23 Jul 2025
Am not going to lie, this is a tough challenge if, like me, you have not put in the practice beforehand and are not as fit as you used to be! We chose to do this as a family and my 3 older children (18, 21 and 22 yrs old) managed to complete the 2 day trek without putting in the prep due to their natural fitness and gym loving lifestyle but myself and my husband struggled on day 2. First day is approx 5-6 hours of gentle/not so gentle uphill trekking dotted with rest stops. After about 4 hours the trek flattens out. Day 2 is a killer! Constant uphill walking, quite steep at times, for a good few hours, so this is why you need to be fitter than me! But in the end, what an achievement! The whole 2 days were meticulously planned. Convenient pick up from Marrakech hotel, luggage not needed is safely stored in Imlil for us, any poles/gloves easily hired, and 2 friendly guides to see our small group of fellow travellers safely through the adventure. Not a lot of talking from the guides but you could question them about things and they did open up, both of Berber descent, very respectful and helpful when we were struggling. The chefs cooked up some really tasty meals and the Refuge was interesting but not so comfortable (cold showers and hard dorm beds), but that’s part of the fun! In July it was nice to be away from the Marrakech heat for a few days and the scenery is simply stunning! It was fine to do the trek in shorts and T-shirts but you needed a fleece for the evening and a raincoat for the rain (it didn’t rain for us). Gloves were handy for the summit and we did the trek in our old hiking boots and walking socks which was fine. One young guy in our group did it in his trainers and didn’t seem to struggle at all. Wear shades and a hat. Walking poles are a must I would say. Omar adventures is a great company, the price was good, the planning excellent and the guides super helpful and humble. I definitely recommend them.