Toubkal region is the most popular area with trekkers :easily accessible from Marrakech, it is an area of stunning scenery, high mountains (including Toubkal, the highest mountain in north Africa at 4167m) and typical Berber villages. The area is criss-crossed by mule tracks that cross high passes and descend into deep valleys, passing summer pastures and terraces of maize, potatoes and other crops and orchards of walnut, apple and cherry. Imlil is the main trailhead for the area.

This trek, like so many to the Toubkal Region, departs from Marrakech around 8 to 9 in the morning (depending upon season) for an exhilarating two hour drive south up over gorges and high passes to the Berber town of Imlil (1740m). Imlil is set in the upper foothills of the Western High Atlas mountains, a main trailhead in these parts with mule paths branching out in all directions.

After loading up your main luggage on to the mules your guide will lead you away from Imlil and strike out for some 4km towards the south up to the Berber village of Aroumd (1843m) and the hamlets of Taourirt, Targa and Imoula, up and down the stark slopes with the magnificent Western High Atlas peaks of the Toubkal Massif immediately before you. Your guide will stop at Aroumd for you to visit this rather singular village in the Assif Aït Mizane Valley, built seemingly house upon house on a large moraine spur, overlooking ancient irrigated terraced fields of fruit trees and vegetables.

A further 8km south and you arrive at the equally-quaint village of Sidi Chamharouch, a Berber village set beside a waterfall and small stream, again with its pisé 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 and said to be a relic of a pre-Islamic religious cult. Here your guide wil prepare your field picnic within full view of mighty Jbel Toubkal, prior to setting off up to the Toubkal Refuge for dinner and overnight accommodation.