Zat Valley

The Zat runs down from the High Atlas parallel to the Ourika one valley east, and the comparison is the point: it has the same terraced orchards, the same red-earth villages, the same gorges and pools, and almost none of the coach traffic that fills the Ourika every weekend. The road in from Aït Ourir becomes a track and follows the river up past Tidili and Tigdouine into progressively narrower country, with walnut and fig on the terraces, apiaries, and irrigation channels along the contours. There is walking up side valleys and over passes, and a handful of guesthouses have opened. Rock engravings of prehistoric date have been recorded in the upper valley, and a Jewish shrine at Tidili was a pilgrimage site for centuries. Access is the constraint - the track deteriorates, river crossings can be impassable after rain, and a four-wheel drive or a local guide makes the difference.

What you actually see

• Ourika without the crowds - the same terraced valley one ridge east and far quieter.
• A track up the river - narrowing country past Tidili and Tigdouine.
• Rock engravings - prehistoric carvings recorded in the upper valley.
• Walnut and apiaries - orchards and beekeeping on the terraces.

When to go

Spring and autumn. A day or two.

Honest expectations

The track deteriorates upstream and river crossings flood after rain. There are few guesthouses and no shops beyond the lower villages. A guide is worth taking for the side valleys. Winter snow closes the head of the valley.

Nearby

The Ourika valley is west; Aït Ourir is at the valley mouth.