Morocco, 2026

Morocco, January-February 2026: Days 1 to 6 of the trek

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Day 1:

Loading the camels at the start of the trek in Ait Saoun. The camels and Ahmed, the camel driver, had arrived the day before, brought by a truck from the Mhamid region in northern Sahara.

Remnants of snow that fell the previous day in Ait Saoun.

Beginning of the day hike.

Looking back toward the snowy central Atlas mountain range.

Views during the hike.

Viewpoint looking south during the descent toward our first camp (waypoint 04), the small palm grove visible at the bottom of the photo.

Views of the natural palm grove where we set up our first camp (waypoint 04). This place is called Timoula.

Our camels resting and eating in the palm grove.

Our campsite in the palm grove.

Day 2:

Looking back toward the palm grove soon after leaving the camp.

Asking directions from a local farmer at waypoint 06.

Looking back across the valley we had traversed earlier. The Timoula palm grove is visible on the opposite side of the valley.

Nice little conical peak.

Village of Zaouiat Aynass (waypoint 10). It mixes traditional mud-brick (adobe) houses and large, modern houses made of prefabricated concrete blocks. The latter generally belong to people who have made their fortunes working in major Moroccan cities or abroad.

Alley and doors in Zaouiat Aynass.

Our second camp (waypoint 11) near Zaouiat Aynass.

Day 3:

Natural palm grove in an oued (ephemeral watercourse), seen soon after leaving the camp.

The same oued beyond the palm grove.

Shepherd's houses.

Our third camp (waypoint 19) near shepherd's houses (also pictured in the above photo).

Small conical peak overlooking our campsite.

Sunset colors.

Day 4:

Sunrise colors.

Empty shepherd's houses.

Successive rock formations.

Our fourth camp (waypoint 29).

Village near our camp.

Sunset colors.

Day 5:

Our beautiful camel at sunrise.

Unusual traditional beehives (two photos below). They consist of reed cylinders placed directly on the ground and covered of dry mud and stones. Swarms are placed inside these cylinders without artificial frames to hold the honeycombs. Both ends of the cylinders are then sealed with reeds and mud, leaving small holes to allow the bees to exit and reenter. These hives are called, rather inelegantly, ″hive tombs″. For various reasons, few of them remain in Morocco. Those pictured below may no longer be in use.