Breakfast & Meeting the Guides

After a cold night, the day began early with a loud call to prayer at 5 am, jolting us awake and reminding us we were in a very different place.

By 7 am, we sat down to a hearty breakfast of porridge, pancakes with jam, coffee, and water. The meal gave us much-needed energy for the long day ahead.

We met our guide, Abdoul, along with the mule that would carry our main gear to base camp. Renting crampons for the summit climb added to the sense of both excitement and preparation for the challenges ahead. By 9 am, we set off.

& Into the Mountains

Crossing a dried riverbed (wadi), we saw locals gathering aggregate to build homes, simple but essential shelters that made us reflect on how vital a secure place to live is for everyone. As the terrain became steeper, we moved onto the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, navigating loose rocks and boulders. The camaraderie among our group and the breathtaking views made the climb feel less like a challenge and more like a privilege.

Climbing Higher

As we climbed, we paused occasionally to hydrate and adjust our layers due to the changes in altitude and the physical exertion. The shifting conditions demanded constant attention, but the views were worth every effort. At one rest stop, we treated ourselves to freshly squeezed orange juice for just a refreshing and unexpected delight in such a remote location.

Higher up, we passed trekkers descending from the summit. At the time, I thought they seemed quite grumpy, but I was reminded of their weary expressions on our return journey the following day when I felt utterly exhausted and following in their footsteps. Their exhaustion was a clear sign of the challenge ahead and what we could expect to face ourselves—I just didn’t realise it yet.

Arrival at Base Camp

We reached base camp in the late afternoon under clear skies. The camp comprised at least two, possibly more, buildings. From the outside, they appeared quite small, but once inside, we found large, three-storey structures that had clearly been expanded over time.

Despite their size, the buildings were unheated when we arrived, and the cold was immediately noticeable. Sitting down for a very late lunch in the freezing dining area was a stark contrast to the warmth of the sun during our climb.



The warmth from earlier felt like a distant memory as the chill seeped into every corner of the room. As the sun dipped lower, fires were lit in three of the rooms, allowing us to close doors and finally get some heat going. That faint warmth made us drowsy, but there was still plenty to do before settling in.

We pushed on to arrange our kit for the 5 am start the following morning. Once everything was squared away and our bunks were made up with sleeping bags, we headed back down to have dinner, a simple but much needed meal before retreating to our dorms for bed. Wooden bunks, thin cushions, and a damp, mouldy ceiling may not have been ideal, but they served their purpose. Even in these sparse conditions, we were acutely aware of how lucky we were to have shelter at all.

... & Rest

With only a few hours of restless sleep, we were excited but a bit apprehensive. Despite the nerves, I couldn’t wait to get up and start the climb to the summit. The anticipation was a strange mix of fear and exhilaration a cocktail that seemed fitting for what lay ahead.