Immersion in Berber country

Morocco, discover this 7-day trip

Trip Description

Discover Berber culture and recharge yourself in the mountains of the Western High Atlas, far from mass tourism, in a place almost untouched by tourist crowds. Together with a friendly Belgian-Berber couple, Luc and Hafida, a personalized program of stay and cultural and/or sports activities, supervised, is tailor-made for you according to your expectations, starting from the traditional guest house Les Terrasses de l'Atlas, rated No. 1 among 50 other establishments in the Taroudant region (accessible from Agadir or Marrakech airport). The program given here is only indicative! You are free to adapt it in advance in consultation with Luc, or even to change it once you are there!

Accomodation

No accomodation information available

Stay program

day 1
Discovery of local life
Through a light and bucolic hike in an exceptional setting, your hosts take you across fields and along a wadi, to the heart of this high Atlas valley, to meet the farmers. They explain the local way of life to you, which has changed so little over the decades. The walk is also suitable for swimming depending on the season and the level of recent rainfall. A picnic can be organized along the way, and tea can be enjoyed at a local's home in all simplicity.
day 2
The waterfalls and high-altitude sheepfolds
Climb aboard a Land Rover to set off on an impressive and scenic track up a high valley. Once you reach the end of the road, you have the option to continue on foot, depending on your physical condition, as high as you wish on the flank of Jebel Aoulime, which peaks at 3500 meters. The air and water are pure, a dip at 2500 m altitude is invigorating, and the mint tea prepared over a wood fire is energizing. The more athletic can go beyond the last stone sheepfolds, then climb even higher up the mountain to enjoy breathtaking panoramas.
day 3
Berber gastronomy
If the schedule allows, you could discover the weekly souk of the nearby town and its paid parking for donkeys! Take part in buying local produce and then prepare, with Hafida, an original tagine enhanced with some herbs from the garden. Get hands-on to knead bread dough, make beautiful flatbreads, and bake them in the anoual hearth or in the clay oven. Then, enjoy it all, perhaps accompanied by a local wine.
day 4
Panoramic bivouac
The time to prepare our bags and harness the donkeys, and here we are setting off among the argan trees to tackle the hills facing the Terraces of the Atlas. We set up a wild bivouac on a knoll offering a 360° panoramic view of the high peaks and the valley, in the most absolute calm. Not a single power line, not an antenna, not a building on the horizon. The most motivated will go explore the pasture plateau, while the others will relax or help with the bivouac tasks. The bivouac does not prevent an aperitif or a good meal around the fire.
day 5
Hiking on the ridges
Once the camp is dismantled, we can start a long walk back, the length of which will be adapted according to your physical condition. This hike will allow you to enjoy magnificent landscapes and to pass through typical Berber villages.
day 6
Berber-style relaxation
At the guest house, let's take care of our aching bodies. In the morning, we offer you a workshop on making argan oil, during which you can participate in all the preparation steps. Then enjoy our traditional wood-fired hammam. Why not a henna session for the ladies? We will end the day with a bit of Berber music with neighbors, in all simplicity.
day 7
Bucolic hike
We offer a final day of bucolic hiking to another ridge, just as scenic, but of a completely different kind. Barbecue on the ridge and return through a gorge frequented only by shepherds. You can take the plane back the next day.