The Tassa Ouirgane National Park
ref. - ITCTtoRAK08m
(5 1/2 hours hike)
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: GRADE ONE - WALKING MOSTLY ON PATHS AT LOWER LEVELS, SOMETIMES ROCKY, SELDOM FLAT, FOR ABOUT 6 HOURS EACH DAY. GOOD TRAINERS WOULD DO, BUT TAKE BOOTS IF YOU ARE USED TO THEM. FOR ANYONE WHO LEADS A REASONABLY ACTIVE LIFE. HIKING ALWAYS INVOLVES SOME EFFORT.

OUIRGANE - MARIGHA - TASSA OUIRGANE - TOUROUD - EL KHEMIS - OUIRGANE.

We set off at 9 o’clock today with our Moroccan Mountain Guide towards the east through fields of corn and flowers to follow alongside the river’s course up and down small hills dotted with red juniper, passing by isolated Berber hamlets until we reach the salt mines at Marigha. Here the Berber peoples have been mining salt by their traditional method used unchanged for centuries. You may see them riding from village to village, selling their salt from the back of their donkeys. You should also, depending on the time of day, get to see those delightful Berber women sitting on their haunches for a chat after gathering wood.

From here we enter the immense Tassa Ouirgane Valley via a piste which leads us through more fields and orchards of apple, peach, cherry and apricot and near the vast forest of Takherkhourte until we reach our field picnic spot at the village of Tassa . Once refreshed we continue on to appreciate a tremendous panoramic vista of the entire Valley and of the Forestry Station - which protects the area’s horned mountain sheep - and now on through the woods and sight of the Toubkal Massif National Park with its distant range of High Atlas peaks, down the slopes to ford the river and take the small path on the other side of the Valley through stands of juniper and tall fir trees to the foothills of the Adrar Takherkhourte (2309m) and on now towards the northwest through orchards of peach, plum and pomegranate and vineyards to go through the villages of Tourourd and El Khémis until we finish up at our start point in Ouirgane Centre at around half past five in the evening.

Essentially, this walk takes you up and down a maximum of 600 metres and is not at all strenuous. It does take you up into charming hidden valleys and to meet the mountain Berber families in their own environment.

Cost for this tour:

- please call or email for a full quote - all our holidays are tailor-made and the cost of each trek is based upon the following:

* the number of people in your group (some hikes available for single travellers, one person FREE for groups of 10 or more);

* where you are starting from and to where you wish to travel at the end the hike;

* whether you are including any additional accommodation (e.g. in Imlil or Marrakech)

* extras such as WC tent or refuge accommodation, etc.

Our price includes:

Experienced, licensed, bi-lingual mountain guide throughout, Picnic lunch.

Picnic lunch - fresh Moroccan salad, cheese, tinned tuna fish*, bread, fruit. * If vegetarian or vegan, please pre-advise.

Our prices do not include:

Personal medical or accident insurance. Any expenditure of a personal nature. Bottled or gaseous water, nor anything not specifically mentioned in the itinerary.

It is recommended that you bring:

Walking boots or stout shoes suitable for walking, rambler pole (optional), Hat, sunscreen, nibbles, hygienic wipes, filled water bottle(s).

NB: all our prices are for land arrangements only (starting and finishing in Ouirgane), please contact us to arrange accommodation in Ouirgane or Marrakech hotels / riads as well as flights from your preferred airport if required.

Tel: + 44 (0) 1989 730 552 (UK)