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When snow and cold close the passes of the High Atlas it is time to move to the secluded delights of the Jbel Sahro. Our journey there takes us over the breathtaking Tizi-n-Tichka pass. The trek starts from a courtyard farm in the Dades valley - the "Valley of a thousand kasbahs" and takes us in a loop reaching the hidden heart of the Sahro range. The delightful greenery of the Dades gives way to the wildest landscape imaginable: mesas, deep canyons, rocky plateau, all studded with perfect oases and tiny pools of clear water, often alive with fish. These act as a haven for exotic wildlife - wading birds, chameleons and tiny jewel-like tree frogs. It is a landscape of awe-inspiring emptiness and entrancing beauty full of contrasting scenery. Population is scant; there is only one place where you can buy coke on the whole trip! Oh, and look out for the mountain in the shape of a camel. Marrakech is a delightful start to any journey into the mountains. In winter the snow-clad peaks of the High Atlas provide a backdrop to its distinctive skyline of crenellated walls, palm trees and minarets, its central square (the Djema Efna) is a unique place to experience African night life. From here it is a short drive to the vicinity of Jbel Toubkal, the most popular area for trekking in Morocco. The Berbers of the Atlas have long held the interest of ethnologists as an example of an ancient mountain society. Our contact with them as delightful trek staff is one of the charming aspects of walking in this little known region. All treks have a Berber guide as well as a leader. The three areas of Morocco in which we operate are quite distinct - from the lofty crags and screes of Toubkal, to the wide valleys, plunging gorges and karst of the Mgoun and the bizarre rock formations and perfect oases of the Jbel Sahro.
vacations
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