Marrakech Day Hikes

ITCTRAK02m [5 Hours rambling]

Marrakech - Ourika Valley - Aghbalou - Setti fadma Cascades - Marrakech

Departure from Marrakech around 8.30 in the morning for a 1.5 hour drive south through to one of Morocco's most beautiful places - the Ourika Valley - teeming with lush vegetation, palmeries and Berber hamlets. Some 33km from Marrakech, this valley really starts at a small Berber village of Dar Caid Ouriki, with its kasbah and mosque. Continue on via Tafza until you reach the Berber hamlet of Tamzenddirt (1150m). Here, leave the vehicle to start an easy private guided 4 hour hike across the river and up along a narrow winding hillside path surrounded by fields of corn towards Anins and then through the col (1670m), giving a panoramic view of stark mountains and green valleys dotted with hamlets, villages and their terraced, irrigated fields. Continue down to Aghbalou (1148m) where you will stop for a field picnic.

The gentle hike this afternoon is made by setting out from the Berber village of Aghbalou and across the Assif Ourika to rejoin your vehicle which takes you on to the riverside hamlet of Setti Fadma (1740m) with its groves of ancient walnut trees, where you can take a one hour hike up 400m to the Setti Fadma Cascades and a 45 minute return amidst apple orchards in rocky foothills and a startling backdrop of the High Atlas mountains. Departure from Setti Fadma at 5 pm, to arrive in Marrakech by about 6.30 that evening.

• Distance - 11Km; Ascent - 400m; Descent - 400m.

ITCTRAK03m [5 -6 Hours easy rambling]

Marrakech - Aghbalou - Setti Fadma - Chiqr - Touichtt - Hadd n'Azegaour - Marrakech

Departure from Marrakech around 8.30 in the morning for a 2.5 hour drive south through to one of Morocco's most beautiful places - the Ourika Valley. Some 33km from Marrakech, this valley really starts at Dar Caid Ouriki, with its ruined, caidal kasbah and mosque. On reaching the village of Tiguemi n'Oumzilet drive on up through hills in the midst of olive groves to visit the ochre-red village of Akhlij, then on to the hamlet of Asouqane and a stop at Aghbalou, set amongst terraced fields seeming to hang from the slopes. From here, carry on almost to the end of the valley until you reach the riverside hamlet of Setti Fadma, famed for its nearby waterfalls and ancient walnut trees set amidst a backdrop on three sides of the magnificent High Atlas peaks of some 3500m.

Here, leave the vehicle to start a 5-6 hour private, guided circle hike towards the west across the river, setting out from Agadir n'Ait 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 Oukaimeden range before you. From here, circle down to Imi n'Taddert and on up through the valley to the village of Tourichtt where your guide will prepare a field picnic beside a delightful waterfall; an opportunity, perhaps, to get refreshed.

After lunch the afternoon 2 hour hike is made by setting out down alongside small waterfalls and stark slopes to Amlougghi, to arrive eventually at the village of Ait Barqa where you will cross the river to rejoin your vehicle at Hadd n'Azegaour at around 5pm for your return to Marrakech, where you should arrive back at around 7 in the evening.

• Ascent - 500m; Descent - 200m.

ITCTRAK04m [6 Hours ramble]

Marrakech - Amizmiz - Tizi Ghouranne - Tizi n'Blaid - Hadd n'Azegaour - Marrakech

Departure from Marrakech around 8.30am for a 2.5 hour drive south through to the old Berber village of Amnass, then continue towards the south-east and the calm reservoir of Lalla Takerkousste and towards the trailhead at the Berber village of Amizmiz (900m), one of the larger and certainly one of the more interesting market villages in the southern High Atlas range. Amizmiz boasts a semi-ruined kasbah separated by a small ravine from what was the pre-Islamic Jewish Quarter.

From here, with the Jbel Fernissou (2241m) before you and the arid slopes of Jbel Erdouz (3578m) watching your every step, you are ready to start your private, guided, easy ramble of up to six hours up through groves of olive, walnut and almond trees. You will eventually reach the Tizi Ghouranne Red Forest of magnificent juniper trees with the Jbel Toubkal Massif as a backdrop. From here, strike out along pistes and then up along a winding mule track, until you reach the secluded village of Tizga n'Blaid (2005m), surrounded by terraced fields of corn and potato and welcoming children who play seemingly unaware of the surrounding beauty, yet always delighted to see the very few 'tourists' who make it this far. Around here at midday your guide will prepare your field picnic.

Once refreshed, continue your easy hike towards the south through the beautiful, wooded valley and the col at 1638m on to the Berber hamlet of El Hadd n'Azegaour, sitting serenely with mountains all around you - Jbel Timerghit (2033m), Jbel Allaghine (1883m), Jbel Anziq (2623m) and Jbel Tameqsaouat (3344m) - where you will rejoin your vehicle around 5 pm to arrive back in Marrakech at around 7 in the evening.

• Ascent -1100m; Descent - 500m

ITCTRAK05m [6 Hours ramble]

Marrakech - Imlil - Tizi m'Zik - Tizi Oussem - Assif n'Oussadene - Tizi n'Tacht - Imi Ourghlad - Marrakech

Departure from Marrakech around 8.30 in the morning for a 2 hour drive south to the town of Imlil (1740m), set way up in the foothills of the Western High Atlas mountains and a main trailhead. Upon arrival with the mighty Jbel Toubkal - at 4167m the highest peak in the Maghreb – and her sisters Aguelzim (3547m) and Aksoual (3847m) almost within touching distance, set off on your private, guided hike towards the west up through almond, walnut and apple groves to a panoramic vista of the beautiful valley of Imlil. Also visible are the Berber hamlets of Tanghourt, and M'Zik, with its red ochre minaret in front of you, all seeming to cling precariously to the mountain slopes. The majority of the villages you shall see on this hike are built of pise, dug from the earth of the surrounding slopes. Upon reaching the Tizi M'Zik (2664m) you can stop to admire the Jbel Oukaimeden range, the high plateau of Tazaghart and of the beginning of the renowned Valley of the Assif Ait n'Ouissedene with its numerous palmeraies. It has taken some 3 hours to reach this point and you will now start your descent for a further 1.5 hours through woods of juniper and pine, the Marrakech Plain, the reservoir of Lalla Takerkousste and the Khiq Plateau all laid out before you.

Onwards hike to the isolated village of Tissi Oussem (1850m), to picnic amidst nut groves on the banks of the Assif Ait n'Ouissedene. Once refreshed, continue towards the north-east in the direction of Asni, hiking through the valley until you reach the village of Tahaliouine (1880m), to continue on a piste walk up to the Tizi n'Tacht (1998m), finally to descend through juniper trees to the village of Imi Ourghlad, to arrive at around 5 in the evening, where you will rejoin your vehicle to take you back to Marrakech.

• Ascent - 930m; Descent - 650m

ITCTRAK06m [3 Hours ramble]

Marrakech - Ijoukak - Kasbah Goundafa - Oued n'Fis - Tinmal - Marrakech

Departure from Marrakech around 8:30 in the morning for a 2 hour drive south passing through the villages of Tahanaoute and Asni along the switchback road of the Tizi n'Test to Ijoukak. Here you set out for a 3 hour, 11km circle hike in the foothills of the Jbel Erdouz (3579m) passing the Berber villages of Souq Ijoukak, Tagountafte and Ikhfe N'Boul until you arrive, at the riverside tribal kasbah of the once-powerful feudal chieftain Sultan Caid Goundafa. The inner part of this now decaying palace-fortress, with storks nesting on the ramparts, still retains traces of its original Hispano-Arabesque decoration.

Continue your easy walk down alongside the river, following contours of the high valley of the Assif Nfis, amidst olive, walnut and almond trees until you come across the hauntingly-beautiful hidden Valley of Ijoukak, with its stream of clear, cool, slow-moving water, lined with hillside hamlets, orchards and ancient terraced irrigated fields. After a further half an hour, you arrive at the small settlement of Tin-Mal high up on the opposite bank of the river. Time to visit the fortress, the sole survivor of the once holy 12th century city built by the founder of the Almohad (Unitarian) dynasty, Mehdi Ibn Toumarte, between 1153/54 (and sacked in 1276) and the only mosque in Morocco - other than the Mosque of Hassan II in Casablanca - into which a non-Muslim may enter. Enter the mosque through a small, sturdy door in the corner of the main tower. Now roofless, deep shadows thrown by the surviving bas relief pise columns and carefully restored arcades and horseshoe arches contrast with the large sunbaked wall. Intact amongst the ruins you can witness the fine examples of the ancient, intricate, variety in Almohad decor of rosette, scallop and palmette. There are three towers, which are unusual in that they are built above the actual prayer hall, yet minarets are always free-standing. You might buy some Tin-Mal olive oil from the olive press and mill down towards the river, where your guide will prepare your picnic on the river's banks.

Refreshed, set off towards the east, crossing the river on an easy half an hour stroll through stands of holm-oak to the partially ruined Goundafa stronghold of Talaat n'Yacoub. From here and for a further half an hour, hike to the village of Souk Larbaa, passing through this village until your reach Ijoukak at around 3 in the afternoon, to say goodbye to your mountain guide and rejoin your vehicle for long drive back over peaks and plains to the Imperial City of Marrakech.

ITCTRAK07m [7 hours ramble]

Marrakech - Imlil - Aroumd - Sidi Chamharouch - Imlil - Marrakech

Departure by car from Marrakech around 9 in the morning for a 2 hour drive south up the Moulay Brahim Gorges and the high valleys to the Berber town of Imlil (1740m), set in the upper level foothills of the Western High Atlas mountains, a main trailhead with streams and paths branching out in all directions. Here, leave the vehicle to take a welcome glass of mint tea in our gite d'etape prior to setting out for some 4km towards the south to the Berber village of Aroumd (Aremd) (1843m), passing the hamlets of Taourirt, Targa, and Imoula, the jagged Western High Atlas peaks of the Toubkal Massif before you [Jbels Aguelzim (3547m), Aksoual (3847m) and the Adrar Adj (3122m)]. Stop at Aroumd to visit this rather singular village in the Assif Ait Mizane Valley, overlooking ancient irrigated terraced fields of barley, corn and vegetables and always surrounded by almond and walnut trees.

From here, 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 pise 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. Take a break for a picnic, within full view of Jbel Toubkal, at 4167m the highest peak in the Maghreb, prior to setting off down the other side of the valley back to Imlil by 5.30pm and your return trip to Marrakech around 7pm.

• Ascent - 600m; Descent - 600m

ITCTRAK08m [4 - 5 hours ramble]

Marrakech - Ourika Valley - Aghbalou - Setti Fadma Cascades - Marrakech

Set out from Marrakech around 8 in the morning for a 1.5 hour drive south through to one of Morocco's most beautiful places - the Ourika Valley - teeming with lush vegetation, palmeraies and Berber hamlets, to reach Tiguemi n'Oumzilet Tnine. Here, cross the Oued Ourika on through the midst of olive groves and up to the ochre-red village of Akhlij, to continue on along a narrow winding hillside path via the hamlet of Tafza (1150m). On now along the winding hillside path surrounded by fields of corn against a backdrop of the Adrar n'Bou Tazete (3050m) towards the Berber hamlets of Amghliz, Azrou ('rock') Malout, Anins and Taourirt giving a panoramic view of mountains and green valleys dotted with hamlets, villages and their terraced, irrigated fields. From here, cross the river at Aghbalou where, at around midday, your guide will prepare a picnic by the river's bank - an opportunity, in season, to get delightfully wet. You are also likely to have seen the Berber womenfolk in their simple mud-brick (pise) homes weaving their colourful carpets.

A gentle hike this afternoon is made by setting out from Aghbalou to rejoin your vehicle which takes you further up through this beautiful valley on to Setti Fadma (1740m). Set out now on a one hour's hike up some 300 metres to the Waterfalls of Setti Fadma. If lucky you may catch a glimpse of the Barbary Ape native to this area, the same macaque as is found on Gibraltar. From here, it's back down for 45 minutes to your awaiting vehicle at Setti Fadma where, at around 5pm, you return back along the valley to Marrakech, arriving about 6.15 in the evening.

• Ascent - 400m; Descent - 400m.