The Toubkal Challenge

Marrakech

At your arrival to Marrakech Menara Airport, Maroc Nature Team will welcome you and take care of your luggage. After loading luggage and bikes, a short transfer will take us to our fully equipped bike shop in Marrakech so as to prepare your bikes and store your bike suitcases. If you have chosen to hire one of our bikes, you can then have your bike fitted, fix your pedals and saddle if your bring yours. The essential done, we will take to your hotel in the modern part of the city (not far from our bike shop) where you will have your room allocated. Dinner is free tonight and your guide can suggest some of the good restaurants around. Overnight hotel Les Trois Palmiers or similar.

Marrakesh - Timdline

You will be met by your guide and drive in our support vehicles via the Tishka Pass. At Agouim we prepare our bikes and start pedaling up a nice jeep track with the imposing southern slopes of the High Atlas Range in the background. A regular climb on a countering piste joining some authentic Berber villages. At Ressou,  will continue our ascent on a 12km paved secondary road before the the last big ascent. The initial steepness of the track relents after the first few corners and climbs steadily until we emerge onto a Tibetan like plain with an amazing 360° panoramic views. The last few km are easy riding towards our first camp set at 2250 m high on a superb green plateau. (Meals: B, L, D)

Transfer by road: 140km / Ride distance: 43km / Elevation Gain: 1175m, Loss: 467m / Max Altitude: 2350m, Min Altitude: 1550m / Physical difficulty / Physical difficulty: ▲▲▲▲▲ / Technical skills:▲▲▲▲▲

Siroua Traverse

After a hearty breakfast, another great day ride can start! You will ride on a good Djeep track to reach a “lost” Berber village. From the amazed look of the locals, you can deduce that they don't see many "tourists" over here! After greetings and "salam alaykom" you will be challenged by a first climb towards Aguerd Pass. From the top of the pass (2100m) you will ride a countering track with a superb view of the Central High Atlas and the Djebel Saghro. Across a couple of villages following a flowy piste will quickly loose height to the bottom of the river bed. The most serious climb of the day will be waiting for us from there towards the village of Amassine and further up to the summer shepherd houses. The rest of the day is just an awesome ride through high plateaus surrounded by granitic chaos and basalt pitons to reach our camp in an unforgettable spot.  (Meals: B, L, D)

Ride distance: 55km / Elevation Gain: 1270m, Loss: 1080m / Max Altitude: 2500m, Min Altitude: 1880m / Physical difficulty: ▲▲▲▲▲ / Technical skills: ▲▲▲▲▲

Lake Ifni

Today is our last day mountain biking in the Siroua. We link the high plateaus to the southern valleys of Mount Toubkal! After an easy start on a flat section, you will cycle from "Azib" to "Azib", altering jeep and single tracks, we will cross our highest point of the day at 2540m. From now on, most of the stage profile is descending with the Toubkal pyramid as a background. As we reach the edge of the high plateaus, you will ride a superb flowy track to reach the Tifnout Valley. From there, we gently bike up through amazingly lush terraces with intense green fields of walnuts, peaches, corn ... Berber villages here are amazing and they will punctuate our ride till the highest one, Imhilen, where we change our mean of locomotion and give a rest to our bikes for the next two days! After a rewarding lunch and farewell to our mtbs and greeting to our new team of muleteers and mules, we hike up north to join the beautiful lake Ifni where our camp will be set at 2350m ( Meals: B, L, D)

Ride distance: 52km / Hike: 2 hours / Altitude; Gain: 1700m, Loss: 1780m / Max Altitude: 2500m, Min Altitude: 1660m / Physical difficulty: ▲▲▲▲▲ / Technical skills:▲▲▲▲▲

Toubkal Base Camp

A good breakfast will be needed to overcome the challenging day awaiting for us. Starting our stage on a stony river bed, we will then climb a steep couloir to reach the Tizi n'Ouannoumss Pass at 3650m. On top, you can enjoy the first jaw dropping views of the giants of the Atlas and also have a first impression of what being into thin air feel like! After a deserved rest, we start gently making our way down to our camp bellow the Neltner Refuge. Bivouac at 3170 m. (B, L, D)

Trekking: 5h30 / Altitude; Gain: 1830m, Loss: 970m / Max Altitude: 3650m, Min Altitude: 2350m / Physical difficulty: ▲▲▲▲▲ 

Toubkal Ascent

Today is the "Big Day"! The ascent of Djebel Toubkal begins on a steep hill side scree trail before the gradient eases and a final ridge leads to the summit. On top, you will enjoy a spectacular 360 degree views on the majestic peaks of the Atlas and the Haouz Plain up north and the Anti Atlas and Sahara thresholds far south. After a rewarding picnic pause, we start our long way downhill. Back to the refuge. Then we hike down the Wawgant Valley to reach the village of Aremd. Overnight in a gite on top of the village at 1900m (B, L, D)

Trekking: 8h30 / Altitude; Gain: 1000 m, Loss: 2300m / Max Altitude: 4167m, Min Altitude: 1900m / Physical difficulty:▲▲▲▲▲    

Epilogue

After our last breakfast in the mountains, we meet our missed bikes and ride down to Imlil from where we start a good climb to Tizi n'Tmatart at 2230m. A nice countering track will take us to the right bank of the Imnane Valley for a beautiful ride overhanging lush terraces fields crossing superb villages. The arrival to Asni marks the end of our epic journey. We will be met by our 4x4, pack our bikes and transfer back to Marrakech. The drive takes less than 1 hour, so you will have plenty of time in the afternoon to explore the souks, palaces and the daily shows that takes place in the Djeema El Fna. Overnight in a Hotel or Riad near the Medina (Meals: B, L)

Biking distance: 34km / Altitude; Gain: 820m, Loss: 1380m  / Altitude: 2340m, Min Altitude: 1200m / Physical difficulty: ▲▲▲▲▲ / Technical skills:▲▲▲▲▲

Return Flight

Depending on your schedule, transfer to the airport of Marrakech is organized to take your return flight.

Atlas to Sahara

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