M’Goun ascent and the Happy Valley
From €570 per person
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- Duration
- 7 days / 6 nights
- Tour type
- Treks
- Languages
- Spanish, English, French
- Difficulty
- Moderate effort, technically easy
Overview
An accessible 4,000 m peak in the central High Atlas: the climb to M'Goun from the Ait Bouguemez Valley, with nights in camp and a return via the Ouzoud Falls.
Tour highlights
- Summit of M'Goun (4,068 m), the second highest massif in North Africa
- Aouri pass (3,350 m), with the whole M'Goun ridge in view
- Ridge walk to Tizi n'Oumsoud (2,970 m)
- Night on the Tarkeddit plateau, by the springs of the Tessaout
- Ikkis n'Arous gorges and forests of juniper and box
- Visit to the Ouzoud Falls on the way back to Marrakech
Route at a glance
7 days / 6 nights
- Marrakech airport Starting point
- Marrakech
- Ait Bouguemez Valley
- M'Goun
- Ouzoud Falls
- Marrakech airport Ending point
About this tour
Many people picture Morocco as dunes and camels under a scorching sun, but the country also has high mountains. On this trip we climb Ighil M'Goun, at 4,068 m one of the highest summits in Morocco, and walk through glacial valleys, rivers, ridges and passes with wide views.
After Toubkal, M'Goun is the second highest massif in North Africa, and the largest: it dominates the central High Atlas between Azilal and the Ouarzazate plain. It is also the most remote part of the Atlas, more than 200 km from Marrakech, home of the Ait Bouguemez Berbers, who give their name to the valley below the northern side of the ridge.
The ascent starts from the fertile Ait Bouguemez Valley, known as the Happy Valley. The first camp is set up in the hamlet of Ikkis, at 2,270 m, and the last night in the mountains is spent in a gîte in the valley before returning to Marrakech. Mules and muleteers carry the luggage, and a cook takes care of the meals during the trek.
Day by day itinerary
Print this itinerary-
Day 01
Day 1 of 7
Arrival in Marrakech
Transfer from the airport to your hotel or riad in the Marrakech medina and meeting with the guide.
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Day 02
Day 2 of 7
Marrakech - Ait Bouguemez Valley - Ikkis (2,270 m)
We leave Marrakech for the Atlas. The drive to the Ait Bouguemez Valley takes about five hours. The muleteer team is waiting for us there and we start the first stage at an easy pace.
From Arous (1,780 m) to Ikkis (2,270 m) it is a gentle one-hour walk. We reach camp, where we have dinner and spend the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast and dinner
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Day 03
Day 3 of 7
Ikkis - Tarkeddit (2,910 m)
After breakfast we load up with the muleteers and begin the ascent towards M'Goun with a gentle climb, ideal for acclimatising. We head up the Assif n'Arous valley, covered in box, with wild roses and junipers in the more sheltered spots.
We continue towards the Tarkeddit refuge over the Oumsik pass (2,870 m) and the Aouri East pass (3,350 m). From the latter the whole M'Goun ridge comes into view, with its glacial cirques on the northern side. We drop down to the Tarkeddit plateau, where the refuge stands by the springs of the Tessaout.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
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Day 04
Day 4 of 7
M'Goun ascent (4,068 m) - Oulilimt valley
Today we walk a good part of the M'Goun ridge and climb the main summit, which appears on some maps as Amsod. The ascent follows a long, broad ridge that may be covered in snow. It is a steady climb with no technical difficulty, and the views from 4,000 m are vast.
From the summit we descend towards Tizi n'Oumsoud (2,970 m), completing the M'Goun ridge. From the pass we lose some height down the Oulilimt valley to the campsite at the Oulilimt springs.
If you prefer not to climb to the summit, you can follow the muleteers' alternative route (see important information).
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
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Day 05
Day 5 of 7
Oulilimt valley - Happy Valley (1,880 m)
A relaxed breakfast, then a very varied stage. After a walk we reach the Tizi n'Ouagmar pass (2,940 m), lose some height and climb again to Tizi n'Ousdrem (2,650 m), with views over the Ikkis valley and its surroundings.
We then descend through a forest of juniper and box, visit the Ikkis n'Arous gorges and continue to the Happy Valley, where we spend the night in a gîte d'étape.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
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Day 06
Day 6 of 7
Happy Valley - Ouzoud Falls - Marrakech
We say goodbye to the muleteers and head back to Marrakech. On the way we visit the Ouzoud Falls. Arrival in Marrakech in the afternoon, check-in at the riad and free time.
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Day 07
Day 7 of 7
Marrakech - airport
Transfer to the airport in time for your flight home. End of our services.
- Meals
- Breakfast
What's included
Included
- Airport - hotel - airport transfers
- Marrakech - Tabant - Marrakech transfer
- Visit to the Ouzoud Falls
- 2 nights' bed and breakfast accommodation in Marrakech
- Tent accommodation during the trek
- Full board during the trek
- Bottled water during the trek
- Mules and muleteers to carry your kit bag
- Cook and camp set-up
- Local mountain guide during the trek
Not included
- International flight and airport taxes
- Drinks, except water
- Personal first aid kit
- Any service not listed under what's included
Good to know
Practical information
- Format: group tour with a guide
- Season: April to November
- Meeting point: Marrakech airport
Alternative route without the summit
If on summit day you do not want to climb M'Goun or are not feeling well, you can follow the muleteers' route: from the Tarkeddit plateau you go down into the upper Arous valley and climb to Tizi n'Oumsoud (2,970 m), below the summit, to reach the Oulilimt valley. The views over both valleys are well worth it too.
