Atlas Valleys Trek: 3 Days from Ouirgane to Azzaden
Three days of walking with no summit to chase. Juniper forest inside Ouirgane National Park, one real climb over the Tizi N'Mzik at 2,489 m, and mules to ride when your legs have had enough.
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About this tour
Three days of walking with no summit to chase. Juniper forest inside Ouirgane National Park, one real climb over the Tizi N'Mzik at 2,489 m, and mules to ride when your legs have had enough.
Tour highlights
- Mules travel with you for luggage and for riding on any section you like, the only trek in this range with a full ride option
- The Tizi N'Mzik pass at 2,489m, the single genuine climb of the three days and the trek's high point
- Juniper forest walking inside Ouirgane National Park, where the High Atlas peaks first come into view
- The Azzaden Valley on foot, through walnut groves, with Toubkal's snow-covered top showing far off
- Two village guesthouse nights: Tinzert on Night 1, Ait Aissa in the Azzaden Valley on Night 2
- From the pass, a full sweep of the High Atlas range, with the Azzaden behind you and the Imlil Valley ahead
- A finish in Imlil (1,740m), the trekking village everyone knows, with lunch in a local restaurant
- Nothing above 2,500m, no summit, and departures all year
- A licensed bilingual mountain guide, which the route requires
- Every meal covered on full board: 7 meals plus water
About this tour
Three days on foot in the High Atlas, from the juniper forests of Ouirgane National Park over into the Azzaden Valley, and the gentlest of the multi-day treks in this range. Walking begins at Imi Oughlad (1,400m) and reaches the Berber village of Tinzert on the first afternoon; the second day follows the walnut groves of the Azzaden to Ait Aissa; the third climbs the Tizi N’Mzik pass at 2,489m and drops into Imlil (1,740m), where the driver waits for the road back to Marrakech.
Day 1 asks 4 hours on the trail, Day 2 stretches to 6 hours, Day 3 comes in at 5 hours. Nothing along the way climbs past 2,500m and no summit is attempted. A mule walks with the group and can be ridden on any section you choose, which is what opens the trek to families with children of all ages, to seniors and to people who have never trekked before.
The price covers the air-conditioned transfer in both directions, mule support for bags and for riding, a licensed bilingual mountain guide, the two village guesthouse nights and full board throughout.
Availability: All year. Because the route stays under 2,500m the trek runs in every season; spring and autumn are called the best of them, and winter is colder but comes with clear skies, with fireplaces in the guesthouses.
At a Glance, as published: Duration 3 Days; Highest Point 2,489m; Mule Ride optional and included; Who: All Ages; Season: Year-Round; Route: Ouirgane to Azzaden; Guide: Licensed and Mandatory; Meals: All Included; From EUR 195 per person; Mode: Hike or Mule Ride; Overnights: Village Guesthouses.
Maximum altitude: 2,489m, reached at the Tizi N’Mzik pass. Nothing on the route goes over 2,500m and there is no summit.
Day by day itinerary
Print this itinerary- Day 1 of 3
Marrakech - Imi Oughlad (1,400m) - Ouirgane National Park - Tinzert (Easing In: Juniper Woods and the First Peaks)
At 9:00 AM your driver collects you at your hotel in Marrakech and heads south for Imi Oughlad (1,400m), where the plain runs out and the High Atlas begins. Waiting there are the Berber muleteers and your licensed mountain guide. What follows is a soft 4-hour walk into Ouirgane National Park, in among tall juniper trees, with green mountain country on all sides and a first sight of the High Atlas peaks; the path is broad and undemanding. If you would rather start in the saddle, take the mule for any part of it. The day ends at the Berber village of Tinzert, in simple, warm guesthouse rooms, with dinner cooked by the family who hosts you. Difficulty: gentle. Trekking time 4 hours. Accommodation: guesthouse.
- Day 2 of 3
Tinzert - Azzaden Valley - Ait Aissa (The Azzaden: Walnut Groves and a Distant Toubkal)
Breakfast, then the trail turns into the Azzaden, which is spoken of as one of the loveliest valleys in the Atlas Mountains. You walk through walnut groves with Toubkal's snow-covered top visible a long way off. The valley is green, quiet and has been largely left alone by tourism. Around 6 hours of walking makes this the longest of the three days, and the mule stays available the whole way. Night 2 is a snug village guesthouse (gite) in Ait Aissa, well up the Azzaden Valley, where the village family cooks dinner. Difficulty: moderate. Trekking time 6 hours. Accommodation: guesthouse.
- Day 3 of 3
Ait Aissa - Tizi N'Mzik (2,489m) - Imlil (1,740m) - Marrakech (Over the Pass and Down to Imlil)
The last morning holds the only proper climb of the trek: away from the Azzaden and up to Tizi N'Mzik, a pass at 2,489m and the highest ground of the three days. The view from the top runs over the whole High Atlas range, back down the Azzaden behind you and forward into the Imlil Valley below. Ride the mule to the top if you prefer to save your legs. From there it is downhill into Imlil (1,740m), the trekking village, where lunch is taken in a local restaurant before your driver returns you to Marrakech. You get back with your evening still your own, and the medina is there if you want it. Trekking time 5 hours. Riding the mule stays an option.
What's included
Included
- Air-conditioned return transfer, Marrakech to Imi Oughlad and Imlil back to Marrakech
- A licensed bilingual mountain guide
- Mule support, both for your luggage
- for riding
- Night 1: a simple village guesthouse in Tinzert
- Night 2: a village guesthouse in Ait Aissa
- Every meal on a full-board basis (7 meals plus water)
Not included
- Your own hiking kit (hire available in Ouirgane)
- Snacks and personal spending
- Tips for the guide and muleteers (at your discretion)
- Travel insurance (we recommend it)
What to bring
- To be confirmed by MTT operations. No packing list is published; the only related fact recorded is that personal hiking gear is not included and can be hired in Ouirgane
Group rates
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 1 person (solo) | €470 per person |
| 2 people | €300 per person |
| 3 people | €280 per person |
| 4 people | €230 per person |
| 5 people | €220 per person |
| 6 people | €210 per person |
| 7-9 people | €205 per person |
| 10-13 people | €200 per person |
| 14-17 people | €195 per person |
Frequently asked questions
What does this trek involve?
Three days of valley walking, first through Ouirgane National Park and then the Azzaden Valley, with Berber villages, juniper woods and one mountain pass along the way. No summit, nothing over 2,500m, running all year, on foot or on muleback.
What is the difficulty?
Easy, and the most accessible multi-day trek in this range. The first day is a soft 4 hours, the second a moderate 6, the third 5 hours with the pass in it. The mule is there at any point. Families, older walkers and complete beginners all manage it.
Is riding a mule an option?
Yes, and this is the only trek in the range where the full ride option applies. Ride any section and change between walking and riding as you like. The ride is part of the price and suits groups with mixed fitness.
Does it run all year?
Yes, because the route keeps below 2,500m. Spring and autumn are the pick, but every season works; winter is colder while the skies are clear, and there are fireplaces in the guesthouses.
Does it work for families and older travellers?
Yes. It was built for all ages, with the mule ride, modest altitudes and village guesthouses. Children of any age and seniors are welcome, and no previous experience is required.
What does the price cover?
The transfer, a licensed guide, the mule for riding and for luggage, 2 nights in guesthouses at Tinzert and Ait Aissa, and every meal. Prices open at EUR 195 with the mule ride sitting inside that.
What will it cost?
Rates begin at EUR 195 a head in the 14-17 band. Two travellers pay EUR 300 each, one traveller alone EUR 470. Everything is included, the mule ride option among it.
What sets this apart from the Imlil to Ourika trek?
The route is a different one. This trek starts at Imi Oughlad, crosses the national park at Ouirgane, follows the Azzaden and ends its walking in Imlil. The 3-Day Imlil to Ourika Valley Traverse Trek, by contrast, crosses eastwards to Ourika. This one is the easier of the two and carries the mule ride option.
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