MOSQUEYou’ll probably find the place closed unless you’ve made a reservation, and the gardien
(attendant) is based in Tizi Oussem. Phone ahead, or else try passing a message to him via
muleteers or shepherds, who may run all the way to Tizi Oussem to fetch him. Campers can
pitch tents beside the refuge, or on flat ground above the falls.
Tizi n’Melloul (3875m), southeast of Tazaghart refuge, offers a harder route to and from the
Toubkal Refuge, but provides access to Afella (4045m) southeast of the pass and to the
jagged ridge leading north to Biginoussen.
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
4-5 HRS/7KM/89M ASCENT/749M DESCENT
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 – after a full week on the
highest trail in the High Atlas, you’ve earned them.
To Tizi n’Test
Even with white knuckles and gritted teeth, you’ll have to admire the route to Taroudannt as it
winds through the High Atlas, careens over the Tizi n’Test pass at 2092m, then swoops down
onto the Souss plain. 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 at the top of
the pass and you might find your way blocked by snow in winter, so check weather conditions
before leaving.
Sights & Activities
Tin Mal mosque
Heading south towards Tizi n’Test from Marrakesh, you’ll notice Tin Mal village on the
right of the road, just past a kasbah perched on a rocky outcrop to your left. The village’s
Almohad-era mosque was built in 1156 in honour of the dynasty’s strict spiritual leader,
Mohammed ibn Tumart, and it a remains an architectural wonder. The mosque is still used for
Friday prayers, but on other days the guardian will usher you through its massive doors and
rose-coloured archways into the serene prayer hall (Dh10 to Dh20 tip expected). The intricate
geometry of the carved cedar ceilings has been preserved through painstaking restoration, and
the soaring keyhole archways give a sense of solidity and grace.