8 days: Trekking in morocco – Happy Valley- High Atlas
Discover Morocco’s best kept secret with this 8-days walking and hiking trip through the Happy Valley – or Ait Bougmez in the Central High Atlas Mountains. Running along the M’goun Massif, this is home to Morocco’s third-highest mountain peak – Jebel M’goun. Traversing through rural villages, ancient ruins, lush vegetation, cascading waterfalls and fields of grain, you’ll learn about the rich culture of the Amazigh people, the history of dinosaurs who once lived here and why sometimes, exploring on foot is the only way to witness the authenticity of a place bursting with stories. Enjoy homecooked meals and stay in traditional mountain gites, while you make your way through the villages and towns of Ait Imi, Ifrane, Arous, Agouti and lakeside Bin El Ouidane – ending it all in bustling Marrakech.
- What's Included
- Breakfast daily in your accommodation, 1 lunch and 3 dinners inclusive of a home cooked food in the Medina of Fes and traditional live-music in Chez Ali- Marrakech
- What's Not Included
- International flights and visa
Program
Day 1: Marrakech
Marhaba in Morocco! Your adventure begins today with and included transfer, after checking your hotel, join your fellow trekkers and trip leader for a welcome meeting in the lobby. After, you might like to join your leader on a jaunt to Djemaa el-Fna Square in the centre of the medina. Huge crowds converge at night to see the monkeys, drummers, storytellers, dancers and hectic street food bazaars all vying for attention here! Jamaa El Fenae is one of the largest public meeting places in the world, so you’re sure to find something that catches your eye tonight.
- Accommodation: hotel (1night)
Day 2: Arrous
After breakfast this morning, say goodbye to Marrakech and drive northeast towards Azilal the capital of M’Goun’s Geopark- a UNESCO world natural site heritage. When you arrive in Azilal, you’ll stop for lunch then visit its new historical museum of Dinosaurs and other fossils that belong to Paleozoic and Devonian era. Then continue your journey and cross the Central High Atlas. Stop for a short walk from toughza through Taghya Gorges – a rocky canyon in the entrance of the happy valley untill your Guest-House in Arrous village, here you’ll feel an untouched gem, with the rugged terrain flanked by towering mountains and dotted with shrubbery. Take a free evening to explore on foot or relax, then join your group to swap stories over dinner.
Special information
- Today your travel’s time is approximately 7 hours, then the walk will take around 45 min
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Accommodation: Gite (1night)
Day 3 Ait Imi
This morning, begin your adventure with a few small trails in the Ait Bougmez’s fields – nicknamed by the French as Happy Valley. The valley well known by it third-highest peak – Jebel M’goun, which runs along the M’goun Massif in the Central High Atlas Mountains. Passing from village to village, you’ll hike quietly in the shade of the walnut and apple trees that make up the richness of this valley’s landscape. In the village of Idoukalen, you’ll be invited to enjoy a delicious mint tea (or several) by the collective granary of Sidi Chita – a stone ruin that was once a holy house of Marabout (a Muslim holy man or hermit) that stands on the hill, overlooking a beautiful view of the valley. These community granaries were built in Morocco to protect the yearly harvest from floods and other natural disasters and are still used today throughout the country. The locals here are very welcoming, so this is a good chance to connect, ask about their lives in the mountains and share a moment of connection. Walk to Aguerd n’Ouzrou, where your leader will point out the ancient traces of dinosaurs – before settling into your gite (mountain home) for the night in the village of Ait Imi.
Special information
- Your trekking time today will be approximately 5 to 6 hours
- Ait Imi - Idoukalen village tea stop
- Ait Imi - Happy Valley: Aarous to Ait Imi guided hike
- Ait Imi - Sidi Chita granary visit
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
- Accommodation: Gite (1night)
Day 4: Ifrane
This morning, continue your adventure through the mountains. Stop at the village of Dibaqliwen for a visit to the most intriguing dinosaur tracks in Morocco. Learn about the history of this land from your local tour leader, then continue your journey into the pastoral world of local shepherds and their herds of goats and sheep. Walk to a high pass in the small chain of Adazen to the other side of the Happy Valley before arriving in the small village of Ifrane. Here, you’ll stay in another traditional Gite, enjoying dinner with your group and spending the night.
Special information
- Your trekking time today will be approximately 6 hours
Included activities:
- Ifrane - Dinosaur remains site visit
- Ifrane - Happy Valley: Ait Imi to Ifrane guided hike
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Accommodation: Gite (1night)
Day 5: Agouti
Special information
- Your trekking time today will be approximately 5 hours.
- Agouti - Happy Valley: Ifrane to Agouti guided hike
- Meals: breakfast, Lunch, and dinner
- Accommodation: Gite (1night)
Day 6: Bin El Ouidane
After breakfast this morning, you’ll travel to the picturesque Bin El Ouidane – a small town surrounding a striking blue lake and dam of the same name. Head to the White Water Gite for a delicious Moroccan lunch with your group, then head out on a scenic walk around the reservoir, enjoying the beautiful views surrounding you. Then, see the landscape from a different perspective. Tonight, you’ll enjoy a group dinner before heading to your hotel for the night.
Special information
- Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours
- Bin el Ouidane - Reservoir Walk
- Bin el Ouidane - Reservoir boat tour
- Bin el Ouidane - White Water Gite lunch
- Meals: breakfast, Lunch, and dinner
- Accommodation: hotel (1night)
Day 7 Marrakech
After breakfast this morning, depart the glittering blue reservoir town of Bin El Ouidane and begin your return journey. Along the way, you’ll visit the stunning Ouzoud waterfalls – a collective name for several cascades that empty into the Slaves’ River gorge. Walk around the waterfalls, take photos, and then continue your journey back to colourful Marrakech. When you arrive, you have the rest of the day free to explore, choose an optional activity or find a great café to sit and people-watch in the medina. Maybe head out with your group tonight to Djemaa el-Fna for a farewell dinner full of Moroccan street food favourites, like snail soup, tagine and couscous.
Special information
- Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.
- Included activities: Azilal- Ouzoud waterfalls visit
- Meals: Breakfast
- Accommodation : hotel (1night)
Day 8 Marrakech
Special information
- The transfer is included to Marrakech Airport
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