Atlas Mountains - June 2005

This was an Exodus trekking holiday including a 10 days trek round Mount Toubkal, the highest peak of the Atlas mountain range in Morroco. It included walking to the top of Mount Toubkal, 4167 metres high, and 2 days in the city of Marrakech.

It was a camping trek. We were a mixed group of 14 trekkers, having two local guides, Mohamed and Lahcen, a cook, and 7 muleteers (and musicians) with their mules. A great time was had by all.

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Days 1 and 2 - Travel to Arroumd in the Atlas

Day 1 was essentially travel to Marrakech. Day 2 included a coach trip to the Atlas mountains, and a short walk of 45 minutes to reach our village house at Arroumd where the trek proper starts and ends. No pictures.

Day 3 - We start trekking

Sharon looking beautiful in the foreground. Mount Toubkal also looking good just behind her. The trek starts by walking away from Toubkal as we begin the anti-clockwise circuit.
Plenty of goats on this trek

More goats
The hard stuff is done by the mules.

Typical mountain views.
And typical goats

Mohamed the cook poses with goat. Does the goat look a little concerned?
More typical terrain.

The villages merge into the hillsides. Foreground is a roof top where the corn is threshed by mules walking round the posts, and treading the corn stalks under foot.
Muleteers and our mules at work.

Time for lunch, with some welcome shade.
Walking is done for the day. The muleteers love to drum and sing after the days work. Drums and water carriers all put to use. They do it very well.

Day 4 - The trek continues

We start walking in new valleys.
More of the mountain scenery.

Natalie beginning to go native. Fiona looks on.
Camp site is on a col with the craggy top behind. We have streams either side of the camp site.

This is normal. If a drum needs to be retuned, well you light a bit of scrub and heat it.
Natalie gone fully native. Dervish dancing to the drums of the muleteers.

Day 5 - The trek continues

The trek continues.
Mid-morning we reach a craggy pass.

Photo opportunity for yours truly ...
.. and for Sharon Hawkrigg, Natalie Hawkrigg and mum

This is the party being led to camp, by a white mule! whose in charge here?
This was dung beetle camp. Mess tent to the left, and a stream where the trees are.

Fresh bread is baked in the camp site oven. Yummy.

Day 6 - The trek continues

Roofs of the village houses, some being used for storing the wheat.
Another village on the hillside.

Trekkers do their trekking. It's hot work.
Such a stream for mid-day siesta is most welcome. The pink shrubs are Oleander. We all paddle here.

Something strange is happening in the woods. Stephen gets the treatment from Rona, Natalie, Sharon and Jaqui, and becomes light as a fly, so they lift him in the air.
Oleander are everywhere now.

This village was built on a larva flow.

Day 7 - The trek continues

The terrain is more craggy today with a deep ravine.
Time for a group photo. Mohamed (guide) to the left, Lahcen (asst guide near the centre), 13 others, and me the other side of the camera.

The main tracks are built using many loose stones.
At our lunch spot we meet the local frogs.

And here's another.
This goat was posing, so he was snapped. He makes standing on a cliff face look easy.

Mohamed is a softy at heart, where goats are concerned.
Even Meredith likes the little blighters.

Another lovely camp site. How nice to be on grass. We play Morrocan sock football here. The Moroccans won despite our playing in trainers versus their sandals.

Day 8 - The trek continues

No pictures for Day 8. We climb a few hundred metres, then go down 1500 metres.

Day 9 - The trek continues

I suffer from Guardia today, and rest while the others try again at football, this time all with bare feet, and mixed sides, and there's a real football there somewhere. I join in later on.

Day 10 - We reach Lac D'ifni

I suffered Guardia until the medics gave me antibiotic in the morning, coupled with a rehydration drink - 1.5 litres clean water, 1.5 teaspoons of salt and 9 of sugar - just the job. Stephen carried my load throughout the morning. I made a speedy recovery in the afternoon.

This is Lac D'Ifni. Our camp site can just be seen on the far shore. It was a hot climb up, and most of us took a swim in the cool waters of the Lac; Michael still with his stetson, and really liking it.

Day 11 - A long climb up today

We start early going up the rough river valley. This is looking back down towards Lac D'Ifni.
Its a rough walk for all. The mules manage somehow.

More rugged views as we climb ever upward.
Destination for the day. Our tents are set up near the mountain refuge at the base of Koubtal, 3300 metres up. The whiteness is the residue of a vicious hailstorm which caught us descending to the refuge.

Day 12 - The ascent of Koubtal

We leave camp at 5:00 am, and reach the 4000 metre ridge where the sun has just arrived about 7:00. Time to feel a bit pleased.
The last stretch beckons. The summit is over there on the right. The time just after 7:00 am.

7:45 and we've made it. Jill and I share a triumphant hug on the summit.
Natalie (left) and Sharon share triumphant smiles.

Official group photo (1) - all but Rona
Official group photo (2) - all but Stephen, all justly proud.

A look down the other side, from the top of Toubkal. There is only one path up to the top.
Well on our way down. Past the refuge, and a look back at the mountains we are leaving.

No fridges here, but all sorts of other arrangements.
About 4:00 pm, 11 hours after starting out, we see the comfort of Arroumd again and our village house with showers awaits.

Day 13 - Back to Marrakech

No pictures today. We walk a bit, then take the coach back to our hotel in Marrakech, and our first cold beer in a long while.

Day 14 - Marrakech

Storks roost on the palace walls in Marrakech ..
.. plenty of them.

We visit the Ben Youssef Medrassa, an ancient school of theology. This is the peaceful courtyard.
Next we visit Marrakech Museum where works of art can be seen.

I was taking a picture of the souks (market) when this guy stepped in to the picture. He is dressed in the traditional waterman's costume, offering water to drink (for a contribution).
This was taken in the large square, the Place Djamaa El Fna. The snake was friendly.

Day 15 - Return to the UK

The holiday is over. Many thanks to the trekkers who made it a great trek.

Days 1 and 2 - Travel to Arroumd in the Atlas
Day 1 was essentially travel to Marrakech. Day 2 included a coach trip to the Atlas mountains, and a short walk of 45 minutes to reach our village house at Arroumd where the trek proper starts and ends. No pictures.
Day 3 - We start trekking
Sharon looking beautiful in the foreground. Mount Toubkal also looking good just behind her. The trek starts by walking away from Toubkal as we begin the anti-clockwise circuit.			Plenty of goats on this trek
More goats			The hard stuff is done by the mules.
Typical mountain views.			And typical goats
Mohamed the cook poses with goat. Does the goat look a little concerned?			More typical terrain.
The villages merge into the hillsides. Foreground is a roof top where the corn is threshed by mules walking round the posts, and treading the corn stalks under foot.			Muleteers and our mules at work.
Time for lunch, with some welcome shade.			Walking is done for the day. The muleteers love to drum and sing after the days work. Drums and water carriers all put to use. They do it very well.
Day 4 - The trek continues
We start walking in new valleys.			More of the mountain scenery.
Natalie beginning to go native. Fiona looks on.			Camp site is on a col with the craggy top behind. We have streams either side of the camp site.
This is normal. If a drum needs to be retuned, well you light a bit of scrub and heat it.			Natalie gone fully native. Dervish dancing to the drums of the muleteers.
Day 5 - The trek continues
The trek continues.			Mid-morning we reach a craggy pass.
Photo opportunity for yours truly ...			.. and for Sharon Hawkrigg, Natalie Hawkrigg and mum
This is the party being led to camp, by a white mule! whose in charge here?			This was dung beetle camp. Mess tent to the left, and a stream where the trees are.
Fresh bread is baked in the camp site oven. Yummy.
Day 6 - The trek continues
Roofs of the village houses, some being used for storing the wheat.			Another village on the hillside.
Trekkers do their trekking. It's hot work.			Such a stream for mid-day siesta is most welcome. The pink shrubs are Oleander. We all paddle here.
Something strange is happening in the woods. Stephen gets the treatment from Rona, Natalie, Sharon and Jaqui, and becomes light as a fly, so they lift him in the air.			Oleander are everywhere now.
This village was built on a larva flow.
Day 7 - The trek continues
The terrain is more craggy today with a deep ravine.			Time for a group photo. Mohamed (guide) to the left, Lahcen (asst guide near the centre), 13 others, and me the other side of the camera.
The main tracks are built using many loose stones.			At our lunch spot we meet the local frogs.
And here's another.			This goat was posing, so he was snapped. He makes standing on a cliff face look easy.
Mohamed is a softy at heart, where goats are concerned.			Even Meredith likes the little blighters.
Another lovely camp site. How nice to be on grass. We play Morrocan sock football here. The Moroccans won despite our playing in trainers versus their sandals.
Day 8 - The trek continues
No pictures for Day 8. We climb a few hundred metres, then go down 1500 metres.
Day 9 - The trek continues
I suffer from Guardia today, and rest while the others try again at football, this time all with bare feet, and mixed sides, and there's a real football there somewhere. I join in later on.
Day 10 - We reach Lac D'ifni
I suffered Guardia until the medics gave me antibiotic in the morning, coupled with a rehydration drink - 1.5 litres clean water, 1.5 teaspoons of salt and 9 of sugar - just the job. Stephen carried my load throughout the morning. I made a speedy recovery in the afternoon.
This is Lac D'Ifni. Our camp site can just be seen on the far shore. It was a hot climb up, and most of us took a swim in the cool waters of the Lac; Michael still with his stetson, and really liking it.
Day 11 - A long climb up today
We start early going up the rough river valley. This is looking back down towards Lac D'Ifni.			Its a rough walk for all. The mules manage somehow.
More rugged views as we climb ever upward.			Destination for the day. Our tents are set up near the mountain refuge at the base of Koubtal, 3300 metres up. The whiteness is the residue of a vicious hailstorm which caught us descending to the refuge.
Day 12 - The ascent of Koubtal
We leave camp at 5:00 am, and reach the 4000 metre ridge where the sun has just arrived about 7:00. Time to feel a bit pleased.			The last stretch beckons. The summit is over there on the right. The time just after 7:00 am.
7:45 and we've made it. Jill and I share a triumphant hug on the summit.			Natalie (left) and Sharon share triumphant smiles.
Official group photo (1) - all but Rona			Official group photo (2) - all but Stephen, all justly proud.
A look down the other side, from the top of Toubkal. There is only one path up to the top.			Well on our way down. Past the refuge, and a look back at the mountains we are leaving.
No fridges here, but all sorts of other arrangements.			About 4:00 pm, 11 hours after starting out, we see the comfort of Arroumd again and our village house with showers awaits.
Day 13 - Back to Marrakech
No pictures today. We walk a bit, then take the coach back to our hotel in Marrakech, and our first cold beer in a long while.
Day 14 - Marrakech
Storks roost on the palace walls in Marrakech ..			.. plenty of them.
We visit the Ben Youssef Medrassa, an ancient school of theology. This is the peaceful courtyard.			Next we visit Marrakech Museum where works of art can be seen.
I was taking a picture of the souks (market) when this guy stepped in to the picture. He is dressed in the traditional waterman's costume, offering water to drink (for a contribution).			This was taken in the large square, the Place Djamaa El Fna. The snake was friendly.
Day 15 - Return to the UK
The holiday is over. Many thanks to the trekkers who made it a great trek.