4 days berber villages

Your tour begins as you explore the magical city of Marrakech, with its hectic souks and historical medina, before heading off early in the morning to the quiet foothills of the Atlas Mountains. The drive from Marrakech to Imi Oughlad is worth it alone, showcasing some spectacular views, rural Moroccan life, and unique landscapes. You will arrive in Imi Oughlad, where you’ll meet your guide, trekking crew, and muleteers, who will accompany you on the trek. After briefly introducing everyone, the initial preparations will be made prior to departing on your first hike (toward Tajine a.k.a Tizi n’Tachte). You will start with an ascent to Tizi n’Tachte, which will be straightforward on the well-established path, winding through lush valleys and terraced fields, but for the mountains; from the summit you will be able to see the peaks of the Atlas Mountains come into view. You should arrive at Tizi n’Tachte in just under 2 hours (about). This is about 2000 meters, with fantastic views of the high surrounding mountains. This is a great place to have a break to fully appreciate the landscape and that you’ve made it this far! Continuing on your trek, you’ll descend to the lovely village of Tiziane. Tiziane is a picturesque Berber village, where you can think of bustled and normal mountain life (in contrast to living in the major city), known for it’s warm hospitality and stone houses. In Tiziane,You’ll be able to unwind and enjoy a great dinner prepared with fresh local ingredients. When the sun goes down, retire to your accommodations for a peaceful sleep among the beauty of the mountains. You finished the first day of your journey through a beautiful area in very good spirits.

Our second day of exploration commenced the charming village of Tizziane surrounded by the breathtaking landscape of the High Atlas Mountains. As the sun began to rise and illuminate the jagged land, we started our trek on a beautiful but fairly rugged trail. Surrounded by interesting scenery, including local people working in their terraced fields, the high browse of the trail began to alter the picturesque valleys into challenging ascents on our way to the Tizi n’Taghrhourte pass. With every step, the goal of the pass and the breathtaking panoramic views that awaited us drew ever closer. Upon reaching the Tizi n’Taghrhourte pass, we took time out to soak in and view all around us, and in mere moments of paused thoughts and reflection, I began to appreciate the scenery, which consisted of mountains connected by winding valleys through which agricultural families lived in harmony with their land and environment; a land and environment inhabited by an amazing mish-mash of colour, culture and tradition, to the likes of which was becoming a common sight on our journey. With the Tizi n’Taghrhourte pass behind us, we continued towards to D’knt, taking in the incredible Berber villages along the approach to D’knt, where time appeared to have stood still over the centuries as we had not even started to scratch the surface of learning and understanding the people and their way of living, to which they welcomed us to experience on their imposed time. Upon arriving in D’knt, with the sun now positioned in the horizon, we were greeted with breathtaking views and colours ranging from orange to pink, providing a perfect reflection of each of our day as some of us took time to reflect, while some whipped out their helmets and hopped on their bicycles to dash.

On the third day of our journey, we find ourselves on the move again, this time leaving the charming village of D’knt partway up the Moroccan High Atlas Mountains. We step onto the trail at dawn, our first steps winding through lush valleys and terraced fields revealing breathtaking views of the mountainous terrain surrounding us. The cool morning air is reinvigorating as we climb towards Tizi n’Tagdalte. The trail to Tizi n’Tagdalte climb is an honest climb, one that slowly unveils all of the rugged beauty that surrounds us. We cross paths with Berber communities and enter displays their traditional stone houses perched on the slopes surrounded by the friendly smiles of a close community. The cultural experience adds a layer to our trek while giving us insight into the enduring customs and day to day life of the Berber people. Upon reaching Tizi n’Tagdalte, we pause to enjoy majestic views that go on for miles. The pass offers us a natural balcony overlooking valleys with verdant slopes and distant mountains in view. Here we take a well-deserved moment to rest, only to be in awe of sheer beauty surrounding us. After re-energizing at Tizi n’Tagdalte, we go on towards Tizi Oussem. The path leads us through the scent of drying pine forest air.

We arrived in Tizi Oussem late in the day and were immediately welcomed by a very friendly village known for its gracious hospitality. Tizi Oussem is a scenic location tucked between terraced fields and some looming peaks, and is a great place to relax after a day of travel and discovery. We checked into our lodgings for the night and enjoyed a plentiful meal made with local ingredients. As Tizi Oussem began to settle for the night, we gathered under the stars to share stories and experiences from our travels. Being with travelers like ourselves only magnified the experience we were having traveling through Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains.

On the fourth day of our adventure, we embarked on an exhilarating trek from Azib Tamsoult to the scenic Tizi M’zzik pass. The morning air was crisp and refreshing as we ascended through rough terrain completely surrounded by the impressive peaks of the High Atlas mountains. The path was filled with bright wildflowers and although the flora was spectacular in its own right the views down into the valleys below heightened our sense of pleasure in nature’s wonders. Upon reaching Tizi M’zzik we stopped to drink water and take in the wonderful panorama which extended out in all directions as far as our eyes could see from the vantage point of the high pass. After a brief rest and a few photographs, we began our descent into Imlil. The journey down to Imlil was as extraordinary as the journey up with its lush forests and quaint Berber villages. As we approached Imlil the energy from trekkers and tourists attracted this mountain location, we spent time walking around to see the village with its special mix of traditional Berber culture of an overnight stop with modern touches.

Following a fulfilling lunchtime in Imlil, we got back in our transportation for the journey home to Marrakech, which we did while reflecting on what had been an amazing few days. As we entered Marrakech we were once again greeted with the sights and sounds of this amazing city, a great ending an excellent adventure with one of Morocco’s most breathtaking landscapes.