Planning your trip to the Moroccan High Atlas

There is no formalised mountain rescue service in the Moroccan High Atlas and the reality is that there is virtually no chance of getting a helicopter rescue unless you have some "inside" contacts!
Evacuation will have to be overland (by mule if the casualty is able for that or worse still a makeshift stretcher) to the nearest road and from there to a hospital / clinic.


The following phone numbers may be of some assistance in planning your trip in advance and/or contacting in the event of emergency:-

Toubkal / Imlil area
067 260058 Imlil Gendarmerie
070 109655 CAF Neltner (Toubkal) refuge
061 695463 CAF Neltner (Toubkal) refuge
067 852754 Guardian for the CAF Lepiney (Tazaghart) refuge
024 319036 CAF Oukaimeden
063 763713 Moufflon (Toubkal) new independently owned refuge
063 763109 Moufflon (Toubkal) refuge

Mgoun / Bougammez area
024 436369 Tarkeddit refuge

If dialing from a non-Moroccan mobile, you may need to dial 00 212 and drop the 0 in the local codes. Remember however that mobile coverage (even in the Toubkal area) is scant and on the Tarkeddit plateau (Mgoun area) is non-existent. Best of all is a satellite phone (e.g. Thuraya).

If you are planning on a mountain based trip in Morocco, it would be a good idea to locate the nearest private clinic (hospital) to you before you leave for the hills in case you need to go there with a casualty rather than be looking for one under pressure.....

Lastly for weather forecasts, I'm sure you all have your favourite on-line weather sites. Again there is no specific weather forecast service for the High Atlas. Best is to look at the forecasts for Marrakech, Agadir and Ouarzazate and hazard an educated guess as to conditions up at 4000m's!
The Moroccan meteo is updated daily and can be read from this link.

Alternatively keep an eye on this blog!