The second day of trekking the Atlas Mountains ended up being one of my favorites for its sheer wow factor and beauty. Day two took us from the lovely village of Tiziane to the remote Imgdal, a lovely Berber village in the heart of the Atlas Mountains. The five-hour hike would take us up along the Assif n’ait Oussaden valley, passing through walnut groves, climbing up via switchbacks through the clouds until our descent into the village of Imgdal.

After an early morning breakfast, we packed our gear and set off to the rising sun and the echoes of the call to prayer.  As we left the village, school children were already up and ready for their walk to school while farmers were heading out to the fields for their day of work. Just like the day before, we did not see another tourist and had the entire trail to ourselves.

Heading out for our hike a little after seven am from the lovely village of Tiziane

The first few hours involved a lot of climbing up until we reached  Tizi n’taghrhourte (1995m), where the views of the snow-capped mountains and clouds hugging the valley were sensational. I often had to pinch myself that it was real, it was so divine.

As we reached the top, we suddenly came out of the clouds, and it was magical. We found a good place to rest and have a snack (mixed Berber nuts bought at the local souq from the village). The views were otherworldly and nothing like I expected.

We continued down the valley until we reached a rare, almost flat stretch of landscape near a spring where we stopped for lunch. Just like the day before, our cook and muleteer had went ahead and had the entire hot meal ready to serve us when we arrived. Once again, we had a picnic in the middle of the mountains under a walnut tree and a feast with veggies, bread, lentils, and rice. While we were eating a local goat herder passed through with hundreds of goats, living life by the land just as the Berbers have done for generations.

Once our tummies were full, it was another 2.5 hours of relatively easy hiking, passing through the village’s terraced fields. Along the way, I was amazed when we passed an elderly Berber farmer walking hunched over, carrying his shovel on the same rugged mountainous path as us. He was not wearing the hiking boots (instead, simple rubber water boots), nor did he have a fancy backpack. What shocked me more was that he asked our guide in Berber if we needed any food or water! Our guides had told us that the Berbers are extremely welcoming people, yet I was still stunned. It was a beautiful moment.

Late in the afternoon, we arrived in the Berber village of Imgdal. There are no paved roads that reach the village, only a simple gravel road that stands the test of time. The buildings were old but well-maintained.

Nearing the next village where we would stay for the night at a local gite

That evening at our gite, we had a lovely surprise. Our guides and cooks put on a show for us, singing traditional Berber music and dancing. Then it was our turn to entertain, and we shared a mix of Irish, English, and American songs with them.

As the sun set, it cooled off in the mountains, and we sat with around a table with our jackets, hats and gloves on. Some of us even had blankets to keep us warm during dinner. There is no heat in the gites, and only one toilet for the entire group of 15 people. It was very basic for what we were used to at home, yet it is these moments when you realize how little you truly need to be happy. Food, shelter, and friendship. It was yet another incredible day in the Atlas Mountains.