MOROCCO, COUNTRY OF MOUNTAINS

MOROCCO, COUNTRY OF MOUNTAINS

The mountain in Morocco is the great chain of Atlas and the Rif, famous from the earliest antiquity.
And among these mountains, it is the High Atlas, the Deren, the mountain of the Phoenicians and Greeks, known since the dawn of ancient times as the domain of the legendary Giant Atlas supporting the world.

THE HIGH ATLAS

More than 700 km long, with 10 peaks reaching 4000 m altitude and more than 400 exceeding 3000 m, the High Atlas is a huge barrier that delimits the Atlantic and Mediterranean Morocco of Saharan Morocco; it is a mountain with grandiose and varied landscapes, where has developed an original pastoral society that has preserved its ancestral traditions, its art of stone and adobe architecture and its innate sense of hospitality.

To the west, it is the ancient massif of the High Atlas of Marrakesh with primitive rocks and high and thick reliefs. It culminates in Toubkal, at 4167 m.

In the center is the limestone massif of the High Atlas of Azilal and Ouarzazate, heavier reliefs that cut deep valleys and vertiginous canyons. There are beautiful and abundant rivers, large dam lakes and beautiful stands of Aleppo pines and thuriferous junipers. It culminates at Mgoun, at 4068 m.

To the east, it is the marl-limestone massif of the High Atlas of Midlet and Imilchil, with vast plateaus of altitude and that borders on north slope the primitive cedar. It culminates at Ayyachi, at 3747 m.

Summer is the time of hiking in all its forms: walks in the high valleys, exploring Berber villages, traditional songs and dances; crossings of vast plateaus of altitude that populate the pastors mounted in great transhumance since their Saharan or Atlantic marches and where one sometimes discovers beautiful sites of rock engravings; sports courses in canyon, by the bottom of the valleys or the paths suspended on the flanks of the cliffs.

In winter and early spring, it is the period of the mixed hike, the famous combined "ski-mule" that allows comfortable climbs and long descents on a snow often easy.

But the High Atlas is also sport fishing for trout in mountain streams, wild boar and partridge hunting in the piedmont scrubland, photo safari looking for the mountain sheep, mountain sports. 300 km of fast flowing rivers, sailing and water skiing on large artificial waterways, paragliding and delta-plane on the ridges and finally, on the slopes and good mountain trails, great mountain bike rides.