Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The route down to
Azib Tamsoult
(2400m) passes the impressive
Cascades d'Irhoulidene
,
where vegetation and tree coverage increases. A five-minute walk from the falls brings
you to a pleasant wooded area for camping. To reach the village, walk north for 10 to 15
minutes.
DAY 7: AZIB TAMSOULT TO IMLIL
DURATION FOUR TO FIVE HOURS / DISTANCE 7KM / ASCENT 89M / DESCENT 749M
If you have made good time and you have the legs, you could continue down to Imlil at
the end of day six. From the vegetable patches of Azib Tamsoult, with the
Assif n'Ouarzane
down to the left, a mule track traversing the forested valley is visible to the north. Head
towards it past the village and over the stream, and stay on it, avoiding left forks into the
valley.
Climbing slightly and heading steadily northeast, towards the juniper forest with
Tizi
Oussem
due west, you arrive at
Tizi n'Mzik
(2489m), where a sheep shed might serve as
shelter. Imlil is a 90-minute descent along a well-worn mule track; there's a spring to the
right of the trail after 40 minutes. Comfortable beds and hot tajines await in
Imlil
.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Tizi n'Test
Blasted through the mountains by the French in the late 1920s, the awe-inspiring road
over the
Tizi n'Test pass
(2092m) was the first modern route linking Marrakesh with the
Souss plain. Vital for the control of trade its hair-raising hairpin bends offer one of the
most exhilarating panoramic drives in the country. As if the single-lane road weren't
enough of an adventure, the weather is subject to sudden changes. Heavy clouds and mist
often cut visibility to near zero and you might find your way blocked by snow in winter.
Heading south from Marrakesh, you'll see Tin Mal village on the right of the road. The
village's Almohad-era
mosque
(tip Dh10-20)
was built in 1156 in honour of the dynasty's
strict spiritual leader, Mohammed ibn Tumart, and it remains an architectural wonder. The
mosque is no longer used for prayers, so the guardian will usher you through its massive
doors into the serene prayer hall with its intricately carved cedar ceilings.
Beyond Tin Mal, as you approach the pass, you may suddenly break through fog into
clear blue sky, and catch breathtaking airplane-window views over cloudbanks. On the
south side of the pass, the van ominously embedded into the hillside is your cue for a pit
stop at
Cafe Dar Issouga
(
0670 10 65 21; tajine Dh60-90)
. The balcony offers stunning val-
