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Morocco - Where the Atlas Mountains touch the sky 

Most of the time I spent in Morocco, I spent in the Atlas Mountains. I went down there in October - I am sure that hiking there in summertime would not have been pleasant for me because of the heat. The hike I went on was on a "classic" loop with the climax of standing on top of Mt. Toubkal. 

The weather was the same the whole time: no wind, clear skies and sunshine. Warm in the sunshine but chilly and even cold after sunset. Having the same weather for more than five days is simply boring for me. The trail went along valleys, up mountainsides and down again on beaten, old trails. The surface dry and firm and distances to cover each day were quite moderate. I was in a group of Icelanders, led by local guides and the hike was supported by a group of locals. Donkeys carried our gear and food so the hike was relaxed and easy. 

The surroundings had little diversities as we were most of the time in rather high altitudes i.e. more than 2000 m. above sea level. Vegetation was sparse and the villages on our way had the same character, more or less. 

For me, hiking in the Atlas mountains was more for "ticking the box" and I would by no means be interested to go back there. Still, I can recommend hiking there - the surroundings are certainly special. 

As I was hiking there in a group there was hardly ever a reason / chance to find much out about the local people. I could not say if they are "friendly" or not - being a part of a group makes interactions often more official than personal. 

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