8 DAYS SKI TOUR IN HIGH ATLAS

Tour Overview

For10 year, we are arranging a ski trip in Morocco the High Atlas mountain range in Morocco offers surprisingly good skiing with varying degrees of difficulty. The area around Jbel Toubkal, which is North Africa’s highest mountain at 4,167 m, is very well-suited to ski touring. A CAF-refuge (Club Alpin Français) is strategically located in a deep valley near the base of Jbel Toubkal. From here, you can reach a number of 4,000-metre peaks with relative ease, which during the winter months are snow covered.

During the trip, you will come in contact with the local population of the Atlas Mountains, the Berber people, and become acquainted with their culture.

During the trip, you will come in contact with the local population of the Atlas Mountains, the Berber people, and become acquainted with their culture. If you enjoy sweet tea, you will appreciate a cup of “Berber whiskey” after a day on the mountain. During the trip, you will also have a powerful encounter with the mythical city of Marrakech.

Duration: 8 days
Destination: Imlil
Accommodation: Gites and local Berber houses

Tour Details

Marrakech, Morocco – Imlil

At the airport of Marrkech, you meet up with Pathfinder Travels’ leader/mountain guide. We continue our journey to the mountain village Imlil, where we get settled into the hostel of our friend Slimane. During the trip, information about the upcoming days’ events and activities will be handed out.

Day 1

Imlil – Refuge Toubkal

After an early wake-up and breakfast, we pack our luggage onto the mules and hike up to Refuge Toubkal (3,106 m) at the base of Jbel Toubkal. We eat lunch and then get informed about the local mountain environment, the routes for the next few days, safety considerations, etc. This is followed by a practical run through of our avalanche equipment. We will overnight the next few nights in the refuge, where we also eat breakfast and dinner. We take lunch with us onto the mountain.

Day 2

Refuge (3207 m) – Toubkal summit (4167 m) – Imlil (1740 m)

Up early for the climb up Toubkal (4,167m) from where, clouds allowing, you’ll have wonderful views over the Atlas Range and the Sahara Desert then a long way back down past the refuge and the well-worn path back to Imlil. This is a fairly long day with 8-9 hours of trekking, involving 900m up then almost 2,500m back down to Imlil! You will normally be dropped off at around 5.00pm in Marrakech.

Day 3

Ski touring

In the morning, we put on skis and climbing skins (ski touring) or crampons (alpine touring) for a ski tour of Ouanoukrim (4,089 m), and Jbel Toubkel and other nearby peaks of about 3,700 to 4,100 m. The area offers both steep couloir skiing and open fields, and we choose our descents as per the group’s wishes and nature’s conditions.

Days 4-5

Imlil – Marrakech

An early descent to Imlil, some repacking and then we continue our journey towards Marrakech. We visit the bathhouses, called hammam, and some light city orienteering in medinan, the old innertown. We eat a wonderful dinner that evening.

Day 6

Departure

We take the transfer to the airport and can glance back at the High Atlas Mountains with joy. If you have choosen to continue the trip on you own you part here from the rest of the group.

Day 4