Morocco

Walking with The Nomads - Part 1

Trekking

(10 Days)

Slide Show

Follow a migrating tribe through the High Atlas and Jebel Saghro

Twice a year the semi-nomadic tribe of the Ait Atta migrate in search of pastures for their vast flocks of animals. This unique trekking adventure follows the migration of one such family as they move south from the High Atlas Mountains into thei homeland, the Jebel Saghro, a remote and dramatic mountain range in the south of Morocco. This is a real life adventure that will appeal to those in search of something different and offers beautiful scenery and an enthralling cultural experience. Over the course of these two, week long departures you'll witness a way of life so different from our own and one that has been handed down through centuries of Ait Atta civilization. The program is divided into two parts, the first in the High Atlas Mountains and the second in the Jebel Saghro.

Trip Highlights

• Authentic cultural encounters with a Nomadic Family by living their daily lives with them
• Sleeping in Nomadic tents in the High Atlas Mountains

Detailed Itinerary

Part 1: Through the High Atlas with the Ait Atta

During the months of September and October in the south of Morocco, the Ait Atta tribe of nomads migrate from the grazing lands of the High Atlas Mountains back to their homeland, the Jebel Saghro range. “Walking with Nomads” (Part 1) is a unique pioneering adventure which follows the migration of one family in particular through the High Atlas Mountains from the beautiful valley of Ait Bougmez to the Dades Valley, a six day hike through some of Morocco’s most impressive mountain scenery. En route we get a rare opportunity to experience a way of life that has been handed down through generations of Ait Atta nomads. Travelling with the nomads and their extended family of goats, sheep, mules and dromedaries we follow a trail through gorges and over rocky passes, spending the nights camping in wilderness locations. Walking for an average of 5 - 6 hours per day, and taking in some high altitude passes, this trip, although not as strenuous as some other High Atlas treks, requires participants to have a reasonable level of physical fitness and some prior hiking experience.

Day 1: Arrival Marrakech

On arrival in Marrakech you will be met by a BikeHike Adventures representative and taken to our hotel in the centre of Marrakech. Flights often arrive in the evening, giving us just enough time to head out for a get-together meal and short briefing. Overnight hotel.

Day 2: Marrakech - Ait Bougmez

After breakfast we are met by our transfer vehicle(s) to take us the five and a half hours or so to the village of Imelghas in the valley of Ait Bougmez. En route we’ll visit the Ouzoud Falls, Morocco’s most impressive waterfall, finding a suitable spot for lunch en route. Today’s drive takes us across the Haouz Plain and up into the foothills of the High Atlas to the east of Marrakech, through the town of Azilal and along a winding mountain road to the valley of Ait Bougmez, the starting point for our trek. Ait Bougmez is one of the most beautiful valleys in the High Atlas. 14km in length and about a kilometre across, it’s a wide flat expanse of fruit orchards, fields of barley, and green pastures criss-crossed by streams flowing down from the surrounding M’Goun massif. The village of Tabant is the main administrative centre which lies a couple of kilometres from our gite in the village of Imelghas, at 1860m above sea level. On arrival we should have time to climb to a hilltop “Marabout” (holy shrine) to get a panorama of our surroundings before heading back to our gite for dinner. It’s here that we’ll meet our team of mules for the trek, and Zaid our nomad host for the six day hike. Dinner and overnight gite. (B,L,D)

Days 3 - 8: Ait Bougmez to Dades Valley (Trekking)

Setting off from Imelghas, the next six days will take us on a route traversing the High Atlas Mountains from north to south until we reach the Dades Valley, just north of the town of Boumalne Dades. The route we take follows the traditional migration route of the Ait Atta nomads; a route that can vary slightly from year to year depending on climatic conditions and the state of grazing lands. The autumn migration route is often different from the route taken in the spring as scarcity of water can threaten grazing land. On trek, the shorter days will follow a format of walking in the morning, setting up camp at lunchtime and relaxing in the hot afternoons. On longer days stages of the trek we’ll stop for lunch and finish the day’s walk in the afternoon. The nomads set up a traditional camel hair tent which is a perfect spot from which to watch the world go by. With a large flock of goats and sheep, dromedaries, mules, dogs and chickens there is invariably plenty of activity on the hillsides that surround camp. For those wanting to walk further, there are always possibilities for further exploration (including some summits) in the late afternoons and those who want to learn the art of baking bread in the wild are welcome to join in. The nomad way of life follows this pattern as the afternoon is time set aside for the grazing of animals. Five nights camping in modern one and two man tents and night 8 is spent in a gite in the Dades Valley. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Boumalne Dades - Marrakech

Having completed our trek and bid farewell to the Ait Atta we transfer back to Marrakech, visiting the kasbah at Ait Benhaddou en route. Ait Benhaddou is the best-preserved of Morocco’s kasbahs and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here we’ll have a chance to wander around the site which dates back to the 11th century. The journey time back to Marrakech is about six and a half hours, travelling back over the Tichka Pass, one of the highest paved passes in North Africa. Arriving back in Marrakech is a real highlight. Having arrived in the evening at the start of the trip we had little time to explore the Marrakech medina (old town), a UNESCO Heritage Site and said to be the second largest medieval complex in the world, after Cairo. Much of the medina is a beguiling labyrinth of tiny alleys and passageways where men ply their trades in tiny box-like workshops that have hardly changed in hundreds of years. The medina is also home to the famous souqs (markets) of Marrakech - ideal for devotees of ethnic fashion and decoration, but worth a look for the sights, sounds and smells of this most exotic of markets. Tonight we explore the main square – the Djemaa el Fna – to witness one of the world’s most animated nighttime spectacles. At night the square is transformed into a giant open air restaurant where men in white coats serve anything from sheep’s head stew to snails in hot sauce. The rest of the square is dedicated to other forms of entertainment such as snake charmers, story tellers, acrobats and dancers. Later we will enjoy a farewell dinner in a restaurant before exploring what Marrakech has to offer in the way of nightlife. Overnight hotel (B,L).

Day 10: Depart Marrakech

Free time before transferring to airport for homeward flight. Most flights depart in the afternoon so there’s more time to explore the city and pick up a few last minute souvenirs. (B)

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