Siroua Saffron Trek

Day-by-day

1. Day 1 Marrakech +

   Arrival in Marrakech. You are met at the airport for the short transfer (about 15 min) to the hotel, then you have free hours to explore the city. Tip: visit the Ben Youssef Medersa, a former Quranic school with a richly decorated tiled courtyard and carved stucco.

   Overnight: Hotel

2. Day 2 Tizi n'Tichka Pass & Tislit +

   A long drive (about 6 h, with a lunch stop) climbs the winding road over the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m), then drops towards Taliouine, known for its argan trees. At Tislit you meet the mule team and start walking across plateaus, cultivated fields and gorges, past a small valley with a few hamlets.

   Distance: 1 h 30–2 h · Altitude: Ascent 200 m · Overnight: Camp (1,544 m)

3. Day 3 Aït Oubyal Valley & Berber Villages +

   The dry, stark landscape gives way to the green Aït Oubyal valley, planted with barley, wheat and saffron. Pass through Aït Esine, Aït Marouf and Aït Amrane, then a striking cluster of basalt columns, before reaching Tizgui and its communal granaries. Stone-and-earth houses with brightly painted doors and window grilles cling to the slopes.

   Distance: ~6 h · Altitude: Ascent 900 m · Overnight: Camp at Aghbalou Tizgui (2,400 m)

4. Day 4 Guiliz Ridge & Tagragra Caves +

   About two easy hours follow a clear, running stream along a mule trail. Then a short climb on zigzag paths through thorny scrub reaches the Guiliz ridge (2,900 m), with views of the Siroua and the valley you climbed yesterday. Descend past remote high-pasture shelters, spring-fed terraced gardens and plots that villagers sow each spring and harvest in summer. Camp beside a river near the Tagragra caves, used by shepherds of the Beni M'Zguid tribe.

   Distance: ~5 h · Altitude: Ascent 500 m · Descent 300 m · Overnight: Camp (2,600 m)

5. Day 5 Siroua Fore-Summit +

   A varied day of gorges, rock chaos, mineral landscapes and green side valleys. In 2 to 3 hours you reach the ridge on an easy trail through thorn bushes and sculpted boulders, up to the fore-summit at 3,250 m. The view takes in the High Atlas, the Ouarzazate plain and the Anti-Atlas. Descend through eroded terrain and tiny mountain fields, then terraces of saffron, barley and wheat. For safety, the steep final section to the true summit (3,304 m) is not part of the trek.

   Distance: 6 h 30–7 h · Altitude: Ascent 700 m · Descent 800 m · Overnight: Camp (2,450 m)

6. Day 6 Saffron Gorges to Tinzarine +

   Descend a lovely side valley with a small stream and irrigation channels feeding the crops. Passing stone-walled mountain hamlets, climb to the Anzounmer pass (2,732 m) for views towards the High Atlas. Zigzag down through a gorge and along saffron fields to Aït Ighmour and Idoughagh, shaded by walnut trees beside the river. Cross hills covered in wormwood, then wide valley floors with grazing goats and oleanders, and finish at Tinzarine, built below rocky peaks.

   Distance: ~5 h 30 · Altitude: Ascent 280 m · Descent 900 m · Overnight: Camp near village

7. Day 7 Back to Marrakech +

   A final 2-hour walk through small villages, then drive to Tamazight and back to Marrakech over the Tizi n'Tichka (about 4 h 30). Arrive in the afternoon, check in, and enjoy Jemaa el-Fna square in the evening. Optional extras: a traditional hammam, a guided city visit, or a cooking class in the medina.

   Distance: ~2 h · Altitude: Descent 200 m · Overnight: Hotel

8. Day 8 Departure +

   Transfer to the airport (about 15 min) and flight home.