Morocco: Canyons & Gorges 2026

14th Mar 2026 - 21st Mar 2026

8 days/Morocco /Challenging

Overview

We just love visiting Morocco so are delighted to share this new location to explore -The Saghro Mountains. Join us on this brand new adventure for 2026!

This 5-day trek will see you travel through the lunar landscapes of the rocky outcrops and valleys that separate the High Atlas mountains from the Sahara desert. Take in the views of towering rock formations, remote plateaus and deep canyons and gorges as you traverse the mountain passes and valleys of this spectacular landscape dotted with Berber villages, almond groves and oases of date palms.

There is also the option to extend your stay (for an additional cost) after the trek, to explore more of Morocco.

You don’t have to fundraise to join an open challenge but you can support a charity of your choice if you wish. See the costs tab for more details.

This trip is rated as moderate to challenging for someone of good fitness levels. You will be trekking for 5 consecutive days, over varying and sometimes challenging terrain. You will be trekking around 6 – 8 hours a day.

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This trek is accompanied by professional English-speaking local guides who have an excellent knowledge of trekking in the region and are first aid trained. You will also be supported by a full support crew of cooks, muleteers (and mules) and a Different Travel Company UK tour manager.

You will be trekking through mountain passes and across sparse valleys, The terrain is generally very stony and dry with some sections of loose scree and small boulders you may have to scramble over. There may be exposed areas but your guides will offer you support throughout. There will be lots of uphill sections and subsequent descents so it is very important that you have done adequate training on hills before departure.

Temperatures in the Saghro Mountains in March can reach highs of 20-25°C but wind chill may make this feel colder and temperatures can drop to around 6-10°C. It will feel much cooler overnight once the sun sets.

Although the temperatures and conditions above are historically accurate, climate change can impact the seasons so you may experience uncharacteristic conditions during the trip which are out of our control. Should this happen the guide will assess the situation and make decisions to ensure the best enjoyment and ultimately the safety of the group as a whole.

Typically breakfast comprises bread, eggs and hot drinks. Lunch will be bread, cold salad, fresh and dried fruits. Evening meals tend to begin with a hot or cold salad, followed by a tagine (a traditional fish, chicken or lamb stew with vegetables served in a clay pot) served with bread and couscous (made from semolina) accompanied by vegetables. A cup of sweet mint tea is commonly used to end the meal.

You will stay in a hotel in Ouarzazate for one night before the trek and one night in Marrakech at the end of the trip. During the trek we will be camping. You will be provided with a foam mattress but you will need to bring your own sleeping bag suitable for temperatures as low as 0°C.

There are shower facilities at the hotel but there are no bathing facilities at camp. It is recommended that you bring a small pack of baby wipes. You should bring your own towel and environmentally friendly toiletries. Toilet facilities at camp will be a hole dug into the ground, covered by a privacy tent. Toilet paper is not provided so you will need to bring your own. During the trek you will need to pack up any toilet paper you use and dispose of it properly at camp. NEVER leave toilet paper or other litter on the trail.

You must be aged at least 18 to participate unaccompanied. It may be possible for you to participate if you are aged 16 or 17 years old if you are accompanied by a parent or guardian–please contact us for advice. There is no upper age limit. An ideal candidate for the trek would be someone who enjoys being out of their comfort zone and trying something new.

You are strongly advised to train to a good fitness level before departure to ensure fast recovery from each day’s walk. The distances covered may not be great but you must be prepared for, and be capable of, trekking for many hours a day on steep, rough terrain while carrying a daypack of around 6-8kg in weight. If you attempt to complete the trek without training, it will be unnecessarily challenging and will hinder your experience, and the experience of your teammates.

The highest altitude we will reach will be 1800m. This is not high enough to experience altitude related symptoms.

The kit list for this trip can be downloaded here.

Itinerary

Saghro Mountains Trek Itinerary

Day 1 (Saturday 14 March 2026):

Depart London
We will leave the UK and fly to Marrakech. On arrival we will immediately set off for a journey across the High Atlas Mountain range to our overnight stop in Ouarzazate (journey time approx. 4-5 hours). We will have dinner before a trek briefing about our forthcoming adventure.
Meals: Dinner

Day 2 (Sunday 15 March 2026):

Ouarzazate – Ait Youl – Achemrah (1,520m)
After a hearty Moroccan breakfast we will continue our drive to Ait Youl in the Vallée des Roses (approx 1.5 hours). The valley is one of the country’s most captivating natural attractions and named after the thousands of rose bushes that cover the banks of the Oued Dades. We will meet up with our local Berber guides, load up our mules and set off with a gentle introduction to the mountains – approximately 3 hrs of trekking with a break for lunch in the foothills of the Saghro Mountains. In the mid-afternoon we reach camp, set in a small oasis with a nearby river and surrounded by lovingly tended crops.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Trekking: Approx 3hrs / 8km
Total elevation gain: 160m
Change in altitude: gain of 130m

Day 3 (Monday 16 March 2026):

Achemrah – Tagmoute Valley (1,930m)
After breakfast, the trek towards Jbel Saghro begins. We will head along a riverbed and then uphill into the mountains, along narrow mountain paths with stunning scenery in all directions. After a long climb we reach the lunch spot, near a small oasis, with the chance to dip your feet in the cooling water. We then continue to the Tagmoute Pass at 2,000m with a stunning view of the massif. You descend through the beautiful Agoulzi canyon (not dissimilar to the Grand Canyon) with impressive red stone outcrops and a lovely oasis in its depths. Climbing out of the canyon you reach the wide open Tagmoute valley where your camp is set up for the night.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Trekking: Approx 6hrs / 13km
Total elevation gain: 695m
Change in altitude: gain of 410m

Day 4 (Tuesday 17 March 2026):

Tagmoute – Assaka (1,610m)
This morning the trek changes direction as we descend eastwards through the valley to reach the Assaka Canyon. We’ll make a fairly long steep climb up to reach the trek’s highest point at 2,200m and then descend through rock that changes from purple to green, past a former silver mine, through ever-changing terrain. After lunch you reach the spectacular Assaka canyon and descend into the valley bottom. From here, trek along a narrow path with views of dwellings and oases on the opposite side, along the side of the valley and to your camp near the village of Assaka.
We will have dinner before settling down under canvas in the heart of the mountains.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Trekking: Approx 6hrs / 13km
Total elevation gain: 290m
Change in altitude: loss of 320m

Day 5 (Wednesday 18 March 2026):

Assaka – Tajalajte – Tifdassine (1,250m)

Leaving Assaska, we follow the gorge through a beautiful valley passing by several small Berber villages including Tajalajt and Berkou with terraces of farmland nestled into the hillside. This is home to the villagers who make a living from the flocks of goats and sheep which you will spot high up on the mountainside across the valley. Lunch will be served under the almond trees, and then you continue, crossing some streams, across a small pass and head down to down to the open valley and oasis of Tifdassine where you’ll find the camp, surrounded by towering mountains. While today is the longest trek day, the terrain is easier, and the inclines are gentler.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Trekking: Approx 6hrs / 16.5km
Total elevation gain: 410m
Change in altitude: loss of 300m

Day 6 (Thursday 19 March 2026):

Tifdassine – Ighazzoun – Bab N’Ali (1,425m)
We get some more incredible views today as we set off from the valley and after a short while spot the rocks pinnacles in the far distance which are your end destination. Trekking over a variety of rocky terrain brings you to some small villages which you walk through, before continuing along the Amguis Gorge amidst a landscape of surreal rock formations. The spectacular views looking back down the valley will leave you with a sense of awe as you appreciate the distance you’ve travelled mountainsides you have traversed. You’ll finally reach the top of a hill and be rewarded with a close-up view of at the famous Bab N’Ali gate (1580m). A landscape of pinnacles formed from the rocks of the Precambrian metamorphosed sandstone offers magnificent and gigantic shapes. Your camp is in the shadow of these impressive rocks, and you can settle in for your final night under canvas.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Trekking: Approx 7hrs / 15km
Total elevation gain: 480m
Change in altitude: gain of 180m

Day 7 (Friday 20 March 2026):

Bab N’Ali – Ouarzazate – Marrakech
After breakfast we’ll pack up camp and take the short walk back to the road where we bid farewell to our team of mules and the local Berbers. You will then drive back overland to Ouarzazate and onto Marrakech (approx. 7hrs 30min) stopping for lunch on the way. On arrival in Marrakech you’ll check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8 (Saturday 21 March 2026):

Marrakech/ UK
There may be some time this morning to explore the exotic and bustling city of Marrakech before flying back to the UK (subject to flight times).
Meals: Breakfast

There is also the option to extend your stay after the trek to explore more of Morocco. See Costs + how to pay tab for more details.

Notes: The day-to-day programme is subject to weather, general conditions and the progress of the group. While we do not anticipate any changes to the itinerary, we cannot be held responsible for changes made due to unexpected circumstances. Ultimately the safety and health of the group takes priority in all circumstances.

Costs & How to pay

Registration fee: £395
and then either…

Self-funded: £900

Sponsorship: £1800

Flexi: £1800 trip costs and £1800 sponsorship for a charity* of your choice

SELF-FUNDED

This option is for those who choose to pay the trip costs (flights, accommodation, food, guides etc.) themselves. There is no sponsorship required although if you wish to raise sponsorship for a charity you are welcome to do so.

A registration fee is payable at the time of booking.
Trip cost balance is payable to Different Travel 10 weeks prior to departure.
You are welcome to fundraise separately for any charity of your choice but this is not mandatory. Any fundraising undertaken cannot be used for your trip costs.

SPONSORSHIP

This option is for those who wish to raise sponsorship to cover both the costs of the trip (flights, accommodation, food, guides etc.) and a donation to their chosen charity. There is a minimum sponsorship amount for each trip that you are required to raise in order to participate.

A registration fee is payable at the time of booking.
The minimum sponsorship must be paid to the charity 12 weeks prior to departure.
The amount the charity receives is at least 50% of the minimum sponsorship total.

FLEXI

This option is for those who choose to pay the trip costs (flights, accommodation, food, guides etc.) themselves while still raising some funds for the charity.

A registration fee is payable at the time of booking.
Trip cost balance is payable to Different Travel and your fundraising is payable to the charity 10 weeks prior to departure.
Any fundraising undertaken cannot be used for your trip costs.

OPTIONAL TRIP EXTENSION

2-night shared occupancy (twin or triple) extension: £190

Two additional nights’ accommodation* with breakfast plus a return airport transfer based on 2 people sharing a twin room.

*You will be accommodated in the same hotel as is used for the group during the main trip. This is TBC but is likely to be Hotel El Andalous or similar.

2-night single occupancy extension: £240

Two additional nights’ accommodation* with breakfast plus a return airport transfer in a single occupancy room.