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The Todra Gorge seen from above
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Circuit around the Todra Gorge (half day)
At the exit of Todra gorges, after hotels, the most narrow passage and craft stalls, a
prominent mule track goes left. It starts with some steps. After an hour’s walk, we leave it for a deviation to the left that lets
us join another trail and descend to the other side of the gorge, in the village of Tizgui (3 hours total). The views obtained over
the Gorges during the circuit are beautiful.
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The corridor n’Aït Ba Ali
Todra canyon
View over the Todra Gorges
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The corridor n’Aït Ba Ali (half day)
The starting point is also the Todra Gorge. After the hotels, the most narrow passage,
the craft stalls, the mule track of the preceding circuit and the small ravine, we take to the left a not very visible trail that
climbs non-stop to the south-west and approach to the foot of the wall named Van Gülich by climbers.
On the left side of the wall, after half an hour climb, we find the corridor n’Ait Ba
Ali, a passage built by nomadic herders living above the cliff, who down to the Gorge to get water. This corridor allows climbing in 15’
on the small ridge. Warning: it is necessary to identify the point at which you leave, to find the passage back.
From there, the path isn’t more highly visible, but we just go south between the ridge
(left) and the ravine (right) during half an hour, until the small pass we see bottom. From the pass, a path clinging to the rock wall
rises to the southwest. We pass near some caves used sometimes by shepherds and, at the other side, we go down to the ravine. Again
we must locate this point to come back.
We go up the ravine and, when we find the first cascade, we leave it to the right.
There, a path climbs 30’ on the high plateau, where are often Khaimas of nomads and where gets a great view of all the gorges and even
over the palm-tree of Todra, at the other side of the canyon, and the chain of Jebel Saghro. Half an hour more to the south-west
allows us to achieve the tops of our mountain before returning by the same route.
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High plateaus
Khaima of nomad
Ruins of a Ksar in Tamtatoucht
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Trekking from Tinghir to Tamtatoucht (one day)
From the road going to Errachidia, after the passage of the Todra river and the slope,
a small paved road starts at left, to Asfalou. 200 m further, a dirty road branch off at right. After 4,4 Km this track ends in a place
where bivouacs are sometimes organized.
South of this place stands up the arid High Atlas chain and, at the
foot of the chain, a circus with a visible red clay band. To get there, you must cross the dirt road, down to the ravine and walk 10
minutes. In the circus background starts a footpath called Tassaloumt (the Small Scale) that winds up for 45 minutes. This path gives
whenever a grander vision over the palm-grove of Todra.
Then we walk on the plateau to the north-east and we go up again for 30 minutes, until
Taghbalout n’Oulili (the Small Spring of the Oliaster). From there, the path
flanks to reach another ravine and begins a new rise
for 30’ that leads to a small esplanade where often nomad camps, with amazing views of Tinghir and the
Todra valley.
Following the same path, half an hour later we leave at left a diversion to another
nomad camp, we cross the chain of Jebel Iguertal, we go down a little to the bottom of Akka n’Ougouni n’Tizgui and we go up this
ravine to the north-east.
We thus reache the pass of Oujlah, from where we discover the Jebel Timchardine
opposite. For 40 minutes we cross a vast esplanade full of pasture for goats and camels. Towards the end of this plain, we leave
the path that descends at right on Kerdous Valley and we turn left to climb to the Timnirine pass, 2436 m. From this point, there is
only a long descent to Tamtatoucht.
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