Lonely Planet Morocco

by Lonely Planet

  Offers small but cosy rooms with low ceilings, most with shared bathrooms, at unbeatable prices. The Benali family lays out the welcome mat and has a wealth of information on exploring the area. There's a huge terrace with jaw-dropping views – ask to take your meals here! It's located on the main road through the village.

  Gîte IntimouGîTE D’ÉTAPE€

  (%0670 71 47 12; Ikhf-n-Ighir; per person incl half-board Dh280)

  Intimou has five sunny doubles and triples and one large dorm room. All of them share gleaming black-and-white-tiled washing facilities, which include two showers and two toilets. You'll find it on the hillside on your left as you head north, opposite the sign for the Association Ikhf-n-Ighir.

  oTouda EcolodgeGUESTHOUSE€€

  (%0662 14 42 85; www.touda.fr; Zaouiat Oulmzi; per person incl half-board Dh380-490)S

  Quite literally off-the-beaten track, Touda is located down a rutted piste (track) in the village of Zaouiat Oulmzi, 5km east of Ifrane and the Tizi n'Tirghist pass and 4km west of the seasonal Lac D'Izoughar. Here you'll be overwhelmed by magnanimous Berber hospitality, plentiful home-cooked meals, impromptu fireside music sessions and stunning treks in the foothills of Jebel Azourki (3677m).

  Children (aged four to 12) pay half price.

  Dar Si HamouRIAD€€

  (%0667 64 48 62; www.nuancesmarocaines.com; Tabant; s/d Dh130/260, r per person incl half-board Dh250-300)

  Set around a pretty garden courtyard with undisturbed views over emerald-green fields to snowcapped M'Goun beyond, Dar Si Hamou is Tabant's first stylin' guesthouse. Pristine white linens on cosy duvets offset minimal Berber-chic decor of saffron stencils, ochre-and-red-striped woollen cushions and painted chests, while hungry trekkers keep warm around the free-standing fireplace in the salon.

  Ecolodge Dar ItraneINN€€€

  (%0610 08 69 30; www.origins-lodge.com; Imelghas; r per person incl half-board Dh380-500)S

  Located in Imelghas village, an easy 30-minute walk west of Tabant, is this rural-hip ecolodge. Eighteen whitewashed guest rooms are kitted out with handmade Berber-style furnishings, plus en suite in tadelakt with solar-powered hot showers. Pack lunches, guide and donkey are all available, as are a whole host of excursions and activities.

  8Getting There & Away

  Access to Aït Bougomez is from Azilal south along the R301. At Aït Mohammed the road forks southeast (accessing the valley from the north over Tizi n'Tirghist and off-piste through ancient juniper and oak forests to Aghbalou) and southwest, from where a paved road leads all the way to Agouti.

  Minibuses occasionally run from Azilal to Tabant (Dh40, three hours) in the morning when full, from near the mosque. You might share a grand taxi (Dh50 per person) or ride in trucks headed to Azilal on Thursday for its market.

  Aït Bououli Valley

  Heading southwest from Aït Mohammed you'll pass through hills marking geologic time in red-, purple- and white-striped mineral deposits. Five kilometres before you reach Agouti, adventurers equipped with a 4WD and steely nerves can detour south through a steep red-clay gorge to the Aït Bououli Valley, which until a few years ago was inaccessible even by mule for months at a time.

  1Sights

  Sebt Aït BououliVILLAGE

  In the remote outpost of Sebt Aït Bououli, 14km off the main road, trekkers stock up on food for their M’Goun traverse at the Saturday souq. Some 2.5km beyond Sebt Aït Bououli, you’ll have to squint to make out a picturesque trio of villages built right into a two-toned purple and ochre bluff. On green terraces are gambolling lambs that are the valley’s claim to fame: Bououli means ‘Those who keep sheep’.

  7Shopping

  oCooperative Feminin de Tissage Aït BououliARTS & CRAFTS

  (%0671 41 91 06; h8am-5pm)

  Immediately below Aït Bououli’s trio of mimetic villages is a stone-walled community association with a sign pointing visitors toward the Aït Bououli women’s carpet-weaving cooperative. This 40-member cooperative takes every aspect of carpet-making into its own hands, tending and shearing sheep; carding and spinning fluffy lambswool into yarn; and collecting plants to dye yarn fascinating tertiary hues.

  The members also take turns minding the shop, so you’ll be buying carpets from the woman who made it, her sister or her neighbour. If you find the door closed, just call Fatima, the dynamic director, and she’ll come down from the village to open the small storeroom.

  Trekking the M'Goun Traverse

  While crowds flock to Jebel Toubkal, nature lovers head to the M’Goun Massif, where pristine, prehistoric landscapes and some of Morocco’s highest peaks make for rewarding challenges for trekkers. Nevertheless, this walk will suit all grades of trekkers, including families.

  If you’re going in spring, dress warmly and be prepared to get your boots wet: walking river gorges is one of the great pleasures of M’Goun. The M’Goun Traverse follows one river up to its mountain source, crosses the mountain range, and then follows another river down into its valley.

  THE TREK AT A GLANCE

  Duration Four days

  Distance 57km

  Standard Medium

  Start Agouti

  Finish Aït Alla

  Highest point Tizi n’Rougoult (2860m)

  Accommodation Camping and gîtes

  Public transport Yes

  Summary This walk traverses the northeastern slopes of the M'Goun Massif and then drops down into the Tessaout river valley; it will suit most trekkers, even younger ones. There's one long day of walking, but this varied trek crosses stunning mountain landscapes, and travels through river gorges and remote valleys.

  Arrival Day

  To stretch your legs and camp overnight, you could stroll down the valley to Agerssif to a riverside camping spot near the bridge. Alternatively, there's accommodation around Tabant and right near the trailhead in Agouti.

  Day 1: Agouti To Rougoult

  Duration six to seven hours / Distance 17km / Ascent & Descent 326m

  After a leisurely 1½-hour walk south along the road from Agouti, a piste road forks to the left. Continue on this road, or take a steeper, shorter path that zigzags down into the valley, rejoining the tarmac road at the village of Agerssif (1469m), which you should reach less than three hours from Agouti. Agerssif sits at the confluence of the Lakhdar and Bougomez Rivers, and there’s a good resting and camping spot by the bridge.

  The Lakhdar Valley narrows as the road climbs its southern side. A half-hour upstream is the picturesque village of Taghoulit (1519m), surrounded by juniper trees, and with a simple gîte (per person Dh60). The road scales the gorge, then enters the broad, fertile upper valley, until it reaches Sebt Aït Bououli; you’ll find Gîte Hassan Benkoum (per person Dh110) here, but we advise continuing to Rougoult for a head start on day two. Several valleys meet at Sebt Aït Bououli, and looking up past the village of Abachkou you’ll notice Jebel Rat (3781m).

  A graded piste road heads left to the south, through a valley of wheat and barley fields. The village of Tazouggart, on the opposite side of the valley, marks a more-than-halfway point between Sebt Aït Bououli and Rougoult (1850m). In Rougoult you’ll find a Tifra River campsite and homestays (per person Dh50) – ask around to see who has space.

  Day 2: Rougoult To Amezri

  Duration six to seven hours / Distance 14km / Descent 600m / Ascent 970m

  For two hours, the morning walk follows the Tifra along a stony path criss-crossing the river. As the well-trodden mule path climbs, the landscape becomes more barren, occasionally leading above rocky gorges – but the path always follows the course of the river south.

  The source of the Tifra River is no more than a trickle at the best of times, as you’ll discover just below the pass of Tizi n’Rougoult (2860m). From the broad saddle beneath the pass, a path leads left (east) to a ridge that climbs to over 3500m. The well-worn Rougoult pass is straight ahead, and the summit of Irhil M’Goun (4068m) – only 100m lower than Jebel Toubkal – due east. In the near distance acr
oss the Tessaout River, exposed mountain slopes reveal great gashes of rust, green and grey rock.

  From the Rougoult pass, the mule path is clearly marked, winding gradually downhill for two hours before reaching the village of Tasgaïwalt (2521m). Curious village children may keep you company on the easy 40-minute walk along the track, keeping the river to your left, to the village of Amezri (2250m). The Gîte d’Étape Agnid Mohamed (per person Dh110) has several large sleeping rooms, some of which overlook the valley, with a rudimentary shower and toilets. There's convenient camping (Dh25) too.

  Day 3: Amezri to Aït Ali n'Ito

  Duration six hours / Distance 18km / Descent 427m / Ascent 150m

  Your path follows the Tessaout River, shelving gently from 2250m to 1833m. The valley is flanked by impressive cliffs, particularly the sheer Ichbbakene escarpment, which rises 600m above the river.

  The river has few fish, but it does irrigate exceptionally lovely terraces cultivated by Aafan Berbers. In spring, the area is covered with wildflowers and blooming fruit and nut trees. Here the Tessaout flows west, fed by streams of melted mountain snow.

  Where the path crosses the river, you can often hop across on stones. In spring, you may have to wade, as at the village of Imi-n-Ikkis, 5km from Amezri. The village has a shop (no sign) that sometimes stocks water, soft drinks, tinned food and plastic shoes to ford rivers.

  Downstream 1½ hours, the path passes beneath the larger village of Ichbbakene, backed by a sheer escarpment. The path becomes a piste, and keeping the river on your left for another 2½ hours, it squeezes between the stone and mud houses of Aït Hamza. Another hour leads to the village of Aït Ali n’Ito, where you’ll find great views at the Gîte d’Étape Assounfou (%0668 96 82 63; Aït Ali n’Ito; per person incl half-board Dh220), plus electricity, hot showers (Dh10) and even a hammam.

  Day 4: Aït Ali n'Ito To Aït Alla

  Duration 2½ to three hours / Distance 8km / Descent 150m

  A dirt road leads alongside the river with gentle climbs to the lovely village of Fakhour, where houses scale the hillside. Fakhour is noted for its agadir (fortified granary), which can be visited (Dh10 to Dh20 tip for the guardian is customary).

  Less than an hour beyond Fakhour, the village of Ifoulou sits on a bend of the river and road, drawing villagers from miles around for its Monday souq. From here, a tarmac road leads to the main Demnate–Skoura road by the bridge over the Tessaout River, below the village of Aït Alla. This small, peaceful mountain village makes a fine place to unwind after the long days of trekking. From here you can also catch onward transport to Demnate or Ouarzazate.

  BEFORE YOU GO: M'GOUN TRAVERSE TREKKING CHECKLIST

  Maps & Books The 1:100,000 survey sheets Azilal, Zawyat Ahannsal, Qalat M’Gouna and Skoura cover all of the major trekking areas. West Col Productions’ 1:100,000 Mgoun Massif is occasionally available in Morocco, otherwise try Stanfords (www.stanfords.co.uk) or Omnimap (www.omnimap.com); although devoid of contours, this map is a good trail reference. The German-produced Kultur Trekking im Zentralen Hohen Atlas shows the trek from Aït Bougomez to Kelaâ M’Gouna, and usefully marks and grades gîtes (maps) throughout the range.

  Guide Since Morocco’s main mountain-guide school is in Tabant, there are many licensed local guides with M’Goun expertise. Guides with High Atlas training from the Imlil, Marrakesh and Dadès also have the know-how to lead M’Goun trips.

  Food Basic food supplies are available in Tabant and sometimes in Abachkou.

  Water Purifying locally sourced water is the most responsible option.

  Fuel For gas canisters, a supermarket in Marrakesh is the best bet. Petrol, diesel and kerosene can be bought in Azilal.

  Gear When walking in spring or after heavy rain, a stick or trekking pole will help you vault over streams. When water is high, you may want plastic or waterproof sandals to wade through rocky riverbeds.

  Tent There is no gîte in Rougoult, but there is excellent camping beside the river. Your guide should be able to arrange tents. If you don’t have a tent and don’t want to sleep under the stars, you’ll need to spend the night in Sebt Aït Bououli, making the second-day walk longer.

  Mule Guides can sort out local muleteers and mules.

  Western High Atlas

  South of Marrakesh, Morocco's highest peak, Jebel Toubkal (4167m), sits at the centre of Toubkal National Park. Since these peaks are just 2½ hours from Marrakesh, Jebel Toubkal is the most frequently visited High Atlas region and has long been a key route south. It is most easily accessible via the Ourika and Mizane Valleys. The heavily touristed Ourika Valley deposits you at the trekking base of Setti Fatma, while the Mizane Valley leads you to the more atmospheric village of Imlil. The ski resort of Oukaïmeden sits between the two.

  Zat Valley

  When Marrakesh is sweating it out 50km to the northwest, breezes are rippling through barley and swaying poplar trees along this charmed river valley.

  To reach Zat Valley from Marrakesh, take the N9 towards Ouarzazate until it crosses the Oued Zat at Aït Ourir, then turn off south and head towards the transport town of Tighdouine at the near end of the valley. Tighdouine offers tasty roadside tajines before you enter Zat’s land of make-believe: gardens built right into cliff faces, stone houses with bright-blue doors, white-framed windows with families leaning out to say hello. This is all best appreciated on foot or mule.

  Three- to five-day walking tours are organised by Inside Morocco Tours. They wend their way up the rich valley (most of Marrakesh's potatoes, turnips, olives, figs and tomatoes come from here) to the village of Talatassat, where you can visit the local potteries before continuing on up to the red sandstone Yaggour Plateau, the location of an important concentration of prehistoric rock engravings. Nearby Tizi N'Rhellis leads to the neighbouring Ourika Valley.

  Ourika Valley

  Temperatures are cooler in the shadow of snowcapped High Atlas peaks, and this blooming valley a little over 50km south of Marrakesh is the city’s escape hatch from the soaring summer heat. The valley is especially mood-altering from February to April, when almond and cherry orchards bloom manically and wildflowers run riot.

  Sadly Ourika's beauty and easy accessibility have lead to significant development, which now threatens to mar its mountain-valley vibe. At Oulmes, makeshift cafes and BBQ joints line the riverside strung together by flimsy rope bridges that allow day-trippers to cross the river, while at the end of the valley sits the summer resort and well-worn trekking base of Setti Fatma.

  For High Atlas scenery with fewer tourist coaches and moped-mounted salesmen, you may prefer the Mizane or Zat Valleys.

  8Getting There & Away

  Grands taxis and minibuses to Setti Fatma leave frequently from Rue Uqba bin Nafaa, near Bab er-Rob, in Marrakesh (Dh40) and you may also find less-frequent minibuses to Ourika Valley destinations (Dh20 to Dh30). Most grands taxis will drop you anywhere along the Route d’Ourika, but return taxis and minibuses are easiest to find in Setti Fatma, Tnine and Aghbalou. Transport returns when full.

  Aghmat أغمات

  Pop 2600

  Drivers speeding past Aghmat (aka Rhmat, Ghmat or Jemaa Rhmat), 31km from Marrakesh, are missing a key turning point in Moroccan history. This town was an Idrissid dynastic capital from AD 828 to 1058, and an important stop for the camel caravans from sub-Saharan Africa through Sijilmassa.

  When the Almoravids conquered the city in 1058, one of Aghmat’s leading citizens was killed in the fray, leaving his brilliant, wealthy widow Zeinab en-Nafzawiyyat free to marry Almoravid leader Abu Bakr. When Abu Bakr was recalled to the Sahara to settle disputes, he divorced Zeinab so that she could remarry his cousin, Yusuf bin Tachfin. With Zeinab’s financing and counsel, Yusuf bin Tachfin proved unstoppable, founding a new capitol at Marrakesh and expanding the Almoravid empire to the doorstep of Barcelona.

  Once Almoravids moved to Marrakesh, Aghmat became a place of exile for political dissidents, including Andalusian poet-king Al-Mutamid ibn Abbad. />
  1Sights

  Visitors can glimpse Aghmat’s former glories just behind the town’s main marketplace, where Aghmat’s Friday souq is held.

  MausoleumHISTORIC SITE

  Al-Mutamid’s tomb is marked with an Almoravid-style domed mausoleum. It's signed right off the main road after the commune building, inside a garden enclosure 200m along on the left. The dissident’s tomb was the site of a 1950 protest against French occupation that was violently suppressed by Pasha Glaoui – an inciting incident in Morocco’s independence movement.

  zFestivals & Events

  Awaln’artCULTURAL

  (www.awalnart.com; hApr)

  Aghmat's big event happens in April when it hosts a colourful outdoor festival of theatre, dance and cabaret.

  Tnine

  Pop 4500

  Beyond the turn-off for Aghmat and 33km from Marrakesh along Rte d’Ourika is the town of Tnine (aka Tnin l’Ourika), a worthwhile detour for a visit to its lush saffron and botanical gardens. Tnine is also home to one of the Ourika Valley's finest cultural museums, a good starting point for delving into its Berber heritage. You may run into donkey traffic here when the Monday souq takes place.

  1Sights

  oEcomusée BerbereMUSEUM

  (%Khalid 0610 25 67 34, Salah 0607 59 85 85; www.museeberbere.com; Douar Tafza, Km 37, Rte de l’Ourika, Tafza; adult/child Dh20/free; h9.30am-7pm)S