The desert valleys such as the Valley of Roses at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains are well worth seeing. The route takes you across high plateaus, sand dunes and through gorges, past palm groves and typical Berber villages. With the desert in the foreground and the snow-capped Atlas Mountains in the background, this is a horseback tour full of contrasts, following in the footsteps of the Berbers on the back of magnificent Arab-Berber stallions. You will be accompanied by a cheerful team of Moroccans who will share their love of their country, its people, and horses with you and give you an insight into Moroccan culture.
A varied ride from the Dades Valley to the Valley of Roses, famous for its beautiful gardens. With the High Atlas as a back , you will ride through palm groves, oases, Berber villages, deep gorges, and wide river valleys. You will also see several kasbahs with their historic buildings straight out of 1001 Nights!
You can combine the Valley of Roses with a ride across the Djebel Saghro mountain range. You will see more picturesque kasbahs and ride high up into the mountains. From Boulemane, west of Ouarzazate, you will ride south across the massif with its striking basalt rocks. From the summit of Tizi n Tagmout (2,000 m above sea level), you will enjoy a fantastic view of the High Atlas. The area is rich in minerals, which is reflected in the colors of the soil and rocks. Passing Berber villages, you will reach the Tadout n Tablah plateau, known for its bizarre rock formations and wild gorges. Continue to the Amguis oasis through green gardens and palm groves. Bab n Ali is also known for its unusual rock pillars. Passing through a barren lunar landscape, you reach the rocky plateaus on the edge of the Sahara, dotted with numerous oases. Your final destination is a palm village south of Zagora.

Itinerary

Valley of Roses

Day 1: Arrival in Ouarzazate and transfer to the hotel. Depending on arrival time, visit the former residence of the Pasha of Marrakesh. The historic castle and old town are well worth seeing. Dinner together and overnight stay.

Day 2: Transfer to the oasis of Skoura, the starting point of the horseback tour. After a beautiful ride through picturesque palm groves, you will reach another oasis where you can enjoy a picnic lunch in the shade of the palm trees. In the afternoon, you will cross a desert plateau with views of the majestic Atlas Mountains with their snow-capped peaks. Overnight stay in tents.

Day 3: Ride along the mountains through a sandy plain where you will come across many small villages of the Imghrane (Berber tribe). Stop for lunch on a plateau with beautiful views. In the afternoon, ride through a narrow valley framed by high mountains. The rocks rise up on the left and right in various shades of red and pink. Later, you will come across several Berber villages again. The mud houses blend seamlessly into the landscape. Dinner and overnight stay in a tented camp.

Day 4: After breakfast, you ride through the impressive Dades Gorge and on from one beautiful desert valley to the next. The Dades Gorge is traversed by a riverbed. Steep red rock faces rise above it, creating a wildly romantic back . Today's destination is the Berber village of Aguerzka, where you will pitch your tents in the green valley.

Day 5: You leave the fertile valley with its gorges and ancient villages and ride over a pass into a forest of juniper trees. You come across a Berber village, which is particularly pretty with its historic walls. Lunch break in a mountain valley and continue towards Amesker Tahtani (1,700 m above sea level). Overnight stay in tents.

Day 6: Today you will reach what is probably the most beautiful of the Atlas valleys, the Valley of Roses. In early summer, the rose bushes are in full bloom here. Here you will find everything combined: green plains, picturesque red kasbahs and mountains, and behind them the white peaks of the Atlas Mountains. You will roam through deep gorges and pass historic sites with typical mud-brick buildings, which indicate the relative wealth of the Berbers who live here. After lunch, you will descend through the Mgoun Valley. Overnight stay in Hdida with local residents.

Day 7: You continue along the Valley of Roses and finally reach the rose capital, Kelaat Mgouna, where the great rose festival takes place every year at the beginning of May. After lunch, you say goodbye to the horses and guides and drive back to Ouarzazate. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 8: Departure after breakfast.

Saghro Massif

Day 1: Arrival and overnight stay in a hotel in Ouarzazate.

Day 2: Drive along the Road of the Kasbahs (Dadestal) to the small town of Boumalne, the starting point of the horseback tour. You ride south and soon see the first rocky elevations of the Djebel Saghro. The route climbs up to the black, pointed basalt rocks via a plateau. Overnight stay at an altitude of 1,700 m in Almounoug.

Day 3: You follow a path across the Elmers plateau to the summit of Tizi n Tagmout (2,000 m above sea level), from where you can enjoy a fantastic view of the snow-capped peaks of the High Atlas. Then you descend to 1,585 m to the largest village in the Saghro massif, Assaka Aït Ouizzine. The area is rich in minerals, which is reflected in the diverse colors of the soil and rocks. Camp on the edge of the village.

Day 4: You pass the sheep pens of Akkerkour and climb over a pass at 1,850 m. From here, a narrow shepherd's path leads to the village of Ighazoun n Imlas, where you will spend the night.

Day 5: Today you will reach the heart of the Saghro Massif. On the Tadout n Tablah plateau, you will ride through a forest of bizarre rock formations and wild gorges. Continue to the Amguis oasis, where you will ride through green gardens and palm groves. In this area, you will also encounter some black Bedouin tents, as it is a popular place for nomads to stay. Tent camp in Bab n Ali, near famous rock peaks.

Day 6: The landscape changes abruptly and you soon find yourself in a lunar landscape. Finally, you reach the first rock plateaus of the Sahara, between which there are numerous green oases. You pass the village of d Isk n Tamerhmdot at 1,750 m and the village of M tassit with its picturesque palm grove. The descent continues into the Hannedour Valley, where you will pitch your tents.

Day 7: Today's ride takes you through the Hannedour Valley to the oasis of N Kob. After a picnic lunch, you will continue south to the Draa Plain.

Day 8: Departure after breakfast.

Subject to change!

Accomodation
You will spend two nights in a mid-range hotel in Ouarzazate and one night in a simple guesthouse. The remaining nights are spent in a tent (1-3 people). Full board includes non-alcoholic drinks with meals, and water is also available to refill bottles. Moroccan wine and beer are available for an extra charge.

Saddle & Tack: French trekking saddles and English bridle.

Experience: Safety in all gaits, trail experience and riding in easy seat are required. The pace is rather calm due to the terrain.

Horses: You ride on Berber stallions, as no mares are taken along and the stallions are well trained, this is not a particular problem.