The Ameln Valley and Tafraout

Tafraout sits in a bowl of pink granite in the Anti Atlas, surrounded by boulders the size of houses, and the Ameln valley runs from it beneath the long wall of Jebel Lekst, with a chain of villages strung along the base of the mountain, each with its palms, terraces and old houses of stone and mud. The rock is what makes the place: granite weathered into rounded shapes that glow pink in the evening, with formations that have acquired names, including a balancing block known locally as Napoleon's hat. In February the valley turns white with almond blossom. Out on the plain south of town, boulders painted blue by an artist in the 1980s have faded but remain.

What you'll find

• The granite boulders - rounded pink rock piled around the town and the valley.
• Jebel Lekst - the long mountain wall above the Ameln villages.
• The village walks - paths linking terraced settlements along the valley floor.
• The painted rocks - blue-painted boulders on the plain, faded but still there.

When to go

February brings the almond blossom, which is the valley's set piece, with clear cool weather. March and April are excellent for walking. Autumn is warm and quiet. Summer is very hot in the bowl of the valley and there is little shade. Evening light is when the granite turns properly pink.

Practical notes

Tafraout is a small, plain town and the attraction is entirely outside it, so you need a car, a bike or the willingness to walk in heat. Accommodation is limited and fills during the blossom season. The painted rocks have weathered badly and are repainted unevenly, which disappoints people who saw older photographs. Roads through the valley are narrow and slow.

Nearby

The palm gorge at Aït Mansour is south of town, and Tiznit and the coast are a couple of hours west.