High Atlas Mountains, with their snow-capped peaks, hidden valleys, and ancient Berber villages, have enticed hikers from across the world. Experience this extraordinary private luxury hiking tour.
This journey lasts seven days, and can be customized with private car or luxury van and driver according to your travel dates.
Morocco can be visited all the year although the winter months can be wet in the north. The Atlas mountains have snow in the winter and are best to explore between April and October. The desert to the south of the Atlas is warm during the day and cooler at night between October and April.
This tour is created for people who would like to do trekking but in a luxury way because you get to do some hiking during the day and at night you will be escorted to your luxury riad at the Berber village of Anrar for dinner and overnight stay.
\"2 people wih a private car and English speaking guide\"
\"3 people and more with a private luxury van and English speaking guide\"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day 1 - Marrakech hi-light by car - Douar Tafza If it is Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Friday or Saturday, you will visit the bustling weekly souk of the Valley......
Trekking in Ourika - One of the most beautiful valley of the High Atlas Valley that rises gently up to the preliminary hills of the High Atlas where small typical villages have nested. It is a pure and magnificent place where silence is only \" disturbed \" by birds singing, water streams and wagtails. Ourika is famous for its pottery, minerals and crystals.
You will visit the Berber village of Anrar.. Occupied by 52 Berber family....followed by a short walk to the mystic river of the valley and to have a dinner within one of these families to Have a taste of the Berber life style.
Accommodation at the luxury Berber Riad in Ourika.
Day 2 - The Ourika Valley & Aghbalou Cascades (5 hours hike) From our Berber village Anrar at Douar Tafza until we reach the Berber hamlet of Tamzenddirt (1150m) to start our 5hour hike across the river and up along a narrow winding hillside path surrounded by fields of corn towards Anins and the through the col (1670m). From here we amble down to the Aghbalou Cascade (1148m) where we shall stop for our picnic by the waterfall; an opportunity, perhaps, to get refreshingly wet? Our gentle hike this afternoon is made by setting out for the Berber village of Aghbalou, where we shall cross the Assif Ourika to get to our vehicle which takes us through this beautiful valley on to the riverside hamlet of Setti Fadma with its groves of ancient walnut trees, where we can take a 45 minute walk around the handicraft shops set amidst apple orchards, and then return to our Anrar village around 7.00 in the evening.
Dinner and overnight at the luxury Berber Riad at Anrar village in Ourika.
Day 3 - OUIRGANE - MARIGHA - TASSA OUIRGANE - TOUROUD - EL KHEMIS – OUIRGANE - Ourika (5h1/2 hike) After a 45 minute drive to Ouirgane where We set off today with our Moroccan Mountain Guide towards the east through fields of corn and flowers to follow alongside the river’s course up and down small hills dotted with red juniper, passing by isolated Berber hamlets until we reach the salt mines at Marigha. Here the Berber peoples have been mining salt by their traditional method used unchanged for centuries. You may see them riding from village to village, selling their salt from the back of their donkeys. You should also, depending on the time of day, get to see those delightful Berber women sitting on their haunches for a chat after gathering wood.
A short drive back for a dinner and overnight at our luxury Berber Riad in Ourika.
Day 4 - Western Ourika Valley & Oukaimeden Plateau (6 hours hike) A 15 minute drive to the Berber hamlet of Setti Fadma, famed for its nearby waterfalls and ancient walnut trees.
Here we leave our vehicle to start our 5-6 hour hike circle hike towards the west across the river setting out from Agadir n\'Aït Boulmane (1509m) and then towards the north up along a narrow winding path towards the Berber hamlet of Chiqr (1900m), on through the col of the Tizi n\'Ougadil n\'Boulmane (2200m) with the Jbel Oukaïmeden range before us. From here we circle down to Imi n\'Taddert and on up through the valley to the Berber village of Tourichtt where we will stop for our picnic before the waterfall; an opportunity, perhaps to get refreshed. Our afternoon 2-hour hike is made by setting out down via small waterfalls to the Berber hamlet of Amlougghi, to arrive at the village of Aït Barqa where we will cross the river to our vehicle at Hadd n\'Azegaour for our return to our village of Anrar, where we should arrive at around 7.00 pm.
Dinner and overnight at your luxury riad Omar at the village of Anrar.
Day 5 - The Magnificent Jbel Toubkal and Sisters (7hours hike) We set off today towards the southwest skirting the Berber town of Imlil about 35 min drive from our village( 1740 m), known as Morocco ’s ‘Little Chamonix’, set, as we are, in the upper level foothills of the Western High Atlas mountains of the Toubkal National Park. With streams and paths branching out in all directions, we traverse the Tamatert Valley until we reach the hamlet of Achelm to strike out for some 4km towards the south towards the Berber village of Aroumd (Aremd) (1843m), passing the hamlets of Taourirt, Targa, and Imoula, up and down the stark slopes, the jagged Western High Atlas peaks of the Jbel Toubkal Massif - at 4167m the highest peak in North Africa - before us, with her awe-inspiring sister peaks the Jbels Aguelzim (3547m), Aksouâl (3847m) and the Adrar Adj (3122m) watching us all the way.
We’ll stop at Aroumd to visit this rather singular village in the Assif Aït Mizane Valley , built seemingly house upon house on a large moraine spur overlooking ancient irrigated terraced fields of barley, corn and vegetables and always surrounded by almond and walnut trees. We then carry on for another 8km.to the equally-quaint village of Sidi Chamharouch, a Berber village set beside a waterfall and small stream, again with its pisé homes seemingly built somewhat chaotically one into another. This village is a place of pilgrimage for devout Moslems and it is where there is a marabout shrine – forbidden to non-Moslems - said to be a relic of a pre-Islamic religious and naturalist cult. We’ll take a break for a picnic, within full view of Jbel Toubkal , prior to setting off back down the other side of the valley at a gentle pace back to the delightful Douar Samra where you bid farewell - ‘bissalaama’ means bye - to your mountain guide.
Dinner and overnight at your luxury riad Omar at the village of Anrar.
Day 6 -Marrakech An enchanting palm oasis set against the snow-capped peaks of the High Atlas Mountains, Marrakech is Morocco’s second oldest Imperial City and retains the majestic splendor of its ancient past. Buildings are blushed in hues of rosy earth, and horse-drawn carriages clip along broad avenues lined with palm, lime and orange trees. Donkeys carrying carts trawl past fragrant gardens of roses, honeysuckle and jasmine.
Explore the ancient Bahia Palace from the days of the harem, now populated by a sentry of nesting storks, enter the ancient royal Saadien Tombs and view the majestic Koutoubia Mosque before entry into the 9th century walled medina. The bewitching night beats in the heart of the old city’s famed square, Djemaa el-Fna, where delectable fare is grilled over coals in bustling torch-lit open-air markets. Mystical snake charmers, hustlers and mischievous monkeys unfold as part of the nightly drama as Berber acrobats, fortune tellers, musicians and engaging storytellers seduce rapt crowds. Wind your way through the serpentine labyrinth of the spice-filled air of the bustling souk, unchanged for over 1000 years, where you’ll discover the best of traditional Moroccan craftsmanship.
We’ll cap off our evening at the spectacular dinner event in the desert of Marrakech, Fantasia, where we’ll bear witness to a splendid dramatic display of Arabian Nights, belly dancing, folkloric troupes, and stately Arabian steeds charging in dynastic battles as of yore.
Accommodation at your luxury Riad in Marrakech.
Day 7 -Marrakesh - Return home with plenty of tales of Arabian days and nights.
===========================================
Note: If you wish to modify or change the entire itinerary according to your interest and desire, please let us know!
Cost: $1490.00 (based on double occupancy) $1760.00 (single occupancy)
What\'s Included: Luxury Berber Riad in Ourika & Marrakech All transfers Private Car, Gas and Driver All meals Water Expert mountain guide Certified guide in Marrakech Museums fee All taxes
Not included in the package price of trip: Itinernational Airfare Drinks Travel Insurance
===========================================
This trip is recommended for people only in good physical health.
Equipment Required: A knapsack for personal needs Portable water container Sun hat Sunglasses Sunscreen and Chap-Stick Insect repellent (such as Off!) Camera Hiking boots Sneakers (for evening comfort) Flashlight, with extra batteries A raincoat Warm clothing
Note Upgrade to 5* or 5* deluxe accommodation is available.
We can\'t make the sun shine, or the rain fall, but we can promise to do everything in our power to ensure an unforgettable and exceptional visit to Morocco. I hope you\'ll join us.
Our unique relationship with our tour operators ensures only people who have participated in a trip after making an enquiry for it at The Africa Guide can leave a review.
The email we send you when you make an enquiry has full instructions for registering a booking and leaving a review - both are free services.
Feel free to read through the reviews for any trip you like the look of.
Trips with no reviews are usually new to the The Africa Guide but are normally operated by a tour operator who is established here. Most tour operators listing here will usually have gained reviews about other trips they have listed here.
Thanks for visiting, happy travels and don't forget to send us your reviews...
We are now back home after a lovely holiday in Morocco. Morocco is beautiful and the people are very warm and friendly.
With one or two exceptions, we have no major complaints with the tour. Our driver Mohamed was excellent; he was helpful and sorted out our problems in no time at all. He drove at a good pace and was also informative. He also ensured that we were comfortable and were enjoying the trip.
The Riads are beautiful but I think that for the first two at least, they were not quite suitable for the winter. They were too cold and would have been quite lovely if we were there in the summer. All the other riads were not only excellent but their staff and hospitality were impeccable.
The tour itself was just nice, not too long and not too short (I sound like Goldilocks) Hisham, our guide in Fez was good. He was very knowledgeable and very informative.
Other than the cold riads, (and the fact that my son had food poisoning on the second day in Fez) we were very happy with the tour and would recommend this tour and the tour operator highly
Morocco is a beautiful country and I thought the most ‘undersold’ parts were the best – Fes & surrounds, Ourika Valley. I found Marrakech a bit disappointing and Casablanca a big bore (but perhaps both were because I ended up travelling alone – not intended – and hence could not enjoy the night life). The amount of construction on the seafront areas of the Atlantic coast was quite a surprise and limits what one can actually see. Next time I would add the Med coast; the Sahara and the Southern part of the country to my itinerary.
Services provided by the operator were generally good, although the itinerary provided was a bit different to the actual one (it almost seemed as though the person writing the itinerary had not been to many of the places as some suggestions were impractical – e.g. a routing from Ourika Valley to Fes via Meknes and Rabat in a single day!).
The driver and guides provided were all well informed and well spoken but somewhat inclined to ‘guide’ me to places where the intent was largely to get me to shop (which, after a credit card challenge in Marrakech, I was disinclined towards). The mountain guide in the Ourika Valley was magnificent, very patient and helpful on the rather strenuous hike.
My planned travel companion had visa problems (she is South African but lives in Nigeria and couldn’t get a visa – which as South Africans is a requirement – due to problems with her Nigerian work permit) and had to cancel at the last minute (after her planned arrival). Obviously, expecting a refund on the travel or accommodation was unrealistic given the late cancellation and the operator offered to give her a 20% discount if she books through them again.
The ‘personalised’ tour (i.e. own car and driver, rather than sharing with a bus load of others) was fantastic and the accommodation was superb throughout. If I return to Morocco, I would plan for something similar.
Visiting Morocco was an exciting and unforgettable experience: the people, the landscapes, the cities, the food, everything was just wonderful. We absolutely enjoyed it.
As mentioned by the operators advertisements, we are back home “with plenty of tales of Arabian days and nights”; I can still smell the spices, the flowers, the fresh of the Ourika valley. By the way, Mr Karim kindness and hospitality at the Kasbah Omar has to be highlighted. He also helped us in exploring the beautiful valley leading us in two wonderful walks.
The trip went on as planned. Riads and hotels were great, as well as restaurants and foods in our dinners. Guides and visits were very well coordinated. Everything on time and the trip fulfilled every word committed by the tour operator in the package we bought.
Said, the driver that spent with us the whole visit, was perfect; always on time, ready to help us in every question we asked, excellent driver, at all times taking care of our safety and comfort. Meeting Said is part of the nice memories we have from our trip.
Summing up and for the requested feedback, I would qualified my holiday with a 100. Hope to visit Morocco again!!!!
Thank you for your assistance in passing on our enquiry to such an efficient company. We think the trip was one of the best we have taken.
We had a wonderful time with our driver Mohamed who took very good care of us throughout. It was great that he was always there to pick us up from outings which made for a very stress free trip. His driving, in sometimes very difficult conditions such as heavy snow in the High Atlas was to be commended. We feel we saw much more than was in the itinerary and people we have since spoken to have been amazed at what we actually fitted into the twelve days.
Regarding the dinners, all included, we could not fault them from the Styze club in Marrakech to the homecooked meals in the Riads.
By chance we were invited to a Berber wedding which was being held next to our Riad out of Marrakech which was a real bonus. Stayed with it till midnight. A lot of fun.
Even though we were guided everywhere, we felt we got to experience the local flavour and so believe our trip was wonderful value. Because of the spread of accomodation the operator supplied from very good small riads to the opulent riad in Fez we feel we have certainly seen a wide cross section of Moroccan life.
Finally, thanks to them for organising all this at what was very short notice. It all went very smoothly thanks to Mohamed.
I'd like to inform you that we had the most amazing and out-of-this-world experience while vacationing in Morocco.
Our driver Abdel was not only very careful and cordial but also extremely hospitable and eager to share with us the Moroccan lifestyle. We are most appreciative of him opening up his home for a home-made chicken cous-cous meal with his lovely family. It truly made our trip more than personal now that we have a 'new family' in Morocco!
We will highly recommend this trip with this company to our friends who have seen, from our pictures, the many splendors of Moroc!
We hope to travel back very soon as we know there are many other treasures yet to be seen!
Again, we give our highest marks to your agency and it's tour guides/driver.
We returned last Tuesday from Spain and Morocco. I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful time we all had.
Our driver Abdul was waiting for us when we got off the boat in Tangier with a very nice and comfortable van. Abdul did a wonderful job. He was a great driver and was always punctual and very helpful.
Our stay at the Riad in Fez was wonderful. The staff was so attentive. Our rooms and the courtyard and garden areas were just beautiful. We had a very enjoyable day in Fez with our guide Abdul (another Abdul) and a delicious dinner with entertainment at Maison Blue.
The following day we really enjoyed Meknes, Volubilis, lunch at Moulay Idriss and finally Chefchaoen. What a beautiful town. Our Riad here, although not as luxurious as the one in Fez, was so conveniently located near the main square.
The people of Morocco were very friendly and welcoming to us.
We were all very impressed with the beautiful mosaics in all the buildings we visited but the most pleasant surprise of all was the delicious food. We absolutely loved the Moroccan salads, pastilla, and the tajines, and fresh fruits and most of all the mint tea. When I got home, I bought a Moroccan cookbook immediately.
If there was one complaint, it was that all the interesting presentations in Fez (ceramics, carpet, tannery, cloth ) also included a bit of high pressure sales after the presentation. All three couples bought mosaic tables which we are looking forward to enjoying in our yards here in California.
Thank you to the operator for organizing a trip to Morocco that we will never forget.
