Imlil Day Hikes (1-4)

Setting off towards the southwest skirting the Berber town of Imlil (1740m), set in the upper level foothills of the Western High Atlas mountains of the Toubkal National Park. With streams and paths branching out in all directions, your guide will take you across the Tamatert Valley until you reach the hamlet of Achelm to strike out for some 4km towards the south towards the Berber village of Aroumd (Aremd) (1843m), passing the hamlets of Taourirt, Targa, and Imoula, up and down the stark slopes, the jagged Western High Atlas peaks of the Jbel Toubkal Massif - at 4167m the highest peak in North Africa - before you, with her awe-inspiring sister peaks the Jbels Aguelzim (3547m), Aksoual (3847m) and the Adrar Adj (3122m) watching all the way.

Stop at Aroumd in the Assif Ait Mizane Valley, built seemingly house upon house on a large moraine spur overlooking ancient irrigated terraced fields of barley, corn and vegetables and always surrounded by almond and walnut trees. From here carry on for another 8km to the equally-quaint village of Sidi Chamharouch, a Berber village set beside a waterfall and small stream, again with its pise homes seemingly built somewhat chaotically one into another. This village is a place of pilgrimage for devout Moslems and it is where there is a marabout [shrine] – forbidden to non-Moslems - said to be a relic of a pre-Islamic religious and naturalist cult.

Here your guide will prepare your field picnic, within full view of Jbel Toubkal, prior to setting off back down the other side of the valley at a gentle pace back to the delightful Douar Samra where you bid farewell - 'bissalaama' - to your mountain guide.

With the mighty Jbel Toubkal - at 4167m the highest peak in the Maghreb – and her sisters Aguelzim (3547m) and Aksoual (3847m) almost within touching distance, set off on your private, guided hike towards the west up through almond, walnut and apple groves. For most of the time you have a panoramic vista of the beautiful valley of Imlil and of the Berber hamlets of Tanghourt, Fimlil and of M’Zik, with its red ochre minaret all seeming to cling precariously to the mountain slopes. The majority of the villages on this hike are built of pise, dug from the earth of the surrounding slopes.

The piste route takes you through a couloir of red and bluish rocks until reaching the Tizi M'Zik (2664m) where you can stop to admire the Jbel Oukaimeden range, the high plateau of Tazaghart and the beginning of the renowned Valley of the Assif Ait n'Ouissedene with its numerous palmeraies. It has taken some 2.5 hours to reach this point and it is time to start the descent for a further 1.5 hours through woods of juniper and pine in the valley created by the Jbel Tasghimout (2664m) and the Adrar Adj (3729m) to the Tamsoult Cascade (2204m). Here, your guide will prepare your field picnic lunch (bring your swimming gear with you during the late spring to early autumn for an invigorating splash !)

When you feel up to it, stroll back via the same route, but by different paths via the Tizi M'Zik and on to a welcoming return to Jacqueline's Douar for a shower and an excellent dinner before retiring for the night.

With the mighty Jbel Toubkal - at 4167m the highest peak in the Maghreb - almost within touching distance, set off on your private, guided hike towards the east along the Tamatert Valley and then turning north after some 50 minutes up into and through the Tizi n’Tamatert (2272m) and down via the Berber village of Tinerhourhine into the Valley of the Oued Imenane.

Follow this Valley north, with the Jbel Oukaimeden (3268m) to your right, along winding mule trails through almond, walnut and apple groves and terraced Berber hamlets, all seeming to cling precariously to the mountain slopes. The majority of the villages you shall see on this hike are built of pise, dug from the earth of the surrounding slopes. The piste takes you to the village of Ikiss and up to the village of Amssakrou where, after some 3 hours hiking, your guide will prepare you field picnic surrounded by the mountains of the Jbel Oukaimeden, Tizi n'Ou Arg (2258m) and the Tizi n'Tiratene (2268m).

Once refreshed, turn towards the west along mule trails and alongside some naked escarpments up into and through the Tizi n'Aguerssioual (1767m) and through a couloir of grey and ochre rocks until reaching the main village of Aguerssioual in the Assif n'Ait Mizane Valley (2664m). From here set off south back up the valley towards the impressive peaks of Jbel Toubkal, Aguelzim and Aksoual until the village of Taddart then on to the last village in the Tamatert Valley - Ait Souka - where your guide will direct you back to the east for a welcoming return to Jacqueline's Douar for a shower and an excellent dinner before retiring for the night after a six hour slow ramble.