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Sunday, July 30, 2023

It's been over three years since my last Toubkal Trek in the Atlas Mountains and thankfully the travel chaos from the pandemic has now come to an end. Stepping off the plane we were greeted by the warm winds of Marrakech and the familiar smells and sounds of the city. Our driver was waiting patiently and we were soon taken to our minibus before being transported to the much quieter mountain village of Imlil where we would start our trek. 

Day 1 - Training Day

The early morning call to prayer is something you soon get used to and a few hours later we were sat around our breakfast table outside by the river where I gave a briefing of what to do, what not to do and what to expect. We gathered our daypacks and set off for a walk up to Tizi Tamatert so everybody can figure out what to wear, what to carry and what they can leave behind in their bags. 

After a few hours of walking we arrived at the pass - taking in the views and drinking some orange juice from a seller who charged us a small fee for the most amazing fresh orange juice, it was very welcome after such a long trek up the hill in the heat. Before long we were back in Imlil and after a tasty meat tagine, we all headed to our rooms to get some rest before tomorrow.

Day 2 - Tamsoult Valley

Today is the official start of the trek. We ate an amazing breakfast of Berber pancakes, juice, bread and yoghurt before sorting our kit for the mules. My good friend Omar who I've known for years arrived with a big smile on his face and he soon took over the sorting and packing of our gear for the trek. Having worked alongside Omar I highly rate him as a cusinier and with him and Mohammed keeping everything moving like a well-oiled machine I had no doubt this would be a fantastic trek. 

Moving on from Imlil we soon made our way over the Tizi Mzik pass where everybody drank some juice from another seller and before long we were heading down to the Tamsoult Refuge where we would stay for the night. On arrival, Hussain met us at the door of the refuge, showed us our private dorm and we all sorted our beds for the night. A tasty evening meal and before long our eyes were struggling to stay open so we all headed for bed to get some rest for tomorrow - a big day lay ahead and we all knew it wouldn't be an easy mountain pass to cross.

Day 3 - The Zig Zags and Tizi Agulziem

Waking in the morning everybody knew today was a bigger day, the pass we needed to climb topped out at 3600m putting everybody well in the thinner air and their first chance to experience altitude. As many of our clients were newbies to trekking at altitude it would be a suitable test and an eye-opener to some on the effects of altitude on your body. 

We walked past an amazing waterfall and trekked the steep winding path that leads the way through the gorge. Before long we arrived on the moraine where a path snakes its way up the hill to the final obstacle of the day - the dreaded zig zags!

The zig zigs of Tizi Agulziem are steep, loose and despite it being a pretty good path it's still a beast to reach the top. We split into two teams, I (Matt) lead the first team and Mohammed our other Guide led the others from the back. After an hour or so we reached the top and to my surprise, a seller had set up a small store with some fizzy drinks and water where we purchased refreshments which made us feel amazing after such a long slog up the pass. Another hour or so later the refuge of Les Mouflons came into view and we were soon indoors drinking coffee and relaxing. In the evening Omar cooked us an amazing Tagine with cous cous and a plan was hatched for the next day.

Normally we take a rest day on day four allowing everybody to recover but the forecast was showing the potential for high winds and rain on our planned summit day so we move it forward so our team could have a chance to summit. The conversations are never easy when were talking summit day and a few of our team needed the extra rest day as the Agulzim pass had wiped all of their energy. We agreed that I would take the first team of 4 to the summit and the other 3 would wait to see how they recovered and maybe try the second day. 

Day 4 - Summit Day

Summit day starts early morning and after some breakfast, we were soon following the head torches and making our way through the boulder field towards the summit. This day is pretty brutal and requires some grit and determination to push out of your comfort zone. The trail in the upper sections is loose and we encountered some small snow fields that needed care to cross safely. After a few hours we could see the summit and we made our way to the famous metal triangular marker on the top of Jbel Toubkal (4167m). After some celebrations on the top we all headed down and two of the group wanted to summit Toubkal Ouest so we headed up as the others made a slow descent down the screes. Toubkal Ouest is only a short detour and before long we were all back together heading to the refuge. In the evening Omar cooked us his speciality dish of Beber pizza which can only be described as more like lasagne than pizza but it was amazing and much needed after such a tough day. We ate as much as possible and the summiteers headed to bed for the night. 

Day 5 - Back to Imlil

After some conversations with the rest of the team yet to summit - we came to a sensible decision that heading back down in the morning would be the best decision and I applaud my clients who made the tough decision even though it's never an easy one to make. Getting sick, exhausted or injured on a Moroccan high-altitude peak is not recommended and unlike the Alps, we don't have the option of a fast helicopter rescue, our plans have to be more risk-averse so we can avoid the challenge of removing a sick person from the mountain.

After a long walk through the village of Sidi Chamharouch, Armed and into Imlil we were soon greeted by our team of muleteers who somehow were always looking fresh and arrived around 1 hour before anybody else, quite the achievement given they carry so much equipment and food. We thanked our hosts, thanked our Muleteers and Khaled from the hotel made us a fantastic meal to celebrate getting down safely and finishing the trek.

Day 6 - Relaxing in Marrakech

The final evening of the trek is spent at my favourite restaurant in the Medina and I reserved a table on the rooftop terrace so we could watch the sunset and toast to a great week of trekking and adventure. 

Success for us isn't measured by summits it's measured by the experiences we give to our clients and the amazing memories our clients take home from the trek. I couldn't have asked for a better group to guide around the Atlas mountains and my handpicked team of Mohammed (Guide), Omar(Cusinier) and Mohammed, Mohammed, Omar and Mohammed who were our muleteers ensured everything went exactly to plan. The people and mountains make the trip what it is, everything else is just a bonus. 

If you want to join our trek next year please check out our website or contact us for more details. We specialise in smaller group sizes ensuring we give a more personal experience you will never forget. We have a great team working on all of our treks who we know well and we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality expeditions in unique places. Would be great to have you along. 

 

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