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  Four kilometres after Tnine a discreet sign points up a dirt path into the Berber village of Tafza: here the three-storey mudbrick ksar that once housed the local caïd (chief) is now a museum. Enthusiastic guided visits (in English, French or Spanish) cover every detail of household life, from symbols carved in door frames to silver dowry jewellery.

  Call ahead to reserve meals on the terrace (Dh70), to arrange visits to Tafza pottery workshops, or for half-day excursions that take in community gardens, pottery workshops and village life.

  SafranerieGARDENS

  (%0522 48 44 76; www.safran-ourika.com; Km 34 Rte de l’Ourika, Tnine; garden tours adult/child under 16 yr Dh20/free; h7am-5.30pm)

  Almost anything thrives in Ourika’s rich soil, including saffron (Crocus sativus), organically grown here from bulbs that are cultivated near Talouine. Saffron is a high-maintenance plant, with flowers harvested before dawn for maximum potency. Guided tours are given by staff who reiterate key points on explanatory placards.

  Jardin Bio-Aromatique d'OurikaGARDENS

  (Nectarôme; %0524 48 21 49; www.jardin-bioaromatique-ourika.com; Km 34 Rte de l’Ourika, Tnine; garden visits adult/child Dh20/10, with guide Dh70; h9am-7pm Sep-Jul)

  Just after the bridge in Tnine, signs off the main road point down a dirt track towards the organic botanical gardens of a Franco-Moroccan natural bath-product company that combines Berber herbal remedies with modern aromatherapy. The garden certainly smells great, and a footbath and foot massage with organic essential oils (Dh250) is just the thing after a trek.

  4Sleeping

  Kasbah Jad AubergeGUESTHOUSE€€

  (%0524 48 29 53; [email protected]; d/tr/ste Dh350/495/600; W)

  This appealing place has much to recommend it, starting with attractively furnished rooms, all of which offer memorable views over the valley. Take the spiral staircase to the roof for more great views and a choice spot for meals on request. There's also an indoor pool (open year-round) and a hammam. Good mountain bikes are available for hire (Dh200 per day).

  Kasbah Bab OurikaECOLODGE€€€

  (%0668 74 95 47; www.kasbahbabourika.com; Tnine Ourika; d Dh1650-2860, ste Dh3300-7260; pWs)S

  Occupying an outstanding location in the Ourika Valley, this rammed-earth kasbah puts Richard Branson's bombastic Kasbah Tamadot in the shade. Understated luxuries include uninterrupted views of snowy Atlas peaks, top-quality meals anytime anywhere, superbly finished interiors and sleep-inducing orthopedic mattresses. You can relax beneath olive trees while admiring the view, take a dip in the gorgeous pool or unwind in the hammam.

  8Information

  From December to March, flash floods can make hiking dangerous and render parts of Ourika Valley inaccessible – in 1995, winter floods nearly wiped out the village of Oulmes.

  Centre d’Informations Touristique OurikaTOURIST INFORMATION

  (%0668 46 55 45; h8.30am-7pm Mon-Sat, to 1pm Sun)

  Just outside Tnine, this local NGO-operated information office sells a sheet map (Dh20) of valley vista points and provides updates on trekking conditions.

  Aghbalou

  Pop 8400

  A red stone mosque and minaret are the signature landmarks of Aghbalou, the Ourika Valley's largest village, located some 47km southwest of Marrakesh. Most buses make a stop here, and from here to Oulmes the river is lined with cafes and restaurants.

  4Sleeping & Eating

  Cafes dot the riverbanks serving kebabs and salad (Dh50) or tajines big enough for two (Dh60), with carpets spread out under shady trees in good weather.

  Auberge le MaquisHOTEL€€

  (%0524 48 45 31; www.le-maquis.com; Km 45 Rte de l’Ourika; s/d incl breakfast Dh395/630; Ws)

  A warm welcome awaits at this 11-room, family-style getaway and launching pad/finish line for bikers and trekkers. The local management makes meals (mains Dh60 to Dh90) feel like dinners among friends, and there’s a play yard where kids can cut loose. Don't miss the fossil and mineral collection (from Jean-Pierre's desert forays) in the restaurant.

  The auberge also arranges plenty of treks and excursions, including to the Yaggour plateau petroglyphs (from where you can descend to the Zat Valley) and mule treks for little ones.

  Ourika GardenHOTEL€€

  (%0670 72 16 06, 0524 48 44 41; www.ourikagarden.com; Km 49.5 Rte de l’Ourika; r Dh630-840; aWs)

  A gardener’s dream, with flagstone paths through aromatic herbs leading over footbridges to a stone-walled lodge. Guest rooms have fireplaces, seating nooks, hewn-wood furnishings, and en suite with variable hot water (shower early). Breakfasts on the terrace feature High Atlas views, local honey and olive oil, and there’s wi-fi by the patio bar.

  Setti Fatma سيتي فاطمة

  Pop 23,400

  A little village that’s seen a whole lot of tourist action in the past decade, Setti Fatma is a scenic stop for lunch by the river and for hikes to seven waterfalls. The village is neatly nestled in a canyon beneath the High Atlas mountains at the southern end of the Ourika Valley road, 24km south of the Oukaïmeden turn-off at Aghbalou.

  Prime times to visit are in early March when the cherry and almond trees are in bloom, or in August for the four-day moussem, with its fair and market at the koubba of Setti Fatma. During the summer, the place is clogged with visitors from Marrakesh, so consider heading, instead, to the splendidly untrammelled neighbouring valleys of Zat and Ouirgane.

  2Activities

  Served by frequent buses and grands taxis, Setti Fatma is the most accessible High Atlas trekking base, although trailheads for many of the more impressive hikes lie on the other side of Tizi n'Tacheddirt pass (3230m) in Imlil. One popular hike has been to traverse the pass via the villages of Tadrart, Timichi, Tacheddirt and Ouaneskra, but now a paved road covers two-thirds of the route forcing trekkers to make a steeper two-day ascent to avoid walking along the road.

  Other possible treks from Setti Fatma head east to Tourcht, north to Imi-n-Taddert, to Anammer and Tiz n’Oucheg in the Aït Oucheg Valley, and from the Yaggour Plateau into the Zat Valley, the latter being the most impressive trek on offer.

  Waterfall hikes range from 30-minute walks to arduous stream hikes; ignore the faux guides and follow the paths, or find a licensed guide to lead the way on foot or mule.

  The bureau des guides (%0524 42 61 13; h9am-5pm) can hook you up with guides.

  4Sleeping & Eating

  From Oulmes to Setti Fatima, both sides of the river are lined with cafe-restaurants offering tajines priced to move. There's also a couple of reasonable choices in Setti Fatma proper.

  oEau Bord du l'EauGUESTHOUSE€

  (%0661 22 97 55; www.obordelo.com; d Dh270-400, ste Dh485-550; W)

  This jaunty little guesthouse is tucked down a steep pebble staircase about 1km (on the left) before reaching Setti Fatma. As a result, it's wonderfully secluded, with just the sound of the rushing river to disturb dreams of summit ascents. With Martine and Poulou's easygoing hosting and shared conversations around central fireplaces, you'll feel right at home.

  Hôtel AsgaourGUESTHOUSE€

  (%0524 48 52 94; r with/without bathroom Dh200/150; W)

  Basic but clean rooms with lumpy pillows and hot showers upstairs, plus a restaurant downstairs serving well-caramelised tajines (around Dh50).

  Café-Restaurant AzrrabzouMOROCCAN€

  (set meals Dh60; h11am-8pm)

  Set meals of salad, tajine or kebab and bottled water are on offer at this place over a plank bridge in a patch of almond trees (opposite the taxi stand, on the opposite side of the river).

  8Information

  Bureau des Guides Located just past the Hôtel Asgaour.

  Pharmacy Asgaour (h10am-8pm) A good selection of first aid, medicine and women’s products.

  Oukaïmeden اوکيمدين

  This sleepy mountain village, perched at 2650m in the High Atlas, offers a peaceful escape from the hustle of Marrakesh 75km to the north. It's a fine year-round destination with hiking am
id wildflower-strewn valleys in springtime and downhill skiing in winter. Aside from its beckoning outdoor adventures, however, there isn't much to Oukaïmeden.

  2Activities

  In snow season, skiers will find seven ski runs from nursery to black, six tows and the highest ski lift in Africa (3243m). Gear, passes and lessons are available in town at prices that will delight skiers used to European and American rates. Peak season has historically been late January to March, but in recent years snow has been scarce by March. When snow is low on the slopes, skiers can cross-country ski.

  Club Alpin Français (CAF) can point you towards trekking trailheads.

  4Sleeping

  CAF RefugeHOSTEL€

  (%0524 31 90 36; dm CAF members/nonmembers Dh90/140; W)

  Offers heated dormitories, bar-restaurant, well-equipped kitchen, library and wi-fi, but you’ll need your own sleeping bag. Bathrooms are on the 1st floor, but the nicest bunk beds are in pine-ceilinged rooms upstairs. Group pick-ups can be arranged from Marrakesh (by grand taxi Dh400 or by minibus or 4WD for nine to 12 passengers Dh700 to Dh900).

  Hôtel Chez JujuHOTEL€€€

  (%0524 31 90 05; www.hotelchezjuju.com; d incl half-board Dh1100-2600; W)

  Reliable restaurant with a bar, plus simple alpine-style rooms with en suites. Nicer renovated doubles have mountain views, pine panelling, cotton quilts and flowered drapes; grimmer rooms are in back and best avoided. The hotel also serves up some of the best meals in the village (though there isn't much competition).

  8Information

  Club Alpin FrançaisTOURIST INFORMATION

  (CAF; %0524 31 90 36; www.ffcam.fr)

  8Getting There & Away

  If you’re not travelling by rental car, your best bet is to arrange transport through CAF. Otherwise, you can charter a grand taxi from Marrakesh’s Bab er-Rob (Dh400 to Dh600).

  LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

  BERBER BOTANY IN THE HIGH ATLAS

  Despite icy winters and scalding summers, the High Atlas Mountains are extremely fertile. Overgrazing, agriculture and wood collection for fuel has impacted the High Atlas; much of its indigenous vegetation has disappeared. But through painstaking reforestation and resourceful mountainside terrace farming using targa (channel) irrigation, the hills are alive with a diversity of flora.

  Here’s what you’ll spot on High Atlas walks:

  Valleys lower than 2400m Riots of flowers erupt in spring, when valley almond, cherry and apricot orchards bloom. In summer, you’ll enjoy the shade of carob, quince, pomegranate, apple and fig trees. Resourceful farmers manage to eke multiple crops from terrace plots: barley October through to May, and potatoes, carrots, turnips, onions, lentils and beans from spring through to autumn. Walnuts are a major crop in higher villages, with harvest in late September.

  Subalpine zone (2400m to 3200m) Thickets of gnarled Spanish juniper (Juniperus thurifer) are blasted into extraordinary shapes by the wind, and exposed roots cling like fingers to the rock. Aleppo pine is being planted to prevent erosion, and replace fragrant Atlas cedar used for woodworking.

  High elevations higher than 3200m The easiest to spot are ‘hedgehog plants’, spiny, domed bushes that briefly burst into flower in spring. Even when you don’t spot plants on the trail, you’ll get a whiff of lavender, rosemary and wild thyme underfoot, perfuming your boots as you walk.

  Toubkal National Park

  For pure mountain air that cuts through the heat and leaves you giddy, don’t miss the highest mountain in North Africa: snowcapped Jebel Toubkal (4167m), situated in the heart of the Toubkal National Park. Mountain trails criss-crossing Jebel Toubkal start from Imlil, which is located at the end of the Mizane Valley. On the way to Imlil, you could make a pit stop 47km south of Marrakesh at Asni for roadside tajines and the Saturday souq.

  8Getting There & Away

  Frequent local buses (Dh20, 1½ hours) and grands taxis (Dh20, one hour) leave south of Bab er-Rob in Marrakesh for Asni. Local minibuses and occasional taxis travel the final 17km between Asni and Imlil (Dh12, one hour). Expect a car journey from Marrakesh to Imlil to take at least 2½ hours.

  LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

  LOCAL SOUQ DAYS

  In the valleys surrounding Jebel Toubkal, towns have market days featuring local crafts, fresh produce and donkeys on the following days:

  Monday Tnine

  Tuesday Tahanaoute, Aït-Ourir

  Wednesday Tighdouine

  Thursday El-Khemis Ouirgane

  Friday Aghmat

  Saturday Asni

  Sunday Setti Fatma

  Imlil إمليل

  Pop 5100

  A favourite hitching post for mountain trekkers, Imlil is just a five-hour hike from the base of Jebel Toubkal, and in spring you won’t want to miss waking up in these flowering High Atlas foothills.

  2Activities

  Imlil is the main trekking base for Jebel Toubkal and the whole town caters to trekkers and their needs. Ascents to the summit leave daily from here, although the traffic in high season may rub the edge off that lone-mountain-ranger fantasy. To escape the well-worn path consider trekking southwest over Tizi n'Mzik (2489m) to the wonderful Cascades d'Irhoulidene near Azib Tamsoult and either ascending the Toubkal summit from the west (covered on Days 6 and 7 of the Toubkal Circuit trek), or heading east down the unspoilt Azzadan Valley.

  If you arrive without having made arrangements, head to the bureau des guides and let them know your requirements and they'll hook you up with a guide for a fixed-price rate (Dh300/400 per half/full day). Guides speak a range of languages, including French, English, German and Spanish.

  If you are really short on time, you can easily walk to the village of Aroumd and back in a few hours; follow the mule track along the western edge of the Mizane river.

  Mountain Travel MoroccoTREKKING

  (MTM; %0524 48 57 84; www.mountain-travel-morocco.com; Imlil; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat)

  Established by four of Imlil's most experienced trekking guides, MTM is Imlil's first fully registered, private guiding outfit offering treks to suit all levels. Guides are also trained in first aid and are experienced in dealing with altitude sickness. To ensure you can undertake the trek you want when you want, book in advance.

  Bike Adventures in MoroccoMOUNTAIN BIKING

  (%0666 23 82 00; www.bikeadventuresinmorocco.com; Imlil)

  Run by mountain guide and biking expert Lahcen Jellah, this well-equipped outfit offers a range of itineraries criss-crossing the Atlas. Routes range from an easy four-day Toubkal circuit to an epic 10-day Atlas traverse from Imlil to M'Goun.

  4Sleeping

  oAuthentic ToubkalGUESTHOUSE€

  (%0672 84 51 71; www.authentictoubkallodge.com; Arghen Village)S

  Run by the youthful Lahcen and his family, this delightful village stay aims to introduce guests to Berber culture, with lessons on mint tea preparation, bread baking and opportunities to interact with village residents. Expect delicious communal meals and ample amusement (you too can dress in Berber finery). It's about a 20-minute uphill walk from town. Call in advance for someone to meet you.

  oRiad Atlas ToubkalGUESTHOUSE€

  (%0524 48 57 82; www.riadatlastoubkal.com; Imlil; d/tr/ste Dh300/400/600; paW)

  This appealing guesthouse has eight cosy rooms with large picture windows that catch mountain breezes and boast views as fine as those at the pricey kasbah; three rooms also have balconies. Piles of board games and books keep idle hours filled. Guest showers for sweaty trekkers, panoramic views from the restaurant and parking (Dh20) complete the excellent service.

  Imlil LodgeGUESTHOUSE€

  (%0671 15 76 36; www.toubkalguide.com; Tamatert; d Dh250-400, f Dh600; aW)

  Run by Jamal Imrehane, one of the founders of Mountain Travel Morocco, this friendly stone-faced guesthouse looks out over Imlil and the Mizane Valley from Tamatert. Arranged around an internal courtyard, riad-style rooms come with fancy stucco ceilings, brass lanterns and stripey Asni blankets. Several rooms have balconies
and one also has a fireplace.

  Dar AdrarRIAD€

  (%0668 76 01 65; www.daradrar.com; Achayn; s/d/tr incl breakfast from Dh250/300/400; W)

  Sitting in a shaded grove in the village of Achayn, a steep 10-minute walk uphill from the Atlas Trek Shop in Imlil, Dar Adrar has simple, comfortable rooms, a flower-filled yard and an in-house hammam (Dh50). The owner, mountain guide Mohamed Aztat, is a cofounder of Mountain Travel Morocco and also owns the trek shop in Imlil.

  Dar OuassaggouRIAD€

  (%0667 49 13 52; www.guesthouseouassaggou.com; Douar Aït Soukka; d incl breakfast Dh330-490; aW)

  A walnut orchard shades the valley path east of Imlil to this eight-room guesthouse, where visitors are received like long-lost relatives by Houssein, an English-speaking mountain guide. Cosy, comfortable bedrooms have en suites, one with a tadelakt tub. The sunny terrace is ideal after a morning trek, and you can also arrange dinner (Dh100 per person).

  Imlil RefugeHOSTEL€

  (%0661 87 37 71; http://imlilrefuge.com; dm incl breakfast Dh90)

  Imlil Refuge offers the cheapest lodging in town with 10 simple but clean rooms that share bathrooms. There's a sitting room with fireplace, a roof terrace and a shared kitchen. It's a fine bunkhouse for trekkers before or after making the big ascent.