere' ski station at 2600m. From the end of the road an easy climb takes us over the 2960m pass of Tizi n'ou Addi, which is often snow covered in the winter. On the south side of the pass a trail winds its way down and around the hillside to the village of Tacheddirt, the highest in Morocco. |
Day 3 | We descend the Imenene valley for an hour or so before ascending the sweeping zig-zag dirt road up to the pass of Tizi n Tamatert, where a welcome tea shop provides refreshment. Peakbaggers may like to ascend the peak of Aourirt (2724m) from the pass before continuing down past the village of Tamatert and contouring round and above the busy roadhead of Imlil to reach the village of Aremd. 4 - 6 hours walking |
Day 4 | After breakfast we ascend up the Mizane valley on the main route to Toubkal. Depending on the snow line, which changes throughout the winter and from year to year, either mules or porters will carry our bags from here. (Mules and deep snow don't mix!). We pass the shrine at Sidi Chamharouch after about an hour and a half, and then continue up the valley for a further three hours to the Neltner refuge (3207m), our home for the next three nights. 5 - 7 hours walking |
Day 5 | Today we climb Toubkal’s sister peaks, the Ouanoukrim ""twins"", the second and third highest peaks in North Africa. This involves a short scramble in a couple of places as you ascend the ridge from the pass of Tizi n Ouagane. Sitting at over 4000m we will be rewarded with awesome views across to Toubkal and its neighbouring peaks. On the ascent you will be able to practice your ice axe and crampon skills as it is essential you are confident in using them for this ascent and the ascent of Toubkal tomorrow. 6 - 7 hours walking |
Day 6 | An early start is normal for the ascent of Mount Toubkal. The ascent is not technical, but does involve crossing some steep snow-covered ground which in firm conditions requires confidence and concentration. If the snow is soft and deep then it will be extremely hard going. Three to five hours usually sees everyone on top from where you can rest awhile and take in the 360 degree panorama from the top of North Africa's highest mountain. We return to the refuge for lunch by the same route (much quicker on the way down!) and then retrace our steps down the valley the village of Aremd for our last night in the mountains. 8 - 10 hours walking |
Day 7 | After breakfast we make the short walk down to the roadhead at Imlil to join with our vehicles that will take us back to Marrakech in time for lunch. The afternoon is free for sightseeing and shopping. |
Day 8 | Take a taxi to the airport to connect with your flight home. |
It is essential for a trip of this type that you are adequately insured. When researching insurance options, please ensure the policy covers you for the following:
Adventure Peaks partners with Global Rescue to offer the world’s leading travel protection services. Medical and security emergencies happen. When they do, we rely on Global Rescue to provide our clients with medical, security, travel risk and crisis response services. Without a membership, an emergency evacuation could cost over $100,000. More than one million members trust Global Rescue to get them home safely when the unexpected happens. We highly recommend our clients enroll with Global Rescue, in particular for peaks over 7000m:
https://partner.globalrescue.com/adventurepeaks/
We are aware the following provide insurance:
Expeditions and Treks under 7000m - Campbell Irvine Direct : http://www.campbellirvine.com/AdventurePeaks
HCC Medical Insurance Services: LLC sales@hccmis.com Tel: 1-800-605-2282
Travelex Ins. Services: www.travelexinsurance.com Tel: 1-800 228 9792
True Traveller Ins: www.truetraveller.com Tel: 0333 999 3140 for treks including over 4500m
Austrian Alpine Club (UK) www.aacuk.org.uk Tel: +44 (0)1929 556870
Rothwell & Towler: www.world-first.co.uk Tel: 0345 908 0161 (under 6400m)
J S Insurance: www.jsinsurance.co.uk Tel: 0844 848 1500
Snowcard: www.snowcard.co.uk Tel: 01295 660836
The B.M.C.: www.thebmc.co.uk Tel: 0161 445 6111 (call and speak to Jim. Please note the BMC cannot cover Mt Damavand)
Dogtag: www.dogtag.co.uk Tel: 0800 036 4824 (Check excess etc)
HCC Medical Insurance Services: LLC sales@hccmis.com Tel: 1-800-605-2282
Travelex Ins. Services: www.travelexinsurance.com Tel: 1-800 228 9792
True Traveller Ins: www.truetraveller.com Tel: 0333 999 3140 for treks including over 4500m
Austrian Alpine Club (UK): www.aacuk.org.uk Tel: +44 (0)1929 556870
AXA Worldwide Travel Ins: www.axainsurance.com Tel: +44 (0)844 874 0360
Ingle International: www.ingleinternational.com Tel: (USA) 1.800.360.3234
Insure for Less: www.insure4less.com.au (Australian clients)
You do not have to use any of the above, but if you make your own insurance arrangements documentary evidence of your own policy is required.
Please forward the details of your Insurance as soon as you have it: we need the insurance company’s name, their 24 hour emergency telephone number and your insurance policy number – admin@adventurepeaks.com
Mohamed is engaging, knowledgeable and very professional. He was with us in 2015 and great to see him again.
The group on this trip were tremendous fun to be with and with Mohamed's firm organisation everything went like clockwork.
Trip was better than i expected, had a fantastic team and it was a lot of fun. Food was amazing, will definitely be back to the Atlas Mountains.
Would highly recommend especially as a tester before committing to say Mont Blanc, good practice for someone new to crampons and using ice axe.
As an existing client, I trust adventure peaks to get it right. All staff are great to deal with and the website is clear and easy to use. Prices are very competitive without compromising on service.
The only possible negative is that, due to the huge range of expeditions to choose from, it is not always guaranteed that the triple go ahead. Because of minimum client requirements. However, I couldn't mark adventure peaks down on this because it helped broaden my horizons and realise the huge variety of opportunities to travel to amazing places that I hadn't previously thought of.
I liked your brochure with a good write-up of lodgings included meals. It would be helpful to include samples of specific examples of gear aligned to items as some of them don't translate to the same items in the United States (example, warm pants).
It was a great trip, I highly recommend it to others and your agent was very good. The food at the hotel and during the trip were also very good. It was very well organised very good vehicles and logistics overall a very good and well executed expedition in an exotic location. I had to recommend a trip for both the climbing and culture.
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