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Home>Outdoor Service Directory > Toubkal Treks - Mohamed Maachou - Morocco

Toubkal Treks - Mohamed Maachou - Morocco

who's mohamed maachou

Mohamed maachou is a state qualified mountain guide (cfamm/cret/frmsm/stjam )he is also well acquainted with the mountains in all his moods. He has lived and worked a lifetime in the more remote jagged areas of High Atlas. He knows and loves the local characters, the people whose lives are steeped in local Berber traditions and folkways.
Since 1995 he was walking, driving and discovering all of Morocco. He has a vast knowledge of the different habitats in Morocco i.e. mountains, desert, forest and sea...etc. he works a partner for English walking tours in Morocco, and his fluent as a French and English speaker. His birdwatcher and like to show birds to the people he take on His tours in the mountains and desert .

Having worked in tourist industry for most of his life, Mohamed wished to share his love of nature and the richness of the traditional ways of his childhood.

More recently, he has completed the FRMSM Mountain Leader course, which covers all aspects of mountain leadership, including safety, first aid, map reading and navigation. Mohamed is also a member of the local Mountain Environment Association team in Morocco.

NB:
mohamed worked for exodus - action challenge- adventure works.

for more details write to :
toubkaltour@yahoo.fr

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trekking in morocco

High Atlas
The Atlas Mountains are a rocky range over 500 kilometres long creating a great diversity of climates and landscapes in Morocco. Several peaks rise over 4000 metres and most of them are readily accesible to walkers. Deep gorges and broad valleys divide the separate areas where for centuries the fascinating and traditionally ferocious Berber people have found refuge and fought back the many invaders who have tried to rule Morocco.

Though originally sheep herders the Berber tribes have remained mainly ungovernable, retaining their own culture, language, traditions and music.

Our guides come from one of the more remote valleys in the Atlas where an all-weather road and electricity arrived only a few years ago. They are, like all other Berbers, very hospitable and will guide you through these fascinating areas. The Jebel Toubkal area contains the very highest summits and both our scheduled trips culminate with an ascent of North Africa's highest summit. Our longer trek includes an ascent and a trek through the Mount Mgoun region, a much wilder and less frequently visited area.

Just south of the High Atlas several lower ranges separate the main range from the Sahara desert. The Jebel Sarhro is one such range; with its peaks rising up to 2500m it is too hot in the summer to visit but perfect for the winter months. The main High Atlas peaks are snow covered from early November till May. The Mgoun massif is particularly suitable for ski touring.

toubkal area

Toubkal Trek

Mount Toubkal Trek (4167m) can be climbed in two days (rather than the six needed for Kilimanjaro) – Day One is a five hour trek from Ilmil at 1800m, up gradually steepening, scree ridden terrain stopping to acclimatise at 3200m (above 3000m the effects of altitude are noticeable – heart beating faster, short of breath, legs like lead weights!) at the Neltner/Toubkal Refuge with hot showers (an unexpected luxury!).

Here, after a feast of pasta carbs we camped over night, getting up at 4.30am to begin the final ascent on Day Two.

Nowhere near as high as Mount Kilimanjaro, but just as energy sapping and very hot (35 degrees) and dusty, every step of the 4-hour ascent was an effort as the altitude starves you of the oxygen needed to make your limbs work.

We finally arrived at the summit at 9.30am with spectacular (if hazy) views across to the Sahara in the south and Marrakech to the north.

toubkal winter climb

Winter Trekking

Toubkal in Winter After the morning to experience exotic Marrakech you head off into the mountains and get onto the trails. From Aremd you’ll climb to Neltner (3200m), the base camp for Toubkal, and undertake several walks to get used to the conditions and acclimatise. With three nights at Neltner there is plenty of time to practice with your ice axe and crampons

The Roof of North Africa
The main goal of the trip is to climb summit Jebel Toubkal - North Africa’s highest peak (4167m), but there is also time for the sister peak Ouanakrim (4088m). Winter is a more challenging time to climb in the mountains but the rewards are truly inspirational. The mountains are capped with snow and the air is crisp and clear making the views immeasurably more breathtaking.

Winter Trekking
This is an ideal trip for those who want a demanding week’s walking, stunning mountain scenery and the added challenge of the winter environment. The ascent of Toubkal is not technical but does require some scrambling and the use of crampons and ice axes. The amount of snow can of course vary greatly!
Departures from Oct - April

villages walmks in the high atlas

Villages Hikes

The High Atlas, the greatest mountain range of North Africa, is perhaps the most beautiful and intriguing part of Morocco. It has retained a remoteness which until recent decades was virtually complete, and contains villages where the way of life has changed little for centuries.

Outsiders to the mountains are constantly surprised when they encounter the friendliness and openness of the villagers, as they go about their everyday tasks. Hiking in the High Atlas is one of the best possible experiences in Morocco – feasible exploration of stunning natural beauty, and of a rigidly individual world.

Regardless of levels of fitness this area is accessible to all. There is a wide range of trekking possibilities, from a short ramble through the villages that surround the Mt Toubkal Auberge, to more demanding multi-day treks. Mule support can be arranged for bags and people, which opens up more opportunities. The mule trails around the valleys are well contoured and kept in excellent condition.

In what follows are a few examples of possible treks. Mohamed Callon is a qualified and long experienced FRMSM Mountain Guide. He and the Mt Toubkal Auberge staff are happy to discuss possibilities with you and arrange full accompanied trekking support.