Branson, Berbers and Bearded Vultures: A Trek in the Atlas By Tony Maniscalco At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

From Richard Branson’s mountainside retreat to giant bearded vultures and ramshackle Berber villages, you can experience so much on a trek in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains.

On a Morocco hiking holiday you’ll be surprised to see so few people in the Atlas region. This is because this trekking hotspot is still relatively unknown, with few tour operators offering excursions to this enigmatic area. However, the Atlas still attracts its fair share of visitors, not all of which are trekkers. Bird watchers flock to this region hoping to catch a rare glimpse of incredible birds of prey such as the Barbary falcon, Bonelli’s eagle and bearded vulture whilst the rare Moussier’s Redstart is their jackpot find.

Other leisure pursuits such as horse-riding and mountain-biking are also popular in this area and easy to organise. However it is trekking that is the main pull to this region attracting thousands of visitors a year, many of whom come to climb Jebel Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa.

On your Morocco hiking holiday you may wish to visit the Ourika Valley, a lush green valley which contains seven separate waterfalls, all of which offer scenic views of the Jebel Toubkal peak.

Another highlight of this region and definitely worth exploring on a Morocco trek is the shanty town of Tnine-de-l’Ourika. This Berber township comes to life every Monday with its souk, where inhabitants of neighbouring villages come to sell their wares and share the local gossip. The area becomes a hub of activity during this time with donkey-drawn carts and pedlars shouting their wares.

On your Morocco trek one thing that you can’t fail to notice is the friendliness of the Berber people. Their knowledge of the Atlas Mountains is second to none and it is quite common to be invited to share sugary mint tea with a Berber family. Berber villages are known for their dominant Kasbahs of which the best are located in the town of Ourzazate. In fact Richard Branson was so enamoured with the traditional Berber Kashbahs of the region that he brought one for his mother. The result is Kashbah Tamadot, a 24 bedroomed property set in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. The property even has its own spa and hamman which are perfect for relaxing in after your Moroccan hiking holiday.

Richard Branson isn’t the only celebrity to fall in love with the Atlas region; Jimi Hendrix discovered the Atlas Mountains during the halcyon days of the 1960s and christened the region Paradise. The name has stuck and on your Morocco hiking holiday you will journey through the famous Paradise Valley, which contains limestone gorges, palm trees, bubbling ravines and tree-clad hills. During the 1960s it was common for the hippies to sleep out here on the river banks during the warmer winter months. Although you will discover on your Moroccan hiking holiday that the banks are a lot more peaceful nowadays, it is still possible to spend a day here visiting the limestone caves, swimming in the natural pools and relaxing on the sun heated rocks. This area of Paradise is the perfect place in which to end your Morocco trek.

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