Morocco: Marrakech & Happy Valley Hike
About this Adventure
Guided Hiking tour through the Happy Valley in the High Atlas Mountains, including a visit to Marrakech. Exclusively for women – led by women.
Do you enjoy staying active on vacation and love discovering new cultures? Then join us and our local female trekking guide Chama (which means “honeybee”) on a trip to Morocco. Discover Marrakech and join us on a hiking tour through the Ait Bougmez Valley – also known as the “Valley of the Happy Ones.”
With this trip, we support local women and promote female-led businesses, such as Chama’s.
The hiking level is easy, with most paths being wide and flat. The temperatures are pleasantly warm but not too hot. Your main luggage will be carried by mules, and you will only need a small daypack for the hike.
We will be accompanied by a Moroccan chef who will freshly prepare all of our meals. You can look forward to enjoying local cuisine: from tajine to couscous, salads, snacks and other warm Moroccan dishes.
Accommodation will be in traditional guesthouses with shared dormitory rooms. All guesthouses provide regular beds, bedding, toilets, and hot showers. In Marrakech, accommodation will be in a hotel.
What highlights can you expect?
Marrakech, Hiking in the Atlas Mountains, Cultural experiences with Berber women
Check out the additional services we have for you!
Tour Overview
Morocco: Marrakech & Happy Valley Hike
Days: 9 (8 nights)
Price per person: 1,800€
Number of participants: 6-15
Dates:
2025: April (dates will follow)
10th to 18th July
Visa: No visa required for most EU nationals.
Hiking-Level
Accomodation
Riad in Marrakech (half a twin room);
Traditional guest houses during the hike (shared rooms)
single room only available in Marrakech (surcharge)
Note: This journey is not suitable for individuals with limited mobility.
The itinerary shown below is subject to change depending on weather conditions. You are viewing a sample itinerary.
What's included?
- Local english-speaking female guide for the entire tour
- Airport transfer from/to Marrakech
- Accomodation and breakfast in Marrakech
- Marrakech City Tour incl. a visit to Medersa Ben Youssef
- Accomodation, all meals, tea, coffee, water during the hike
- Luggage transport by mules
- Chef and kitchen equipment
- Workshop "Preparing a traditional breakfast“
- Workshop "Folklore“
- Workshop "Berber Make-Up“
- Cultural experiences with predominantly local women (Berber culture), e.g. weaving, cooking, agriculture
What's excluded?
- Flüge nach und von Marokko
- Alle weiteren Mahlzeiten und Getränke
- Alle weiteren Aktivitäten
- Reisekrankenversicherung
- Trinkgelder
What's included?
- Local english-speaking female guide for the entire tour
- Airport transfer from/to Marrakech
- Accomodation and breakfast in Marrakech
- Marrakech City Tour incl. a visit to Medersa Ben Youssef
- Accomodation, all meals, tea, coffee, water during the hike
- Luggage transport by mules
- Chef and kitchen equipment
- Workshop "Preparing a traditional breakfast“
- Workshop "Folklore“
- Workshop "Berber Make-Up“
- Cultural experiences with predominantly local women (Berber culture), e.g. weaving, cooking, agriculture
Your Travel Destination
Your journey begins in Marrakech. Marrakech is a vibrant cultural hub located at the foot of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Famous for its bustling markets and historic palaces, the city offers a captivating blend of traditional and modern life. Together with our Moroccan female hiking guide Chama, you’ll learn about the city, the history of the medina and the local cuisine.
Our hike takes you to the Ait Bougmez Valley, known as the “Happy Valley.” It is nestled in the heart of the Atlas Mountains. At an altitude of 2,000 meters, this expansive plateau is surrounded by towering peaks, including Mount M’Goun, the second-highest mountain in Morocco, and Mount Azourki. The valley is highly fertile, with vegetable crops and apple orchards shaping the landscape.
The Happy Valley impresses with its rich variety of beautiful landscapes and a well-preserved Berber culture. We stay in simple yet cozy traditional accommodations and hike along easy trails from village to village, giving you the opportunity to meet the locals. Our guide has a fitting program lined up for you.
Your Female Guide
CHAMA – “Honey Bee”
Born and raised in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, specifically in the picturesque Happy Valley, she is a licensed female tour guide officially recognized in Morocco. Since 2018, she has proudly been the youngest female guide in her region. She leads a wide range of tours across the country, from cycling and city tours to rural explorations, trekking adventures, and family trips, hosting visitors from all over the world.
Her journey to becoming a guide was not without challenges, as many still believe that guiding is a profession reserved for men. In rural areas, there is a strong traditional view that a woman’s place is in the home, raising children and managing household duties. However, she has defied these expectations, rejecting such outdated norms. With the full support of her parents, who have always encouraged and stood by her decisions, she has forged her own path.
By breaking barriers and guiding with determination, she is challenging societal norms and opening doors for other women to follow in her footsteps.
Your Tailor-Made Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival & Welcome in Marrakech
You will be picked up from the airport, arrive at your hotel.
In the evening we all have dinner together at the main square.
Day 2: Explore Marrakech
After breakfast, Chama will take you on a tour to explore Marrakech, known as “The Red City of Morocco.” She will ensure that you visit the most important historical and cultural landmarks, including the Koutoubia Tower, the Quran school Medersa Ben Youssef and the Bahia Palace.
After lunch at a restaurant near the famous Djemaa el Fna Square, you will stroll through the bustling souks, where you’ll discover hundreds of handmade crafts. At the end of the day, you will be returned to your hotel.
Day 3: Marrakech to Agouti
Departing at 8:30, the journey takes you to the Happy Valley, passing through several regions. The first stop is the city of Demnat, located at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains, approximately 110 km (4 hours) east of Marrakech, with an elevation of 968 meters (about 3,176 feet). We’ll stop for lunch in Iminifri before continuing to the village of Agouti, where we will meet our mule team. The night will be spent at a rural guesthouse (Gîte) at 1,800 meters, after approximately 5 hours and 30 minutes of travel.
Day 4: A Day of Culture, Cuisine and Adventure
Today, we head south towards the village of Arous, where we’ll join a path leading to the sheepfolds. Along the way, you’ll pass through villages and meet some of the locals before descending into the gorges. The walk will take approximately 5 hours. We’ll return to the same guest house in the late afternoon.
In the afternoon, you’ll have the chance to participate in a cooking demonstration, where you’ll learn how to prepare some traditional dishes. This is a truly unique opportunity to get hands-on experience and pick up new skills to take home. One of the highlights of the evening will be watching the locals prepare couscous in the traditional way, sharing their secrets for getting it just right.
Day 5: Valley Exploration and Scenic Views
We begin our ascent through the valley, passing through numerous Berber villages where daily life unfolds before our eyes. The journey reveals a diversity of landscapes and warm encounters. We’ll visit ancient dinosaur tracks and make the climb to the Marabout, perched on a hill with breathtaking views overlooking the entire valley, its fields, and villages. The route crosses small hills, leading us to the village of Ait Imi, where we’ll take a break and enjoy a picnic lunch. From there, we’ll climb 200 meters to the Akourbi Pass, offering a stunning view of the Bougmez Valley.
Day 6: Imelghas - Villages - Ifran
Today, we will explore eight villages, all showcasing traditional adobe architecture, with fields bordered by apple and walnut trees.
We’ll visit the dinosaur footprints in the village of Ibakliwne and have lunch in the village of Ifran. In the afternoon, we continue through fields and Berber villages, eventually reaching our Gîte, a peaceful haven in the last village of the Happy Valley.
On the way to Zaouiat Village, you’ll get a glimpse into an ancient craft at a weaving workshop run by a local women’s cooperative. Try your hand at the art of weaving under the guidance of local experts. Afterward, we’ll finish our walk (approximately 5.5 hours).
Day 7: Ifran - Village Iglwane - Zawyat Oualmzi
We set off on a pleasant walk through beautiful green villages and encounter nomads from the Ait Atta tribe. The views of the valley from the ridgeline are stunning. We’ll have lunch with a local family before arriving at the Gîte in the afternoon. The day includes a vertical ascent of +300m and a descent of -300m.
Day 8: Azilal - Ouzoud - Marrakech
On our return journey to Marrakech, we’ll pass through the Ouzoud Waterfalls, where we’ll take a short tour around the falls. We will arrive in Marrakech by late afternoon.
Once back, make the most of your final evening with your fellow female adventurers – perhaps head out for a last taste of tagine and mint tea, or spend some time at the lively Djemaa el-Fna Square.
Day 9: Departure
You will leave beautiful Morocco and head to the airport after breakfast (depending on your flight).