8 Day Hike In M’goun Valley of Roses
M’goun Valley (The town of Kelaat M’Gouna) in the Souss-Massa-Draâ region of the province of Tinghir Province in Morocco is most likely best known for the Festival of Roses which celebrates the rose petal harvest in May each year. Kelaat M’Gouna, also known as El-Kelaa, is home to the country’s largest rose water and rose oil manufacturers – products which are used extensively in fragrances, beauty products and the traditional cuisine of Morocco. Visitors to the manufacturers can purchase rose water and other rose-scented products, bearing in mind that it takes up to three tons of rose petals to produce one liter of rose water.
Starting at the city and heading northwards across the M’Goun valley, visitors will travel through the magnificent M’goun Valley of the Roses, with seemingly endless rows of Damask roses which bloom in April, producing the most intense and distinctive rose fragrance. Up to four thousand tons of roses petals are harvested annually from the 4,200 kilometers of rose bushes. The Damask rose was brought to M’goun Valley by the French in 1938, with the first rose water distillery being opened soon after.
Roses have long been prized for their fragrance, as well as medicinal. Ancient Romans, Greeks and Phoenicians cultivated large rose gardens, on a similar scale to fruit orchards and field crops. in Roses valley the Rose oil is extracted from rose petals by steam-distilling, with rose water being a by-product of this process. Rose water is also used in religious rituals by Muslims, Hindus and the Eastern Orthodox Church of Christianity.
The three-day Rose Festival in M’goun Valley is well supported by locals in the region and is a popular tourist attraction. Celebrations include traditional Berber food, music and dancing, as well as a street-parade with brightly colored floats covered in paper roses. The elected Rose Queen of the festival travels on one of the floats and the parade includes Berber dancing with female dancers being accompanied by male drummers as they proceed down the main street. This very festive occasion is a good reason for traveling to this spectacular in the month of May.
Day 1 / Arrive in Marrakech
Arrive into Marrakech Aeroport and transfer straight to your hotel and rest of the day free.
Lodging: hotel Gomassine or an equivant.
Day 2 / Marrakech – Ouarzazate – Tabarkhacht
We drive over the Haouz plain to the High Atlas mountains and cross over the Tizi n’Tichka pass (2260 m). During our drive to Ouarzazate we will have an unforgettable view of panoramic landscape with pines, oak forests and several beautiful Berber villages.
We spend the night in Tabarkhacht village where women have the opportunity to make the famous ‘Henna’ painting.
Lodging: gîte (mountain hut)
Day 3 / Tabarkhacht – Boutaghrar
Today’s walk is in the heart of the beautiful Roses Valley. This region is known for producing products of the roses emerging around the fields of cereals. We also cross many Berber villages with their magnificent architecture.
From time to time we cross the river (Assif) and walk through beautiful landscapes.
Lodging: auberge (guest house)
Walking: 6 hours
Day 4 / Boutaghrar – Almdoun
A little walk up in contrasting colours of the Earth, viewing an area only inhabited by nomads and their cattle.
In the afternoon we cross the river several times in the narrow gorge of Mgoun to end up in our overnight village of Almdoun.
Lodging: auberge (guest house)
Walking: 5 hours
Day 5 / Almdoun – Tamgallouna
After breakfast we start walking in a dry area over the Atlas mountains with some oleander bushes around to reach a pass where we will have an amazing view over Saghro range, the land of the nomads. Then we slowly go down to the beautiful village of Tamgallouna nearby M’goun river.
The afternoon is free to discover more of the village or simply relax on the terrace of our gîte with a nice panorama on Tamgallouna village.
Lodging: gîte (mountain hut)
Walking: 5 hours
Day 6 / Tamgallouna – Ait Youl (Dades Valley)
We start our day walking on the path of the mules along a wild area with a big chance to meet nomadic families with their cattle and tents. We end up by a spring for lunch. In the afternoon one more hour walk to get to our gîte in Ait Youl village.
Lodging: gîte (mountain hut)
Walking: 5 hours
Day 7 / Ait Youl – Ouarzazate – Marrakech
We drive back to Marrakech, via Ouarzazate and cross the High Atlas mountains through a snaky road of Tichka pass (2260 m).
In Marrakech we have enough time to sample some sights and sounds of the ‘Red city’ like the medina, the souqs, the Koutoubia Mosque or the Koranic School. We can finish the day in the well-known open-air central square, the Djemaa el-Fna famous for its food stalls, snake charmers, water-sellers and acrobats.
Lodging: hotel
Day 8 / Leave Marrakech
The end of the trip and we say goodbye. Have a nice flight back to home.
WHAT IS INCLUDED:
– Professional mountain guide
– Accommodation during days of your hike ( guest house ! )
– Transport ( all transfers : from airport to your hotel, from hotel to starting point for hike. Transfer back to Marrakech )
– Food during days of the hike ( breakfasts, lunches, dinners)
– water during the hike
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:
– Travel insurance – flights
– Tipping for local team ( guide, driver, Muleteers) which is part of Moroccan culture.
PRICES:
Two people : 565 Euros per person
Three people: 500 Euros per person
Four people: 450 Euros per person
