Imlil and Azzaden - 2 Day Atlas Valley Trek

Customer reviews & ratings

• We did a trek through the Atlas mountains with 2 adults and 2 kids (ages 10 and 12). I highly recommend this company and this particular trek. The value is amazing. The reviews below sing the company's praises, and I don't disagree. They are relaxed, well-organized, and professional. They made it easy from pick-up to drop-off in Marrakech. We considered booking a trek to climb Toubkal, but decided against it due to the possibility of snow and ice in November. In the end, I suspect this was a good decision, but not for the right reasons. Let me share some thoughts on why you should consider this Villages and Valleys hike. The villages/valleys hike is less destination-oriented. The point it to enjoy the whole journey. The scenery in the High Atlas is far more striking than I expected: colorful, varied vegetation, interesting rock formations, beautiful light in the mornings and evenings. The small human impact of cultivation and sheep/goat herding is beautiful and interesting as well. There are few tourists in the valleys away from Imlil and Toubkal. We had 2 of the 3 "gites" to ourselves, and in the other gite we met two couples from the UK. We saw few tourists on the trails. The towns seemed relatively untouched by tourist traffic... When we arrived at our final lodging, we met a group that had just summitted Toubkal. They complained about the unpleasant conditions in the refugios and the crowds on the trail to the summit. Our kids are experienced hikers. The last few summers we have been doing 4-8 day treks with packs at our mountains at home. They found this trek to be pretty easy. It entails probably 4.5 to 5 hours of hiking per day (2500-3000 feet of elevation gain), with a lot of breaks built-in, stretching it out to 7 hours. Relaxed pace. We really enjoyed getting to know our guide, cook, and muleteer who taught us some much about Morocco and Berber culture. We will always remember Ibrahim, Mohammed, and Omar. Pro tips: you don't need a water filter or camelbacks. Packing your own sleeping bag would be nice. Bring small change or small gifts for the owners of the gites. Also consider taking along a few pieces of useful technical gear as a gift for your guides. Good gear is expensive and hard to procure. These men live in snowy mountains in homes without heat or fires. They will appreciate it.

  Benjamin S Nov, 2019 Verified

• The company was recommended to me by my sister, who passed on their email address. Mohammed was very quick and effecient to reply to our queries (there was five of us in the family) . We had Ibrahim as our guide who was well experienced, knowledgeable and easy to get on with. The trip was fantastic with scenic views! Ibrahim knew everyone we met on the way up the mountains and we even experienced fresh mint tea with a local Berber. Ali, the chef, and his team were also brilliant. The food was fantastic and plentiful! Can't praise them enough! Brilliant two day trek! Jyoti

  Jyoti D Sep, 2019 Verified