Trekking in the Atlas Mountains, from Ait Bouguemez to the Valley of Roses

We take the road between Marrakech and the Ait Bouguemez valley. Nicknamed "the happy valley", its tranquility awaits us.

Our trek takes us into the High Atlas Mountains, crossing the Ait Bouguemez Valley to the Valley of Roses. A well-trained team accompanies us on this expedition. The muleteers check all the equipment. The mules are loaded in a precise order. Everything seems ready, and the guide signals the start.

We follow a path that winds through the plains. We pass through numerous cultivated fields. Little by little, we sense the fading of human presence. Throughout the day, the views of the Mgoun massif are breathtaking. We leave one last village and enter a very narrow canyon to gain altitude. The sunlight barely reaches us, so deep is the chasm.

We follow the stream and our team searches for the ideal spot to set up camp. Everyone busies themselves unloading the mules, pitching the tents, and defining the spaces. Within minutes, we've settled in.

The sky is clear tonight and there's no light pollution here. As night falls, we take the time to admire the stars.

We wake up to this beautiful mountain view from our tent. A delicious aroma of coffee and tea wafts from our makeshift kitchen; breakfast is ready!

We resume our journey. Stone columns stand along the stream we are following. The cultivated lands of the previous day are replaced by more desert-like plateaus.

We often come across numerous sheep and goats. Nomadic shepherds are never far away, their flocks grazing around the stone-built sheepfolds. Traditionally, they carve cavities into the cliffs to shelter their families and animals. We pass by their homes. If they aren't with their livestock in the mountains, we stop to share a cup of tea.

The entire caravan arrives at our campsite for the night. The ground is flat, perfect for setting up camp. The large Berber tent, called a “khaima,” is our headquarters, the place where we gather to cook, eat, and chat. Over a good meal, we settle down together and share our stories.

No network or connection, we light our way with candles and return to the simple pleasures of nature.

Note: Nomadic families are settled in this region only from the end of May to September.

Routines are settling in, and camp is dismantled in the same order each morning. A new day of trekking begins, our bodies have settled into the rhythm. The kilometers now pass by without difficulty. The aches and pains of the first few days have given way to well-warmed-up muscles.

Today, we take our time a little more. We leave the high mountains to cross the narrow Mgoun valley, before reaching a small village near which we settle for the night.

Our cook offered to bake fresh bread with us. We jumped at the chance to learn a local recipe. With just a few ingredients, we managed to make several small round loaves. In fact, we set some aside for breakfast the next day.

Day breaks and the village slowly awakens with the first rays of sunlight. Our convoy slowly resumes its journey. We pass through other small villages, built on the mountainside. The valley narrows considerably. The wild landscape through which we travel is magnificent. The ochre-hued rock formations are dotted with oleanders. Their color changes as the sun climbs higher in the sky.

We eventually reached an immense canyon with walls weathered by time, some 500 meters high. Making our way through it, we felt incredibly small. The passage narrowed in places, forcing us to squeeze through to advance. At times, its width was reduced to just a few meters, making it even more impressive. A true Wild West atmosphere! The canyon opened onto a large cirque, through which we emerged.

The path wasn't suitable for our mules, so they didn't follow us today. We'd barely left the canyon when we spotted them in the distance. Our muleteers had already set up camp. They welcomed us with a delicious snack; the doughnuts were piping hot, and a good cup of tea was waiting for us.

We nostalgically begin our fifth day of trekking. We had adopted the nomadic lifestyle in the Berber mountains. After a final breakfast together, we pack up our tents one last time and set off. Still awestruck by the vastness of the landscapes we traverse, we continue our walk along the river, skirting the gorges and cliffs we've been following since the beginning.

We pass through one village, then another, with cultivated fields becoming increasingly prevalent. Gradually, we encounter the Berber people living in the mountains. Verdant fields appear in the distance. No doubt about it, we've arrived in the Valley of Roses.

The mules are unloaded, and it's time to say goodbye to our caring team.

We leave the Valley of Roses to drive towards the city of Ouarzazate.

From Ouarzazate, we head towards Marrakech. We cross the Tichka pass to arrive in the red city.

Upon arrival, we are dropped off at our hotel to enjoy a well-deserved moment of relaxation.

Independent transfer to the airport for your return journey.

And if we feel like extending the adventure, our travel advisor will be happy to study the different possible options with us.