Aït Bou Guemez Valley
This valley is quite simply one of Morocco's most beautiful areas, a scenic expanse of green pastures, barley fields, meadows of wildflowers, and the occasional fruit orchard. The area, 14km (8 3/4 miles) long and at times 1km (2/3 mile) across, is crisscrossed by year-round streams, which make their way down from the M'goun massif. The area was nicknamed by early French trekkers as La Vallée Heureux (the Happy Valley) on account of the relaxed and friendly nature of the local Berbers. Unlike the High Atlas of Jebel Toubkal, the Aït Bou Guemez has more vegetation, including conifer forests. Tabant, the main village in the valley, hosts a great Sunday souk and is also the location of the Centre de Formation aux Métiers de la Montagne (CFAMM), the only official mountain-guide training school in the country. Pleasant day and multiday hikes -- as well as longer treks to the 4,068m-high (13,346-ft.) Ighil M'goun -- commence from Tabant or from numerous smaller villages such as Imelghas, Agouti, and Aït Mohammed, where gîte accommodations, meals, guides, and mule transport can be organized. The road from Azilal is tarred all the way to Tabant via a recent diversion through Agouti. The original piste via Aït Mohammed can still be traveled on -- it's pretty rough in stages -- but is often impassable during the snow season. Either road offers stunning views of steep ascents and subsequent descents.
This valley is quite simply one of Morocco's most beautiful areas, a scenic expanse of green pastures, barley fields, meadows of wildflowers, and the occasional fruit orchard. The area, 14km (8 3/4 miles) long and at times 1km (2/3 mile) across, is crisscrossed by year-round streams, which make their way down from the M'goun massif. The area was nicknamed by early French trekkers as La Vallée Heureux (the Happy Valley) on account of the relaxed and friendly nature of the local Berbers. Unlike the High Atlas of Jebel Toubkal, the Aït Bou Guemez has more vegetation, including conifer forests. Tabant, the main village in the valley, hosts a great Sunday souk and is also the location of the Centre de Formation aux Métiers de la Montagne (CFAMM), the only official mountain-guide training school in the country. Pleasant day and multiday hikes -- as well as longer treks to the 4,068m-high (13,346-ft.) Ighil M'goun -- commence from Tabant or from numerous smaller villages such as Imelghas, Agouti, and Aït Mohammed, where gîte accommodations, meals, guides, and mule transport can be organized. The road from Azilal is tarred all the way to Tabant via a recent diversion through Agouti. The original piste via Aït Mohammed can still be traveled on -- it's pretty rough in stages -- but is often impassable during the snow season. Either road offers stunning views of steep ascents and subsequent descents.
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