Bouchra Baibanou Conquers Mount Everest

Moroccan mountaineer, Bouchra Baibanou, has made it to the top Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain

Morocco World News reports that the news came via her Facebook page.

“I dedicate this achievement to the King Mohammed VI, my partners and my sponsors,” she said. “I have realised my dream thanks to your support and encouragement.”

The Moroccan mountaineer started her mission to conquer Everest in April with an aim to realising her bigger dream of climbing the highest mountains on each of the world’s continents - "the Seven Summits".

On her way to doing so, Baibanou climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Elbrus, Aconcagua, Mt. Blanc, Mt. Kosciuszko, and Mt. McKinley.

The 46-year-old says, “People in Morocco accept women doing adventure sports. It’s not like before. Women can do everything now. I feel lucky to be a Moroccan woman.”

SHARE THIS!

High Atlas Autumn - Photo Essay

Spectacular scenery is enhanced by the warm hues of autumn in Morocco's High Atlas mountain region. The View From Fez stayed at the Douar Samra guesthouse in the tiny Amazigh (Berber) village of Tamertert. As well as warm fires and hearty and delicious meals, the views from the terrace were extraordinary. It's an ideal base to explore Toubkal National Park by vehicle, by mule or on foot 

View from Douar Samra guesthouse in Tamertert

Autumn colours fill the valley near Imlil 

A shepherdess tends her small flock

Access to many villages is limited to 4 x 4 vehicle, mule or walkers

Morocco's highest peak, Mt Toubkal

Douar Samra guesthouse in Tamertert offers local hospitality

The main house at Douar Samra is lit only by candles

One of the garden rooms at Douar Samra

Rachida is the house manager and cook Douar Samra guesthouse

To see more information about Dour Samra guesthouse, please CLICK HERE. 

Photographs: Suzanna Clarke

SHARE THIS!

Extreme sports event in Morocco

Morocco's first Djebelya Grand Raid is an extreme endurance test. Competitors have 200 hours to cover 2500km throughout Morocco, over four weeks, from 28 June to 28 July. Events include a 120km kayak across the Atlantic from the Canary Islands to Tarfaya in southern Morocco, 2100km of mountain biking, a 40km desert trek, 150km on horseback, a 20km swim and an optional mountain climb.

Billed as 'from one sea to the other' the Djebelya Grand Raid will end at Cabo Negro on the Mediterranean, not far from Tangier after traversing the High Atlas mountains and the Sahara. The project was initiated by Mounir Essayegh, a natural sports aficionado, and Arnaud Mollaret, a horse riding teacher in Casablanca. So for a month, this competition which aims to lead the raiders from a sea to another, using only natural sports (ie no polluting, motorised vehicles), will cross more than 13 provinces in 24 stages. Presented as a "race against oneself" which stresses endurance, the objective of the raid is also to promote citizen tourism through natural sports. It highlights the natural and cultural riches of Morocco, emphasising green tourism and our social and environmental responsibility. Children in rural schools along the way will benefit through the NGO Amis des Ecoles.

If you're feeling energetic, find out more at www.djebelya.com.

Mountaineering in the Moroccan High Atlas

Until recently anyone wanting detailed information on climbing in Morocco would turn to the 1942 edition of Le Massif du Toubkal by Jean Dresch and Jacques de Lépiney. Now that has all changed. The View from Fez just received a copy of a new book that is destined to become the definitive guide. The book is Mountaineering in the Moroccan High Atlas by Des Clark. Here is our review.

Mountaineer and mountain guide Des Clarke is a man of many talents. Not only does he climb, take great photographs, but now he has shown that he can write.  Mountaineering in the Moroccan High Atlas is subtitled "walks, climbs and scrambles over 3000m" and, that is what makes it a superb guide for many more people than simply experienced mountaineers.

A couple of practical points. The book is small enough to put in your pocket and the plastic-coated cover means it will stand up well to life in the mountains. The contents are just as well thought out. The first section of the book deals with all the basic information you need from grading and routes to practicalities such as visas, planning and maps, to respecting the environment. It is all well laid out and clearly explained.

 Toubkal South Ridge 

The main sections of the book are divided between the various climbing areas and describe some 50 routes and 30 main peaks. Each route is extremely well described with suggested equipment, time needed, rating of climb and starting point.

Illustrated with coloured sketch maps and photo-diagrams, the book is as pleasure to browse and a definite inspiration to grab your ice-axe, crampons and get going.

 Jebel Tinergwet 3551m (just north of Taroudant) 

This is the first book of its kind in English and is sure to remain an essential guide for a long time to come.

The book is available on-line with Amazon. CLICK HERE

The publishers also have it on their store and one of the benefits of buying it from them is that you can either the hard copy OR the eBook OR both together for a discounted price.
The link for this is: CLICK HERE

Moroccan Photography Competition #21

Toubkal (normal South Cwm route) with Timesguida and Ras Ouanoukrim in the back right - Photographer - Des Clarke

If you would like to submit a   photograph  taken in Morocco, please email it in jpeg or gif format to fes.riad@gmail.com and put "photo entry" in the subject line.

A  regularly updated collection of all the  photographs is now available   on The  View from Fez Photo  Journal

Dar Tassa - a Moroccan eco-retreat.

Dar Tassa a wonderful Berber house located in a remarkable situation. Driving from Marrakech (just over an hour), you turn off the highway and begin to ascend a mountain road. Every bend and corner opens up a new vista and for a moment you wonder if it is even possible that there is a refuge in such a magnificently wild environment.

The village of Tassa Ouirgane (click on photos to enlarge)

Another corner and there in front of you is the village of Tassa Ouirgane (1300 m), nestled into the mountainside above a wild river that tumbles from the heights above you. Through the village the road climbs again and then you arrive to where, perched on the mountainside, Dar Tassa awaits you.

Dar Tassa

At the door, Fatima and Hafida greeted The View from Fez with the traditional dates and milk ( and what sweet milk it was!). Dar Tassa literally means "the home of motherly love" in the local Berber language and it is a richly deserved name. From the moment we entered the house we felt not like guests, but members of the family.

Hafida and Fatima

Everywhere you look is photogenic.

From the entrance hall (with Berber slippers provided) through to the lounges and the suites and bedrooms, everything is tastefully decorated and with all anyone could need in order to feel truly at home.

Even hot water bottles for cold nights!

Then, just when you think you have seen everything, we were invited to Dar Tassa's tiled rooftop with an amazing 360 degree panaroma: spanning the snow capped peaks of Toubkal Park, sweeping down to give a bird's eye view on daily life in the sleepy Berber village, and flowing along the verdant riverbank to the distant vistas of the Azzedine Valley. It is breathtaking.

Stunning mountain vistas

Dar Tassa's owners are Andrea and Brahim Barkhouche. Brahim is a native Moroccan who felt compelled to return to his family's ancestral homeland and create a haven where he could share the magic of this mountain eden with its next generation of caretakers. They had taken great care to build the Dar in a respectful, traditional manner, using local materials and employing local craftsmen. What becomes evident is that the environmental ethos of the owners is reflected in everything about the place they have constructed.

What really puts the refuge on the map is its location in the shadow of the Takkerkhort Reserve, a long established sanctuary for the regal Barbary Sheep, endemic to Morocco and protected under the jurisdiction of the Eaux et Forets (Water and Forests Department of the Ministry). On hand are resident experts to guide you into the refuge with binoculars to increase your chances of spotting some members of this magnificent endangered species.

Obviously, walking, cycling, trekking and climbing are among the highlights, but simply resting amdist the tranquility and eating... Did we mention food? Fatima cooks up a storm and her skills mean that you don't simply end up with yet another tagine! The local honey is an absolute must!

The lounge and internal fountain

If you are not feeling too energetic Hafida organises short excursions to interesting places. The View from Fez team took in a local Berber market, visited Anraz, a strangely touching abandoned Jewish village that is carefully preserved for when the former residents return on the 26th of May each year to pay their respects at their Rabbi's tomb.

The Rabbi's tomb in the village of Anraz

Boys at the Berber market

We also had a detailed cooking lesson in the art of traditional Berber bread making.

Lalla Kebira produces fine Berber bread

See the full story on how to make Berber bread ( including a recipe) here: Baking bread the Berber way

We would like to thank Fatima, Hafida and Brahim for their hospitality.

All photographs: Sandy McCutcheon

Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news

Climbing and trekking in Morocco

Mount Toubkal at 4167m is the highest peak in the Moroccan High Atlas Mountains and a magnet for those wanting an extraordinary climbing adventure. Getting information about the climb, the weather conditions and available accommodation and guides in the area has always taken a lot of searching, so we sent our own resident mountaineer, Sandy, to check out the best route to find the information you want.

After struggling through a mass of websites I finally found a couple of places that were packed with information, good advice and some inspiring photographs.

Toubkal Mountain Guides are an outfit with a great reputation in the climbing community. They are a small, independent mountain guiding company whose professional guides are drawn from all over the world. At the present time they employ Irish, English, French, Swiss & Americans.

Most of these guides live year-round in Morocco and have years of combined experience in leading small groups & individuals to some of the most remote and unspoilt areas in this fabulous mountain range.The Toubkal Mountain Guides are headed up by husband and wife team Des and Nathalie Clark.



Des Clark is an (Irish) professional International Mountain Leader and founding director of Wilderplaces Adventure Tours NI Ltd, an Irish company with its offices in the south of Morocco. Outside of the Moroccan High Atlas, he has climbed and guided extensively in the Alps, Pyrenees, Iceland, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.



NathalieClark is a widely travelled & multi-lingual mother of three children. An experienced French & E.F.L. teacher, she especially enjoys the combination of wilderness travel & diverse ethnic cultures. Nathalie leads a number of cultural village and family adventure trips when not home-schooling! Trying to learn the unwritten Berber language Tashelhayt is just one of her current projects.

What I like about the Toubkal Mountain Guides websites ( they have a blog as well) is the emphasis on safety. Toubkal is not a picnic walk. The minimum time required for a fit individual is 3 to 4 days depending on weather conditions. There are two refuges below Toubkal. One is run by the Club Alpin Francais and the other a private venture called Mouflon. All reports suggest that for comfort, Mouflon is preferable.


Of course Toubkal is only one destination and as the related website NomadicMorocco points out "Both the Western High and Mgoun regions offer superb trekking and mountaineering - "far from the madding crowd"!

Although Ighil Mgoun has the attraction of being over 4000m (it is 4068m), it is far enough away from Marrakech and remote enough from the main valley regions to prevent it being over-run with day-trippers and the like.

The Western High Atlas are even less visited but there are some hidden gems to reward those who venture - Immaradene 3350m and Moulay Ali (also 3350m) being just two.

Incidently, NomadicMorocco is the trading name of Wilderplaces Adventure Tours NI Ltd (a company registered in Northern Ireland) but their office is based in southern Morocco.


Essential info - visit these links.

Toubkal Mountain Guides

Toubkal Mountain Guides Blog ( with weather conditions)

Nomadic Morocco

The View from Fez would like to thank Des Clark for permission to reproduce the photographs in this article.


Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news