Jebel Sahro Trek - 8 day tour

Marrakech - Tagdilt. After breakfast we depart the city and head out across the Western High Atlas. We start by driving southeast across Haouz Plain and we will start to pass Berber villages before we cross the amazing Tizi n'Tichka (2260m) - Morocco's highest road pass. We travel through Ouarzazate and onward to the Dades Valley - known as the Valley of One Thousand Kasbahs. We will see wonderfully fortified villages en route to Tagdilt where we overnight in a simple village house - perfect for a cultural introduction as well as being the starting point for our walk the next day.
Overnight: Tagdilt  |  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tagdilt - Tizi Ouzarzam Pass. This morning we have breakfast before meeting our trekking crew who will accompany us for the next few days. For the trek our luggage will be taken by our trusty mules who will be loaded up as we set off out of the tiny settlement. The first scenery we will see are small oasis dotted with fields of barley and slopes of fig trees. The trail we are taking weaves through an incredible valley before we begin heading uphill onto the volcanic sides of the Sahro. This area is full of deep gorges and red rocky peaks before hopefully passing a number of the Ait Atta nomadic camps and local shepherds with their grazing flock. We have a little break before heading over Tizi Ouzarzam Pass (2300m). After our descent we reach our camp and get prepared for our first exciting night under canvas.
Overnight: Tizi Ouzarzam   |  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tizi Ouzarzam Pass - Tassigdelt. After a tasty camp breakfast we prepare for our ascent of Mount Kouaouch at 2600m - one of the most prominent peaks of the Sahro region. The area of Sahro gets its name from the Tamazight berber word for drought - the area is known to be one of the driest in the Atlas Mountains - with annual rain fall being between 100 - 300mm. giving an incredible lunar landscape.

Once we reach the highest point of our journey today, the summit of Mount Kouaouch we will be rewarded with the incredible views of some of the most beautiful mountains in Africa as well as the snow capped peak of Mgoun. Mount Mgoun has a dramatic ridge and majestic summit which dominates the horizon. If we look soth we will begin to see the start of the magnificent Sahara Desert. After we have taken our amazing summit photos we start our descent to the camp site on the rocks of Tassigdelt, known as the Camel's Hump!
Overnight: Tassigdelt  |  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tassigdelt - Ali's Gate. Today we experience a total contrast from yesterday's summit attempt. We will now be heading up on high plateaus of Tadaout 'n Tablah. This amazing region is famous for its incredible rock formations and high grazing area of the semi-nomadic Ait Atta Berbers. The Berbers have been in Morocco longer than the Arabs who arrived in Islam in the 7th century. They are still traditionally nomadic and the incredible landscape here is part of their lifestyle. As we continue our walk we will no doubt see them as well as the impressive formation including Elephant's Head, Organ Pipe and Camel's Head. However the most impressive formation is Bab n'Ali known as Ali's Gate. We will have an opportunity to stand at the bottom of these 60m monoliths in an area very similar to Monument Valley in the USA. Our campsite tonight is very close to Ali's Gate.
Overnight: Ali's Gate  |  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Ali's Gate - Hanedour Valley. Our journey today takes us through some scenery not too dissimilar to that of the American southwest - lots of quirky rock formations and monoliths. We'll pass many dirt roads that are still used as trade routes with the neighbouring Sahara Desert as we continue to the foothills on the other side of the Jabel Sahro. We'll pass through small villages, hamlets and farms in the Hanedour Valley. The are is known for producing wheat, clover, carrots, tomatoes, chillies and orchards of almond trees. Tonight we set up camp for the last time before heading back to Marrakech tomorrow.
Overnight: Hanedour Valley  |  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Hanedour Valley - Marrakech. Today we make our final journey back to Marrakech. We head past the snow capped Atlas peaks and across the Draa River. We stop briefly in Ouarzazate - 'the Hollywood of North Africa' - popular with movie makers and block busters such as Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and the Prince of Persia all being filmed here. Today we will also drive over Tizi n'Tichka Pass before our afternoon arrival into Marrakech. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore Marrakech before we meet tonight for our last dinner together.
Overnight: Marrakech  |  Breakfast, Lunch